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Yeah, but what prize?

12

She woke up when the Learjet bumped onto the runway in Orange County. No surprise, a black SUV was waiting for them on the ramp when they stepped off the Learjet. In under fifteen minutes, they stood at the theme park’s main entrance. A guy in dress slacks, white business shirt, and cartoon tie met them as they exited the vehicle.

“Hi, I’m Nick. Park Security and company liaison to the FBI. If you’d come with me…”

They followed him through a decorative wrought iron gate to one side of the customer turnstiles and into another world. Backstage, as it were. Workers in all kinds of costumes and colorful uniforms hustled along a paved, utilitarian path. Nick loaded the two of them into a golf cart and whisked them off in a wide circle around the park proper toward the far side of the complex.

“Your target and his daughter got in line to ride the giant carrousel about five minutes ago, but I have no report of them having gotten off the ride, yet. Moving backstage like this is the fastest way to get to the other side of the park. That, and we don’t like to disturb our guests with foot chases or racing vehicles that might signal a problem.”

In about three minutes, the security man led them through another gate and into the crowded theme park. He spoke briefly into a cell phone and took off at a brisk walk. “This way.”

A lean man who, at a glance, looked like Yusef Abahdi, rode round and round on a huge carrousel beside a little girl who did, indeed, look a lot like Salima Abahdi.

“You’re pretty visible out here, Nick. If you could fade into the background a bit, we’ll take it from here,” Ian murmured. “Thanks for your help with this.”

“Yeah, sure. Just got a text--the FBI’s positioning vehicles at every exit from the parking lots as we speak. Here’s the team’s cell phone number—” He shared the contact information with each of their phones. “—and here’s my cell phone number if you need to talk directly to me. Our people will keep eyes on you and your guy via the security cams.”

Ian and Piper nodded and looked down at their phones for a few seconds—both of them were trained at quickly and flawlessly memorizing sequences like phone numbers.

The security man moved away, and Ian glanced around. He surprised Piper by grabbing her hand and dragging her toward a vendor pushing a refrigerated cart. He bought them each ice cream sandwiches and dragged her over to a park bench facing the carrousel.

“Smile, Piper. We’re on vacation.”

“That’s us. The happy honeymooners.” She tore the wrapper off her treat and took a big bite of her ice cream sandwich.Oh, God. Brain freeze. Crap. She suffered in silence as the merry-go-round started to slow down.

She muttered, “Carrousel exit is to our left. Still planning to follow them out of the park and back to their lodgings?”

“Gotta get close first and make the ID. If it’s him, then we’ll follow him home. That’s our best chance of finding the samples if he’s still got them.”

“You can tell this is a celebration for him and Salima just by looking at their body language. No way would he bring her here with the virus nearby.”

Ian studied their targets for a minute. “I concur. Still. Let’s stick to the plan. No need to traumatize the other kids.”

Memory of him tickling his niece flashed through her mind. He seemed at ease with little kids. Would he be as good a dad as she thought? It was definitely not in her future to find out.

They walked right up behind Yusef and his daughter. Close enough to hear the guy talking to her in Arabic. Close enough to hear the Palestinian accent in his vowels, even. She glanced sidelong at Ian, who had a better view of their quarry’s face, and he nodded back at her just once. Confirmation that this was, indeed, the Scientist.

Following Abahdi and his daughter was ridiculously easy. As long as she and Ian were holding hands and smiling, they blended in with the vacationing crowd. Abahdi was tall enough that Ian had no trouble keeping an eye on the guy’s baseball cap in the press of tourists.

“For a guy who’s just delivered the instrument of death for thousands, he seems pretty relaxed,” Piper commented low.

“He’s not looking for tails, that’s for sure.”

“Is he resigned to being caught or just that confident?”

“Don’t know. Let’s find out.” Ian sped up, closing the gap between them as a park exit loomed.

Abahdi and his daughter left the park and boarded a shuttle that would take them to their car. Ian and Piper ran for the same shuttle, laughing, and caught the shuttle just as it pulled away from the curb. A quick cell phone call to the nearest FBI vehicle arranged for them to be picked up near the other end of the shuttle run.

“You got eyes on our FBI wheels?” Ian muttered as he leaned over to hug her and disguise peering over her shoulder.

“About a hundred feet back, next row over” she whispered just before she bit Ian’s ear.

“Vixen,” he muttered. “Be warned: I don’t get mad. I get even.”

She laughed low. “Big words, Mister.”