shuttle to the Opryland Resort and Convention Center about twenty minutes away.
“Just like Tommy Wong and the Super 8 in Omaha, Opryland has no record of a Bao Deng checking in. In case he was using an alias, agents showed his picture to management, desk clerks, and staff. The only person who could positively ID Deng was the shuttle bus driver. He states he has no idea where Deng went once all of the passengers got off the bus.
“The Opryland Resort, though, does have external CCTV cameras and allowed our agents to review the footage. Deng can clearly be seen debussing and then entering the nearby shopping mall called Opry Mills. But sifting through the mall’s security footage has been a nightmare. Opry Mills is one of the largest malls in the southeastern United States and has over two hundred stores. It was very crowded. We’re talking thousands and thousands of people.
“There were a couple of times Deng appeared on camera, but because he had his carry-on bag with him, we think he may have changed clothes. The mall is a mix of retail and outlet stores. If Deng also disguised his luggage by using some of those oversized outlet store bags, he may have slipped out an exit looking like a normal shopper.
“We have agents going through every piece of the footage frame by frame. Maybe we’ll get lucky, but we’re not pinning all of our hopes on it.”
“What about the poultry plant in Nebraska Deng was invested in? Are you checking there?” asked the DHS Secretary.
“Yes, sir,” Roe replied. “We are not leaving any stone unturned. We’re placing additional agents at Nashville’s and Omaha’s airports, train stations, and bus stations. Bao Deng and Tommy Wong have had their names and photos added to the no-fly list, but with a ‘contact the FBI before any action’ flag. We expect to have more for you by the next briefing.”
With that, Special Agent Roe took her seat and the President went around the table asking for updates from the rest of his national security team. Ten minutes later, the President adjourned the meeting.
As the attendees filed out of the room, Director of National Intelligence Johnson, CIA Director McGee, and FBI Director Erickson remained seated with the President. Once the door with its pneumatic lock had clicked shut, Harvath and the Old Man moved forward and took seats at the conference table.
The President looked at them and said, “We’ve got a few other developments that weren’t included in the briefing. Let’s go over those first.”
CHAPTER 31
* * *
* * *
DNI General George Johnson slid two briefing books across the table—one to Harvath and the other to the Old Man. “Whose idea was this Facebook thing?” he asked.
Carlton cocked his head at Harvath and said, “It was his idea. He deserves the credit.”
“It was pretty clever and may be the break we’ve been looking for,” said Johnson. “According to the NSA, all six of those engineering students have a Facebook account. None of them have been posting to their accounts. Total radio silence. Except,” he said, pausing and looking at Harvath.
“They’re still tuning their radios in and listening,” said Harvath, recalling what he had brought the Old Man back into his house to discuss.
“Bingo.”
“Can you be more specific?” the President asked.
Johnson ceded the floor to Harvath, who replied, “Facebook, sir, is huge in the Middle East. Asking six young men to refrain from posting is a big deal. With the right carrot and stick you could probably get them not to post. But what I was wondering was whether they would be able to stay off Facebook altogether. Would they ‘sneak’ on just to look? Just to check in and see what their family and friends were up to back home?”
“And that’s what they’ve been doing?”
The DNI nodded and pulled up a map of the United States on the monitors. “One account has been accessed multiple times from Seattle, another from Las Vegas, another from Des Moines, one from Dallas, one from Baltimore, and, surprise, one from Nashville.” As he named each city, he tapped a key on his keyboard, which highlighted it and then popped up the corresponding engineering student’s picture next to it.
Johnson then zoomed in on Nashville and showed where the Facebook account was being accessed from. “This is an example of how our engineering student is accessing the Internet from different locations offering free Wi-Fi.”
“If these were my guys,” said Harvath, “I wouldn’t allow them to operate a motor