No Safe Place
Author
Taylor Wilmering
Author Bio
Taylor Wilmering has been an avid writer since childhood, everything from 500-word short stories to (more recently) novella- and novel-length projects. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International & Cultural Studies, with a focus on the Middle East, and a minor in Criminology. In addition to writing, she enjoys reading, horseback riding, spending time with friends and family, and traveling. Since June 2007, she has been a civilian role player for training exercises for emergency responders, which provides quite a bit of interesting material for story plots! The majority of what she writes now is fiction, mostly political and crime thrillers about the military, law enforcement, and terrorism.
Description
“People of America, I am one of the faces of Ansar Inshallah. Who am I? I am your coworker, your neighbor, your friend. You are safe nowhere. Trust no one. And remember that I am one person, and there are many more like me.” Shortly before September 11, 2001, Joe Biden warned, “The question is not if we will be attacked by terrorists again, but rather when and where.” In the pages of No Safe Place, terrorism has come to America once again. Sleeper agents for a radical Islamic terrorist group that calls itself Ansar Inshallah have managed to blend into American society and go undetected – until now. As Ansar Inshallah’s sleeper cells awaken, Americans discover that appearances can be deceiving and the people around them may not be who they seem. Homeland Security Counter-Terrorism Division agent John Anderson and his field partner, Agent Erin Walker of the FBI, are racing against the clock to uncover and bring down Ansar Inshallah. But how do you fight a war when your enemy is hidden among you?
My degree is in International & Cultural Studies (focusing on the Middle East) with a minor in Criminology (focusing on Islamic terrorism). Since the events of 9/11, I have been fascinated by the history and culture of the Middle East, as well as Islamic terrorism. I have studied groups like Al Qaeda in depth, learning about the history of Islamic extremism and the ideology and methodology of various terrorist groups. TV shows like “24” and “Homeland” (both of which I enjoy) have dramatized it for entertainment, but the fact is that sleeper cells and terrorism are a very real and present threat in the world today. Of course, the reason I wrote this book was not to frighten people and cause panic! I enjoy reading; I like exciting page-turner stories. I hope you will enjoy “No Safe Place” for what it is – a fictional story, a thriller with a dose of “ripped-from-the-headlines” realism!
Book excerpt
Officer Lakin handed Erin a plastic CD case. “In the last hour, unmarked packages were delivered to four different TV stations. This is what was in all four envelopes. A case and a DVD, both with the same Arabic writing on them.”
Erin turned the clear plastic case over in her hands. “Al-Tanbih,” she said, reading the Arabic script that had been written in bold red marker. “It’s Arabic for ‘alert’ or ‘warning.’ Looks like this is a message from Ansar Inshallah.” She glanced at the laptop computer that sat open and booted up on the table. “Have you watched the video?”
The officer nodded, reaching over to pull up the computer’s video player. “Here, take a look.”
A man appeared on the screen, his face concealed behind a black khaffiyeh scarf. His ink-black eyes, glittering with malice and determination, were all that could be seen through a narrow gap in the carefully-wrapped fabric.
Staring boldly into the camera lens, he sat up straight in his chair and addressed his audience. “People of America, by now you have learned the name of Ansar Inshallah.” His tone was measured and even, calm and confident. “You have seen what we are capable of.”
Several still photos and an assortment of video clips flashed across the screen, a compilation from the three recent terror attacks.
The images faded away and were replaced by the unidentified man addressing the camera. “I am just one of the many faces of Ansar Inshallah. Who am I? I am your neighbor, your friend, your coworker. I stand next to you in the elevator, and ride with you on the bus, train, and airplane.”
More pictures appeared on the screen.
The first two images were of Mahmoud al-Qasim. His school yearbook photo with glasses, a short and neatly trimmed beard, a friendly smile, and the caption, “Mr. David Ahmad”, had been placed alongside a photo of him with a longer beard and holding a sleek black M4 rifle.
The next two images were of Anika Jankovic. One showed her dressed in jeans and a simple but elegant pink blouse, her dark blond hair hanging loose down her back as she smiled at the camera. The other had been taken in a barren dirt field and showed her with her hair pulled back, wearing dark green military fatigues, and carrying an AK-47.
The final two pictures were of Abdul Hamad: One of his pharmacy photo ID badge, showing him in a neat and professional-looking white lab coat and listing his name as “Jordan Miles”, and the other of him standing confidently with a large and powerful .50-caliber Desert Eagle pistol.
The message was unmistakable: Ansar Inshallah was hidden in plain sight. Three people, all of whom had been either partially or completely responsible for each of the three terror attacks, had managed to blend into society and go completely undetected until the day that they had stepped out to fulfill their assignments.
The man continued, his tone still calm and even, but now he sounded smug. “When you are in your office, waiting in traffic, or sitting on your train, bus, or airplane, you will see me. And you will wonder what I am thinking, what is in my briefcase or on the seat next to me.”
More pictures and video footage, these of cars on the highway and crowds of people walking, and several close-up lingering shots of random purses and backpacks.
“You think that I am like you, but you are mistaken.” The man’s tone grew more intense. “You are safe nowhere. Trust no one.” He leaned forward in his chair. “And remember that I am one man, and there are thousands more like me.”
The video faded to black.
Erin exhaled hard as Officer Lakin silently removed the DVD from the computer and replaced it in its case. “It said ‘Warning.’ That’s a warning, all right.”
Author Website
http://taylorwilmering.wix.com/tnwbooks
