Pon looked around the room as Sedgly knelt by Chuck’s body and frowned.
A Tinju Warrior then cried out before falling to the ground; followed by a Chokdet, who spun around as a silenced bullet struck the back of his head.
“We are under attack,” yelled Pon, and the Warriors congregated in the centre of the room.
Back to back, they formed a circle. The Chokdet loaded their bows, and arrows flew towards the open doorway from where the shots came. The arrows stuck in the walls of the corridor outside as another volley’s let loose.
Sedgly dragged Chuck’s body into the defensive circle as another volley of arrows flew, again hitting only wall.
The Tinju stood with their swords slicing the air as Pon hurled a smoke grenade at the door and smoke hissed out. The other monks followed suit and after a few seconds, smoke filled the room. With the smoke grenades Taksin supplied used for Thai military training, they contained no irritants, and the Warrior monks watched the smoke, ready to strike at any movement.
After several minutes, as the smoke cleared, Pon, convinced there were no other people in the room with them, ran over and closed the door while two monks opened the windows.
Master Sedgly knelt beside his fallen Prime Master lying face down, and as the smoke cleared, Pon saw tears in Sedgly’s eyes as blood oozed from underneath Chuck’s body and spread around him on the marble floor.
Sedgly looked at Pon and the others gathered around him, swallowed hard and with his voice trembling said, “Prime Master Chuck Johnson is on the path to Nirvana.”
Once the smoke cleared from the room, Tinju and Chokdet went to check on the fallen Warriors, both of whom were dead.
Pon rubbed his chin and looked at Fahed’s corpse. ‘Something doesn’t seem right. Where are the men who were here before, and Fahed’s guards,’ he furrowed his brow, ‘and why did it look like Fahed expected us, why else would he have a gun ready?’
Pon saw several items looking out of place, so wondered, ‘Why was Fahed sitting on that mock throne, and why are there TV cameras in the room?’
Furrowing his brow and looking puzzled, Pon walked over to Fahed’s corpse. He knelt down and stared into the dead face of the Arab. ‘Well, this looked like Fahed,’ he thought as he looked at the front of his white *thwarb soaked in blood.
Pon then looked at the distraught Master Sedgly and sighed. He went over and put his hand on Sedgly’s shoulder.
Sedgly looked up at Pon, shook his head, and with a croak in his voice said. “I’m sorry Pon, I lost control.”
Even though Pon knew Buddhist monks controlled their anger, he knew that with Sedgly’s family slaughtered and now his Prime Master, said. “I understand Master Sedgly. He smiled down at the tearful monk. “I will see where the Amanussa’s who attacked us went.”
He shouted to the Warriors to stay alert and asked. “Has anyone got any smoke grenades?”
“Here,” said Sedgly “take mine and Chucks.” Pon nodded, put his Juglave and four smoke grenades in his pocket, and pulled the Tusen hood over his face and head.
They all saw the door opening and then close.
While the Tinju and Chokdet stood watching the door, Sedgly looked around the room and took a thick pile of bound papers from a large desk.
The door opened twenty minutes later and they saw Pons head so the Warriors lowered their weapons.
“It’s all clear,” he said, “Fahed’s men must have fled when we took them by surprise and killed him.”
“Pon, come and look at this,” said Sedgly now reading the papers.
Pon took off the Tusen suit, went over, and sat next to the concerned Sedgly at the desk.
“I now know how Fahed found out about everything,” said Sedgly and with his hand trembling slid the thick photocopied journal over to Pon who gasped when he saw the cover. Sedgly stared at the book, shrugged, and looked bemused.
Pon looked aghast at the cover page and stammered.
“Holy Book of Life: Warlords of Peace.”
“It’s your copy of the Puravuttanta… but how did Fahed get this?”
Pon looked at Sedgly, who appeared embarrassed and angry.
Sedgly inhaled and looked skyward for guidance as he pondered and then sighed and with a tremble in his voice said. “As Prime Master Johnson told you before, we are an open order, so our monks can come and go. The Prime Master also told you that few leave.”
Sedgly sighed. “However, several years ago we had a monk called Mick wanting to join us and become a Warrior. He claimed to be from another Buddhist Monastery in the US and said he knew about Sanctuaries after he’d made a pilgrimage to Tibet. Because he knew about the Sanctuaries and wanted to be a Warrior, we accepted him into our order.”
Sedgly sighed and furrowed his brow. “Although he only stayed with us for a few years, during that time his erratic ways and lack of knowledge of Buddha’s teachings concerned us. Although most of us have cell phones and internet access, he had other devices we knew nothing about and he wouldn’t tell us what they were. Prime Master Chuck,” Sedgly looked at his dead Prime Master, “thought they were some kind of surveillance or photographic devices and we all became suspicious. However, when the Prime Master confronted Mick, he became angry, telling Chuck he felt disillusioned with our hard way of life and peace-loving ways. He left our Monastery, and no one has seen him since.”
Pon looking confused asked. “I don’t understand. Are you saying that this monk, Mick, copied the Puravuttanta, and sold it to Fahed?”
“Perhaps,” said Sedgly and rubbed his face. He then slid over a piece of paper. “I found this in one of the drawers.” He pointed at a locked top drawer that Pon saw forced open.
Pon looked at the receipt for $50,000 expenses paid to SA Michael Branson.
“That’s him,” said Sedgly tapping on the receipt. He then showed Pon the faint print on the inside of the cover of the Puravuttanta.
Pon looked and furrowed his brow. “It looked like the cover page was photocopied over another document by mistake.”
Sedgly nodded and Pon looked closer. Although he could barely see the document, he could make out the heading of the other report and gasped. “Mick was CIA.”
Sedgly nodded, “Yes, it appeared so.”
Sedgly bowed his head and looked ashamed, “I am sorry Prime Master, but it looks like we have caused all this.”
“It’s not your fault Master Sedgly, and it still doesn’t explain why Fahed wanted us all dead.”
“No Prime Master, but maybe this will,” said Sedgly handing Pon a folder. “That was also in the drawer and that was why Fahed said we killed his father.”
Pon took out several sheets of paper but didn’t understand most of the technical jargon on the autopsy report, but he understood the cause of death.
Pon shook his head as he read. “No, this must be a fake. We watched his father die on a screen. It was cancer that killed him, not Aroona poisoning.”
“Not according to that,” said Sedgly, “I can only presume that the CIA made that up so Fahed would kill the Buddhists.”
“I am confused, it made no sense,” said Pon rubbing his forehead. “Why would the CIA want him to kill Buddhists? We aren’t terrorists. We are peace-loving people dedicated to life.”
Sedgly shrugged.
Engines roaring above the building interrupted their conversation.
Pon, Sedgly, and the Warriors, looked out of the windows as two large helicopters hovered above Fahed’s lawn.
Pon gave an order and he, Sedgly, and the Warriors, rushed downstairs as the helicopters landed.
While the Warrior’s hid, Pon and Sedgly peered from behind the curtains. “They’re military helicopters, the same as the ones our Thai Air Force used,” said Pon.
Sedgly looked at Pon and furrowed his brow as the rotors stopped and the side door slid open. Soldiers jumped from one helicopter onto Fahed’s lawn with their M16A rifles pointing toward the building.
An officer walke
d forward holding a megaphone. “You in the house. I am Colonel Arnold Baker, commanding officer of Bravo Company, 1st battalion, 36th infantry. I am unarmed and need to come inside and speak with you.”
Sedgly furrowed his brow, looked puzzled, and said. “They’re Americans.”
“I repeat, I am unarmed, and coming in,” said the Colonel who put down the megaphone and walked toward the door with his arms raised.
Pon and Sedgly went to the door as Colonel Baker came in. The Chokdet came from their hiding positions and pointed their bows and arrows at the Colonel.
The Colonel looked at the Warriors and then at Pon and Sedgly. “Do either of you speak English.”
“Yeah, we both do,” said Sedgly smiling.
“Oh,” said the Colonel appearing surprised. “You are American.”
“Yes Colonel, I am Master Sedgly, an American Buddhist monk from the Warlords of Peace Monastery in Montana.”
The Colonel looked at Pon who wai-ed. “I am Prime Master Pon Meesilli of the Thailand Tinju.”
The Colonel looked at Sedgly’s blood soaked clothing and furrowed his brow. “Where is Fahed Del Alaz?”
Pon, taken aback, was about to speak, when Sedgly said.
“He’s upstairs Colonel, but he’s dead.”
The Colonel appeared anxious. “You must leave here immediately; the Pakistani forces are on their way.” He frowned, “Boy, have you caused the shit to hit the fan.” He looked at the Warriors and then at Pon. “Get your men and equipment loaded into a helicopter and I will have you flown out of here while we clean up the mess.”
Pon furrowed his brow. “But how did you...”
“Quick Prime Master, there’s no time for questions, get you and your men out of here... now.”
The Colonel went to the doorway and beckoned his soldiers.
“Colonel, my Prime Master is dead, along with two Asian Warriors. I need to get his body flown back to America for burial,” said Sedgly.
“And I need to get my Warriors home; we have a bus to take us to the airfield and organise our plane ride home.”
“No Prime Master,” said the Colonel. “Travelling by bus around Pakistan would be too risky with your dead. Load your men into one helicopter. Master Sedgly, we will take you and your dead Prime Master with us in the other.”
The Colonel ordered six soldiers upstairs to retrieve Fahed’s and Chuck’s bodies and other items while Pon told four of his Warriors to go with them and bring down their fallen.
Colonel Baker shouted orders to the remaining soldiers at the helicopter, and turned to Pon, “Okay Prime Master, get your men on that chopper.” he said and pointed.
Pon looked “I still want to know...”
“Please Prime Master, I will explain everything later, but we must get out of here. Now, get your men on the chopper.”
“Master Sedgly, you get onto the first chopper, while we fetch Prime Master Johnsons and Fahed’s body.
The Colonel, seeing Pon furrowing his brow, sounded impatient. “Hurry Prime Master. I will look for any evidence I need.” The Colonel glanced at Sedgly before running upstairs.
Pon looked at Sedgly and frowned. “You never mentioned Chuck’s name… so how did he know?”
Sedgly shrugged and sounding anxious said. “We should do as he said Pon. We can find out what was happening later… come on.”
Sedgly walked outside.
Pon, feeling confused and suspicious gave an order to his remaining Warriors who went outside with him, and a soldier beckoned them over to a helicopter.
“I will see you at the airfield Pon,” said Sedgly before boarding the other helicopter.
“Hurry up sir, get on board” said an impatient soldier as Pon stood outside the helicopter. “Wait a moment,” said Pon, who took out his phone and called Dave.
“Please sir,” said the soldier after Pon finished his call.
Pon was about to get into the helicopter when the soldiers came from Fahed’s mansion.
He watched six of them carrying two body bags and three walking behind with electronic equipment and movie cameras.
His Warriors followed them out carrying their two dead comrades also in black body bags and walked towards him.
The Colonel and other soldiers then came out carrying more filming equipment and piles of papers including the copy of the Puravuttanta.
The Colonel saw Pon, frowned, and waved at him to get into the helicopter while he handed a soldier the files and hurried his men to clear the building.
The Warriors brought the bodies over and put them inside the helicopter as Pon watched the soldiers at the other chopper.
One American glanced at him before jumping aboard and Pon gasped as the helicopter turbines roared.
“Please sir,” said the impatient American soldier, “we are about to take off.”
Pon looked at his anxious Warriors inside the helicopter and boarded.
The helicopter rose above the residence and headed east.
Pon saw the sullen faces of his silent Warriors and the vacant expression of the soldier sat at the back. He knew something was wrong, and through the noise inside the helicopter said in Thai. “When we land, be on your guard. Something wasn’t right and we need to find out what.” He repeated in Cambodian and the Warriors nodded.
Fifteen minutes later, now dusk, they landed beside the hanger at the small airfield where an angry looking General Mahatmacote stood waiting for them, along with several Pakistani soldiers.
‘What’s he doing here?’ thought Pon as he stepped off the helicopter. ‘Hmm, Kamal must have called him after I called Dave.’
Pon and the others stepped from the helicopter and while the Tinju and Chokdet unloaded their dead, Pon walked over to the General who had his hand on his holstered pistol. The Pakistani soldiers glared at Pon as he wai-ed Mahatmacote.
Pon looked back as the helicopters turbines roared, and after his Warriors walked clear, the helicopter took off. He watched it leave and presumed the other helicopter was not far behind.
Pon faced the angry looking General who sneered. “You are not Buddhist monks, so who are you?”
Pon glared at Mahatmacote. “We are Buddhist monks General... why, what have you been told?”
“Monks do not go around killing visitors to our country, especially not a Saudi VIP... so who are you?”
Pon furrowed his brow looking baffled. With suspicion in his voice, he asked, “How did you know we killed Fahed, General?”
Ignoring the question, the General leant forward looking enraged. “You committed a grave crime on Pakistani soil; you will go to jail and face the death penalty. I guarantee that.”
A Pakistani officer came over and whispered in the General’s ear and Mahatmacote stepped back and listened.
Pon saw Mahatmacote frowning as the soldier spoke to him in Punjabi and reminded him about how they had been well paid to keep this secret.
The General listened, thought, and replied.
“Thank you Captain.”
The Captain nodded and stood back with his soldiers.
Mahatmacote glared at Pon and then the Warriors with their weapons in hand and with a growl in his voice said. “Call your jet and get out of Pakistan.” He leant forward with his face a few inches away from Pons, “and never return.”
‘This all seemed suspicious,’ thought Pon, knowing Kamal could not have told him as he had not mentioned it to Dave, so asked again, “How do you already know about Fahed?”
The General stepped back, nodded at the Captain, scowled at Pon, and sounding abrasive said. “Go now.”
The Pakistani soldiers cocked their weapons and pointed them at Pon.
The Tinju held their swords and Juglaves aloft and the Chokdet pointed their arrows at the soldiers.
Mahatmacote sniggered. “Do you think swords and arrows are any match for bullets?” asked the General, who then felt a sharp blade against his throat.
“Yes,” said Pon glaring into Mahatmacote’s s
hocked eyes.
The Pakistani soldiers gasped when they saw how quick Pon had reacted with his Juglave, and they looked at their Captain with his mouth agape.
Mahatmacote gulped and looked into Pon’s eyes. The rage he saw sent a chill through his spine.
“Lower your rifles,” he said, and as Pon took his Juglave off his throat, he stood back, rubbed his neck, glared at Pon and the Warriors, and barked out an order to the soldiers in Punjabi.
“Go now,” he then snarled at Pon and then he and the soldiers walked to a jeep.
The Warriors, with their weapons still at the ready, watched the jeep speed away.
Pon looked skyward. Their helicopter had gone, and the sky was clear. ‘Huh,’ thought Pon ‘the other helicopter wasn’t coming, but I’m not surprised.’
Pon and the Warriors took their dead into the hanger and turned on the lights. The Warriors sat with their fallen comrades and chanted while Pon went outside. With the light from the hanger illuminating the darkening sky, Pon called Taksin who sounded frantic.
“Pon, be careful my friend, you could be walking into a trap.”
Pon sounded sullen and said, “Fahed and Prime Master Chuck Johnson are dead Khun Taksin, and I don’t know where Master Sedgly is. Soldiers claiming to be American Military took him.”
Taksin gasped. “Americans… what happened Pon?”
Pon gave brief details about what happened and then sounding anxious said. “Master Sedgly killed Fahed and I am concerned about him. I don’t believe the people who took him and the bodies of Chuck and Fahed were the American military, and I think Master Sedgly is in danger. We found a copy of The Warlords of Peace’s Puravuttanta in Fahed’s office. Master Sedgly knew the man responsible for copying the book and we found evidence of a CIA connection. However, there seemed a lot more to it. Master Sedgly had an idea about the reason behind what was happening, but he never got the chance to tell me because the Americans turned up.”
“Hmm, the CIA. Do you think it was them who took them?” asked Taksin sounding contemplative.
“I don’t know and I don’t understand what’s going on. When they turned up, six soldiers went upstairs to collect the bodies and nine came down. One of them I recognised as an American I saw leaving Fahed’s office earlier.”
Protector--The Final Adventure Page 20