Chapter 9
NICHOLAS "Nick" Williams woke with a start — eyes wide open and heart racing — fighting to keep calm despite the temporary panic of the nightmare that had roused him. He ascertained his surroundings, scanning every corner and using all of his senses to get a handle on his racing thoughts. Within seconds, he'd gotten his bearings and forced his pulse back down.
He had awakened in his cousin Marcus Williams' apartment in New York City, thousands of miles away from the Middle East and the harsh desert of his nightmare. The dial on his watch gave a faint green glow as he pushed the button on the side and read the time. One o'clock. He'd managed to get three hours of straight sleep this time, which was pretty good for him. Normally he didn't make it past two. The trip back to the St
