“Aren’t they?”

“Hell, No! However, they’ve already engineered the trigger for the Dirty bomb and they’ll give comprehensive plans directly to you, Eric, after we get back from this meeting.”

“It sounds like bull to me. They may as well ask us to meet them on Mars. What possible relevance could some berg country like Yemen have to do with Milk Truck. No one ever heard of Yemen. It’s nowhere. They know I’m the leader. You haven’t led them to believe it’s you? You didn’t let on like that behind my back?”

“You’ve known me since we were kids. You know I wouldn’t do that.”

“Just thought I’d ask.”

“Can you believe it? This is going to be a souped-up affair and kick us up to the big leagues, the circles I move in not only at the UN, but also in Washington. When we get back, we’ll be wielding power we never dreamed of!”

“It gives me the chills when you talk like that.”

He laughed. “Isn’t this the break we’ve been waiting for since you founded the Muskets? None of us know beans how to construct or safely detonate a radioactive weapon. Our strength is the ability to pull off credible tactical attacks and the fact that you three are normal Americans and don’t have Arabian racial features.”

“Neither do you.”

“In any case, this Beyrouti won’t release the trigger or the plans unless you do the Yemen thing and he’s the one with final say.”

“You said he was from Russia. Is that where the money and support are coming from? You were supposed to find those things out.”

“Uncle Wady didn’t say exactly, but it’s not Russia, not the cash! The Islamic source for the money is someone in Saudi Arabia.”

“Carl! You know good and well that means it’s Al Qaeda money. What have you gotten us into?”

“We don’t know that. He said they say they aren’t told such things because the Saudis have to maintain the illusion that they’re an ally of the United States. Duh! They’re trying to protect me and their family. Also, there’s some wizard cleric who wants to help you plan a misdirection strategy when you use the Dirty bomb. We have nothing to lose and it’s exciting; It sounds like James Bond stuff.”

We both laughed, but I wasn’t quite sure who we were laughing at.

“If you agree to the meeting, they promise you’ll get all the cash you need. They have it. They can fund any size project as long as it’s credible. That’s where we come in.”

“I guess you told them we agreed?” I said, shaking Carl’s hand before leaving.

“I knew you’d agree. Christof told me when I asked him.”

“You spoke to him first?”

“Don’t go ballistic! I couldn’t reach you. It was a safe connection. I have the arrangements. You’ll be personally accompanied, so don’t worry about your safety.”

“You’re a presumptuous shit, Carl.”

He unzipped his waist pack and removed an envelope.

“Here’s the cash to get everyone there, except me. I’m already covered.”

“You’re going?”

“Of course. It’s my family making all of this happen. What’s weird about that? Beyrouti has done the routing. They have you accompanying Tiffany to make it look like a couple on a romantic interlude to the Caribbean They have Spritz traveling with Christof and Kicks Iron out of New York . . . to Paris.” He handed me the itinerary.

“Why are they sending Tiffany and I together, separate from the others?”

“Because they want to take special precautions with you two.”