Every Second

64

Coyote Mountains, New York

The gunmen froze, standing motionless as faint whomping rolled over the treetops.

“Hear that?” Cutty said. “It’s a chopper.”

“It’s coming this way,” Vic said. “To hell with this, let’s go! We’ll come back for them. Go, go!”

They moved on fast, climbing to a high point that gave them a view of the grove where their prey was cornered while providing a dense canopy of cover overhead. They watched the sky through a patchwork of light as the helicopter’s thudding grew louder before fading away.

“They’re on our trail! They’ll be back!” Percy shouted. “We have to abort!”

Vic didn’t respond; he was concentrating on Jerricko, who’d been monitoring news reports on his powerful portable radio.

“Well?” Vic said.

“They found Fulton.” Jerricko yanked out his earpiece.

“They found him? Already?”

“In critical condition but alive. They’ve airlifted him to Albany.”

“Maybe that’s Fulton’s chopper we heard?” Cutty said.

“He’s alive!” Percy said. “What if he talks? We’ve gotta abort.”

“Relax, he doesn’t know anything. It’s in the laptop,” Vic said. Turning back to Jerricko, he asked, “Did the news say anything about our operation?”

“Nothing.”

“Then we proceed as planned in the name of Allah.”

“Are you crazy?” Percy said. “If they found Fulton, they’ve got the cabin and our vehicles-and the woman’s got our laptop! They know everything! Let’s just take the money, lay low, regroup and replan.”

Vic tightened his grip on his gun and stepped into Percy’s space, drawing his face so close Percy felt his hot, angry breath on his skin.

“Are you committed to your martyrdom?” Vic asked.

Percy searched the fire burning in Vic’s eyes.

“Completely.”

“Then shut your mouth and obey orders!”

Vic pulled his satellite phone from his backpack and confirmed that he had a signal from their elevated position. Then he made a call while the others stood near, listening to his side of it.

“Yes, we spoke earlier about the wedding…are the clocks ready?…Good…Unfortunately, we’ve had a breakdown…we’ll need a ride to the celebration hall…so you’ll pick us up at the meeting point…We’ll be there in a few hours…Yes, we do have a substantial contribution to make as a financial gift…Yes, very substantial…In a few hours, then…Yes…Many blessings on this special day…Yes and to you, as well…”

Vic ended the call and scanned the grove where he knew Lori Fulton and her son were.

“The press attention will help us spread our message to America. This is not the time to falter.” He repositioned his gun on his shoulder. “We’re going to recover our laptop and make examples of those two. Then, by the grace of Allah, we’ll carry out the successful completion of our glorious mission for the world to see.”