Chapter 36
Chapter Thirty-Six
“What are we waiting for?” Soren groused.
The bus sat across two parking spaces under the eaves of the stadium, surrounded by concrete pillars. A few cars had already begun to arrive, but Dan thought they belonged to people working inside the stadium. It was way too early for spectators to arrive, even for the most avid fans.
Dan had been on edge since the moment his alarm went off, not that he’d slept much. He understood Soren’s impatience all too well, and figured he was only voicing what they were all feeling.
We want this to be over.
Nathan twisted in the front seat to stare at Soren. “We’re waiting for Stoffel Bosman. He’s one of the head guys in SACU, and he’s the only reason we’re being allowed in there today. The department is liaising with SACU.”
“Who’s that?” Dan frowned. “Not the South African version of the CIA or the FBI, is it?”
“They’re sort of a cross between them. South African Crimes Unit,” Nathan told him.
“And about as effective at dealing with government corruption as a chocolate coffeepot,” Johan muttered.
Nathan glared at him. “I’d be grateful if you didn’t come out with comments like that when Bosman is around. We need their help, remember? More pairs of eyes mean more chances to spot our suspects.”
Johan’s pinched mouth betrayed his reaction to being reprimanded, but then he nodded, his features relaxing. “Yes, sir.”
“That must be him now,” Gary observed, pointing to a well-built man emerging from the doors off to the left. He strode toward the bus, and Nathan got out to meet him.
“He’s got a determined air about him,” Dan noted.
“He’s also not a welcome addition,” Gary said in a low voice. “I think this is what Nathan was talking about at breakfast yesterday. He’s been told to play with the other kids, and he’s not happy about it.”
“Okay, everyone?” Wulf announced. “When I call your name, tap your earpiece and say something. Have to make sure the mics are working.” One by one, he checked the equipment and at last announced all was good.
The side door slid open, and Bosman climbed inside, followed by Nathan. He seemed to fill the enclosed space.
“Gentlemen, make sure your weapons are concealed and that you have your permits—not just the ones issued by the Department of Homeland Security, but also the ones granted to you by the US Consulate. I’ll be taking you into the stadium.
My team is already in there.” Bosman paused.
“Mr. Chambers and I have discussed the most logical time for them to deploy, and we both agree halftime would be their safest bet. Ticket sales indicate a crowd of around twenty-seven thousand spectators.”
A few groans came from the rear of the bus.
“That’s a helluva lot of people wanting to use the restrooms,” Warren remarked.
Nathan nodded. “So here’s the plan. We’re going in early to check all the restrooms on the assumption that the delivery unit is already hidden in one of them.
Once we locate it, we remove the pathogen and stake out that restroom, waiting for whoever shows up to collect it.
And we still need to watch for the knights. We have a few questions for them.”
“It’s going to be tight in there,” Bosman added, “so keep focused. My team will assist you if needed.” His face darkened. “We don’t want this any more than the US does.”
Nathan scanned the faces before him. “Okay, one last comment. And yes, I said it yesterday, but it needs repeating. All the sports fans among you… I don’t want to find any of you listening to the game, all right?
We have far more important things to concern us.
” He paused. “Any questions?” When he met only silence, he nodded.
“Then let’s get in there. Sam, Gary, and Dan—you stay with me.
And keep your mics switched on.” His phone rang.
Nathan answered it, his brows pulling together as he listened.
The slow shake of his head became wider and faster the longer he focused on the call, and when it was done he stabbed at the screen.
“Something’s happened,” Dan remarked.
Nathan’s gaze grew flat. “The guys I had tailing the knights? They’ve lost them—both of them.”
Gary frowned. “But… they’ve been tailing them for over a week, haven’t they? How could they lose them now?”
“Unless one of the knights spotted your tails,” Bosman suggested.
Dan heard the unspoken words. Your team fucked up.
Nathan took a long, deep breath. “Okay, everyone? Let’s assume they know we’re onto them. That’s going to make them extra cautious and more difficult to spot, if they’re trying to keep out of sight.”
Everyone clambered out of the bus. As Stu and Poppy passed him, Dan caught Stu’s murmured comment. “So basically we’re looking for three needles in a haystack, not one.”
Dan thought that summed up the situation perfectly.
They walked toward the glass doors of the stadium entrance, and Dan’s heartbeat quickened. Beside him, Gary touched his back with a light hand.
“You okay?”
Dan shuddered out a breath. “Not really.”
Nathan had gone out on a limb, bringing him all this way. He knew Gary hoped Dan could provide information inaccessible by more conventional means.
Dan shared that same hope, but the weight of responsibility on his slim shoulders threatened to crush him with every step he took.
Let me be up to the challenge.
Let me do something to prevent this.
Except if the knights knew they were under surveillance, that challenge had suddenly gotten bigger.
1:45 p.m.
Dan stood near one of the vendors’ stalls on the lower level, Sam and Gary flanking him, while Nathan spoke into his mic to the team, who had dispersed. There were restrooms on three different levels, located near every exit from the seating areas, and each one was being methodically searched.
Why is it taking so long to find the damn thing?
Dan kept his fingers crossed for the best outcome—finding the device before the game and disabling it. He prayed Nathan’s theories were correct and that one of the knights had indeed hidden it in a restroom.
Because if they haven’t, we’re screwed.
That thought did little to ease the tightness in his chest.
From what he’d seen so far, the stadium was in need of a facelift, and he imagined navigating the levels could be unpleasant when the crowd was at full capacity.
Apart from the cleaners doing a final check, there weren’t all that many people around, but it wouldn’t be long before the stadium would begin to fill.
As for his gift, there’d been nothing.
Zilch.
No spark, no sudden momentous epiphany, no visions.
So much for me being able to help.
Maybe if he was able to walk around instead of staying put, he might learn more—sense more.
“Look, Nathan, I—”
Nathan cut him off with a raised hand. “Go ahead, Bianca.” He stiffened. “Where are you? … On our way.” He turned to Gary. “Restroom, upper level, near Exit Forty. She found it hidden in a paper towel dispenser. It was taped to the inside.”
Gary let out a sigh. “Thank God.”
Relief flooded through Dan, and he sent up his own silent prayer of gratitude.
The four of them hurried toward the stairs and climbed, Nathan leading the way. When they reached the restroom, Bianca stood outside it, holding a small black tote bag.
Just looking at it sent a shiver through Dan.
Something so small, and yet so deadly.
“I haven’t opened it,” Bianca told Nathan.
She turned it around, and Dan saw the hole at one end, where the lip of a plastic cup stood proud.
Nestled in the base of the cup was the fan, exactly as Sam had described it, the end of the tube protruding into the space above it.
There was metallic tape around the point where the tube entered, undoubtedly to prevent leaks.
Way to go, Sam. Genius indeed.
“Give it to me,” Sam demanded.
“What are you going to do?” Nathan asked her.
Sam removed a clear plastic bag from her purse. “I’m going to place the whole damn thing into this, seal it, and it can stay there until we can destroy it in a biohazard lab.”
Dan’s heart lurched in his chest. “You’re not going to check it first? Not even take a look at what’s in there?”
“Fine, I’ll look.” She held her hand out, and Bianca gave her the bag. Sam gazed at Nathan. “Will you hold it steady while I unzip it?”
“I can do that.”
Dan held his breath, and he realized everyone standing there was doing the same thing. It didn’t matter that they’d all been inoculated.
Suddenly shit got real.
Nathan gripped the bag as Sam opened it.
She peered inside. “Okay, there are no vials. That’s good.
It means all we have to worry about is the pathogen in the medicine cup.
” She frowned. “They added Velcro tabs to keep it upright. They really wanted this to work, I guess.” Sam gently pulled on one of the tabs to lift the nebulizer free of its housing.
Then she froze. “Oh good Lord.” Her voice cracked.
And just like that, Dan’s relief shattered into a million tiny pieces.
“What’s wrong?” Nathan turned pale.
She jerked her head to look into his eyes. “It’s empty.”
“What do you mean, it’s empty?”
“I mean, there is nothing in the cup.” Her skin was the color of ash. “Oh God, they’ve already deployed it.”
Nathan shook his head. “They can’t have. What did they do—disperse it when there was no one here? What would be the point in that?”
“Look closely,” Dan urged. “If they’ve already done it, there’d be a residue, right?”
With trembling fingers, Sam unscrewed the cap and examined the medicine cup. She shuddered. “Thank God. It’s bone dry.” Then she gaped at Nathan. “Wait a minute. If the pathogen isn’t here, where the hell is it?”
“Could there be more than one bag?” Gary asked.
Nathan tapped his earpiece. “Has anyone found another bag?” He listened intently, his breathing becoming faster and shallower. After a moment he shook his head.
“Why leave it here empty?”