Corey had killed The Lion, and for that reason the Supreme Council had ordered a death sentence for him. So if he, Bulus ibn al-Darwish, could kill this American agent, he would gain great honor with the Supreme Council.
He said to Nabeel, “Kill them both.”
Nabeel nodded, then asked, “When? Where?”
“Whenever you can, wherever you can.” He added, “In Sana’a. Or in Aden if they should go there.” He thought a moment, then said, “Or in Marib, if they should come here seeking me. Take as many men as you need and kill them at the first opportunity.”
“I will see to it, sir.”
The Panther was about to dismiss Nabeel, but then Nabeel said, “I have actually met this man.”
“Yes? Where? How?”
“In New York, sir. Just last week.” Nabeel had been waiting for this moment to impress his chief with his knowledge of the enemy, and to show his usefulness in America. Nabeel enjoyed his visits to New York, and he wanted those visits to continue. He explained, “After I received this man’s name and office address from our consulate in New York, I telephoned the number on his visa application and asked to speak to John Corey with the claim that I had important information for him about terrorist activity.”
The Panther smiled and said, “Well, that is a true claim.”
Nabeel and the two Iraqis, seeing that The Panther was smiling, laughed.
Nabeel continued, “Corey came to the telephone and I explained that I had gotten his name from a man who did not wish to be identified. We spoke briefly and arranged to meet.”
The Panther asked, “At the government office?”
“No, sir. That is not the procedure for the first meeting.” Nabeel thought this could be amusing, so he had rehearsed his English and replied in that language, “The agent Corey and I arranged to meet at a Jewish delicatessen.”
The Panther smiled again, but the Iraqis spoke no English and they did not understand.
Nabeel, emboldened by his chief’s smile, continued in English, “Ben’s Jewish deli—on West three-eight.” He asked, “Do you know it, sir?”
The Panther said in English, “West Thirty-eighth Street.” He seemed no longer amused and said abruptly, in Arabic, “Tell me of this man.”
Nabeel did not want to say that the meeting was brief, or that his poor English inhibited the talk, but he did say, “The man was arrogant.”
“They are all arrogant.”
“This man more so.” Nabeel thought back to his brief meeting with the American agent and said, “He was abrupt, and his manner was that of a man who had little respect for me or those of our faith who live in America.” Nabeel wasn’t certain if that was completely true or accurate, but this is what his chief wanted to hear.
The Panther nodded and said, “Arrogant.”
Nabeel continued, “He seemed anxious to leave—it was Saturday last, and the agents do not want to work on Saturday or Sunday. So I arranged with him for me to come to this government building for a new meeting—on Monday, in the morning.” Nabeel did not mention the need for an Arabic translator.
The Panther asked, “And did you go to this meeting?”
“No, sir. That would be dangerous.”
The Panther smiled and joked, “So perhaps it is you, Nabeel, who this man is looking for in Yemen, and you who he wishes to kill.”
“No, sir, it is you. But I will kill him first.”
“You will. And his wife.” He asked, “Is that all?”
Nabeel replied, “That is all, sir. But I wish you to have this—” He reached into his fouteh, and the Iraqi officers became alert.
Nabeel produced a small white card and handed it respectfully to The Panther, saying, “This is the business card of the agent, John Corey. He gave it to me to present at the government building when I called on him.”
The Panther took the card and held it near the flame of the candle. He read:
John Corey, Detective
N.Y.P.D./FBI
Anti-Terrorist Task Force
26 Federal Plaza
New York, N.Y. 10278
There was the office telephone number for contact, but not the man’s cell phone.
Also on the card were two seals—one of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and one of the New York Police Department.
Bulus ibn al-Darwish stared at the card for longer than it took to read it, then he turned it over and read, Nabeel al-Samad to see Det. Corey.
Nabeel was aware that some men who worked for and with Al Qaeda in America at times exaggerated their deeds and accomplishments, so this card was good proof to have of his work—and his truthfulness.
The Panther handed