Alicia stuffed her platinum-blonde wig back into her bag. The sweltering summer’s day made it too hot to wear. But she kept on her Jackie Onassis-style sunglasses. They were large enough to conceal her features so she wouldn’t be immediately recognized.
After leaving the tour group in Lafayette Park, she had darted through a warren of back streets to get more distance between herself and the White House. Now clear of its oppressive shadow, Alicia finally felt able to breathe. She was free of all the surveillance cameras, patrols and restrictions that made her life a virtual prison sentence. She was free of the Secret Service. Free of her father’s control. And free of … Connor.
After discovering he was her buddyguard, she simply couldn’t take it any more. She felt the walls closing in and desperately needed her own space.
Her phone rang. Alicia looked at the screen and saw Connor’s name.
‘Why can’t you just leave me alone?’ she muttered, stabbing the screen with a thumb and rejecting the call.
A moment later her phone buzzed, indicating a voicemail. Alicia ignored it. She didn’t want to hear his voice. It would just make her cry again. She couldn’t comprehend how Connor could betray her like that. Pretending to be her friend, while all the time working for the Secret Service. She wouldn’t be so upset if she didn’t like him so much. But he’d worked his way into her heart and even now she was missing his reassuring presence.
‘No!’ she told herself. ‘He lied to me from the start –’
‘Watch where you’re going!’ snapped a suited businessman as Alicia almost collided into him.
Looking up from her phone, Alicia discovered she was at the banks of the Potomac River. She’d had no real destination in mind when leaving the White House beyond simply escaping. But as she wandered along the towpath Alicia realized that, more than her freedom, she desperately needed a friend to talk to. One she could trust.
Alicia thumbed a text into her phone.
Really need to see you. By river near
Nat Mall. Can you meet me asap? A x
Her phone beeped a few seconds later.
Of course. Jefferson Memorial?
15 mins. K x
Alicia smiled with relief. She could always rely on Kalila.
The phone in Bahir’s hand buzzed. He read the message.
I’ll be waiting on the steps. A x
Bahir turned to face Malik in the passenger seat of their blacked-out vehicle.
‘Eagle Chick has taken the bait.’
‘All according to plan then,’ said Malik. ‘And you’re certain her messages have been blocked?’
Bahir nodded with a self-satisfied grin. ‘Absolutely. My Cell-Finity bug gives us complete control of her phone. We can falsify all text messages. Govern every in-and outbound call. Even if she tries phoning Kalila now, the line will ring as if engaged.’
‘Good work, Bahir,’ said Malik. ‘You certainly excelled in the task I set.’
He looked over at Hazim in the driver’s seat. ‘And well done, Hazim, for planting the bug in the first place.’
Hazim managed an anxious smile as Bahir announced, ‘Target is five minutes out.’
Bahir showed Malik the tablet PC in his lap, where a red dot traced its way slowly across a digital map of Washington towards the Jefferson Memorial.
‘Then it’s time,’ said Malik, licking his lips in anticipation as he took the prepaid cellphone Bahir offered him.
Hazim started the engine and gripped the steering wheel tight. He looked out through the tinted window at the Memorial with its iconic white marble Greek columns, domed roof and wide stone steps that led down to the water’s edge. They had recced the location on several occasions, starting with simple drive-bys to identify perimeter protection, CCTV and access control. Then they’d progressed to on-site surveillance. Disguised as tourists, they’d photographed the Memorial from every angle, observed the patrol patterns of the park rangers, and planned their escape routes. Even the traffic flow around the monument had been monitored. Nothing was to be left to chance.
Hazim pulled out into the traffic and began their slow approach.
‘This day the Brotherhood will strike back against the American tyranny over our land and brothers,’ Malik declared with zealous pride. ‘This day will mark the turning point in our war on the West.’
He flicked open the mobile phone and began dialling …
Connor stepped through the north-east gate, past the sentry and on to Pennsylvania Avenue. No one questioned him as part of the tour group. Which meant no one would have questioned a disguised Alicia either. Connor now realized he’d actually seen her on an earlier tour. She’d been on the grand staircase, her back to him, pretending to study a portrait of President Nixon. But he’d been in such a rush and so focused on finding a dark-haired Alicia that his gaze had shot straight past the unassuming girl in jeans with the platinum-blonde bob.
Standing at the entrance to Lafayette Park, Connor wondered which direction Alicia might have gone. Without the tracker, it would be like searching for a needle in a haystack. But he guessed she’d try to hook up with one of her friends.
Unlocking his phone, he called Kalila. ‘Hi, Kalila. It’s Connor.’
‘Hi … err … Daisy,’ answered Kalila, giving a nervous laugh. ‘That was some prom last night. You and Alicia left pretty quickly afterwards. Are you all right?’
‘It’s a long story,’ replied Connor. ‘But I was wondering if Alicia was with you? Or had called?’
‘No, sorry. Is anything wrong?’
Not wishing to worry her unnecessarily, Connor said, ‘Not really … can you just let me know as soon as she contacts you?’
‘Sure,’ replied Kalila.
In the distance Connor heard a deep rumble and wondered what it was. ‘Look, I’ve got to go.’
Hanging up, Connor tried Grace next. Then Paige. But neither of them had heard from Alicia. He was trying to think of who to call next when his phone rang and the Buddyguard logo flashed on the screen.
‘Bugsy’s had a breakthrough!’ said Amir, his voice tense and urgent. ‘Alicia’s mobile is definitely being tracked.’
‘Have you told Secret Service?’ said Connor.
‘That’s the problem,’ replied Amir. ‘We can’t get through.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘All hell’s broken loose. Washington DC’s being bombed.’
‘What?’ exclaimed Connor, his eyes scanning the park for danger. But everywhere appeared calm and peaceful. Then in the background he heard a second ominous rumble and the wail of police sirens.
‘Hi, Connor, it’s Charley,’ said a voice on the line. ‘Intelligence reports a suspected car bomb has gone off at H Street and Ninth.’
‘That’s near Secret Service Headquarters!’
‘We know. The explosion was detonated right outside the entrance. Hang on –’ there was a ping of an incoming message and a muffled gasp – ‘there’s been a second explosion, near the Capitol Building this time.’
‘I just heard it,’ said Connor, the tourists milling around him still oblivious to the impending danger.
‘Connor, it’s Colonel Black,’ said a gruff voice. ‘Get off the streets now. That’s an order.’
‘But I believe Alicia’s somewhere in the city,’ he replied, ‘without Secret Service protection.’
The colonel grunted. ‘Then it’s down to you to find her. Amir, has Bugsy managed to mirror the signal yet?’
‘Yes,’ Amir replied. ‘He’s patching through the tracer code to Connor’s phone as we speak.’
Launching the Tracker app, Connor watched the map home in on Alicia’s location. It showed her approaching the Jefferson Memorial.
‘I’ve got her,’ he told them.
‘Then it’s time to do your job,’ said Colonel Black. ‘Just keep your head down. DC’s turning into a war zone!’
‘Yes, Colonel,’ replied Connor, shouldering his backpack.
‘Stay safe!’ said Charley quickly. ‘I’ll send you threat updates.’
Taking the route dictated by the Tracker app, Connor sprinted along Pennsylvania and down 15th Street. The Jefferson Memorial was estimated to be over ten minutes away. Running flat out, Connor hoped he could reach Alicia in half that time. Her life might well depend upon it.