Read Online Smooth Operator (Teddy Fay) by Stuart Woods, Parnell Hall - Free Book Online Page A

don’t do it on a White House machine. Go out to a library and rent computer time. Learn everything you can without printing anything out. No one knows she’s been kidnapped, and we need to keep it that way.”
    “Got it.”
    Millie went out the door.
    Holly looked at Teddy. “Satisfied?”
    “She’ll do. Now, if you wouldn’t mind helping me out with this computer.”
    “You really need me to log on for you?”
    “If you do, it won’t look like unauthorized access.”
    “And it will if you do? You’re slipping, Teddy.”
    “I’m rusty, and I haven’t slept in thirty-six hours. Come on. Be a sport.”
    “What do you want from our database?”
    “Any recent terrorist activity. Which group is rumored to be responsible for the assassination if no one is taking credit for it. Report of sleeper cells on college campuses.”
    “I can request all that.”
    “Not without people knowing you’re looking.”
    “Of course I’m looking. There’s been a terrorist attack. Everyone is looking.”
    “I like to get my own perspective. Firsthand information.”
    Holly gave him a look. “All right, don’t tell me.”
    She began typing, entered her top security passwords, logged on, and got up.
    Teddy took her place, rubbed his hands together, and clicked the mouse, entering the restricted CIA site.
    Teddy surveyed the home page with satisfaction. His fingers poised on the keyboard, he smiled up at Holly Barker.
    “Don’t you have a meeting?”

21
    A bdul-Hakim sat on the couch and planned his next move. It was hard creating an illusion of terrorism.
    He was no extremist. Far from it. Had he not been kicked out of the Wharton School of business he might have been a junk bond trader by now. Abdul-Hakim resented it. Cheating on exams hardly seemed an expellable offense. For most business positions it was practically a prerequisite. No matter. He now stood to make more than any of his former classmates.
    His team for this mission had been carefully comprised of a disparate group of Islamic fanatics and American thugs. This was not just of necessity—fanatics were hard to come by—but part of the plan, one of Calvin Hancock’s requirements.
    The whole grand terrorist plot was designed to unravel upon the slightest inspection. All it would take was a push inthat direction, and that had been planned. Then all the discrepancies would begin popping up. The CIA bullet, for instance. Nothing in itself, but telling once taken in context.
    Abdul-Hakim smiled, and went back to his plans.
    —
    IT WASN’T WORKING. The safety pin from Karen’s glasses was the right size for a key, but it just didn’t work. If the pin was closed, it would fit in the lock but it wouldn’t turn. If she unpinned the pin and straightened it out, the big end was just the right size to fit in the lock and move the tumblers, but she couldn’t get a good enough grip on the pointed end to twist it.
    If was horribly frustrating. The point of the pin was sticking into her finger, but she barely noticed. She was sure it would work, if only she could make it turn.
    —
    ABDUL-HAKIM’S train of thought was broken by the girl’s jailer, who came lumbering into the living room and stood, dumbly, staring at him, as if waiting for instructions.
    “Yes?” Abdul-Hakim said.
    “When we gonna move the girl?”
    It was actually a good question. This house was a temporary situation only, a fine place to stash the girl for a few days, but it wouldn’t suit their ultimate purpose. For that they’d needsomeplace isolated, and the transport would take time. The round-trip would take three hours he could have spent on something else. On the other hand, it would get the big goon out of his hair. From that point of view it was probably worth it.
    Abdul-Hakim considered. All right, what did he have to do? Nothing that urgent. He shoved his briefcase aside, and set his black satchel on the coffee table.
    He popped the satchel open and took out the hypodermic