Path of the Assassin

CHAPTER 23

Harvath was just about to ask why the lights hadn’t been turned back on yet, when all of the airport lighting came to life. There’s that Egyptian efficiency, he thought to himself. A moment later external power was attached to the aircraft and the interior lights came back on as well. The upper deck looked exactly like a war zone.

When Harvath made his way down to the vestibule outside the lower-level workout facility, Morrell was already on-scene triaging his men.

“How are they doing, Rick?” asked Harvath.

“One of the guys lost a couple of fingers, but for the most part just superficial injuries to exposed arms and legs. The vests and those Kevlar helmets saved them.”

“What happened?”

“Apparently, when Alpha Team breached from down below, there was a short firefight through the stairwell, and then the hijackers dropped a concussion grenade followed by a fucking frag.”

“Jesus. I thought that’s what it was,” said Harvath.

“These guys were very well trained. They only went for chest or head shots and didn’t waste a second between ejecting spent clips and inserting fresh ammunition into their weapons. They knew how to handle themselves in a firefight.”

“Did we get them all? What about Nidal?”

“Too hard to tell at this point. They were dressed just like civilians from what we can tell. Delta’s still evacuating passengers.”

“Have you secured the perimeter?”

“Of course we have. We’ll isolate all of the passengers to make sure none of the hijackers are trying to mix in with them. We’ll go through them one by one. God, this thing turned into a goat fuck,” said Morrell.

“It could have been a lot worse. Next time, let’s leave the Egyptians at home.”

Morrell didn’t like I told you so’s, no matter how veiled they were, and let Harvath know it. “You know what? If I have anything to say about it, there won’t be a next time. That crap you pulled up on the Jetway was totally unacceptable.”

“What are you talking about?” said Harvath, growing angry with Morrell as well.

“I’m talking about you assaulting one of my men, commandeering his demo sack, and making a jump for this aircraft. All against my orders.”

Scot lowered his voice, but gave it to Morrell with both barrels. “Against your orders, my ass. You couldn’t fucking think straight up there. The Egyptians jumped the gun and it threw your whole plan out of whack. Face it. For all the training you and the rest of your SAS monkeys think you have, hostage-rescue situations require a more delicate touch than you’re capable of. Had we waited for you to come up with another plan, who knows how many of the passengers would be dead right now. Be glad this turned out as well as it did.”

“What I’ll be glad about is confirming that we have taken out Hashim Nidal. I just pray that we got him, so that our little special working relationship here can be over.”

“I can’t wait to get rid of you either.”

Harvath turned to walk up the stairs, but had to wait for a group of passengers being led by a Delta operative to come down. As he looked up, Scot recognized the faces as those he had seen earlier in first class.

“Great, what the hell is this?” said Morrell to the Delta operative when he reached the bottom landing.

“These are the VIP passengers from first class and those who were involved in a direct standoff with the hijackers. We’ve been instructed to see to their secure evac and get them to the EgyptAir clubroom for debriefing. It’s a madhouse upstairs, so we’re taking this group out Alpha Team’s rabbit hole and down the ladder.”

The Delta operative didn’t wait for Morrell’s permission; he didn’t need it. He already had his orders. He politely but forcefully indicated with his weapon that Morrell should back up, and then he waved his group toward the exercise facility.

As Meg Cassidy made her way down the stairs, Scot could tell that his original assessment of her had not been wrong. She was definitely beautiful. She had also definitely been through the ringer. Her eyes were glazed over and she was shaking. As she neared the bottom step, she faltered and fell forward right into Harvath.

He deftly moved his weapon out of the way and caught Meg with his left arm. He helped her regain her feet, but knew that if he let go of her, she would fall to the ground like a rag doll.

“Are you all right?” Scot asked.

Meg didn’t respond.

“What’s happening? Is she okay?” came the voice of Mayor Fellinger as he broke ranks and came back to see what was going on.

“I think she might be in shock, sir,” said Harvath.

“Wait a second. I know you, don’t I?” he asked.

“Yes, sir, we met about a year ago in Chicago at a party fund-raiser.”

“That’s right. I remember you now. You were on President Rutledge’s Secret Service detail, correct?”

“Yes, sir. Agent Scot Harvath.”

“I guess I shouldn’t ask what a U.S. Secret Service agent is doing all the way in Cairo with a Delta Force team, should I?”

“Probably not. You do have quite a memory, though, Mr. Mayor.”

“I never forget a face. Let’s hope Meg here doesn’t either.”

“What do you mean?” asked Harvath, who motioned to one of the Delta guys at the top of the stairway to throw a blanket down to him.

“From what I’ve been told, no one has found the two hijackers dressed in black jumpsuits. They were the ones running the show. They wore masks, but Meg said she saw the face of one of them. She also said she shot him in the head. She’s an amazing woman. We all owe our lives to her.”

The Delta operative upstairs whistled to get Scot’s attention and threw him down a couple of blankets. Harvath wrapped them tightly around Meg as he continued to help hold her upright. For her part, all Meg could do was stare straight ahead. Scot quickly took her pulse. He wanted to know who this woman was and what role she had played in helping to subdue so many of the hijackers. But it would have to wait.

“She’s going to need medical attention,” said Harvath.

“If she’s seen who I think she’s seen,” broke in Morrell, “she’s going to need to be debriefed first.”

Meg stiffened under Scot’s arm. It was very subtle, but Harvath felt it nonetheless.

“Back off, Rick. The first thing this woman needs is medical attention, and that’s the first thing she’s going to get.”

Ex-Army and now a career politician, Mayor Fellinger could smell a pissing match coming a mile away, and diplomatically stepped in. “Agent Harvath, I’d like it if you could see your way clear to escorting us off the plane and helping Ms. Cassidy get the medical attention she needs. The president and I go way back, and I am sure he would appreciate any assistance you can give us. That is of course” — Fellinger paused to look directly at Morrell — “if you can be spared.”

Morrell had no idea why people liked Harvath. In his opinion, the guy was nothing but trouble and he would be glad to be rid of him. “Fine. Go ahead,” he said. “But I want to know where this woman is at all times, and once she receives medical treatment, I want to talk to her. Understood?”

“You’re all heart,” said Scot as he pushed past Morrell into the exercise facility.

The room looked like a bomb had gone off in it, which was pretty much what had happened. Alpha Team’s ribbon charge had blown a rectangular hole clean through the underside of the airplane and up through the floor of the exercise room. Weights and splintered cables were scattered everywhere. Exercise bikes and treadmills were overturned, and all of the plate-glass mirrors, which once covered the walls surrounding the room, were now shattered.

Harvath helped direct Meg Cassidy through the maze of twisted metal and broken glass that littered the floor, and then gently lowered her down the ladder to Mayor Fellinger.

When Scot hit the tarmac, he wasn’t surprised to see soldiers and police everywhere. The perimeter was so tight, not even a scorpion could have sneaked through. If Hashim Nidal was not already among the dead and was somehow trying to hide among the passengers, he’d be nailed for sure. There was no possible way he could get out of this one.