A digitally enhanced robotic voice spoke. ‘Answer?’
‘All war is deception,’ replied Malik, quoting the Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu, as dictated by his contact instructions.
‘Proceed with your update.’
Malik had no idea of the identity of the person on the other end. Nor did he ever want to know. Anonymity was critical for the isolation of each cell – and even more so for the central cell. They had contacted him first. They had proposed the plan. And they had given him the means to carry it out. But he would be the one to receive all the glory. He would be seen as the leading light. And the rest of the Brotherhood need never know of their existence or the part the central cell had played. That had been the deal.
‘The egg has been laid in the nest and is ready to hatch,’ replied Malik. ‘All units are set to go.’
There was a pause on the end of the line.
‘Has the operation been compromised in any way?’ asked the robotic voice.
‘No,’ stated Malik with absolute certainty. ‘The sleeper has not awoken.’
‘Then execute operation without delay.’
Malik’s hand holding the phone began to tremble in anticipation. The time had come to make history.
‘One question,’ he said, sensing the receiver about to hang up. ‘My final payment?’
Another pause. ‘When the operation succeeds, you’ll be justly rewarded.’
Malik grinned at the thought.
‘Is that all?’ said the voice, a trace of impatience detectable in its manipulated tone.
‘Yes.’
‘Then this will be our last communication.’
All eyes turned towards Connor and Alicia as they made their entrance into the school prom. It was the first time Connor had worn a tuxedo and black bow-tie and he was enjoying the James Bond look. It seemed appropriate for a bodyguard. Next to him, Alicia looked truly stunning in a flowing red silk dress, her long dark hair adorned with a cascade of miniature roses. And Connor couldn’t help feeling a sense of pride as he walked across the school gymnasium with the President’s daughter on his arm.
The gym hall had been transformed into a glittering ballroom, festooned with purple and white streamers, flashing spotlights, lasers and a huge disco ball that dazzled like a diamond in the centre of the room. On stage a live band was playing and the dance floor was already abuzz with students celebrating the end of term. Around the edge, tables were laden with food for a buffet.
‘You look gorgeous,’ gushed Paige, welcoming Alicia and Connor to their table.
‘So do you,’ replied Alicia. She stepped back to admire her friend’s champagne-coloured gown.
‘This is Steve,’ said Paige, introducing her date, a tall handsome boy with cropped black hair and a chiselled jaw. ‘He’s from Sidwell Friends School.’
Alicia smiled warmly. ‘So you’re the Steve that Paige has been hiding from us.’
‘Must be,’ he replied with a laugh. ‘Unless she’s hiding any others?’
Paige playfully bashed him on the arm with her purse. Then she leant close to Alicia’s ear and with an impish grin revealed, ‘Steve’s in the senior year!’
Alicia raised an eyebrow both in surprise and approval.
Connor nodded in greeting to the older boy and introduced himself. Steve was just one of many new faces in the hall, the prom being open to student guests. This fact in itself presented an additional security problem for Secret Service, especially since the school principal had deemed it inappropriate to search attendees on arrival.
Already seated round the table were Grace and Darryl, a laid-back boy from their year whose father was the ambassador for Barbados. He raised his hand in respectful acknowledgement of Connor, while Grace hugged Alicia. Kalila sat next to them with her date – another face Connor didn’t recognize – an older Arab lad with sleepy eyes and a sour expression suggesting he didn’t want to be there at all.
As Alicia and Kalila kissed cheeks, Connor heard them whisper.
‘So who’s your date?’ asked Alicia.
‘Fariq,’ Kalila replied. ‘A friend of the family and the only one my father would approve.’
Connor went over to say hello, but after a few attempts at conversation he gave up with the monosyllabic guest. Connor pitied Kalila. She deserved a better date than this bore.
The band began to hot up and more students joined the party.
‘Come on, let’s dance!’ suggested Grace, grabbing hold of Darryl’s hand.
As Darryl was dragged somewhat unwillingly from his chair, Steve and Paige rose to join them. Alicia turned expectantly to Connor.
‘Are you sure you want to risk it again?’ said Connor.
‘Don’t worry, I can handle a little danger,’ she assured him with a toying smile. ‘And I know you can.’
‘OK,’ agreed Connor. ‘But be prepared to take your feet to hospital!’
Alicia glanced over at Kalila and her date. ‘How about you two?’
Fariq seemed decidedly uncomfortable at the idea.
‘Maybe later,’ said Kalila, offering a strained smile.
Reluctantly leaving them alone at the table, Connor and Alicia made their way over to the others on the dance floor. The music was pumping and everyone was swaying and jigging to the beat. Alicia immediately got into the rhythm, her flowing movements making her appear like she was dancing on air. By comparison, Connor appeared awkwardly stilted, but as soon as Alicia took his hand and reminded him of some of the salsa steps his movement became more natural.
‘That’s more like it,’ beamed Alicia, stepping away and beginning to lose herself in the music.
Dancing alongside Alicia, Connor momentarily forgot his role as a bodyguard and began to properly enjoy himself for the first time since arriving in America. He hadn’t fully appreciated how stressful the past fortnight of covert protection had been. There hadn’t been a single moment in Alicia’s presence when he hadn’t been thinking of her safety. That constant alertness eventually took its toll. So, all things considered, he felt he deserved a short break. Besides, after preventing the attempted mugging by the two gangsters, he was feeling more confident in his role. He’d proved he was up to the task.
As the dance floor grew more crowded, Connor’s enjoyment was rudely interrupted by a sharp elbow in the ribs. Then another. Harder this time. Cursing himself for being in a state of Code White, Connor turned round to discover Ethan right behind him.
‘Sorry,’ said Ethan harshly. ‘I didn’t see you.’
Connor doubted that, especially when a few moments later he was knocked into again.
‘Watch it!’ Ethan snarled as if it had been Connor’s fault this time.
Realizing the boy was trying to goad him into a fight, Connor moved away. But he was bumped into from the other side by the mass bulk of Jimbo. Blocked in, Connor was unable to avoid Ethan’s fist, disguised as a bad dance move. It struck him in the kidneys and he almost buckled under the blow.
‘Are you all right?’ asked Alicia, suddenly noticing Connor’s pained expression.
Ethan and Jimbo had danced away into the crowd.
‘Fine,’ he replied through gritted teeth.
But, as soon as Alicia turned away, Ethan and Jimbo moved in for another attack. Connor didn’t want this to escalate into a full-blown fight. That was a sure way to get thrown out of the prom, embarrass Alicia and, most importantly, prevent him from protecting her.
But he had to end their bullying tactics. There and then.
Still appearing to dance, Connor spun on the spot, stepped on Ethan’s toes, then drove his shin into his attacker’s lower leg. Pushing against the joint, Ethan’s knee locked up and, with Connor’s foot pinning his toes to the ground, Ethan lost all balance. Connor’s subtle jujitsu attack went unseen. But Ethan went sprawling across the dance floor in full view of everyone.
‘What’s he doing?’ asked Alicia, as the school’s baseball star took out two dancers and Jimbo on the way down.
‘Not sure,’ replied Connor, edging them away from the scene. ‘I think he was attempting to breakdance.’