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Malone hway north of the capital It consisted of six soldiers and two officers, all dressed in nondescript civilian clothing Colonel Rick Cobb was in charge, a slender reen eyes Malone explained what he wanted the unit to do, then left them on the side of the road as he drove off for Rampur
At precisely noon Malone strolled back into the ruins A pall of impenetrable mist shrouded the precipice and shielded the cliffs overhead He stepped with caution, waiting to see ould happen
Bin Laden appeared, just like yesterday Today, Malone wasn’t going to chitchat “Ready to go?”
“As promised”
He withdrew his Glock
“That’s not necessary”
“Makes me feel better”
His prisoner shrugged “Then, by all means”
“Your friends here today?”
“Until we’re safely away Then they’ll be gone”
It took twentyslow because of bin Laden’s cane-assisted gait Before loading the Arab into the passenger’s seat Malone frisked him Bin Laden seemed to expect the violation and did not resist
They left Rampur and started the drive back for the capital About halfway, Malone spied the sahway He eased onto the shoulder and parked behind them
The doors to both opened and the American unit poured out
“Friends of yours?” bin Laden calmly asked
“Your keepers”
“The deal was I surrendered only to you”
“I lied”
Malone left the following day President Sharma attempted no contact, but he expected none The announceh the White House, and the American military would receive full credit Contrary to what bin Laden ht, Malone neither expected nor desired public acknowledgment
Nor, he knew, did Sharma
Both their jobs were done
Teeks passed with no announcearia, Australia and Norway After another twoStephanie Nelle was likewise curious, so she made an official inquiry
“Cotton, they don’t knoe’re talking about,” she told him over the phone from Billet headquarters
He was between planes in London “Stephanie, I drove the SOB inbeside me I turned him over to an army colonel”
“I gave thened to special forces, but that day he was on leave in the United States Nowhere near you That’s been verified”
“You get a description of him?”
She told him, and it in no way matched the man to who here? They playing games with us?”
“Why? The president would give his left nut to have bin Laden in custody”
Malone heard what bin Laden said to hi for me
“I need to talk to Sharet back to you”
Malone found an Internet portal in a business alcove of the international terminal There, he connected his laptop and sent an e-mail, which he kneas precisely how Sharma liked to communicate The president hated telephones—uncontrollable—and preferred to retain a hard copy of all his e simple:
MY GIFT IS GONE
His plane was not for another two hours, so he sat and waited Interestingly, the response came in less than ten minutes
REVISIT THE RUINS
Malone knew that was all he was going to get Obviously, Shar contact Malone had been on his way back to Atlanta for three days of rest before his next assignment
Not anymore
Late auturip on the Pan Mountains as Malone parked at the base of the ridge that led up to the Rarees cooler than it had been threeveils
He reached beneath his parka and withdrew his Glock He had no idea aiting for him, but he had to follow Sharma’s lead
He climbed in measured steps, careful on the frozen earth He entered the site and allowed his senses to absorb the same barren desolation He pressed on and explored, his mind alert
Autounfire startled him
Bullets ricocheted off boulders
“Far enough, Malone,” a round”
He released his grip and turned “Colonel Rick Cobb” hopped down from a narrow cliff and descended the stacked boulders