Kate said, “I’m okay with this. Let’s move on.”
Chet continued, “After we land, we will be met by a local sheik. Sheik Musa.” He explained, “No operation in the tribal lands can succeed without the cooperation and armed security of at least one local sheik. Musa’s tribesmen will take us by car to a remote safe house and his men will provide security for us.”
Really? What are you chewing, Chet? I mean, letting Tariq in on this was risky enough-but letting a whole tribe of crazy Bedouin in on it was suicidal.
No one had anything positive to say about the travel arrangements, and I sensed that Chet was losing the confidence of the team. Chet understood that, too, and continued matter-of-factly, “Sheik Musa has provided us with assistance in the past, and he is well compensated for his help.”
Silence.
So Chet further informed us, “Musa’s tribal lands encompass the ancient ruins of Marib, and he provides security and protection to tour groups, scholars, archaeologists, and others who visit the ruins. This is a very lucrative arrangement for him,” he assured us, “and on that basis alone he can be trusted to do what he’s paid to do and what’s best for him, which is to keep the peace.”
I guess. Money talks. But didn’t I just hear that nine Belgian tourists disappeared at the Marib ruins? And weren’t their guide and driver found with their throats cut? Maybe that was another Marib.
I waited for Chet to mention this, but he went on, “Sheik Musa is not happy with Al Qaeda, most of whom are not Yemenis and not royalists as he is-”
“Excuse me,” I interrupted. “I seem to remember that nine Belgian tourists went missing at the Marib ruins last summer.”
Chet looked at me and I could see his icy blue eyes narrowing in the dim light. Finally, he said, “I was about to get to that.”
“Sorry. I thought you forgot about that.”
He informed us, “No one knows who was involved in that incident, but it certainly wasn’t Sheik Musa.”
“Right. But Sheik Musa, protector of Western tourists and scholars, fell down on the job. No?”
I could see that Chet was annoyed, Kate was concerned, and Brenner, who had to know about this incident, was quiet.
Buck, who’d forgotten to mention this to me and Kate, explained, “Sheik Musa took full responsibility for his failure to protect these tourists, and he’s provided Yemeni and Western authorities with some leads.” He added, “The sheik was embarrassed and angry, and he has vowed to avenge this insult to his honor and his reputation.” Reminding me and Kate of his classroom lecture, Buck said, “When a Yemeni extends his hospitality, and someone else violates that hospitality, that violator becomes the subject of a blood feud.”
Chet added, “And for that reason, Sheik Musa can be trusted.”
Right. Lots of reasons to trust Sheik Musa. And for all I know, he’s looking for a visa to open a deli in Brooklyn. Still, I had some doubts. Also, it seemed to me that Buck, who had denied detailed knowledge of the operational plan, knew more than he’d let on. But I already knew that.
Chet said, “Al Qaeda are the primary suspects in this incident, but it could also have been a tribal kidnapping that went badly.” He added, “Not Musa’s tribe, obviously.”
I informed Chet, “The Belgian authorities were told by a captured Al Qaeda operative in Brussels that it
Chet wanted to ask me where I got my information, but he didn’t. He said, “Point is, Sheik Musa works for us. Not Al Qaeda, and not the Yemeni government.”
Buck also informed us, “The sheik owes his loyalty to the Saudi royal family, who have him on retainer.” He further advised us, “A Saudi prince has had a letter delivered to Sheik Musa, a copy of which I have, asking him to provide us with hospitality, safe passage, and any assistance we may need.” Buck let us know, “That letter to the sheik from the Saudi prince is worth more than all the gold, money, or weapons we could give him.”
I inquired, “Is there anyone you forgot to tell that we’re going to Marib?”
Buck did not reply, but Chet said, “We have no choice but to reach out to people who are… situational allies.”
I asked, “Do our Yemeni government allies know we are going to Marib?”
Chet replied, “Not from me.”
“Can they guess?”
“Maybe.”
I thought of Colonel Hakim, but I didn’t ask.
Chet inquired, “Can we move on?”
Everyone nodded and Chet continued, “Sheik Musa will have two SUVs at the safe house for us to use. We will stay in the safe house overnight, then at about one or two P.M. we’ll drive to Marib town, as though we’ve just arrived from Sana’a, and we’ll check into the Bilqis Hotel where we have reservations under our own names. Then we drive to the ruins, to see and be seen. We’re trying to pass as tourists, but virtually no one will believe that. The word will be out that we’re on an Al Qaeda hunt-a Panther hunt.” He continued, “Sheik Musa will provide protection for this trip, though it’s only about ten kilometers between the safe house, the town, and the ruins. At the ruins, there may also be National Security police for protection.”
Brenner said, “I hope we’re not there on the day they’re working for Al Qaeda.”
Funny. Unless you were going there.
Brenner inquired, “Can we carry our M4s at the ruins?”
“No,” replied Chet. “As I said, we’re going as tourists.”
I thought tourists carried automatic rifles in Yemen. If they didn’t, they should. There’d be fewer dead tourists and more dead terrorists.
Chet assured us, however, “We will wear Kevlar and carry our handguns, concealed.”
Brenner asked, “How about Zamo?”
“He will stay with our vehicles close to the ruins with his sniper rifle. Also, our M4s will be in the vehicles.”
Brenner didn’t seem keen on this, but he said nothing.
I really wanted to ask if Dr. Clare was going with us, but Kate might misconstrue my question. Maybe I should cough, then ask.
As if reading my mind, Kate asked, “Is Dr. Nolan coming with us?”
“No,” replied Chet.
Why not?
Chet told us, “It’s too dangerous.”
That’s why we need a doctor, Chet.
Well, no one had anything to say about that, but Chet’s statement certainly put things into perspective.
I said, “I hope we’re taking Howard along to advise us if we’re doing anything illegal.”
Chet replied, “If this was an FBI operation, we’d need six lawyers.”
Touche.
Chet continued, “On our way back from the ruins to the Bilqis Hotel, about dusk, our two vehicles will be stopped by tribesmen in vehicles, and we will offer no resistance as we’re kidnapped.”
Huh?
Chet continued, “We will be taken back to the safe house to await developments.”
Developments? Like what? Having our throats cut?
But Buck assured us, “It’s all a sham, of course. The kidnappers are Sheik Musa’s men. We’ll have our weapons, and we’ll be under the watchful eye of Predator drones armed with Hellfire missiles.”
Great. And who controls the Predators? Chet. And he’s been kidnapped.
Chet clarified that and said, “At the safe house is a van, which is a mobile Predator ground monitoring station, so I won’t actually be with you when you check into the Bilqis Hotel, or at the Marib ruins, or when you’re kidnapped. I’ll be at the safe house, watching the live camera feeds from the drone that is watching you, and the other drone that is watching the safe house.” He added assuringly, “If something happened to me, or to the ground monitoring station at the safe house, then the Predators will pass under the control of the distant ground control station where the pilots maintain satellite radio control of the drones.” He added, “They will, if necessary, use the Hellfires.” He asked us, “Understand? Any questions?”
