Could another terrorist attack happen in New York City, and are we ready?

Rat Island explores an attempt by three wily, well-funded terrorists to infiltrate New York City and detonate an explosive device at ground zero on 9/11. After buying a yacht in Venice, they proceed up and down the Adriatic, raising money for their task, and eventually sail to City Island, New York.

Meanwhile a disgruntled Russian atomic scientist buys deadly Polonium 210 to be injected into four missiles, which are then cleverly placed on a freighter in the port of Gdansk. It sails to New York City and meets up with the yacht. Through devious means,the terrorists are able to place these missiles on a vehicle and into a tunnel under the Hudson River.

The good people who are trying to thwart this plot include three former SEALs, one of whom is a vessel examiner with the coast guard auxiliary, and a beautiful undercover Interpol agent aboard the yacht.

Scenes shift from Venice to an area in Poland where Polonium has been buried to a secret laboratory where the bombs are assembled and finally to City Island, New York. The bombs are secreted in an abandoned hospital on a small island - Rat Island - until they are transported to ground zero. The major challenge for the SEALs once they discover that missiles are aboard the yacht is to find out where they are hidden and ultimately where and how the bombs are going to be exploded.

The climax occurs in a tunnel filled with cars. Will the SEALs be able to thwart this terrorist attack?

Jay Kaplan is a retired professor of English and communications from Bronx Community College. He has written three books published by greenleafpublishers.com.