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.Yes, that was what it felt like.Being punched without warning."He told me it'll be an airport," she continued, pulling herself back to the front of the chair and clicking up the list Henry Lee had downloaded to her e-mail address.She had gone over it at least a dozen times trying to find some hidden clue as to why these seven were chosen and which one would be the target."He gave me a list," she told Nick, "but didn't give me a clue as to which airport will be hit.Wurth is trying to warn all of them, but where do we send extra reinforcements?"She hadn't noticed that Nick had edged forward to get a closer look, his brow furrowed, his arm leaning against her arm."Where did you get this?""Why?""I've seen this list before.This exact list."CHAPTER63A thunderstorm of noise raged above.Rebecca had no idea what her captors were doing.It sounded like claps of thunder.She imagined sledgehammers against metal.Glass shattered.Heavy objects banged against the floor, or what was her ceiling.She wouldn't have been surprised to see something crashing through the wood rafters.She no longer cared what they were doing.As long as they stayed up there, they wouldn't be hurting her.She had searched the entire crawl space, hunched over, arms still twisted and tied behind her back.She tried to keep down the nausea of fear.The overwhelming smell of gasoline burned her lungs and gagged her.It brought on the dry heaves.Nothing in her stomach except acid.All she wanted was something sharpa left-behind tool, scissors, something jagged, anythingto cut the plastic tie that bound her wrists together.There was nothing.The empty gas cans.Some shelves.A monstrosity of a furnace rumbled in the corner.Rebecca stared at it.The huge metal box had rusted on the bottom.Pipes going in and out of the contraption had been piecemealed together.She looked closely for bolts or screws that might be protruding.Then she found a bent piece of metal at one of the corners that made up the furnace's storage cabinet.Someone had hammered it back into place but it still stuck out, battered metal, the edges ragged and sharp.Excitement dared to shove aside the nausea.The bent metal was a bit high.She'd need to do some maneuvering to back up to it and raise her arms up.Pain shot through her wounded arm and Rebecca had to stop.Had to sit down.She waited it out.Steadied her breath.Then she tried again, slowly raising her arms up behind her.She'd have to bring her wrists high enough to bring the plastic down onto the sharp metal corner.She could do it but could she keep her arms raised for that long while she rubbed against the jagged edge, using it like a serrated knife?Just a little higher.She almost had it when all the noise from above came to a sudden stop.She brought her arms down and waited, listening.Maybe they would start up again.They might be taking a break.Or leaving.Could they be leaving? She heard voices.Raised voices.An argument.Then the trapdoor started to creak open.Rebecca scooted farther into the corner though she knew there wasn't anywhere to hide.If she had only a few more minutes she could have cut her wrists free and at least been able to defend herself.She'd kick this time, she decided.And scream.She didn't care if no one heard her.The light from the open trapdoor had a bluish tint, not as glaring as she'd expected but she still found herself squinting after being in the dim-lit crawl space.She tried to slow her breathing so she could listen, but her heart pounded in her ears.Someone was coming down.She could see shadows hovering over the opening.The voices were louder but she couldn't make out the words.A scuffle, rubber soles squeaking against linoleum, dragging or being dragged.Then without warning a body tumbled down through the hole, thumping hard against the concrete.The trapdoor slammed shut and tight, this time closing off all light, but not before Rebecca recognized the motionless body.It was Dixon.CHAPTER64Nick realized it was sillyokay, even childishbut despite all the stress and urgency he still felt disappointed.Maggie had called him to help, not because she needed a friend, not because she wanted to lean on him, but only because he was a lawyer and he'd be able to sort through the files and court documents quickly and efficiently.Well, it seemed his help might pay off beyond her expectations."You've seen this exact list of airports?" She sounded like she didn't believe him."Two weeks ago.UASUnited Allied Security sent me to a seminar on terrorist attacks.It was part of my training for the new job position.Mostly the basicswhat to look for, how better to prepare and assist those facilities where UAS provides security systems or equipment."Nick had learned a lot at the seminar but he didn't like that it sounded like a sales conference, even including a guide on how to convince clients to upgrade their old systems.At the time, he thought some of the scenarios they presented seemed a bit far-fetched and wondered if they were simply using scare tactics to increase revenues and bonuses for UAS."And you saw this list at your seminar?""It's a list of the airports being pitched upgrades.""Being pitched what exactly?""At shopping malls UAS provides security personnel and equipment.All airport security is now under TSA but our companyat least for those airports under contract with usmaintains and replaces all the security equipment.""Like the scanners?""Scanners, cameras, metal detectors, even the wands.But the pitch wasn't only for upgrading current equipment.The plan called for a whole new security package in the passenger arrival and departure areas
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