Pursuit of Honor

chapter 73
WASHINGTON, D.C.

AHMED drove down Constitution Avenue and took a right onto Twenty-second Street. The service entrance for the building was up ahead on the left halfway down the block. It was Saturday evening, so the only person they expected to deal with was a night watchman. Karim had the young girl gagged and tied in the backseat. Ahmed pulled over and got out. He walked around the back of the truck and opened the big double doors. He grabbed his long black rifle bag and closed the doors. Karim met him on the sidewalk and held up the phone.

"Remember... we'll use the radio feature to communicate."

Ahmed nodded. "Yes."

"And when you see me parked in front and you are ready you will begin calling the TV stations. And then you will radio me."

"I have all the numbers programmed."

"Good." Karim held out his arms and embraced Ahmed. It was the first time he had ever hugged the man. "I am very proud of you. This is what we should have done a week ago. I should have never allowed that snake Hakim to talk me out of it."

Ahmed nodded even though he wasn't sure he believed him. "Allahu Akbar."

"Allahu Akbar."

Ahmed moved up the walk and found the back door. There was a buzzer to the left. He pressed it twice and a few seconds later a voice asked him what he wanted. "FBI," he said in near perfect English.

"I'll be right there."

Ahmed looked at his pistol and thought about the plan. An old man in a security uniform appeared on the other side of the glass door and opened it for him.

"What can I help you with?"

Ahmed stayed with the plan even though he wasn't sure his heart was in it. "We have a possible hostage situation in the park. I need to set up a position on your roof so I can observe."

"Sure. Come on in. Let me show you how to get up there." The man led him to an elevator that they took to the top floor. From there they made their way down the hall to a back staircase and up another flight. They stepped into the dark night, and the security guard led the way to the southern edge of the building.

Two hundred yards away the massive columns of the Lincoln Memorial were bathed in bright light. Ahmed had to hand it to Karim. It was quite the setting to send a message. He slowly drew his gun while the old man was occupied with the view.

"I like to come up here on breaks sometimes. You look around and realize there's a God out there. How else could all of this have happened? Through chaos... I don't think so."

Ahmed slowly slid the gun back into the holster. Karim had ordered him to kill the man, but he couldn't do it. There was no honor in killing unarmed people. He wrapped his big arms around the man's neck and head and pinched off the main artery in the neck. He kept the pressure on until he felt the man go limp. Then he dragged him out of the way and tied him up. It took less than a minute. Back at the building's edge he rolled out his mat and set up his M-40 sniper rifle.

He took a quick peek through the scope and acquired the Suburban. It was parked on the street in front of the Lincoln Memorial. Ahmed pulled out the phone and began calling the various TV stations and asking for the news director at each one. There were five in all.

After the last one, he pressed the button on the side of the radio and said, "It is done." Ahmed turned his attention to the Suburban and watched it drive up on the grass and then begin its climb up the steps. Rifle fire began cracking through the still night. Ahmed brought his field binoculars up to his eyes and watched the Suburban lurch forward. Beyond the vehicle he saw people crumple to the ground as they were shot by Karim. He shook his head at the senseless carnage and began to pray.