black wheel of Swiss cheese. Inspired by the Spider-Mancharacter, the SQUID—or Safe Quick Undercarriage Immobilization Device—deployed sticky webs of netting from its holes that would entangle a vehicle’s axles and bring it to a complete and almost immediate stop. It was safer and far more effective than strip spikes and could stop anything from a Mini Cooper to a Chevy Suburban.
The second Pakistani was carrying two magnetized explosive devices developed by the Israelis to kill Iranian nuclear scientists. While the scientists sat in traffic, an operative on a motorcycle would pull up alongside, affix the bomb to their vehicle, and speed off just before it detonated.
According to the Carlton Group’s intelligence, Yaqub was accompanied in his vehicle by two of his fighters from Waziristan, plus an ISI driver. Two more ISI operatives followed in the second vehicle. As far as anyone knew, both vehicles were thin-skinned and not armored. Nevertheless, Harvath believed in the SEAL motto that two is one and one is none. He would rather do too much damage than not enough.
As Yaqub’s vehicle passed, the first Pakistani would activate the SQUID, bringing it to a halt. As the ISI chase car following behind slammed on its brakes, the second Pakistani would emerge from hiding and affix one bomb to the chase car’s undercarriage and another to the side. The Pakistanis would then retreat to cover and Pakistani number two would detonate the devices.
Chase, Harvath, and Sloane were less than thirty seconds away when they heard the first explosion, followed by the second.
Skidding into the intersection, they could see everything had worked. Netting was twisted around Yaqub’s axles and behind it, the chase car was on fire, the two ISI agents inside either dead or dying.
As Chase brought their SUV to a screeching halt, Harvath was like ice. He felt nothing for the ISI operatives or the fighters from Waziristan. They were giving aid and protection to a terrorist planning to help murder hundreds of millions of Americans. The men had made their bed, and now they could burn in it.
Harvath and Sloane jumped out of their SUV, MP7s up and at the ready, followed by Chase, who had reclaimed his Hoplite. Together, they rushed Yaqub’s car.
From the front passenger seat, one of Yaqub’s fighters produced a short-barreled shotgun. As soon as Harvath saw it come above the line ofthe dashboard, he yelled, “Gun!” and fired multiple rounds through the windshield, killing the man instantly.
The ISI driver tried to unholster his weapon, but Sloane was already at his window and fired two shots at his head, shattering the glass and killing him.
When the fighter in the backseat on the passenger side made himself known, Chase had almost been on top of him. The man didn’t wait to get the door all the way open before firing. He sent heavy 7.62 rounds from his AK-47 slicing right through the door panel. Chase had to lunge between two parked cars to take cover and avoid being hit. Had they not been taking such great pains to make sure Yaqub didn’t get shot, he would have fired and nailed the guy.
The Waziristani fighter had been trained well and took advantage of Chase’s predicament to keep firing and move to cover. Gunfights were louder than most people realized and the reports from the AK-47 were deafening.
The man had Chase pinned down and was about to fire at Sloane when Harvath appeared. He had maneuvered behind the burning follow car and, taking aim, pressed his trigger.
There was a spray of blood, accompanied by an explosion of bone and brain matter as the rounds entered the back of the man’s head and blew out an eye, teeth, and half of his face. He looked like he’d been hit with a missile.
Harvath picked his way forward, using a parked car for concealment. He couldn’t see Yaqub. He assumed he was crouched in the backseat and likely armed. “Hands up!” he yelled in Arabic.
Yaqub didn’t comply.
Harvath fired a
The second Pakistani was carrying two magnetized explosive devices developed by the Israelis to kill Iranian nuclear scientists. While the scientists sat in traffic, an operative on a motorcycle would pull up alongside, affix the bomb to their vehicle, and speed off just before it detonated.
According to the Carlton Group’s intelligence, Yaqub was accompanied in his vehicle by two of his fighters from Waziristan, plus an ISI driver. Two more ISI operatives followed in the second vehicle. As far as anyone knew, both vehicles were thin-skinned and not armored. Nevertheless, Harvath believed in the SEAL motto that two is one and one is none. He would rather do too much damage than not enough.
As Yaqub’s vehicle passed, the first Pakistani would activate the SQUID, bringing it to a halt. As the ISI chase car following behind slammed on its brakes, the second Pakistani would emerge from hiding and affix one bomb to the chase car’s undercarriage and another to the side. The Pakistanis would then retreat to cover and Pakistani number two would detonate the devices.
Chase, Harvath, and Sloane were less than thirty seconds away when they heard the first explosion, followed by the second.
Skidding into the intersection, they could see everything had worked. Netting was twisted around Yaqub’s axles and behind it, the chase car was on fire, the two ISI agents inside either dead or dying.
As Chase brought their SUV to a screeching halt, Harvath was like ice. He felt nothing for the ISI operatives or the fighters from Waziristan. They were giving aid and protection to a terrorist planning to help murder hundreds of millions of Americans. The men had made their bed, and now they could burn in it.
Harvath and Sloane jumped out of their SUV, MP7s up and at the ready, followed by Chase, who had reclaimed his Hoplite. Together, they rushed Yaqub’s car.
From the front passenger seat, one of Yaqub’s fighters produced a short-barreled shotgun. As soon as Harvath saw it come above the line ofthe dashboard, he yelled, “Gun!” and fired multiple rounds through the windshield, killing the man instantly.
The ISI driver tried to unholster his weapon, but Sloane was already at his window and fired two shots at his head, shattering the glass and killing him.
When the fighter in the backseat on the passenger side made himself known, Chase had almost been on top of him. The man didn’t wait to get the door all the way open before firing. He sent heavy 7.62 rounds from his AK-47 slicing right through the door panel. Chase had to lunge between two parked cars to take cover and avoid being hit. Had they not been taking such great pains to make sure Yaqub didn’t get shot, he would have fired and nailed the guy.
The Waziristani fighter had been trained well and took advantage of Chase’s predicament to keep firing and move to cover. Gunfights were louder than most people realized and the reports from the AK-47 were deafening.
The man had Chase pinned down and was about to fire at Sloane when Harvath appeared. He had maneuvered behind the burning follow car and, taking aim, pressed his trigger.
There was a spray of blood, accompanied by an explosion of bone and brain matter as the rounds entered the back of the man’s head and blew out an eye, teeth, and half of his face. He looked like he’d been hit with a missile.
Harvath picked his way forward, using a parked car for concealment. He couldn’t see Yaqub. He assumed he was crouched in the backseat and likely armed. “Hands up!” he yelled in Arabic.
Yaqub didn’t comply.
Harvath fired a
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