Jihad

CHAPTER 35

Marie Telach knelt down next to the technician’s station, looking at his screen.

“See, these sines are diminishing,” said the radio expert, pointing at a series of waves on the screen. “It’s gotta mean they’re going underground. Thing is, we’re going to lose him if he goes much deeper.”

“Can you boost it?”

“We’re at maximum power now. You have to bring the booster units in closer. Your only option.”

Telach straightened and walked down to the front of the room, where Rockman was running the mission.

“He’s in here somewhere,” said Rockman, pointing to the comer where Asad had disappeared. “Below the building with the relics of Prophet Mohammed. That’s where we lost the signal. But he came from this direction over here. There must be a set of stairs that aren’t on our maps.”

“Do we know what’s on the basement level of the palace?” she asked.

“Yeah, but if we’re not picking him up, he’s got to be at least one floor below it, right? Or maybe two or three,” said Rockman.

A message appeared on the translation screen: SIGNAL LOST.

“Have Lia go into the palace with the portable booster units,” Telach said, stifling a curse. “Put them as close to this area as possible. In the meantime, I’ll talk to Mr. Rubens.”

The shriek of the phone woke Rubens with a start and he jerked out of bed. He turned and saw his clock—4:03 A.M. He’d overslept.

He reached over to the side of the bed, picking up the phone that connected to the Art Room.

“Hello, Marie,” he said. “What’s the situation?”

“It looks like Red Lion is meeting someone in the Topkapi Palace,” she told him. “Probably in a basement area. We don’t have a definitive map. I’d like to have the U-2 Senior Project overfly the area with its penetrating radar.”

“Do it.”

“We’re having technical difficulties because of the building,” Telach continued. “We need to put boosters closer to the source. That may involve going into the palace itself, possibly into the Pavilion of the Holy Mantle where Mohammed’s cloak is kept. Charlie’s already gone through the security screen and we’re confident we can get a unit in without it being detected.”

Rubens took a slow breath, contemplating the situation. The president — against Rubens’ advice — had already decided against bringing the boosters inside any of the mosques; if the device were discovered, the act would be considered sacrilegious and would have considerable repercussions. The Pavilion of the Holy Mantle was not a mosque — but in some ways it was even more sensitive. The discovery of one of the units in the palace, an official government building, might embarrass an important ally.

Would definitely embarrass them.

“Do what is necessary to accomplish our mission,” said Rubens. “But do not leave one of the units unattended in the building with the relics. Have Lia or Dean bring it and stay with it, if needed.”

“All right.”

“I’m sorry I overslept, Marie. I was up late with George Hadash’s daughter last night, helping her make arrangements for her father’s funeral. I’ll be in shortly.”