Local time – 8:55pm, Sunday 17th June, 2011.
Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
Alex felt a strange detachment from reality as she watched Ahmed open his cockpit door to the army general. It was as if her body had run out of fear. She was too exhausted to come up with anything else except a resignation to the fact that she was in deep, deep trouble.
The heavy door swung open to reveal the face of a desperately frightened young man. Ahmed looked like he was expecting a wild tiger to pounce at him. He flinched backwards, pushing himself into the furthest corner of the cockpit and wincing in fear. Just like Henry, he managed to wear his terror like the guilty camouflage of someone caught doing something they shouldn’t. His wide eyes couldn’t bring themselves to meet the general’s, and instead they met Alex’s. She tried to use her impassive stare to communicate with him that he needed to relax. But it wasn’t working.
‘Who are you?’ the general barked at Ahmed. He spoke to him with much more aggression than he had to Alex and Henry. Alex felt the prolonged silence after this question might cause her heart to stop beating. The tension hanging between the three of them seemed to cause everything to happen in slow motion. Ahmed’s eyes didn’t leave hers, and the general eventually turned to look at her. She could see the mixture of confusion and fear was back. Just when she could sense the man was about to lose patience, Ahmed found his voice.
‘My name is Ahmed Wasti. I am an ISI agent under the command of Malik Khan.’ Alex could see only the back of the general’s head, and she wondered why he was now silent. Ahmed’s contorted features softened slightly, while he too waited for a reaction.
‘It was Malik Khan who we expected to meet here. But he was found murdered today.’
‘Yes. I was sent in his place. He trusted me with the code to move this weapon.’ The general now spoke accusingly to both of them.
‘When you entered your codes into this vehicle, a secure radio wave was transmitted to let me know you were ready to move. I was expecting to meet Malik Khan and Bernie Cook. On hearing of the death of Malik Khan only moments ago, my colleague informs me that the ISI know nothing of a replacement. I have found three young accomplices, all claiming to be sent in the place of their senior counterparts. Why have I not been advised of the change in plans?’ Alex stepped forward to respond.
‘This mission has been top secret. The fact that Bernie and Malik were both murdered shows how important it was for as few people as possible to know of their plans. They each have given their codes to people they trust to carry out their mission. We knew nothing of your involvement, but Bernie and Malik were not given the chance to brief us on details. We are moving this weapon and you have been sent to help us do this. I suggest we get on with it before the people who killed Bernie and Malik catch up with us.’ The general stared at Alex. He was quite obviously torn between her confident assurance that everything was going to plan, and the niggling feeling that something wasn’t quite right. She pleaded in her head for him to let them get back into the vehicle.
Finally, the general spoke. ‘Where have you been directed to take the weapon?’ Alex had been afraid he might ask this. She responded before Ahmed had a chance to say anything.
‘We have been told not to give that information to anyone. You are here to accompany us, so you will follow and protect us. But as I said, we know how dangerous this information is, so we won’t be disclosing it to you.’ Alex waited for her bluff to sink in. With a wondrous moment of relief, she could see the general bought it. He started to nod.
‘I thought you might say that. Bernie told me the same thing when we planned this mission. OK, if you are ready to go, we are ready to follow.’
Ahmed shut his cockpit door before Alex had a chance to see his reaction. She wasted no time in jogging back to her side of the vehicle and pulling herself into her seat. Henry stared at her, petrified, until she shut the door and put him out of his misery.
‘Drive. They’re going to follow.’ He looked at her like she had just slain a dragon.
‘Drive where?’
‘I don’t know! Just drive!’