Transfer of Power

THE THREE LITTLE Bird helicopters moved out from their holding pattern and raced in over the White House.

The rain was falling in sheets and the wind was howling. Most helicopter pilots had the common sense to stay on the ground during weather like this, but the pilots of the 160th Special Operations Regiment trained in the worst possible conditions for this exact reason.

The only adjustment they made was to loosen their formation a bit to allow for some error that might be caused by the gusting wind. The first Little Bird came in and hovered ten feet off the deck over the eastern end of the roof. The NO TAR system on the chopper's tail gave it unmatched hovering stability. All four troopers kicked free at the same time and rappelled the short distance to the rooftop. The men pulled their ropes from their rappelling clips and headed out for the guard booth. The second chopper came right behind the first, and then the third. The twelve operators of the Alpha Team immediately set out for their objective in the basement.

AZIZ WAS TRYING to figure out what to do when he heard the distinctive noise of an AK-74 being fired somewhere on the floors above. The noise caused him to freeze at first, and then he raced back to the anteroom of the bunker. Neither Yassin nor the woman had any idea that something was wrong. Aziz grabbed the woman by the arm and yanked her to her feet.

Pulling the woman down the hall, he yelled back toyassin, "Get that door open."

As they neared the stairwell, shots could be heard again.

Aziz opened the door and yelled for Bengazi. He waited a moment but got no reply. Furious at all this when he was so close, he grabbed the woman by the hair and shoved her into the stairwell. He had to get to the first basement or there would be no escape. Aziz pushed the woman before him as the noise of battle grew louder.

When they made it to the first basement, he pressed on. At the next landing they found Bengazi and Ragib. The two of them were firing furiously at the stairs above them. Brass shell casings came tumbling down the steps. A hail of bullets hit the plaster wall just in front of them, and chips of the wall flew in every direction.

Aziz began backing down the staircase, yelling to Bengazi, "Muammar, hold on for another minute and then meet me in the tu

Without turning, Bengazi yelled, "Go!"

As Aziz headed back down the stairs, there was a bright flash and a loud bang from above. He reached the door to the first basement and burst through it with the president's secretary.

Using her as a shield, he checked both directions and then headed for the Treasury tu

He had been so close, but somehow the Americans had figured out what he was up to.

Aziz rounded the next corner to the left and stopped.

Holding the woman up in front of him, he brought his fist back and then punched her with a right hook. The woman spun from the blow and went to the floor like a wet noodle.

Aziz set his MP-5 down and began to tear off the green fatigues he'd been wearing for the last three days.

RAPP DID A quick search of the room and came up with nothing. One by one he pulled the canvas bags off the hostages' heads, counting nine of them. The room reeked of urine.

"Whiskey Four, what's your status?"

"Were golden. Three Tangos down, and all of the hostages are secured."

Rapp looked over at the bomb by the wall. Its red light was blinking.

"We're not out of this yet. Get your boys working on these bombs."

Turning his attention back to the hostages, he said, "Don't worry.

Everything is going to be fine." He took his knife and cut the first two uniformed Secret Service officers free. Then, giving his knife to them, he told them to free the others. Rapp spoke into his headset, "Control, what's the plan?"

Ke

"Start moving the hostages into the tu

"Roger that." Rapp looked back at the hostages, who were still trying to get up.

"Can you people move?" A couple of them nodded, and Rapp said, "All right. Follow me, and don't touch anything. Those of you that can't move, I'll come back and get you."

Rapp led the first three out of the room and toward the hidden staircase.

"Control, what's the update on Aziz?" Rapp waited but got no reply. He repeated the question as he went back to grab a couple more hostages and was stopped cold in the hallway outside the Roosevelt Room. He had heard a beep and looked down at the bomb on the wall. The red light had stopped blinking and was now green. Beneath that, two red numbers appeared.

"Shit! We've got big problems! These bombs are counting down! Control, did you hear me? Whiskey Four, did you hear me?" Rapp ran back into the Roosevelt Room.

"People, we have to move fast. Who needs help?" One of the remaining six raised his hand. Rapp snatched the Secret Service officer from the ground like a rag doll and threw him over his shoulder.

"Say again?" General Campbell asked.

"These bombs are counting down. Something went wrong. Get the Alpha Team back up to the roof." Rapp headed out of the room.

"Let's go! Everyone, follow me." As Rapp raced across the hall and into the president's dining room, he yelled, "Harry, move everybody into the tu

Rapp cut through the short hallway and started down the steep stairs.

When he reached the bottom, he handed the wounded Secret Service officer off to several other hostages and told A

The line slowed for a second, and Rapp backed up to the door and screamed, "Get your asses moving! This whole building is wired to blow!"

The line Instantly surged forward. Rapp checked his watch. He had no idea how much time they had left, but it couldn't be much. Harris and the other three SEALS finally appeared. Reavers was carrying a hostage in each arm. Clark, Rostein, and Harris appeared within seconds, each of them helping a hostage.

"Is anyone else left?"

"No." Harris passed Rapp and said, "Get your ass in the tu