Sean clicked his mouse, and Bilal’s background report filled the screen. Kiley leaned closer to read over Sean’s shoulder, and Evan joined her. She kept up with Sean as he scrolled down the screen, but nothing jumped out at her. “Move on to the next one.”
Shah’s updated information from Deb Bessemer loaded on the screen that Kiley had failed to read when Ulrich’s call came in. She scanned down the report. Her heart sank. “No. No. No. No! It was so obvious, and we missed it.”
She grabbed her radio and called the sheriff. “Evacuate everyone now! Hurry! The dam’s rigged to blow.”
Evan locked gazes with her. “How?”
She tapped the screen as her brain raced for a way to stop the explosion. “Shah became a certified diver.”
Evan paled. “The RDX is underwater.”
“Oh, man,” Sean said.
“No time to waste.” Evan bolted from the room.
Sean shot to his feet. “He’s got to be going for scuba gear to stop it.”
Panic swamped her, and she could barely breathe. But she was in charge and had to get control. Run this op. Stop the threat. She pressed her mic and ran for the door. “Mack. The explosives are underwater. Get the harness and rope and head to the base of the dam. Meet you there.”
“Roger that.” She appreciated his calm response.
“Which way did he go?” she asked the security guard outside the door.
“Maintenance. Bottom floor all the way to the back.”
She sprinted for the elevator. The numbers above one of the doors blinked down. She jumped in the other car and punched the button for the lowest floor.
Father, please. Please let Evan disarm this bomb before the threat to millions becomes a horrific reality.
Kiley appeared in the doorway, and Evan jerked the wet suit over his shoulders and forced himself to ignore her presence. He had to be on top of his game. Underwater explosives were different from a surface bomb, and this was a suicide missionfor Shah. Losing his life was the only way he could shatter the massive dam.
If Evan failed to stop Shah, Evan’s life would be lost too.
Right there. In the water. Tons of concrete crumbling down around him.
He couldn’t think about that. Just had to act.
“What can I do to help?” Kiley asked.
“Pray,” he told her as he checked the oxygen tank on the scuba gear to make sure the O-rings would make a good seal with the regulator, then connected his buoyancy compensator that looked like a bulky vest to the tank. He pulled the tank straps tight as he ran through the most likely scenario he would find.
There wouldn’t be a bomb and timer waiting like the bridge devices. He would find a double waterproof firing assembly—DWFA—near the dam. The rectangular piece of wood was six inches wide by eighteen inches long and floated like a tiny kickboard while holding two timed detonation cords or fuses. Shah would either be below the surface placing the explosives or diving the blasting caps down to the explosives and attaching the cord. Or he could already be coming up to the surface to pull the igniter cords on the DWFA. Evan hoped for the former but prepared for the latter. And he sure wouldn’t tell Kiley about the added danger.
“What else can I do?” Kiley pressed.
“Evacuate. Now!”
She crossed her arms. “If you’re staying, I’m staying.”
“I need to be here. You don’t.” He slipped into the BC. “So go. Get out of here.”
Her feet remained planted in place, her stance firm. He couldn’t force her to leave so he loaded the BC accessory pockets with tools, covertly adding his folding tactical knife to keep her from worrying. He strapped the dive computer to his wrist and was thankful for the lighted screen so he could mark hisdive depth without turning on a light. He grabbed lights, mask, and fins and marched to the door, glancing at the clock above it.
Twenty-one minutes until the clock rolled to 9/11. Twenty-one minutes to stop Shah from killing countless people. Evan wanted to stop and sweep Kiley into his arms, but time was of the essence.
“C’mon. You can head out while I go to the dam.” He eased past her and jogged for the elevator.
Her footsteps rang out behind him. “Mack’s meeting us at the dam with the rope so we don’t lose you.”
