Fear City by F. Paul Wilson Read Free Book Online Page B

as Trejador spoke: “The World Trade Center is off-limits!”
    What?
    â€œI don’t understand. The Twin Towers have surpassed the Empire State Building as the Manhattan icon. Bringing them down would electrify the world. Even this Clinton would have to issue a call to war.”
    Drexler finished a quick swallow of beer and said, “No-no-no! Listen to Roman. The World Trade Center is not to be touched. Not only must you not fund this plan, it is imperative that you steer them away from it.”
    Nasser dropped into a chair. “Someone has to explain this to me. What am I missing?”
    A look passed between Trejador and Drexler.
    â€œYou cannot be privy to that information yet.”
    â€œWhat?” That stung. “I’ve been a faithful member of the Order for over a decade now and if I haven’t yet shown that I can be trusted—”
    â€œEasy, Nasser. It’s not a matter of trust or years. It’s a matter of level within the Order.”
    â€œOne needs a minimum of actuator status to have access to that knowledge,” Drexler added.
    Trejador nodded. “And you’ll be there soon. You’re an excellent candidate. But until you earn that status, certain things will be withheld from you. It’s simply the way it is.”
    â€œDoes it make sense for me to operate in the dark? Really, it hardly seems fair to expect me to effectively dissuade them from their plan when I don’t know why I’m doing it.”
    Drexler’s expression turned sour. “You don’t need to know the facts. Even if you did, you certainly wouldn’t be able to use them. You’d still have to fabricate a reason to convince them.”
    â€œIf it were up to me,” Trejador said, “I’d tell you—”
    â€œBut the protocols were put in place for a reason,” Drexler added, “and it’s not up to individual members to bypass them.”
    â€œYou’ll learn in time,” Trejador said. “And when you do, you’ll understand.”
    â€œDon’t we have to take it up with the High Council?”
    Trejador shook his head. “Don’t even consider it. In fact, I’d rather the Council remain in the dark about this. If they know, they might take drastic measures.”
    â€œDrastic? How drastic?”
    Drexler said, “Order us to arrange the extermination of that entire Jersey City— What did you call it?”
    â€œGamaii.”
    â€œRight. Gamaii. Or even more extreme: Wipe out all the worshippers at the mosque during Friday prayers.”
    â€œThus depriving us of useful tools,” Trejador said. “So this must stay confined among us three. Therefore it is imperative that you divert this gamaii from their intended course as soon as possible.”
    â€œYou must,” Drexler said. “You must .” He put down his plate with the remainder of the club sandwich. “I’ve lost my appetite.”
    Trejador did the same. “Me too.”
    Dumbfounded, Nasser could only lean back and stare. What could be so important about the World Trade Center that the Order could not allow it to be damaged? He could not imagine …
    Wait. When he’d learned that he’d be working with Drexler, he’d asked around the Order about him. No one liked him and seemed much more interested in talking about his father. And a number of members mentioned Ernst Sr.’s only failure: Despite his determined efforts, he failed to block the construction of the World Trade Center. Details filtered through Nasser’s haze of confusion …
    Back in the early sixties, about the time of Nasser’s birth in Qatar, the Port Authority wrangled permission to raze thirteen square blocks in lower Manhattan to build the World Trade Center. The Order appointed Ernst Drexler Sr. as the point man and put all its resources of power, money, and influence behind him. Usually nothing could withstand an