“No. If this thing blows, you’re better off on the other side where you can assist in the recovery,” she said, playing to his need to protect others to get him to leave.
“Kiley, I...”
“I know. See you soon, Mack.” She’d done everything she could as the team leader and ended the call.
She swiped the rain from her eyes and searched the dark water for movement. Any sign that Evan was okay. That if he encountered Shah, Evan was winning in the fight. Plenty of drops pelted the surface, but no bubbles from a respirator.
She checked her watch. Five minutes until 9/11.
No. No.Time was running out.
Was Shah going to win and they would all die?
Just minutes to die.
Oh, God, please. No.
Her heart raced. Her palms perspired. She couldn’t even think straight. “C’mon. C’mon. C’mon. Please, Evan.”
Her leg muscles gave way. She dropped to the concrete and bowed her head. The words wouldn’t come. She didn’t knowwhat to say. But God knew her heart. He knew she wanted to change. Wanted to trust. And so she simply knelt in His presence. Waited and trusted.
Evan withdrew his knife and slowly descended.
Shah looked up, his light catching Evan in the face.
Shah suddenly spun and swam away. Not toward the surface but along the side of the dam.
Another explosion planned?
Evan had a split-second decision to make. He could pull the blasting cap or he could go after Shah. He couldn’t do both.
Sure, pulling the cap for this batch of RDX would disable this explosion. But what if there was another one? Shah would reach it before Evan could.
He stowed his knife to swim faster, kicked hard, and went after the fleeing terrorist, praying with each kick of his fins that he was a stronger swimmer.
He kicked hard. Furious. His muscles burning. His heart pounding.
He gained on Shah. Inch by inch. Second by second.
They neared the surface. Twenty feet down. He caught up to the terrorist. Grabbed a fin and pulled with all his strength.
Shah kicked free. Spun. Knife in hand.
He lashed out.
Evan flailed, dodging the first sweep. Shah lunged through the water. A second slash caught Evan across the arm. He jerked back.
Shah plunged toward the surface, moving at rocket speed. Pain radiated up Evan’s arm. Too bad. He wouldn’t let the injury stop him.
He swam after Shah. Lancing pains cut through his arm, slowing him.
He lost the terrorist in the murky blackness. Frantic now, he flashed his light. Searching the black void.
Nothing. No one.
What do I do, Father?
If Shah was setting another explosion, he would have to surface to ignite it. Evan kicked toward the surface, hoping, praying he was close enough to the other DWFA to intervene before Shah pulled the igniter pin.
