along? Owen Rashid, the Sultan s nephew.
Henry said, Is that so? His smile had no warmth to it at all. You know, I never cared for Owen. When you reach my age, it s comforting to know you re right occasionally. However, thank you for the confidence. I realize of course that you are hoping I ll agree not to mention this to the Prime Minister.
That was the general idea.
Like Sara said, hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Just imagine, we could be both out of a job.
Or claiming all the success, as politicians do, if everything succeeds.
Exactly. Henry smiled. It s going to be a long night, Charles. Brandy and bridge, is my suggestion.
The Falcon landed, taxied up to Slay s hangar, and parked. He immediately ordered priority refueling, reminding the tower that it was an Algerian plane on diplomatic business.
In the hangar, they met Feisal, got him to find a blanket, and laid out the weapons. Each of them was wearing a bulletproof vest, and the personal weapons were the same for each: a Walther and a. 25 Colt, an Uzi submachine gun all silent versions a useful flick-knife for the left boot, a couple of pineapple grenades, Semtex with five-minute pencil timers.
Feisal had gone off to check with the tower, and returned as the refueling truck finished its work and drove away. The wind was beginning to pick up again, and one could feel the sand.
He came into the comparative warmth of the hangar and found the three men pulling on desert fatigue tunics and loading up the capacious pockets.
They landed at Rubat just under an hour ago. I have reminded my friend on night dispatch that the Falcon is on an important Algerian diplomatic mission and must be allowed a priority departure when you are ready to leave.
Greg went out to his office and returned with a small leather purse, which he handed to Feisal. If something goes wrong, you must flee at once with your wife and child into the Empty Quarter. In the bag are fifty gold sovereigns, worth a couple of thousand pounds sterling in today s market. You have been a good friend.
Feisal embraced him. My wife is already waiting for me fifteen miles out at the Shaba Oasis with her extended family to protect her, all Rashid Bedu warriors who have no fear where Al Qaeda is concerned. He smiled. So I can take my chances here and wait for you. I have told my friend on night dispatch that you go to Rubat on a medical emergency with drugs.
Good man, yourself, Dillon told him, and turned to the others. Here we go, then.
They went out through the Judas gate, it slammed shut, and the wind rattled the roof, making a strange moaning sound. Then there was the unmistakable clatter of a helicopter starting to move, the sound very powerful, but then fading into the distance as the Scorpion moved away into the night.
Ali Selim sat at the end of the table, Fatima on one side, Sara the other. Owen Rashid and Henri faced each other, and Captain Ahmed and Colonel Khazid were at the far end, Khazid stuffing himself. Five of his men were at a table in the far corner, a waiter ladling some sort of stew to them, and three other waiters stood ready to handle any of the main table s requirements.
So long had it been since she had eaten at all that Sara had accepted what was offered to her, baked fish with rice. Ali Selim said, I can t ask if you enjoyed your flight, since you weren t aware that it was happening. It must have been an alarming experience. Tell me about it?
Do you really want to know? she said.
I do indeed. It s certainly to be preferred to watching two fat swine gorging themselves like pigs at the far end of the table.
I ll tell you, then. I believe that what I experienced was very much how death is going to be. I was alive one second when Legrande gave me the needle and then I didn t exist until I came back to life as the plane descended.
Owen looked uncomfortable, and Henri sat there, face set, as Ali Selim said, So you experienced resurrection, which ordinary people don t after they die.
Fatima s mobile phone sounded. She answered, her look immediately grave, and leaned over and whispered to him. He listened, face expressionless, then raised his hand and called for silence.
He turned to Owen. Do you believe in the resurrection, my friend?
There was total silence. I ve never given the matter much thought, Owen said.
Not even your Christian half, where the Gospels tell us that Christ died and rose again after three days?
Ibrahim, who had been standing against the wall, eased forward, as if at a signal, and stood behind Owen. Ali Selim said, What if I told you the Sultan is dead? Would you be pleased or sad at the prospect of replacing him?
Owen looked pale and desperate. I don t know what you mean.
Ali Selim nodded. Ibrahim pulled the leather whip from his belt, flung it around Owen s neck, and proceeded to throttle him, jerking his head over the back of the chair.
Sara shouted, Stop it, damn you. I don t know what your game is, but it s gone far enough.
Quite simple, really, Ali Selim said, watching Owen coughing and choking as he fought his way back to normality as Ibrahim released him. I have provided your resurrection, Owen, so that you may occupy your uncle s place. I ll make your decision, of course, on behalf of Al Qaeda. You ll need to marry, people will expect it. Fatima will make a perfect bride no problem there, Fatima?
She was obviously troubled, glanced at Owen for only a moment, then said, As you command, master.
Before he could reply, there was a disturbance down at the far door, as a sailor came in, leaned down, and spoke to Ahmed and Khazid.
Ali Selim called, What is it?
Khazid said, There seems to be a helicopter landing somewhere in the town.
Selim glanced at Fatima. Hakim turning up at last, perhaps? He nodded to Khazid. Well, do something useful for once, Colonel, go and investigate.
Of course, master, Khazid gestured to his men, who followed him out, followed by Ahmed. They stood at the rail, listening, but the only sound was the moaning of the wind.
Maybe it was a mistake, Ahmed said.
Perhaps, but the last time I saw him in this kind of mood, Ibrahim strangled the man concerned, then threw him overboard. I prefer to go and check. I ll take one man to pilot the launch and leave the others with you. With sailors, that will give you a dozen men. Tell them to stay alert. I ll be back soon.
As the Scorpion drifted down over the town, the wind started to blow again. Slay said, I was looking this sandstorm business up on screen. It seems there can sometimes be a resurgence pattern where the second shock can be worse than the first, just like an earthquake.
Then let s get on with it, Dillon said.
Where are we landing?
Greg Slay said, By the cargo hangars at the east end of the pier. I ve used it often to pick up stuff that s come in by boat. There s a small police station near it, and the police launches tie up at the steps.
How many police?
I ve never seen more than a handful.
Dillon pulled a ski mask from his pocket and pulled it on, just the eyes and the gash of the mouth showing. Put us down, Greg, and let s get on with it. Maybe we can frighten them to death.
Holley said, Very funny, Sean, but remember where you are. The kind of country where leg irons are a permanent fixture. Torture of every kind is on the menu, and the sexual varieties don t bear thinking about. I m here to get Sara. I ll kill anyone who gets in my way.
All right, Dillon said, we get the point. So let s do it.
They skimmed flat roofs, noticing that in most places where there was a light it was quickly turned off, dropped in beside the cargo building, hovered and descended. Slay switched off, pulled on a ski mask, pulled an Uzi out of the capacious pocket of his desert fatigues, turned and followed the other two out.
A uniformed policeman with an AK-47 moved out from behind a container and called out in Arabic, Stay where you are and identify yourselves.
Holley turned, pulled out his silenced Walther, and fired on the instant, knocking the policeman over the edge of the pier and into the water.
Give the man a coconut, Dillon said softly, and they paused at the sound of the launch approaching from the
