I knew he existed because I’d heard the stories from the team he’d helped, but now I needed Kurt’s permission to activate him for someone who wasn’t on the Taskforce roster, not to mention that, in so doing, I’d contaminate the safe house for good. A lot of work went into procuring these clandestine operational houses, including stocking them with medical and other supplies, but once the doctor saw it, not to mention Christine, it could never be used again.

Kurt had been surprisingly amenable, going so far as to initiate a casualty evacuation plan with another Taskforce aircraft flying from Germany to get Christine to a trauma center, and by the time I’d arrived back at the safe house, Dr. Linkletter was calling for directions. He’d shown up twenty minutes later with his wife in tow. She turned out to be a former civilian DOD nurse, so the team was a twofer.

He’d immediately begun working on Christine while his wife turned one of the bedrooms into a mini-ICU. After an hour and a half, with me just sitting on my hands, he’d come back out, telling me she wasn’t going anywhere.

I said, “Okay, Doc, how long until she’s conscious and lucid? Best guess?”

Before he could answer, the doorbell rang. I put a finger to my lips and nodded at Jennifer. She looked through the peephole, then opened the door. Knuckles and Retro came in, lugging suitcases. Knuckles took one look at me and said, “So my rush down here was for nothing?”

“So far. You and Retro got the room on the left upstairs. Retro, how’s your leg?”

“A little stiff. Stitches itch like hell, but it’s okay.”

“Can you run?”

“If I had to, sure.”

“I mean, can you run without leaving a blood trail?”

“Questionable.”

I said, “Okay, everyone get some sleep. We’ve got no lead right now, and can’t talk to our source until . . . Doc? You never answered my question.”

“Best guess, seven to nine hours. Who do you want me to wake if it’s sooner?”

“Me. I’ll be in the bedroom right next door.”

Knuckles said, “You get your own room? What’s up with that? How come I’m sharing?”

Retro picked up his suitcase and snickered. I said, “I’m sharing, just like everyone else.”

“With who? Brett? Aaron?”

He saw me scowl and grinned, really enjoying punching my buttons. “Come on. You gotta say it.”

“Shut up, Knuckles.” I walked off to my room, a bewildered doctor looking on. He saw Jennifer follow behind me, and broke into a knowing smile. I said, “You shut up too.”

I opened my suitcase, pulling out a T-shirt as Jennifer closed the door. She said, “You really shouldn’t let him get to you like that.”

I changed into the T-shirt, saying, “Really? You’re the one who was sneaking out of our hotel room in Nairobi. Anyway, I’m getting a little sick of his jokes. He needs to get over it.”

She put on a pair of sweats and slid into the miniature European queen bed. She patted the pillow next to her and said, “He is over it. You’re the only one it aggravates now.”

I said, “You’re going to sleep in sweats?”

“Well, yeah. I’m not having that doctor come in here to wake you up while I’m wearing my panties and a T-shirt.”

“So I get the ribbing without any of the benefits? What’s up with that?”

I got the disapproving-teacher glare, and she changed the subject. “Christine’s going to live, right?”

“Yeah, she’ll live.”

“We should have been quicker. I knew that bastard was going to harm her. It happened so fast.”

“Actually, that was my question to you. Do you think you took Jacob out of the fight?”

“I honestly don’t know. I hit him. I know that, but he got away under his own power. Omar wasn’t carrying him. What did you and Aaron find?”

“Nothing. No blood trail, no Lost Boys. They managed to get out, and I couldn’t find any evidence he’d been hit in a bad way.”

She rolled over, turning out the light. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this. We’ve never done a chase where we’ve been completely behind the ball at every step of the way. You should have seen Omar. That man is a demon. He’s going to kill a lot of people.”

“I know. Get some sleep. At least Kurt’s got the Lost Boys in the system. I saw them on TV tonight. Jacob didn’t look anything like the Jacob I saw, but at least they’re out there.”

She rolled back over and said, “We should let Shoshana go. She wants to, and she’s got a weird thing with Omar. I don’t want to sound crazy, but she’s got some inner bloodhound that can find him.”

“She won’t care who gets hurt if I let her off the chain. She’s crazy. I can’t control her. All she wants is him dead.”

“You can, Pike. If you get her to say it. Tell her to find him and call. She’ll do that. If she says so.”

I lay in bed, feeling the incredible pressure to stop an attack, and an absolute helplessness that I would fail. I said, “Maybe I will. Let’s see what happens tomorrow.”

Tomorrow came a hell of a lot earlier than I thought it would. Around dawn, I was awakened by my cell phone. I fought through the fog and answered. It was an intel analyst from the Taskforce. He said, “Pike Logan?”

I sat up, rubbing my eyes and saying, “Yeah. Who is this?”

His next words woke me up completely.

“Kurt Hale gave me an order to contact you as soon as we identified a credit card purchase in Venice. We did. The pay-as-you-go card was used to buy a cell phone. We have the number. Do you need it?”

83

Omar shook Jacob’s leg, saying, “Get up. It’s time to get ready.”

Jacob groaned, gingerly feeling his groin, his eyes still puffy from the pepper spray. He peeled down his pants and saw an ugly purple bruise on his hip. He said, “What time is it?”

“Seven in the morning. You have to be in position at nine. We need to get Carlos and Devon dressed.”

Jacob sat up, scratching his head. “Have you thought more about the attack? You still want to go?”

“Yes. I’m convinced that they don’t know what our target is. If they did, they wouldn’t have put your faces all over the screen. They’re trying to scare you away because they can’t predict where it will be. They don’t know, but they’re looking. Which is why I’m changing the plan.”

“How?”

“As we discussed, you won’t be the martyr. I’m taking the final martyr vest with me. I’ll create a diversion. A strike that will draw the police and deflate their fear. They’ll think the attack has occurred.”

“You’re going to be a shahid?”

“No, young lion. I’m going to kill infidels. We’ll still meet as we discussed. Take the ferry to Tunis. I’ll be waiting.”

“But how will we get inside? Even if they don’t know our attack plans, the Lost Boys’ faces are all over the news. Surely they’ll stop us.”

“I don’t believe so. Have some faith. Remember when we discussed the attack? The threat of the security?”

“Yes.”

“Vatican City is not Italy. Yes, they talk, but the target is not an Italian citizen. You are all over the news in Italy, but that means little for the Vatican. I studied it extensively, and the Vatican coordinates with the Italian police, but does not fall under them. Maybe they have the bulletin, but they might not.”

“Maybe isn’t a way to plan for success.”

“Look at it this way: Those pictures are over six years old. You don’t even look like them, and your passport information isn’t for the Lost Boys.”

“How will we get in without you? You’re Chris Fulbright.”

“Wake up Carlos and Devon. Let’s get them ready. While they shave and shower, I’ll call my contact. I told him you were sick before. I’ll tell him I’m now the one who’s ill. I’ll get a feel for him and tell him it wouldn’t be in the best interests of the rest of the church groups for me to come contagious.” He smiled. “A sacrifice on my part.”