Transfer of Power

RAPP WAS RECEIVING steady updates from Langley while he tried to think of potential problems. He had identified many, but there were two he could actually do something about.

He turned to Adams and asked, “Is that door to Horsepower locked?”

“Yes.”

“Does the S-key open it?”

“Yep” Rapp pointed to Adams.

“Take the monitor off, quick.” As Adams started to do so, Rapp grabbed his lip mike and said, “Control, I am sending Milt up to the roof to guide the team through the tunnel.”

General Campbell came back, “Are you sure we need to do that? They’ve studied the blueprints.”

“We can’t afford any screw-ups. Milt knows the way.”

Rapp flipped his lip mike up.

“Milt, bust your ass back over there and grab my silenced pistol from Anna. I don’t want you using yours. Tell her to hurry back over here because I need her help. Then you get up to the back staircase that leads to the roof. Someone will be talking to you on the radio and telling you if the coast is clear. When you hear that the snipers have taken the shot at the terrorist in the guard booth, I want you to pop that hatch immediately. If that terrorist is still alive, you are to put him down. You cannot allow him to say anything over the radio.”

Rapp grabbed the monitor from Adams and started him down the stairs.

“Hurry up. Milt.”

Adams raced down the stairs with amazing agility for his age and disappeared into the tunnel. Rapp checked his watch and listened to the radio chatter coming over his headset. Waiting for Rielly to get back, he tuned the monitor into the surveillance unit that was mounted just outside of Horsepower.

The image of the back of the terrorist’s head appeared on the screen.

Less than thirty seconds later, Anna Rielly hustled up the stairs, out of breath and holding her side.

Rapp looked at her and asked, “Is it your rib?”

Rielly nodded with a look of pain on her face.

“Just hang in there a little while longer. Here’s what I need you to do.” Rapp held up his S-key.

“There’s a door on the other side of this, and that key opens it. In that room one of the terrorists is watching surveillance monitors. We might need to take him out, but we don’t want to unless we absolutely have to.”

“So you want me to open the door with this?”

“Yes. I’m gonna open this door, and once I do that, we have to talk in whispers. Just do everything I tell you to do, when I tell you to do it, and we’ll be fine.” Rapp punched in the code for the door, leaned on the handle, and stepped into the landing area. He set the monitor and his MP-10 on the ground. Dropping to a knee, Rapp moistened the jagged end of the S-key with spit When he had it wet enough, he grabbed the doorknob with one hand and brought the tip of the key to the lock.

Looking back and forth between the monitor and the lock, he began to slide the key in. It was inserted a third of the way when Rapp stopped.

The terrorist leaned back his chair and clasped his hands behind his neck. Rapp didn’t move, didn’t breathe for five seconds; then slowly, he slid the key the rest of the way in.

He leaned back and gestured for Rielly to join him on the ground.

Pulling her close, he whispered into her ear, “When I give you the signal, I want you to grab the key and the doorknob.

After that, if you hear me say the word

“Go,” open it as quickly as possible and then get out of the way.”