Imperative strike, p.13
Imperative Strike, page 13
Chapter 16
Kate got out of the taxi outside the hotel, carrying a small bag she had managed to pack before rushing to her flight to Togo. She looked at the European-style hotel with interest.
“Not bad,” she mumbled to herself. “I was expecting worse.”
She walked through the revolving glass door to the reception clerk. A flow of thick, hot air hit her sweaty face. The entrance hall was full of people. Kate stood with her back to the counter, searching the crowd for a familiar face. Suddenly, she saw a man sitting by one of the tables. At his sides were an older man and woman. She tried her best to remember where she had seen this man before. Then she recalled seeing his picture on Greg’s desk, with additional photos that were put in the briefcase of documents.
Kate walked over to the table hesitantly. She made her way through the crowded lobby until she stood facing the familiar figure, and put her bag on the floor by the table.
“I’m Kate,” she said, extending her hand for him to shake.
The man stood up, embarrassed and surprised at the sudden appearance of the young woman without any warning.
“Kate?” he asked, staring at her.
“If I’m not mistaken, your name is Ted,” said Kate, testing her memory.
Now Ted felt even more uncomfortable. He studied the pretty woman, not knowing what to say. Khalil, amused by the strange encounter, put his hand on Ted’s shoulder.
“Why don’t you introduce us to the beautiful lady you are supposed to recognize?” he said.
Kate winked at Khalil and sank into one of the chairs, letting out a sigh of relief.
“When I left London, I thought I would be here alone, taking care of Harry on my own. I’m surprised to be meeting you here at the hotel,” she said.
“How did I not think of that?” Ted said, hitting himself on the forehead. “You’re from the off . . .”
Kate put her finger to her lips and managed to silence Ted before he introduced her to the entire hall.
“Yes, it’s me. I was sent to find out what happened to Harry and to check where Gary is, after the last call from him was cut off .”
“Let me introduce Khalil and his wife, who accommodated us in their home before the men crossed the border,” Ted said.
Kate flashed a warm smile at the couple. “I know all about you. In London, your actions and contribution to the cause are highly appreciated.” Khalil bowed his head modestly and remained silent.
“Now to business. I need to see Harry and arrange for him to be transferred to England if it’s medically possible. Then I’ll be glad to hear the details of the operation and where the men are right now.”
Ted smiled uneasily. He would have preferred to be with the men out in the desert, rather than being interrogated by this busy woman who just showed up.
“Regarding Harry, the situation is simple. He’s recovering at a satisfactory pace. The guy has superhuman powers and despite the danger he was in, he’s getting better. You can already hear him complaining about not doing anything…”
“What can you tell me about Gary, who disappeared without a trace?” Kate asked.
Ted took a sip of his drink. He cleared his throat, and after thinking for a minute or two, he described everything that had happened to them since they arrived at the hotel. He told her about Harry’s abduction and the concern it raised. Then he described the journey through the hot desert and Harry’s injury. He especially emphasized Neil’s quick reaction which, according to the doctors, saved Harry’s life. He spoke emotionally of the trip back to the city with Harry unconscious, rolling from side to side on the floor of the command car. He described the meeting with Gary in the hotel and his shock at seeing the vehicle returning from the desert.
“Then Gary decided to take Harry’s place and join the operation,” Kate said, interrupting Ted’s monologue.
“That’s correct. Gary realized that he needed to either take command of the operation himself or to stop it. It seems that the pressure from London to continue with the operation − despite Harry’s abduction − affected his judgment…,” Ted added.
“I wonder how he’ll manage in the desert. We had serious concerns about Neil’s fitness, but at least he prepared himself in advance and got into better shape. The option of Gary being in the field wasn’t taken into account,” Kate said, voicing concern.
“I don’t know about his physical fitness, but he can be counted on as a commander,” Ted said with confidence.
“I’ve known Gary for many years, and I know that Greg considers him to be one of the best people in the secret service, but it’s been a long time since he was in the field. We’ll just have to trust his experience and judgment and hope for the best.” Kate wiped perspiration from her forehead and indicated to Ted to continue telling her what had happened.
“When we arrived at Khalil’s house, a new danger appeared in the form of a neighbor who started to poke around and ask questions. At this point, Gary decided to get the couple away from there so they wouldn’t fall into the man’s ruthless hands. He gave me this task,” Ted said as he wiped a tear from his cheek. Seeing how upset he was, Kate smiled at him, having detected his distress with her feminine instincts.
Ted continued. “The truth is, I didn’t like the idea of returning to the city and leaving my friends behind. I tried to express my objections, but Gary was very decisive and sure about it. I later realized that he was right. When we crossed the village, in the dark, we were almost caught by the huge man. I’m sure that Gary’s decision saved the lives of these wonderful people,” Ted concluded in a shaky voice.
Kate summed up the matter. “So that was the way you parted from the group crossing the border to Ogada?”
Khalil had been listening to the conversation in silence, but Ted’s last comment caused him to intervene.
“I led the group to the border and I gave Gary the final coordinates to make sure they didn’t get lost. They crossed the border and began walking north. We watched them for a few minutes, until they were out of sight. The trek to the oasis is long and difficult. I have been there myself several times, when I was sent on various missions, and from my experience I can tell you that you need to be physically fit to make it there.”
Kate smiled at the older man. “The missions you’re talking about enabled us to make the decision to carry out this operation. There’s no doubt about it.”
After a long silence, with each one lost in his own thoughts, Kate stood up and stretched. Ted sneaked a peek at her shapely body and quickly looked away when he saw Khalil’s comprehending smile.
“Now that I understand the situation, I’d like to visit Harry. Can I go to the hospital now?” Kate asked.
“Definitely,” Ted replied. “We can drive there with our car or walk on the main road. It’s not very far.”
“I’m sure it’ll be easier to walk than to sink in the sand,” Kate said mischievously, winking at Khalil.
“It wasn’t my choice to be here,” Ted said, offended.
“We all do our part with whatever we’re asked to do,” Kate said in an attempt to reconcile him.
They crossed the lobby and walked outside to the busy street. Ted held Kate’s arm, as she walked on the edge of the sidewalk and when she looked at him surprised, he whispered in her ear.
“This is where Harry was abducted. We need to be careful.”
They crossed the hospital parking lot. White ambulances were parked outside the entrance. Ted led the small group to Harry’s room on the second floor. He opened the door and looked inside. Harry was sitting up in his bed, reading the newspaper. When the door opened, he turned towards it with concern, but relaxed when he saw Ted’s face.
“Hello, Harry. I’m Greg’s secretary,” Kate said softly.
“Nice of you to stop by,” the surprised Harry said while his blue eyes observed the woman who was crossing the room towards him.
“Are you ready to go home?” Kate asked him, laughing.
“I was hoping to join the guys, so I’m recovering very quickly,” Harry said cynically.
“There will be plenty of opportunities in the future. In the meantime, we don’t have anything to contribute here and no way to affect the operation in Ogada. As soon as we have the approval of the doctors, we’ll fly you back to London.”
“Do I have any choice?” Harry asked, jumping onto one of the chairs in the corner of the room.
Chapter 17
Philip awoke to the sound of a knock on the door. He jumped up, rushed to the window, and through the blinds saw two groups of children fighting and throwing rocks at each other. One of the rocks hit the door, leaving a white mark on it. Philip followed the uncalled visitors when suddenly one of the children changed the direction he was running in and headed straight for the house. The rocks followed him, also towards the house. The child managed to avoid the rocks and wasn’t hit. Philip left his observation post and pushed against the front door with all of his weight, holding his breath so as not to be heard. The sounds of the children’s fighting seemed very close, and the one that ran in the direction of the house tried to open the door. Seeing that the door handle wouldn’t budge, he gave up. Philip refilled his lungs with air and waited. Suddenly, he noticed the eyes of the little intruder looking in through the blinds. He tried to hide in the corner, and when the child tired of his efforts, he left the window and returned to the ground. From there he continued to run towards the yard, jumping over the low fence. Philip’s eyes followed the small figure until he was out of sight.
It was finally silent again and Philip sighed in relief, wiping the sweat from his face. The fear of being exposed at such an advanced stage in the operation was very real. He went back to the window and looked out again, but the street was empty although the door to the house opposite them remained open. It was getting dark, and Philip checked the time.
“It’s time to act,” he said to himself.
He went to the rooms where the men were sleeping and woke Gary from his deep sleep. Gary got up quietly and obediently, walked across the mattresses barefoot, and they went to the room next to them.
“I’m going to carry out one of the most complex and subtle stages in our operation,” Gary told him quietly. “My intention is to pay a surprise visit to one of the houses we’ll find later on. Philip, I need you to follow me and cover me from a distance.”
Philip nodded in understanding. He tiptoed to the bedroom, took his and Gary’s pistols, and left the room slowly.
Gary opened the front door and walked into the yard. He ran across the dirt path between the houses and walked through the yard to the street across from them. He went through the yard of the house with the open door, and his curious eyes observed ornaments inside scattered over the floor, a blood stain that had already dried, and broken glass in the entrance. The peacefulness hid the drama that had taken place inside the house that morning.
Gary turned around and saw Philip crossing the path after him. He smiled to himself with satisfaction and continued through the yard. Jumping over the fence between the houses, he landed smoothly on the other side and passed a row of small trees. The house was lit, and Gary went by beneath the window, staying low. The sounds of conversation came from inside and he ran across the empty street to the row of houses opposite him. Outside one of the houses he noticed a dog that was chained near the door.
“Just like in the pictures and the descriptions,” Gary reassured himself. He climbed over the fence in the corner and made his way towards the entrance as the dog looked up and whined quietly. He continued to walk slowly towards the entrance, making sure not to disturb the dog, who had not shown any signs of aggression. As he walked, Gary made calming sounds and put his hand in front of him; soon the dog began to wag its tail and Gary knew that he was not going to be a problem as he petted its neck and it whimpered with pleasure.
Suddenly the dog looked up and began to make threatening sounds. Gary raised his hand, as they had agreed to signal to each other, indicating that Philip had to take his distance. After a few minutes, the dog relaxed and continued to enjoy Gary’s petting.
Gary continued to tiptoe his way to the white door. He pressed his ear up against it and listened, hearing someone inside playing tranquil music on a flute. During the long flight to Togo, Gary had gone through the thick briefcase of documents Greg had given him; now, once again, he was amazed at how accurate all the information in it was. It even included the flute that he heard being played in this house − not to mention the dog tied up outside.
Gary knocked softly on the door. The music stopped and he heard footsteps approach. The door opened slowly just a crack and through it he saw two big, naïve eyes that examined him with fear and suspicion. He turned to look behind him and saw Philip watching from the nearby yard.
Gary pushed the door open and hurried inside. He placed his finger on the soft lips of the girl, preventing her from screaming out for help. She moved back against the wall, her terrified eyes looking around quickly.
“You have no reason to be afraid, my child. I’m a friend,” Gary said softly. As he removed his finger, Abby opened her mouth and took a deep breath. He was concerned that she would shout but she remained silent.
“We don’t have any friends here,” Abby said, looking down at the ground.
“I’m a friend who has come from far away to help,” he told her.
The girl looked up and scrutinized Gary. Her fear began to dissipate, and her confidence returned.
“The dog didn’t bark at you. He can tell a friend from an enemy,” she said.
“He gave me a warm welcome,” Gary smiled.
“Why are you here?” she asked.
Gary put his hand in his pocket to take out the liberation badge. As he searched through his pockets for it, the dog suddenly started barking wildly. They heard the sound of the metal chain on the ground and at the same time heard car brakes near the house. Abby girl peeked through the crack in the door and her face filled with fear.
“Dear God. He’s back again!” she whispered, beginning to cry softly. She grabbed the hand of the surprised Gary and ran to the edge of the corridor, opening the door to one of the rooms and pushing Gary inside. At first, he couldn’t see anything as his face was hit by warm, wet steam. When he was able to see again, he noticed a middle-aged man in the room folding ironed clothes. In the corner was a woman, dripping with sweat, and ironing clothes with a huge steam iron. They both stopped what they were doing and stared in shock at the man who had entered their house.
Abby didn’t waste any time and explained to her parents how bad the situation was. She went up to the closet by the wall, opened its door and started to throw clothes on the chairs that were scattered all around. Some of the clothes fell to the floor, but she didn’t bother to pick them up.
“Hurry! Get in the closet,” she told him.
Gary didn’t have a chance to absorb what was going on. He was pushed into the closet by the girl who suddenly seemed to have superhuman powers. The door was shut right up against his sweating face, and the white steam and the lights disappeared.
Gary felt the wooden walls enclosing him. He found a comfortable position and prepared himself for a long stay in the closet.
The dog continued to bark and continued his relentless efforts to free himself from the chain holding him back. From within the dark closet, Gary managed to make out the front door slamming, followed by a tense silence. The people in the room remained silent, anxiously awaiting the unwanted visitor.
He heard the sound of heavy footsteps as a stranger entered the room. The dog continued to bark wildly, and there was no doubt that he abhorred the man who entered the house – as did his owners.
“I’m glad to see you again today,” the man said arrogantly. He searched the room for the girl, who was sitting in the corner of the room with her head down.
“I feel in my bones that you’re happy to see me, too,” the visitor continued in his harassment of the family. The man and woman continued working, their eyes full of rage and helplessness.
Abby stood up and walked to the door, passing the man who watched her lasciviously.
He bowed to her parents and hurried after her out of the room.
With his ear up against the closet door, Gary tried to follow what was happening. Suddenly he heard a rustle near the closet. “The danger hasn’t passed yet and you need to stay in there,” instructed Abby’s father.
It was hot and stuffy in the small closet. Gary filled his lungs with the thick air and put his head between his hands. In the current situation, he had no way influencing the course of events. He closed his eyes and waited to see what would happen.
When the black car passed by his hiding place, Philip lay on the ground. He was shocked to see the car stop right in front of the house Gary had entered just moments earlier. The driver got out of the car and rushed from the street to the entrance. Philip let out a silent curse when he recognized the driver as the one who had robbed the poor man abducted by the soldiers that morning. Philip took advantage of the time that the driver was focused on the angry dog by quickly crawling through the neighboring yard to the back of the house. He jumped over the low fence between the houses and hurried to one of the windows. Hot steam came from inside. He looked up slowly and was shocked to see the strange incident: Beyond the steam in the room, he saw a girl slam a closet door just as Gary’s bottom disappeared behind the door. Philip rubbed his eyes to make sure his eyes weren’t playing tricks on him. In addition to the girl, a man and a woman were working in the room, pretending not to notice what was going on around them. The girl walked away from the closet and hid in one of the corners. The door to the room was thrown open and the driver walked in. Philip lowered his head, so he wouldn’t be seen as the driver’s voice passed right above his head. When he carefully lifted himself up again, the girl and the driver left the room. Intrigued, he walked along the outside wall, feeling it with his hands until he reached the window of the nearby room. He carefully raised his head and saw a large bed in the small room. The door opened and the driver burst back inside as he dragged the girl behind him. Philip could see the tears streaming down her face as he threw her on the bed and forcefully ripped her clothes off. As he watched this, Philip’s blood boiled.
