The Bin Laden Plot

69 FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA

Christine tried to talk her way out of Rolow’s madness — killing a CIA director in his study — but he had an answer for everything. Christine had two protective agents in her SUV parked outside, who would know she had been killed in the DDO’s home, but Rolow pointed out that neither man would be threatened as he emerged from his home and approached the vehicle, stopping by the driver’s side. The window would be rolled down to speak with the DDO, and it would be over in seconds, both agents dead. Their bodies would be disposed of, along with Christine’s, in a suitable location, and one of America’s enemies would be blamed.

Their conversation seemed to be coming to an end when the doorbell rang.

Rolow handed his pistol to Brenda and went to his computer, pulling up a nine-panel grid of security cameras. On one of them, Harrison and Khalila stood at the front door. Harrison pressed the doorbell again.

Christine capitalized on the unexpected arrival of the two agency officers.

“They know I’m here,” she said. “Before I arrived, I called Harrison and told him to meet me here. Plus, my SUV is out front. You can’t kill me now, unless you plan to kill Khalila and Harrison, along with my protective agents. You can’t surprise all four of them at once.”

“Leave that up to me,” Rolow growled.

Christine had no idea how Khalila would factor into all of this, but she left that for Rolow to worry about.

He took the pistol back from Brenda, then told her to wait in his bedroom, so her presence in the study wouldn’t alert Harrison or Khalila to the ongoing foul play.

After she left, Rolow approached Christine, placing the pistol barrel against her head.

“When Harrison and Khalila arrive,” he said, “play along and you’ll live. We’ll work something out afterward.”

Christine knew Rolow was lying. His only way out was to kill all three of them, then lay the blame on Khalila, an al-Qaeda agent who had infiltrated the CIA. Still, at least there was a glimmer of hope when there had been none before. Both Harrison and Khalila were armed, which gave them a chance.

In the meantime, Christine nodded her understanding — she’d play along, for now.

Rolow placed the weapon in the pants waistband behind his back, then pressed a key on his computer, unlatching the front door.

“Come in,” he said to the computer display. “We’re upstairs in the study.”

Christine watched Harrison and Khalila enter the foyer, then head upstairs.

Jake Harrison climbed the stairs to the second floor of Rolow’s house, spotting two cell phones on a small table beside a door. He knocked, and when Rolow acknowledged, he entered the DDO’s study, followed by Khalila.

He immediately sensed that something was wrong. Christine and Rolow were standing opposite each other, and there was something unnatural about Christine’s posture. She stood stiffly and seemed worried, maybe even afraid. He tried not to let on as he greeted Rolow and moved toward Christine, keeping the DDO in front of him.

Khalila hung back near the door. She’d been in a dark mood since their conversation in the car, when she had agreed to abide by their agreement — she would take no action against Harrison as long as he kept her identity a secret. The situation had become more complicated now that McFarland and likely others in the CIA knew who she was.

As he studied the DDO, Harrison came to the conclusion that something was definitely wrong. Rolow was tense as well. Harrison’s instincts told him — act now!

He pulled his pistol from his shoulder harness and leveled it at Rolow. He saw Rolow’s right hand twitch — he had started going for something behind his back, then decided otherwise.

“He’s armed,” Christine said. “He’s got a pistol behind his back. He was going to kill me.”

“Really,” Harrison said, his eyes narrowing as he remained focused on Rolow. “Put your hands in the air and turn around slowly.”

He could see the rage on Rolow’s face as he followed the instructions. Khalila moved forward and pulled the pistol from his back, then joined Harrison.

When Rolow turned to face them again, Harrison kept his eyes on him, then asked Christine, “What’s going on?”

“He’s in league with Secretary Verbeck. Rolow is the one who arranged the deaths of Verbeck’s military aide and Pentagon supervisor. Verbeck is in his bedroom right now.”

“Is she armed?” Harrison asked.

“Not when she left the study.”

Harrison motioned to Khalila to round up Verbeck, and she moved into the hallway and disappeared. She returned a moment later, with Secretary Verbeck leading the way. Verbeck stopped beside Rolow while Khalila stayed near the door, keeping both pairs — Rolow and Verbeck, and Harrison and Christine — in view.

“Where do we go from here?” Harrison asked Christine. “We’ve got a complicated situation, with a renegade DDO and corrupt SecNav. Who do we call — the FBI?”

“I think you’re going to have a problem doing that,” Rolow said.

“Why is that?” Harrison asked.

Rolow gestured toward Khalila.

She had a pistol in each hand: her own, plus Rolow’s. One was pointed at the DDO while the other was aimed at Harrison.

“Drop your weapon, Jake,” she said.

“What the hell, Khalila? What are you doing?”

“Drop your weapon!”

Harrison realized too late that Khalila had played them all, her true colors emerging now that she had stumbled into an absolute coup for al-Qaeda: the execution of the CIA director and DDO in one swoop. She had been absolutely brilliant, worming her way into the CIA and playing along until the perfect opportunity presented itself.

He considered whether to take his chances in a shootout. The odds weren’t in his favor, however. Khalila’s eyes and a pistol were locked onto him, while Harrison had his firearm pointed at Rolow. He’d have to swing his pistol toward Khalila and shoot before she squeezed the trigger. The odds of him firing first were nil.

Harrison briefly entertained the thought of diving into a roll, giving her a moving target as he brought his weapon to bear, but she’d shoot the instant she detected sudden movement.

It took a few seconds, but Harrison finally conceded.

He dropped his pistol onto the floor.

“Kick it to me,” she said, and he complied. The pistol slid to a stop at her feet.

Rolow turned to Harrison and Christine. “Looks like we’re back on the same team.”