Chapter 14

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I need to pee,” Honor said.

“You pee’d earlier,” he said. “You tried to break away, remember? Do you think I’m stupid?”

“I don’t care,” she said. “I still have to pee.”

“Not now,” Orfali replied.

“Look, unless you want me to pee my pants and have it all over the floor stinking up this room, you’ll let me go to the bathroom.”

Orfali looked Honor in the eyes. She did not avert her eyes. Impressive, he thought. This was not the same woman described in the intelligence reports he’d read two years earlier. She was confident, defiant even.

He nodded at Asu, who stood five feet away. He raised his weapon, pointing it at Honor. Orfali walked behind her and pulled wire snips from his back pocket. He cut the heavy-duty zip ties that bound her hands and feet. She stood, rubbing her wrists. She glared at him.

“This way,” he said. “I’m going with you.”

“You are not going into the bathroom and watch me pee,” she said.

He smiled. “I am not leaving you alone,” he said. “There are no bars on the bathroom window. If you have to pee, I’m coming with you.”

Honor sat back in the chair. “No way. I’ll just sit here and pee my pants. You can deal with the clean-up and the smell.”

She was indeed defiant, Orfali thought.

“Miss Carpenter,” he said. “If you pee your pants I will have two of my men strip you naked, take you outside and hose you down with the water hose. What liberties they take with your body at that time will be up to them. My friend Asu has taken quite a liking to you.”

The heavily bearded Syrian guard smiled at Honor, exposing his yellowed crooked teeth. She turned her head away in disgust.

“Now, you can either get up and go to the bathroom knowing I’ll be with you, or you can sit there and pee your pants,” Orfali continued. “Regardless what you think of me, I can assure you, the latter decision will be infinitely more unpleasant than the former.”

Honor sat for another moment, arms folded. Finally, she glared at Orfali, “Fine. Let’s go.”

Asu’s cell phone rang. Orfali paused. He grabbed Honor’s arm at the elbow to keep her from walking further. He waited until Asu hung up.

“What is it?” Orfali asked.

“The SEAL and the girl’s father are not at the hotel?” Asu said.

Orfali looked at this watch, “I knew we should have stationed someone there earlier. It’s after 1:00 a.m. Where are they?”

Asu’s eyes widened as a look of fear formed on his face, “I do not know.”

“Your men were supposed to be watching them!” Orfali barked.

“They must have slipped out the window in the back,” he replied, meekly. “The SEAL’s orange truck is still in the parking lot. They must be on foot.”

“Incompetent idiot!” Orfali wailed. “They are not on foot. They are being helped. No doubt his friend is with them.”

“Wolf?”

“Yes, Wolf,” he snarked. “Do you think he knows where we are keeping the woman?”

“No, how could he?” Asu said. “No, he does not know where we are at.”

Orfali sighed, falling silent. After a moment, he looked up, “These SEALS are crafty. We must take no chances. We move tonight! Now! We move in fifteen minutes.”

“No, please. We were not prepared for this,” Asu said. “Getting the men positioned and the area prepared takes time.”

Orfali looked at his watch, “We pick up Carpenter and kill the rest at 3:00 a.m. sharp!”

Asu looked at his watch, “That will be cutting it thin,” he said.

“Silence!” he screamed. “Do it, no excuses and no mistakes. They are planning something, I feel it. We can stop whatever they are planning by moving up our timetable. They will have no time to react.”

“Yes, of course,” Asu said. He started to leave.

“Wait,” he said to Asu. He sighed and fell silent in reflection. He turned to Honor. He glared at her suspiciously.

“Asu, when did we receive the latest report on CIA and FBI mobilization?”

“Fifteen minutes ago,” Asu said.  “All clear.”

“And the town’s street camera’s?”

“They show nothing out of the ordinary. The FBI and CIA are not mobilizing against us.”

“What is your fiancée up to?” he asked.

Honor shrugged, “I wouldn’t know, now would I?”

“I wonder. If he is on some clandestine mission this evening, why would he take your father with him, I wonder?” Orfali said. “Your father would be a liability on a covert mission.”

Honor looked at him and said nothing. He was beginning to suspect something, she thought.

“Why would he risk the life of a civilian in a rescue attempt?” Orfali continued.

Honor knew from his first words that the man who had spoken to her earlier on the phone was not her father. But whoever it was, he was part of Trevor’s plan, she knew.

“Isn’t it obvious?” she said. “You’ve already changed the plan several times. If you call him and demand an immediate exchange, he’d have to drive back to the hotel and get my father first. It would cost him time. You would then know he was missing. You’re right. My father would be a liability on a covert mission. He would not put my father’s life in danger. There is no covert mission. He wants to make a clean exchange.”

Orfali studied Honor’s face as he considered what she was saying.

“Besides,” Honor continued, “what can he do? He’s never gonna find us out here in BF Egypt.”

“What’s BF Egypt?” Orfali asked.

Asu leaned over and whispered to his boss. Orfali started to laugh.

Asu began to laugh as well. Orfali’s smile disappeared. “Why are you still here?”

Asu looked befuddled, “You told me to…”

“Just send your men,” he said. “I will go with them. You will stay here and guard the woman. I will call for you to bring her 40 minutes before we are ready. 3:00 a.m. Not one minute after. Don’t fail me.”

Asu nodded, “I will not fail.”

Orfali opened his burner cell and dialed. He glanced at Honor as he dialed, “Not one word comes from your lips. Do you understand?”

Honor nodded. Trevor answered the phone.

He turned his attention back to the phone, “Mr. SEAL. Listen carefully. I’ll say this only once. There is a change of plan. We do the exchange tonight at 3:00 a.m. You will put Mr. Carpenter in your car and drive to Beachcrest, Wa. It’s a 30-minute drive from your hotel. When you get to Beachcrest, turn north on Basin Drive Northeast and follow it until the road ends. When you reach the water, turn off your engine and wait for my call. You and Mr. Carpenter are to come alone. Any deviation from the plan and your woman dies. Remember, 3:00 a.m. Mr. SEAL. Sharp.”