The Bin Laden Plot

11 NATIONAL HARBOR, MARYLAND

Located along the Potomac River on 350 acres is the National Harbor waterfront complex, comprising over two hundred shops, forty restaurants, and eight hotels, along with multiple entertainment venues such as the MGM resort with Las Vegas — style gambling. A centerpiece of National Harbor is the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, which contains a nineteen-story, glass-encased lush garden atrium and over a half million square feet of event space, including several fifty-thousand-square-foot ballrooms.

The Gaylord is also home to the Navy League’s annual Sea-Air-Space Global Maritime Exposition, the world’s largest maritime and defense technology gathering, bringing together the key decision-makers in the U.S. defense industry and military for three days of exhibits, policy discussions, and speeches, along with fifteen thousand attendees. Traditional keynote speakers each year include the Chief of Naval Operations, Commandants of the U.S. Marine Corps and Coast Guard, high-ranking congressmen, and of course, the secretary of the Navy.

Across Waterfront Street from the Gaylord is the Hampton Inn, where several of the rooms on the southeast side of the building have a clear view of the side entrance to the Gaylord, which has a service loop used for dropping off and picking up dignitaries.

Seated beside an open window in his hotel room on the second floor, Mixell examined the weapon on the table before him: the Steyr SSG 69 rifle, outfitted this time with a ten-round box magazine and propped up by an integrated folding bipod. He placed the rifle against his shoulder and an eye against the attached scope, peering through the center crack of the room’s drawn curtains, studying the men and women entering and leaving the Gaylord’s side entrance.

According to the Sea-Air-Space Exposition schedule, the secretary of the Navy’s speech should be wrapping up any moment. In concert with his thoughts, a black Lincoln Navigator pulled into the service loop, stopping beside the entrance.

Mixell would have a small window of opportunity when Secretary Verbeck emerged from the Gaylord, accompanied by a pair of protective agents, McNeil being one of them. It was a short walk from the building to the vehicle — only about forty feet — leaving Mixell with scant time to identify his target, obtain a clear shot, and shoot. Plus, he needed to kill McNeil when he was less than a foot away from Verbeck, to make it look like the assassin had missed, accidentally killing her protective agent instead.

Additionally, he had only a fifty-fifty chance McNeil would be on Mixell’s side of the secretary as he escorted her from the building to the SUV. If he accompanied her on the other side, getting a clear shot would be notably more difficult.

The side doors opened and Secretary Verbeck emerged from the Gaylord, accompanied by McNeil and another agent. McNeil was on the secretary’s far side, walking directly beside her, and Mixell cursed his bad luck. He had no offset angle; Verbeck was squarely between Mixell and McNeil. The former SEAL was several inches taller than Verbeck, but Mixell could barely see the top of his head. If only Verbeck had worn shorter heels.

He followed their progression toward the SUV, with the crosshair centered on Verbeck, hoping for separation between the two. But McNeil remained steady by her side. With Verbeck in his scope, Mixell’s eye — and thoughts — were focused on the attractive and wealthy woman.

During his discussion with Chief Johnson a few days earlier, Mixell had learned that Johnson and Captain Hoskins were connected via the UUV program, and Mixell had concluded that Hoskins was either shielding Verbeck from the UUV issue or working as her minion. It hadn’t taken much research to determine it was the latter. It turned out that Verbeck’s maiden name was Snyder. She was Dan Snyder’s sister.

She was covering her brother’s tracks, ordering the deletion of the communications intercepted by the UUV and the elimination of the two men who knew about it. For some reason, Mixell’s thoughts shifted to his former soul mate, whom Harrison had killed. Technically, it was Mixell’s bullet that had done her in. But the cowardly Harrison had hidden behind Trish and pulled her in front of him when he fired. It was his fault she was dead.

Until today, he hadn’t thought about a replacement. But Brenda Verbeck — a beautiful, conniving, and ruthless woman — what more could a man want?

His thoughts returned to the task at hand. He was running out of time. Only ten more feet to go.

There was only one way this was going to work out. When Verbeck reached the SUV, one of the protective agents would move forward and open the door for her. Based on the orientation of the two men beside Verbeck, Mixell concluded it would be McNeil. If so, there would be a clear shot, but only for a second or two.

Mixell shifted the crosshair to just forward of Verbeck’s face. As they reached the vehicle, he let out a slow breath and increased his index finger’s pressure on the trigger.

One of the agents moved ahead to open the SUV door. It was McNeil.

Mixell took the shot.

He heard the slap of the round as it impacted McNeil’s head, dropping him instantly. The other agent shoved Verbeck into the SUV and jumped in after her, then the vehicle peeled away, doing a one-eighty around the service loop before speeding toward the National Harbor exit. The scene outside the Gaylord was pandemonium, as those nearby either ran to McNeil’s aid or scattered in various directions.

Mixell left the rifle behind. He hadn’t bothered wearing gloves and was certain that DNA evidence would link him to the crime. But that’s what he wanted; he was leaving his calling card. He stepped from his hotel room and headed to the attached parking garage, where his car was parked near the exit.