Locked On Part 56

They were wearing camouflage uniforms.

They were soldiers. American military.

The FBI man tapped Yasin on the shoulder. "Have fun at Gitmo, a.s.shole."

What? Yasin tried to back up, but men held him. "No! I will not go. I am to go to Washington for my trial. This is incorrect. Where is Judith?"

The FBI man smiled. "Right now she's in custody in Denver."

They gave him one more try to walk forward, but when he refused, four muscular young men grabbed his arms and legs. He was lifted into the air and carried inside the aircraft. Seconds later the ramp lifted, and it closed on the Colorado snowstorm, stifling his screams of protest.

Jack and Melanie enjoyed their dinner, their wine, and their conversation. They had not seen each other in weeks, and although their last parting had been awkward, the chemistry between them seemed undamaged.

Ryan was glad Melanie had not asked too many questions about the cuts on his face. He told her he was back into his MMA cla.s.ses and a new student had gotten a little overzealous in training. She seemed to believe him, and the conversation had drifted off his face and onto all the news about his dad's upcoming inauguration and the near disaster in Russia and the averted war between India and Pakistan.

Melanie told Jack about Rehan. He had been on the news to some degree, and the CIA/NCTC a.n.a.lyst was careful to keep her detail in the realm of open-source information. Ryan pled ignorance and showed his fascination in her work, but he was, himself, careful to avoid conveying anything that might make her suspicious that he knew more than he was saying.

But then she said something that made him lose his polite but only mildly interested gaze.

"Too bad they let his number-two guy slip away."

"What's that?" Jack said.

"I think it's been on the news, in Pakistan, at least. Yes, I'm sure I read it in Dawn today, their paper. A colonel who worked for him, Saddiq Khan. He survived and is missing. You never really know in these situations if that is significant or not."

Jack nodded, then said, "How about some dessert?"

They ordered dessert, and Jack excused himself to go to the bathroom. When he was out of view, Melanie stood quickly and stepped outside the restaurant; her mobile phone was already to her ear when the door shut behind her.

She waited for a moment for an answer on the other end, her eyes fixed on the lobby of the restaurant, careful for any signs that Jack was on his way back to the table.

"It's me. He was there, in Pakistan.... Yes. There is no doubt in my mind. When I told him Khan was still alive he looked like he'd been poleaxed. No, of course it's not true, but right now he's in a bathroom stall, no doubt calling someone in a panic, trying to get confirmation."

The young woman listened to her instructions, acknowledged them, then ended the call and rushed back inside to wait for her date to return to the table.

ALSO BY TOM CLANCY.

FICTION.

The Hunt for Red October.

Red Storm Rising

Patriot Games

The Cardinal of the Kremlin.

Clear and Present Danger

The Sum of All Fears

Without Remorse

Debt of Honor

Executive Orders

Rainbow Six

The Bear and the Dragon.

Red Rabbit

The Teeth of the Tiger

Dead or Alive

Against All Enemies.

NONFICTION.

Submarine: A Guided Tour Inside a Nuclear Warship.

Armored Cav: A Guided Tour of an Armored Cavalry Regiment.

Fighter Wing: A Guided Tour of an Air Force Combat Wing

Marine: A Guided Tour of a Marine Expeditionary Unit

Airborne: A Guided Tour of an Airborne Task Force

Carrier: A Guided Tour of an Aircraft Carrier.

Into the Storm: A Study in Command.

with General Fred Franks, Jr. (Ret.) and Tony Koltz.

Every Man a Tiger: The Gulf War Air Campaign.

with General Chuck Horner (Ret.) and Tony Koltz.

Shadow Warriors: Inside the Special Forces.

with General Carl Stiner (Ret.) and Tony Koltz.