“The gold is loaded.” She nearly jumped at the voice and turned to glare at the handmaid. “I am sorry, mistress.” The girl bowed deeply and backed away.
Asma turned her attention back to the task at hand. She knew that she had to get as far away from Karachi and some place where she could disappear or her life wouldn’t be worth a bucket of warm camel piss.
Asma slid the duffle back and forced the zipper closed. She stood and smoothed her shalwar kameez. “Get this loaded.” She swept past the women standing idly by in her bedroom. “I will be leaving shortly.”
She continued into the adjacent room and nodded to the large body guards. “I am ready. Ensure that everything is loaded and the plane is made ready.”
As she marched toward her office, she heard her telephone ring. She froze midstep and felt a cold chill run up her spine. She knew who it was before she picked up the receiver. Her hand hovered over the phone for just a moment as a plan formulated in her mind.
“Yes?”
The husky voice on the other end of the phone didn’t sound patient. “Tell me that was not your facility that was destroyed today.”
She forced a curt laugh. “It was one of mine. But you needn’t worry. It is not the one creating your weapon.” She was lying but she prayed that she had honed her skill at deception well enough when she was married.
“Then our shipment is ready?”
“First thing in the morning. I have already spoken to my people and they are preparing it for transport as we speak.”
“Good.” The husky voice didn’t sound convinced. “I’m sure you won’t mind my people waiting with you until morning, then.”
Her eyes widened and she fought the panic surging through her limbs. “Your people?”
“They are outside your gates.” She felt her blood run cold and she stepped to the window, peering toward the gates. She could see a white van parked on the street just outside her drive. “They tell me that it looks like you are preparing to leave?”
Asma laughed again. “I was about to go shopping, that is all.” She swallowed hard and continued to stare out the window. “Your people are welcome to wait for my return. I can have refreshments prepared for them in my absence.”
The voice on the phone either choked or laughed. “I think they will stay with you.” Asma felt her breath catch in her throat. “Your shopping can wait until we have received our shipment.”
She took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. “I do not like being treated as though—”
“I do not care what you like, woman!” the voice barked and she actually jumped. “You are fortunate that we have given you this much time. Now we will receive what we paid for or you will find that we are not forgiving to lying women. You will discover new definitions of pain.”
Asma swallowed hard and nodded. “Of course. My plans can wait until you have received your goods.” She glanced at the mirror and realized she was as pale as she felt. “I will contact you tomorrow when your shipment is ready.”
The line went silent in her hand and she all but fell into her office chair. Her hand shook as she hung up the phone.
“I’m already dead.”
19
Karachi, Pakistan
STEVE SPOKE IN hushed tones with Bobby. The two caught Jay’s attention and waved him over. “I’m thinking we’re going about this wrong.”
“How’s that?” Jay glanced back at Muhammed as he spoke hurriedly on the phone.
“As it stands, the NSA has ratted us out to the ISI and anybody else capable of looking for us, right?”
“That’s the way it looks.” Jay crossed his arms and eyed the pair.
Bobby nodded toward al-Abadi. “And they’re probably looking for him too, yeah?” Jay nodded. “So how about…instead of risking them finding us, we give ‘em what they want?”
Jay’s eyes widened and he stared at the two. “You’re shitting me.”
Steve held a hand up. “Hold on. Listen a moment.” He glanced toward the others then lowered his voice. “And this is just an idea, but…if we turn over everything we have on this case…”
“This is Pakistan. Do you really think the ISI is going to believe us when we show them doctored photos?”
Bobby smiled. “He didn’t say turn it in to the authorities.”
Jay’s face wrinkled in confusion. “Come again?”
Steve smiled and continued. “We find the widow. She’s the big shot underworld around these parts, isn’t she? So, we give her everything and explain just who was really behind the attacks. We get the word out and—”
“I’m sorry, but no. That’s like a rogue DEA agent turning himself in to the cartel. He wouldn’t live long enough to explain what was going on.”
Steve shook his head. “I said turn over our evidence. Not mosey up to the front door and knock.” He pointed to Gregg and his computer. “He’s got enough evidence there that the Haji Mafia could put a real hurt on the agencies.”
Jay rubbed at his goatee and chewed at his lower lip. “My gut says that we’d be playing with fire. Not to mention it could be construed as treason.”
“Agreed,” Bobby added. “But it could redirect some of the heat from us and get the fingers pointed in the right direction.”
“Let me bounce this around.” Jay glanced at Muhammed, who was smiling as he hung up his phone. “If I had my way, we’d turn it all over, but not until we were either safely in flight or standing on American soil.”
Steve raised a brow. “Like we’d be safer at home than here?”
“At least there it’s only our government wanting to take us down.” Jay hooked his chin toward the door. “Every swinging dick out
