Jason Elam - Monday Night Jihad

Hakeem would have liked to have been around to watch the aftermath of this attack. But he knew that Allah had chosen and prepared him for this particular mission. The American people would be devastated by the knowledge that this icon of the nation’s family values had been attacked. Their horror would only be compounded at the realization that it was one of their “heroes” who had carried out the strike.

When it came down to it, Hakeem knew he was just a pawn in this game. The Cause had existed before him, and his death would result in it becoming even stronger. This was not the Cause’s swan song; it was the beginning of its symphony.

“Six minutes to go in the half with the score Liberty 14, Dragons 10,” came the announcer’s voice as the broadcast cut to commercial.

Six minutes left. Hakeem stood and headed down Main Street. He didn’t want to be caught having to rush at the last minute.

Just six minutes. Hakeem was ready. In six minutes, while millions of eyes were glued to the television hoping to witness another wardrobe malfunction, a newsbreak would cut in-rocking their world-telling them of the carnage and devastation at what had once been the “happiest place on earth.”

4:30 p.m. PST

Hicks pointed to the computer screen. “See this central plaza area between Disneyland and California Adventure? The chopper’s going to come in low and drop us right in the middle of it. We need to try to get into the park without Hakeem realizing it, or he’ll set himself off wherever he is.”

“I don’t think he will, Jim,” Riley said. “He’s probably been planning this thing for a long time. He’s got something he wants to say with it. I’m betting he’s going to do whatever he can to carry out his plan.”

“Maybe you’re right; maybe you’re wrong. I’m not going to take a chance. So after we drop in and get into the park, we’re going to pair off and go looking for him-all except for you, Skeeter.”

Skeeter started to protest, but Hicks cut him off. “Skeet, with your height, I need you in this Town Square place, right inside the entrance. I want you looking at every face that comes in or out. Got it?”

“Yes, sir.” Skeeter clearly wasn’t thrilled at the idea of allowing Riley out of his sight, but he was a soldier, and Hicks knew he would follow orders.

“Riley and Khadi, you take the left side of Main Street. Scott and I’ll take the right. And people, we shoot to kill. Everyone got that? Riley?”

“Don’t worry about me,” Riley answered. “I’ll be right with you.”

“Fine. Any questions? Good. We’re five minutes out. Lock and load.”

4:32 p.m. PST

Hakeem used the time between the two-minute warning and the end of the half to pray. All doubts were gone now. His time had almost come.

“And that’ll do it for the first half, with the New York Liberty leading the New York Dragons by four,” Hakeem heard through his earbuds. “Stay tuned for our halftime show, coming your way in-”

Hakeem clicked off the radio. Then he stood, dropped it in a garbage can, and walked toward the spot where his life would end.

He stopped halfway down Main Street and faced back into the park. Reaching into the pocket of his coat, he pulled out a small remote control device. On it were two buttons-one to arm and one to trigger.

The four small bombs he had planted wouldn’t do much damage, but they would make a lot of noise and send up huge plumes of smoke, creating a panic that would drive the frightened people right toward him.

The first button depressed with a click and remained down.

This is for you, Father and Mother. This is for you, Uncle Ali. This is for you, sweet Alessandra.

Hakeem took his last breath of calm sanity-catching a faint smell of peppermint from the candy shop next to him-and pushed the second button.

4:35 p.m. PST

They were two miles out. The Black Hawk was coming in very low, just barely clearing the buildings below. Suddenly four black clouds rose up from the park ahead.

“We’re late!” Hicks shouted. “Plan B! Everybody rig up! We’re going to have to drop onto Town Square at the entrance to Main Street to avoid the stampede! As soon as you’re down, push as hard as you can to move up that street! Hakeem will wait until the street fills up. That means we’ve got five minutes max before he detonates. This is it, people. Last chance.”

4:35 p.m. PST

A stunned hush fell on the park as the mushrooms of smoke rose into the air. Everywhere around Hakeem, people froze in their tracks, eyes toward the sky.

Then came a single scream, immediately opening the floodgates of panic as people shouted for their children and yelled for directions to the exits. Complete mayhem erupted as the guests tried to remember the way out of the park.

Satisfied, Hakeem entered the Candy Palace; he needed a place where he could wait for the few remaining minutes. All the customers inside had rushed out to see what had happened, leaving him alone with the sole remaining employee. He walked through the store and around the counter. When the girl in the old-fashioned dress began to protest, Hakeem pressed his.40 cal to her chest and pulled the trigger. The teen crumpled to the ground.

Hakeem looked back toward the entrance and noted with satisfaction that the noise and the panic outside had completely drowned out the sound of the shot. Adrenaline surged through his body as he took one last look at the girl to make sure she wasn’t moving. He moved to the front display window and stood watching the passing crowd begin to grow.

So far, everything is working just as I planned.

4:39 p.m. PST

The Black Hawk dropped to within thirty feet of the ground over Town Square, causing the already frantic people to slip into sheer panic. Five dark shadows appeared on the sides of the helicopter, then rapidly rappelled to the ground. When the team was down, they disconnected their lines, and the helicopter lifted back up.

All around, people screamed and pointed at these five figures carrying automatic weapons. No one knew for sure whether this strange sight was the continuation of the attack or somebody coming to the rescue. No one wanted to risk finding out.

People clambered over each other, trying to escape these possible terrorists. The only ones who weren’t frightened were some of the preadolescent boys who thought this show was way cooler than that cheesy one at Universal Studios. After the team separated, they were soon forgotten as the crowd continued its mad rush to the exit.

4:41 p.m. PST

Even from inside the Candy Palace, the noise of the stampede was deafening. Parents had abandoned their strollers and were carrying their children, sometimes two and three at once. Older people were getting shoved aside as the younger ones raced past.

That right there is the root cause of what is wrong in this society!

Any ounce of pity Hakeem had ever felt for these people was gone. He slid the detonator from his sleeve and placed it in his hand. After a final quick prayer to Allah, he stepped out the door.

Sunday, February 1

Disneyland

Anaheim, California

4:44 p.m. PST

Riley and Khadi fought hard against the flood of people. The crowd was pushing all around them. Forward progress through the sea of bodies was made even more difficult by the people’s terrified reaction to the M4 in Riley’s hands.

As they forced their way down the left side of the street, Riley scanned the faces around him. He could hear soft voices as they passed him-parents whispering to their children, “It’s okay, baby,” “Daddy’s got you now,” “Mama loves her little angel.” Several times Riley passed people who had blood on their faces. Others were limping or being helped by family members. All kept their eyes straight ahead, trying with everything they had to reach their goal of the front gates.