Path of the Assassin

CHAPTER 36

The next morning, Meg was up before anyone else. She was in the lodge reading the morning paper by the time Harvath finished working out and had found her. “So what’s it going to be today?” he said as he sat across from Meg and placed two cups of coffee on the table. “Horseback riding or sailing lessons?”

“I wish,” replied Meg. “I have a physical scheduled, so I’ll have to pass on the coffee for now.”

“Pass? Why?”

“They’re going to do a blood draw, and I am supposed to have had nothing to eat or drink except water since midnight.”

Harvath took a sip of his coffee and made a face. “Don’t worry, the coffee’s not that great.”

“You’re just saying that to make me feel better.”

“Yeah, you got me. It’s actually pretty good. The DEA guys probably bring it up from South America. So what fun does Camp Harvey Point have in store for you later?” asked Harvath as he withdrew his copy of Meg’s schedule from his pocket. “Ooh, there’s a fitness assessment after lunch. Somebody planned that one well.”

“They sure did. What kind of a torture farm is this? No food after midnight and then once they do let me eat, they’ve got a fitness test planned right after it?”

“I know it might seem excessive,” said Scot, mimicking Rick Morrell, “but I can assure you this schedule exists for your safety and the security of the facility.”

Meg smiled. Harvath was glad to see her doing better.

“What’s on tap for tonight?” she asked.

“Well, it looks like that’s going to depend upon how long they keep you looking at mug shots.”

“Mug shots? Is that what this undetermined block of time is set up for this afternoon?”

“Yup. They’re going to have you review pictures and descriptions of known and suspected terrorists from some of the world’s biggest databases.”

“Sounds like fun.”

“As long as you’re in an air-conditioned room, count your blessings. I can’t believe how hot it is down here.”

“And humid,” added Meg.

“How’d you sleep last night?”

“Great, why?”

“So your air conditioner works fine?”

“It did last night. Didn’t yours?”

“No,” said Harvath, a sneaking suspicion creeping over him. “For some reason, mine’s on the blink.”

“Why don’t you ask Morrell to look into it for you.”

“I would, if I thought it would actually do any good.”

“Well, maybe if you weren’t such a smart-ass to him, he’d be willing to help you.”

“You don’t know Rick Morrell the way I do.”

“I don’t need to. He’s a person, for crying out loud, and wants to be treated with respect.”

“I agree, but respect is not a given; it has to be earned.”

“Men! Everything is a competition with you.”

“That’s not true,” said Harvath, who noticed that Morrell had entered the lodge and was making his way over to their table. “Listen, try and find out for me what room Morrell is in today, would you please?”

“His room? Why?”

“Never mind, just try to find out, okay?”

“Sure, but—”

“Good morning,” said Morrell as he neared the table and smiled at Meg as sincerely as he was capable of. “I trust everyone slept well?”

“Like a baby,” offered Harvath. He knew the reason his AC didn’t work was somehow Morrell’s doing, but he wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of complaining.

“Ms. Cassidy, are you ready for your physical?”

“The sooner it’s over the sooner I can eat. Let’s go,” said Meg.

“Good. Agent Harvath will meet you back here for lunch.”

“I’ll see you later, okay?” said Scot. “I’m going to go over to the arts-and-crafts cabin to make my mom either a cutting board with a secret compartment for microfilm or a key chain that shoots poison darts.”

Morrell was fed up, but he tried not to show it. “Ms. Cassidy, if you’re ready, I’ll drive you over.”

Meg said good-bye to Scot, and once she had walked away from the table, Harvath caught Morrell by the arm. “You make sure you take care of her, understand me?”

“Yeah, I understand you,” said Morrell, jerking his arm out of Harvath’s grasp. “Relax.”

“Like you take care of your eyes, Ricky. I don’t want anything to happen to her.”

“For fuck’s sake, Harvath, I’m taking her to get a physical. It’s not like we’re disarming land mines.”

“I’m talking about in general. I’m setting the ground rules for the training and the operation right now.”

“You?”

“Yeah, me. Meg Cassidy is not expendable, so you figure that into your planning. Got me?”

“You have a thing for this woman, don’t you?”

Harvath avoided the question and simply responded, “Her safety is the number-one priority.”

“Number one for you maybe, but number one for me is the successful outcome of my mission.”

“You’d better find a way to reconcile the two, because I’m here to see that nothing happens to her.”

“I thought you were here because you wanted to see us nail Hashim Nidal.”

“That too,” said Harvath, “but not at the expense of this woman’s life.”

“Understood. Are you finished now?” asked Morrell as he impatiently glanced down at his watch.

“Just about. You guys need to realign the profile on Nidal.”

“What? You’re joking right?”

“No, I’m one hundred percent serious. There were two masked hijackers on that plane. I think Meg saw the lieutenant’s face and not Nidal’s.”

“Based on what?”

“She said she saw the one you’re calling the lieutenant, tell off Nidal.”

“Harvath, Meg Cassidy barely remembers anything of what she saw.”

“That’s not true. She had trouble putting together a coherent timetable of the events during her struggle with the hijackers.”

“Same thing in my book. Listen, the man Cassidy saw without his mask was the one issuing all of the orders during the hijacking. I have eyewitnesses who will back that up. This man was also wounded by Cassidy and had to be assisted in his escape from the plane. Are you telling me that we’ve got it wrong and Hashim Nidal would risk his freedom, or possibly worse, his life, to help a lieutenant escape?”

“If that lieutenant knew enough to bring him down, yes.”

“Then why not just kill the lieutenant? Why go to all that extra trouble?” asked Morrell as he glanced once more at his watch.

“Who knows? Maybe there’s honor among thieves, after all. Maybe the lieutenant was very valuable to him or had information buttoned down somewhere as an insurance policy. There’s a million possible reasons.”

“Yes, but only one makes sense. The face Cassidy saw belonged to Hashim Nidal, period.”

“Revise the profile, Rick.”

“What, and go solely by a set of eyes? Because that’s all anyone has seen of the other hijacker.”

“It’s a good start.”

“It’s a waste of time. Just like this conversation is. We’ve got the right man and we’re not diverting our focus.”

“You’re making a mistake.”

“And you’re free to leave any time you like,” said Morrell as he began walking away. “You’ll excuse me, but I’ve got a schedule to keep.”