Not Gonna Die // Mitch Rapp

03

Eighteen Months Later

The past year-and-a-half, Mitch had been communicating with the terrorist that took Heidi. He'd built up trust over the past year, buying his time until he could let his plans play out. The fact that he hadn't been able to find the woman he'd just gotten engaged to irked him in a way nothing before had.

The chime of a message caught his attention. He walked to his computer desk and resumed communication.

'How are you tonight my brother?'

'I am ready to go on vacation.'

'Click encrypted link, then download file." Mitch did as instructed.

The video was a propaganda video. He watched as violence played out while someone spoke. "We're gonna fucking set your shit on fire, man! Fuckin' burn, motherfucker, burn! To our brothers across the globe...Come join our fight against American imperialism. They will pay for the murder of our families, our friends, and all children."

The video ended and Mitch saw another message. 'Hold it, hold it, hold it. What is in your heart, brother?'

'I want to bathe in the blood of the infidels.'

'We are logging your keystrokes. Answer quickly. Who was taken in the Year of Sorrow?'

Mitch immediately typed the answer, as he already knew what it was. 'Khadijah and Abu Talib.'

'Who was with the Prophet for the Isra and Mi'raj?'

'The Angel Gabriel.'

That afternoon, he went to the gym to box. When Heidi disappeared, he needed some way to get his anger out and found boxing helped. He sparred with another guy who hit him right under my chin. The punch was hard enough to knock Mitch back.

Without a word, Mitch flipped the man over his shoulder onto the ground. As the man laid on his stomach, Mitch laid into him, letting out the anger he'd buried deep inside.

The trainer came over as Mitch wrapped his legs around his sparring partner. "Let him go, let him go. Let him go, let him go. Break it up. Let him go!"

"What the fuck is your deal, man?" the sparring partner asked.

The trainer pointed to the door. "That's it. You're done, Rapp. Get out."

"He keeps doing this shit."

"Get out!"

Mitch grabbed his stuff and said in an angry tone, "Have a nice fucking day." He made his way to the door.

He changed into civies and walked through the streets. As he did so, he felt like he was being followed. He turned, but saw no one.

He made his way to a shooting range and aimed at the targets. Before he left, he aimed a handgun at the three targets and hit each of them.

When he arrived back at his apartment, he decided to hit a punching bag to let out more anger. All he wanted was to know where Heidi was. He wanted to hold her, to tell her he loved her.

That night, Mitch was throwing knives at the wall and there was a knock on the door. He opened it to see his neighbor on the other side and his neighbor said, "Rapp, why I gotta tell you again."

"Sorry, Mr. Nazir," Mitch apologized. "I didn't realize it was past 10:00. I'll try to keep it down."

"Yeah, enough with the sports."

"Copy that. All right. Thanks, Mr. Nazir."

He left and Mitch locked his door again. He walked towards his closet door and opened it to reveal the knives. He grabbed one and aimed it at the terrorist who took Heidi, the one who'd very likely killed her. Nothing but bullseye.

He made his way back to his computer and saw that he had a new message. He clicked on it. 'Will you come here?'

Mitch typed, 'Allah wills that I join the fight wherever I am called.'

He sat back with a dark expression. While he didn't know where Heidi was, or if she was even alive, he would be able to get payback, which was at least something.