The sun was setting over the expanse of the King Khalid International Airport; in the distance you could hear the call for prayer.  The golden tones of a magnificent sunset paired with the "Muazzin" intonation of the "Adhan," Islam's Call to Prayer, filled Danny with a sense of right.  He was sitting on the tarmac outside of the hangar. 

    "Hayya alassalah.  Hayya alal-Falah.  Allahu Akbar." 

He had asked Saleem what this meant when they were out earlier.  "Come to Prayer.  Come to success.  Allah is the Greatest."

He should have been inside, preparing for the action that was about to start.  But he had come out here to clear his mind.  He had shaved off his beard, completely, for the first time in 20 years. He thought it appropriate.  Tonight he would have to be a different person than he had ever been before.  Sitting there by himself, inspired by the call to prayer, he sent up his own small prayer for success.  The fast pace of the past few days had kept him moving.  Waiting for the next step now had sent his mind reeling ... not only was there a weighty responsibility on him in a humanitarian sense, there was his story as well ... but none of it mattered next to CJ.  If only he could call her.  If he didn't make it back, would she know he had loved her.

-------------------

Inside the jet, Saleem was on the telephone with an official at the airport in San'a, Yemen.  Jax was standing over him, but couldn't understand a word being said.  Saleem hung up the phone.  "Mr. Jacks, we've agreed on a price to be allowed to move the jet there tonight and keep it there until tomorrow morning.  The majority of the expense is for their assurance that the Yemeni Air Force will keep a safe distance from both the jet and the helicopter.  He seemed very happy to take care of the helicopter for you, after we've gone."

-------------------

Jerry was sitting in the back of the jet by himself.  One last "think-through" just to be sure there wouldn't be any surprises that should have been predicted.  He was glad that Jax was here.  They'd talked everything through together earlier and that always gave Jerry confidence. He removed a photograph from a small case in his duffle, his once-fiancee and her son. He missed her still, but things happen for a reason.  He was meant to be here, not settled down in a brownstone in Port Charles. 

He returned the photograph to its case and stowed it back in the duffle. Time to see if Andrea and the translators needed fresh coffee or food. They'd been staring at computer screens for 4 hours. Then he'd see where Danny had gotten off to.

------------------

Ahmed awoke at 6:00 am.  He was already feeling considerably better.  He took out his prayer mat and turned east towards Makkah.

"Bismillahir-Rahmanir Raheem. Qul hu wallahu ahad. Allahus-Samad. Lam yalid, walam yulad. Walam yakulla hu kufuwan 'ahad. Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim. Inna'taina kal-Kauthar. Fasalli lirabbika wanhar. Inna shani'aka huwal ' abtar. Sami 'allahu liman hamidah"

Getting up from his mat, Ahmed repeated the prayer in English for good measure, Allah couldn't be praised too much after all ... "In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Ever Merciful. Say, He is Allah, the One; Allah, the Independent and Besought of all. He begets not, nor is He begotten. And there is none like unto Him. In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Ever Merciful. Surely We have given thee abundance of good; So pray to the Lord, and offer sacrifice. Surely, it is the enemy who is without issue. Allah listens to him who praises Him."

Today, he felt the need for the peace that this prayer always brought to him.  While he generally had no qualms about eliminating trouble, he was a little less enthusiastic about his last task in the US.  The Fast Flow guys had actually been very nice to him in their own condescending American way.  Nonetheless, they were to be sacrificed.  He was not an ordinary sleeper and he could not afford to be compromised.

One last look around the rooms that had been his home for the past four years.  He picked up his suitcase and a briefcase, closed the door behind him and walked out.  Walking down the steps in front of the building with a guy from the first floor, Ahmed smiled pleasantly.

He had to laugh a little inside.  The guy's eyes got large as he saw and recognized Ahmed.

-------------------

At the White House, CJ stiffly got up from her fitful sleep on the couch.  The television was still going and she changed to CNN and turned the other one on to CSPAN.  Another day was starting.  If things were on schedule, Danny and the Jacks brothers would be getting under way soon and would meet with success.  She hoped.

CJ's heart sank as she heard Carol arrive.  Her assistant was coughing.  Another victim in the wings.

Donna popped her head in the door.  "CJ, did you see the story about the Secretary of State's latest 'mischaracterization' of foreign policy?"

"Mmmmm?"

"Boucher from State said and I quote 'If we want to praise the secretary for being open and speaking English and talking without following a specific script, one would also have to accept that.  So don't get too excited over one word here, one word there.'"

Donna threw the copy of USA Today on CJ's desk.  She picked it up with a groan, making a mental note to call Boucher later today.

"CJ?  What language would our Secretary of State be speaking other than English?"  Donna puzzled.

"I have no idea, Donna.  Half the time I don't know if Boucher is speaking English or some other language!"

Donna smiled.  "Though, I like the one word here, one word there thing.  I plan to use that one with Josh.  I am so close to another valid point here!"

With that, she departed for the cafeteria.  Dazed, CJ stared after her.  Oh god, what if Donna was infected.  She didn't know if she would survive being quarantined with her.

Quarantined.   Even if no one else knew it yet, that's what she was now.   Donna hadn't noticed that CJ was wearing the same clothes as she had been yesterday, but Carol would.   CJ really wanted to be sick at home.   Instead she grabbed her bag and went to the basement.

-------------------

At 7:00 pm, Jerry, Danny, Jax and Mike headed west to Jeddah in the helicopter, Jax at the controls. "Brother, do you think you could keep this bird steady, I'm trying to sleep?" quipped Jerry.

Even with the earplugs, Danny didn't think it humanly possible for anyone to sleep in a helicopter.

"Getting a little queasy there, Jerry, it's just some wind currents."  The beep of the radio interrupted them.

"Jax, I think we've found something." It was Andrea's voice.

"Roger that, go ahead."  Jax hoped that no one was listening and if they were they wouldn't make anything of it.

"The man you'll want to interview in Jeddah is named Al-Benzat.   He's the director of the Virology division at the Veterinary lab.  His laboratory is in the main building.  His research, although limited, looks very promising.  He is definitely the one you'll want to talk with.  We have some other good information, particularly about the operation in the US and the funding, but we'll pass it on when we see you."

"Thank you, Jax out."  He set the radio handset back in its cradle.  "Everyone hear that?"  Danny, Jerry and Mike all nodded.

-------------------

The Fast Flow office was having a slow start to Wednesday.  The job at the White House had been the biggest by far this week, and Drips had given his crew very light assignments for the day.  They were basically doing follow-up, billing and restocking.

Drips heard a sound from the reception area and went out to see what was going on.  A gentleman in an Armani suit turned away from the reception desk and smiled at him.

"What the heck?  Ahmed?  Why are you all dressed up like that?  How can you ..."  Drips halted in mid-sentence and looked at Holly, the receptionist.  In the middle of her forehead was a small hole from which a thin line of blood ran.  He turned back to Ahmed, knowing that there was nothing he could do.

"I am sorry, but this is necessary.  Goodbye, Drips," Ahmed said and fired.  He quickly headed into the back of the office and without much ceremony dispatched the rest of the Fast Flow crew.  Before leaving the building, he turned up the air conditioning.

Walking a few blocks, he dumped the gun in a back alley; then he hailed a cab and proceeded to Dulles.  Finally.

------------------- 

Flying a little further south than needed in order to avoid the radars at the King Abdul Aziz International Airport, the newly christened J & J Jacks of Alaska helicopter overflew the Holy City of Makkah before Jax located a clearing with suitable cover around it to land the helicopter, and far enough away from the lab not to attract attention.  It was just after 9:30.

Everyone was wearing black, head-to-toe.  First they donned bulletproof vests.  Fastening his vest, Danny now understood the distinction between determination and grim determination.  At some point, flying through the Saudi Arabian night, he had become the living, breathing embodiment of grim determination. They wore small backpacks that were also black.  After the black grease paint was applied to their faces, Danny's hair remained the only thing that wasn't black.  Jerry handed Danny a black stocking cap.  "When we get there, tuck your hair into it.  We probably should have cut your hair, but Conchita and Consuela will like you better with the long hair."   Jerry stopped, realizing this wasn't a time when attempts to lighten the mood would work.  "Danny, we will find the antidote for everyone at the White House. We will."

Danny didn't know how Jerry knew about his feelings for CJ; but from Jerry's tone of voice, he was sure he did know.

Outside the helicopter the night air was warm and they could smell the Red Sea.  If they listened really hard, they could hear the surf break.

Jax was to stay with the helicopter.  He would wait up on the rise above, with one of the machine guns.  Without the helicopter, no one was getting out of here ... unless they were strong enough to swim the 100 miles west to Sudan.

"Jerry, two flashes from the flashlight, then stop, then two more. Okay?  I wouldnít want to shoot you mistakenly."

"See you soon, baby brother."  He slapped him on the shoulder.  He was eager to get going.

Mike, Jerry and Danny set off for the lab.  The GPS units suggested it was about four miles.  They walked single file and the pace was as quick as they could make it with only moonlight.   It was adrenalin and not a schedule...the fewer people still working at the lab the better.   Danny was happy to be at the rear.   By the time the small group reached the first outbuilding, Danny was winded and very relieved to see their target.  Perhaps he would have time to rest a bit before they got started.  Mike's associates had left the purchased explosives here as arranged.  Both Jerry and Mike were relieved that there were no nasty surprises.  It was always hard to deal with those who were willing to sell out.  Someone always had more money.   Using the nightvision goggles, Mike added the explosives to his pack.

They surveyed their destination, thankful that the laboratory complex was not well lit.  The Veterinary Laboratory appeared to have grown over time, new buildings added to it each decade, the oldest of which were some barns that looked as if they dated from the early 70s.  There was a slightly newer barn, concrete, probably 80s vintage, attached to a modern laboratory building, almost certainly no more than 10 years old.  Off the back of the concrete barn was a paddock. There were several other smaller buildings scattered around the complex.  "Quiet and slow so we don't alarm the horses." Mike reminded everyone,

"Horses.  Handy of them to provide us transportation."  Jerry suggested.

Danny had a brief moment of panic.  He'd ridden trail horses as a kid, maybe even had them to a canter.  But as a getaway car, he didn't like the sound of this.

Jerry and Mike decided to invest some time in planning their exit before they went in.  There were plenty of bridles and bits, but only one saddle.  "You prefer a saddle, Danny?"  They were whispering.

"Emmm ...yes, it is kind of imperative."

"Mike, go ahead and saddle one of them.   We'll go easy on him, he's a city kid, rides the metro."  Jerry wandered off to inspect the location and functioning of the gates.

-------------------

CJ was staring into space and did not see Josh come into her office. "CJ, what are you doing?"

"Nothing."

She looked tired and detached.  "Were you here all night last night?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Working."

"On what?"

"All my work."

"And now you're doing nothing?"

"Yes.  I did all my work last night."

Josh wondered if CJ had been taking lessons from Donna on how to make very little sense.

"The transportation bill?"

She picked up a tablet, which appeared to Josh not to have anything written on it, and waved it at him.

"Okay, the meeting is tomorrow morning."

"I'm ready," she said as he left.  She wasn't, but she also knew all the meetings for tomorrow would be delayed one way or another.  She could stare at the transportation bill to humor Josh...she opted instead to tell Gail her life story.  "I can't tell you Gail, when or where I was conceived.  I can tell you where I was born because I have a piece of paper about that ...."

-------------------

The barn was a large open building arranged with the horse stalls running down the west side, the ruminant stalls down the east side and with a large central alleyway containing several stocks, small holding stalls, treatment rooms and a couple of offices that opened on each side into the alleyways. There was enough light to see the animals, who took no notice of the three men surveying the barn. 

In one of the center offices was a man, sitting at a desk, but face down asleep.  Next to him, a stethoscope, key ring with a couple of keys, clipboard, pen, penlight, and a horse rectal thermometer who's size was sufficient to cause three grown men to grimace with discomfort just at the thought of having it inserted.   They moved past the man quietly so as not to disturb him and made their way toward a double door at the end of the hall that connected the barn with the lab building proper. 

They saw no cameras, except for two facing inward into what appeared to be medical stalls.  They were for monitoring sick animals, not for security.  It certainly appeared that Al-Benzat was hiding behind a legitimate job in a legitimate government laboratory and not that this building was merely a cleverly disguised terrorist compound.

The door into the lab was locked.  "We know where the keys are. Danny, you'll create a diversion.  Mike will retrieve the keys.  You won't need it, but I'll cover you both."  Jerry drew his gun.  "Danny go down that side of the barn, past the cows. Mike will follow you.  When you get to the far end of the building, think of something to distract the horses.  That should wake our sleepy friend enough so that he will go check the horses.  Mike will procure the keys while the caretaker is with the horses. We'll all meet back here and be gone before our friend is back in his office.  With a little luck, he will just go back to sleep."

Danny headed off quietly down the east side of the building.  The cows, goats and sheep were as disinterested as the horses had been when they'd passed by their stalls.  There was a feed storage area about midway back, with hay, grain and some vegetables, mostly carrots.  There was what appeared to be one apple, although it certainly did not resemble an American red delicious -- nonetheless it would work.  He dumped most of the carrots from a large, metal bucket and took that as well. 

Reaching the far end of the barn, he crossed back across the center alley, close enough to the horses to be sure he wouldn't miss.  Holding the bucket by its handle, he flung it over the front of the stall as hard as he could and hit a bay gelding square in the neck with a loud clang.  The horse, certain the end of world was upon it, reared up, began to whinny and flung itself around the stall. 

Simultaneously, Danny took aim at a grey mare and nailed her dead on between the eyes with his apple, eliciting a similar, 'something is about to eat me' response from the horse.  As Danny retreated to the east side of the building, he implored the horses in a tone that would not have been audible to anyone not walking next to him, "Please don't tell your buddies outside who did this.  Believe me, if it would have worked for me to feign drunkenness and hit on you, I would have."

Danny saw the animal caretaker headed towards the horse stalls, just as he ducked behind the back of the office.  Mike emerged with the keys and, indeed, the three of them were in the lab building by the time the caretaker had calmed the horses.