TERROR BLOODLINE Series Book 1
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CROSSFIRE Book #1
Terror Bloodline Series
Featuring Ex-CIA Agent, Jon Bradley
By Paul Rodricks
International fast-paced Action #Thriller
# Suspense #Adventure
#Crime #Mystery
Reviews:
"A Contemporary Masterwork of Mystery, Thriller & Suspense!" The author has the ability to lure the reader into this dark and murky world - kicking and screaming if need be!"
"The novel is multidimensional. There are several plot elements working simultaneously that the author handles with skill. The murder of his friend and the personal relationship between Jon and his lady friend, a rape victim, add depth to the novel. The story shifts between the current investigation and his previous, very dangerous, actions in Lebanon as a CIA operative."
"The fact that it is the first of three books makes Crossfire all that more compelling plus it's a fun to read. Paul POV shifts from telling a story to the illusion of real time which creates a healthy tension throughout. One of the finer elements in the book that helps make it authentic is the authors knowledge of the geo areas where the story takes place."
Read here the Preview of the CHAPTER ONE (2nd continuation) from this book, CROSSFIRE:
CHAPTER ONE
New York City - 2006
FBI Counterterrorism Division
Saturday - 2.30 AM
“Nothing like that,
ya Ahmed. I get around.
You know how it is?” Youssef interrupted him.
His interest had
been spiked by his friend’s comment about his father’s new tenants, and he
wanted to know more. “How’s my father
doing?”
“You ought to visit
him sometimes, ya Youssef. Patch up
whatever your differences with him. He is your father after all, and he is
getting older.”
“Guess, you are
right, ya Ahmed. I must make amends.”
Then Youssef Hariri
tried to veer the subject towards the new arrivals. “Have you spoken to these
new tenants? What news do they bring
from Lebanon?”
“Only to wave at
and say hello. As you’d know, we are not
exactly your next-door neighbors. And, I
don’t yet know whether they have come directly from Lebanon.
“But, I see that
they do have visitors turning up at the house now and then, who may be taking
them out sight-seeing the city or even visiting some relatives.
“Perhaps, when you
call on your father, you can make their acquaintance, that is, if they are
still there,” Ahmed ended with a smug. Then looking at his watch, “Oh, I ought
to be going. Don’t want to be late for my afternoon shift.”
“Ma'a Salama, ya Ahmed.
Goodbye. See you around.”
“Ma'a Salama, ya Youssef.
“Fi
Amanillah, ya Ahmed.” May Allah protect you.”
Youssef understood
well that his father condemned his son’s superfluous lifestyle and would never
make amends unless and until Youssef made a complete reversal to a life of a
devout Muslim. An almost impossible
thing for him, considering the extent of his involvement in the extracurricular
activities that he happened to be involved at this point of time.
There was something
about his father’s new tenants that nagged him.
At the same time, Youssef did not want to be the source of any more
trouble for his father, should the tenants turn out to be some undesirable
elements.
On the other hand,
not every Arab visitor or immigrant to the USA is deemed a potential threat.
Informants were
duty-bound to report if they came across or heard about any new arrivals in the
suspected communities.
Finally, Youssef
saw no harm in making his report to his FBI boss, William King. The latter met with Jon Bradley and it was
decided to place Hariri’s new tenants under active surveillance.
***
"An hour ago,
two teams of the Mossad’s Kidon
(ultra-secret assassination unit) operatives, including a female, raided the
Islamic-Jihadist cell. There was a firefight.
They left behind two bodies of the alleged terrorists and another of the
landlord." Steve narrated to them as a matter of fact.
The others present were
surprised though not shocked. They had
all along suspected that the Israel’s Mossad agents were aware of the Hezbollah
Jihadist cell's presence in Yonkers.
However, since it
was known among the intelligence agencies that the FBI was actively involved in
the case, they had not expected the Mossad operatives to act prematurely on
their own.
On an afterthought,
Jon said, "I don't think they were able to lay their hands on the mastermind. According to our surveillance, the Lebanese
businessman was never seen visiting the place nor anywhere around."
"The landline
was wiretapped and the house was bugged," Allan Banks came in. "William
personally supervised the operation when on a Friday the occupants were all
away at the Anjuman Mosque for the obligatory prayer service.
“It's possible that
they suspected the house being bugged because except for normal conversations
no incriminatory talk, whatsoever, was heard concerning their terror plot, both
over the phone and inside the premises.
“Obviously, they
will have used the cellphones or public phones to communicate
with their counterparts elsewhere.”
"As I
understand, informant Abdullah was the only outside source to get close to
them. The old man did odd jobs for the tenants living in the block,” Agent King
stated.
“Was he able to pick
up any specific information about them?" asked Steve Turner.
"His last
report was vague, something about seeing some drawings and pictures lying about
in the living room, which he could not describe. Abdullah is not English literate.
“At another time,
Abdullah and another man were helping to unload the delivery of some wooden
boxes into the tenant’s house. He happened to overhear a gist of a conversation
in lowered tones, between two of the alleged terrorists, speaking in Arabic
outside the house, before they noticed his presence and stopped talking. They
appeared to be speaking about guns,” explained William.
Steven
shrugged, getting ready to leave the conference room. "Well, we will have
time to check on that later.
“Anyway,
the Mossad operatives would have left the search for the Jihadist's weapons and
other evidence, if any, to us. They would not have had the time for a thorough
search of the premises.
“Incidentally,
Judge Rothenberg, signed the Search Warrants of possible cause for both the locations.”
He rose to his
feet, "The NYPD officers and our agents are already at the crime scene and
have cordoned off the area.
“Let’s get there
before the media are all over the place,” Turner concluded, as he strode towards
the door.
Bradley and his
colleagues followed him a couple of feet behind.
NEXT: CHAPTER TWO
To be continued...
