Contents
Prologue
Jadida, Iraq Wednesday, April 12, 2006 12:08 p.m. (Four Days From Sunday)
Chapter One
Jadida, Iraq Wednesday, April 12th 1:43 p.m.
Jadida, Iraq Wednesday, April 12th 1:56 p.m.
MP-5, The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq Wednesday, April 12th 2:08 p.m.
The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq Wednesday, April 12th 3:17 p.m.
Baghdad, Iraq Wednesday, April 12th 4:09 p.m.
The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq Wednesday, April 12th 4:09 p.m.
Chapter Two
Baghdad, Iraq Wednesday, April 12th 4:18 p.m.
Jadida, Iraq Wednesday, April 12th 4:21 p.m.
Somewhere Over Kuwait Wednesday, April 12th 6:04 p.m.
CIA Station, Somewhere In Kuwait Wednesday, April 12th 7:19 p.m.
Jadida, Iraq Wednesday, April 12th 7:20 p.m.
Chapter Three
CIA Station Somewhere in Kuwait Wednesday, April 12th 7:41p.m.
Jadida, Iraq Wednesday, April 12th 8:12 p.m.
CIA Station Somewhere in Kuwait Wednesday, April 12th 8:16 p.m.
Baghdad, Iraq Wednesday, April 12th 8:22 p.m.
Chapter Four
Jadida, Iraq Wednesday, April 12th 8:24 p.m.
Jadida, Iraq Wednesday, April 12th 8:44 p.m.
CIA Station Somewhere in Kuwait Wednesday, April 12th 8:58 p.m.
Chapter Five
CIA Station Somewhere in Kuwait Wednesday, April 12th 11:33 p.m.
Jadida, Iraq Thursday, April 13th 1:19 a.m. (Three Days From Sunday)
The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq Thursday, April 13th 5:48 a.m.
Somewhere Over Iraq Thursday, April 13th 9:22 a.m.
Chapter Six
Jadida, Iraq Thursday, April 13th 9:40 a.m.
MP-5, The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq Thursday, April 13th 2:03 p.m.
Jadida, Iraq Thursday, April 13th 2:06 p.m.
Baghdad, Iraq Thursday, April 13th 2:18 p.m.
Chapter Seven
Basra, Iraq Thursday, April 13th 3:49 p.m.
Jadida, Iraq Thursday, April 13th 4:08 p.m.
Basra, Iraq Thursday, April 13th 6:06 p.m.
Baghdad, Iraq Thursday, April 13th 9:17 p.m.
Jadida, Iraq Thursday, April 13th 10:03 p.m.
Jadida, Iraq Thursday, April 13th 11:14 p.m.
Chapter Eight
Jadida, Iraq Thursday, April 13th 11:38 p.m.
Basra, Iraq Friday, April 14th 6:09 a.m. (Two Days From Sunday)
Jadida, Iraq Friday, April 14th 8:47 a.m.
Basra, Iraq Friday, April 14th 10:02 a.m.
Chapter Nine
Jadida, Iraq Friday, April 14th 11:18 a.m.
Outside Basra, Iraq Friday, April 14th 12:11 p.m.
Jadida, Iraq Friday, April 14th 12:32 p.m.
Jadida, Iraq Friday, April 14th 12:40 p.m.
Chapter Ten
Outside Basra, Iraq Friday, April 14th 12:43 p.m.
Jadida, Iraq Friday, April 14th 1:12 p.m.
Chapter Eleven
Baghdad, Iraq Friday, April 14th 3:54 p.m.
Basra, Iraq Friday, April 14th 4:01 p.m.
Jadida, Iraq Friday, April 14th 7:13 p.m.
Chapter Twelve
The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 6:38 a.m. (One Day From Sunday)
Basra, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 9:03 a.m.
Chapter Thirteen
Basra, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 9:12 a.m.
The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 9:47 a.m.
The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 10:06 a.m.
Basra, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 10:21 a.m.
Chapter Fourteen
The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 10:23 a.m.
MP-5, The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 10:28 a.m.
The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 10:39 a.m.
Baghdad, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 11:32 a.m.
Chapter Fifteen
Basra, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 11:41 a.m.
Basra, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 11:54 a.m.
Jadida, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 12:13 p.m.
Basra, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 12:34 p.m.
Chapter Sixteen
MP-5, The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 1:06 p.m.
Basra, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 1:42 p.m.
The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 1:56 p.m.
Chapter Seventeen
MP-5, The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 2:01 p.m.
The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 2:09 p.m.
Ash Shatrah, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 2:36 p.m.
MP-5, The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 2:59 p.m.
Chapter Eighteen
58 Kilometers Northwest of Ash Shatrah, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 4:48 p.m.
Baghdad, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 6:05 p.m.
Yarmouk Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 6:12 p.m.
Yarmouk Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 6:13 p.m.
58 Kilometers Northwest of Ash Shatrah, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 6:15 p.m.
Yarmouk Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 6:16 p.m.
Chapter Nineteen
Yarmouk Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 6:28 p.m.
58 Kilometers Northwest of Ash Shatrah, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 9:03 p.m.
Jadida, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 9:12 p.m.
Chapter Twenty
58 Kilometers Northwest of Ash Shatrah, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 9:14 p.m.
MP-5, The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq Saturday, April 15th 11:32 p.m.
Jadida, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 5:46 a.m. (Day of Promised Attack)
58 Kilometers Northwest of Ash Shatrah, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 7:03 a.m.
Chapter Twenty-One
MP-5, The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 7:11 a.m.
Jadida, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 7:34 a.m.
12 Kilometers South of Al Kut, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 8:57 a.m.
MP-5, The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 9:02 a.m.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Jadida, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 9:40 a.m.
14 Kilometers South of Baghdad City Limits, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 10:05 a.m.
MP-5, The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 11:01 a.m.
Jadida, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 11:04 a.m.
MP-5, The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 11:18 a.m.
Chapter Twenty-Three
MP-5, The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 11:21 a.m.
Jadida, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 11:22 a.m.
MP-5, The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 11:22 a.m.
Jadida, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 11:28 a.m.
Jadida, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 12:04 p.m.
MP-5, The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 12:23 p.m.
Baghdad, Iraq – Sunday, April 16th ~ 12:56 p.m.
MP-5, The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 12:58 p.m.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Baghdad, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 1:39 p.m.
Somewhere Over Baghdad, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 1:42 p.m.
Baghdad, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 1:44 p.m.
Jadida, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 1:46 p.m.
Baghdad, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 1:52 p.m.
MP-5, The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 2:03 p.m.
Jadida, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 2:06 p.m.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Jadida, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 2:08 p.m
.
MP-5, The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 2:11 p.m.
Baghdad, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 2:13 p.m.
MP-5, The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 2:14 p.m.
Jadida, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 2:15 p.m.
Baghdad, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 2:17 p.m.
Jadida, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 2:19 p.m.
Baghdad, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 2:20 p.m.
MP-5, The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 2:21 p.m.
Jadida, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 2:36 p.m.
MP-5, The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 2:54 p.m.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Baghdad, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 3:04 p.m.
Jadida, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 3:12 p.m.
Jadida, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 3:16 p.m.
MP-5, The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 3:19 p.m.
Jadida, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 3:22 p.m.
Jadida, Iraq Sunday, April 16th 3:25 p.m.
Epilogue
Somewhere Over Iraq ~ 35 Days Later
Basra, Iraq ~ The Same Day
An Excerpt from The Shot To Die For
Prologue
Al-Anbar Province, Iraq
Chapter One
Al-Anbar Province, Iraq
Jadida, Iraq
Baghdad, Iraq
Baghdad, Iraq
MP-5, The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq
Prologue
Jadida, Iraq Wednesday, April 12, 2006 12:08 p.m. (Four Days From Sunday)
The man was actually shaking so hard that Adnan Hanjour could have sworn he heard the man’s teeth chatter. He had been dressed in an orange jumpsuit and brought to this room that had two bright lights illuminating the black backdrop that had been hung just for the occasion. The man had been forced to kneel in front of the lights that were nearly blinding in their intensity, his hands tied firmly behind his back. All the others, a total of six of them, stood behind the prisoner, each wearing a long scarf across his face so that only his eyes were showing, and arrogantly holding a machine gun, or in the case of al Mudtaji, a long, sharp sword.
Al Mudtaji stood directly behind the kneeling man, reading the charges against the infidel. At one point the man mumbled something, but his words were indistinguishable. Not that it mattered. The man’s fate had been sealed the moment he was kidnapped and confirmed to be an American.
Adnan fidgeted nervously as al Mudtaji continued reading with great zeal. He looked toward the video camera that was recording everything. This was a live event for those with Internet access. For those who missed it, the al Jazeera network would soon beam the American’s beheading into living rooms and offices throughout the Middle East.
Worried that he would somehow be recognized, Adnan self-consciously touched his scarf, making sure it hadn’t slipped. He knew only his eyes could be seen and since his dark eyes were like millions of others, it was hardly revealing. Even the scarf was not his own, but one borrowed, further reducing the chance that a friend or family member would recognize him.
Still, he couldn’t help but worry. While al Mudtaji and his men had been somewhat suspect of him, he had come through for them and had been given the distinguished honor of standing in the Ring of Allah for the beheading. He glanced at the prisoner who was trembling so violently that Adnan wondered if the man’s heart would give out. If he wasn’t so scared himself he might have laughed out loud at the irony.
The man, who was contracted to drive trucks for a large American company, had been kidnapped just north of Baghdad. Once it was discovered that he was indeed an American, his kidnappers had put him up for auction. Adnan briefly wondered if the American knew that. Or that al Mudtaji had traded an old truck and several weapons for the American. Al Mudtaji had gotten a good deal only after it was discovered that the American had a heart condition that required medical attention.
By the time al Mudtaji had successfully traded for the American, the large man had taken a turn for the worse and in wheezing gasps had explained what type of medicine he needed. That’s when al Mudtaji himself had walked into the pharmacy where Adnan worked. Clean shaven, wearing Western clothes and rimless eyeglasses, he had hardly looked like one of the country’s most wanted terrorists. As for Adnan, he couldn’t believe his luck – for weeks he had been trying to figure out how he could get close to al Mudtaji. Now the terrorist had walked right through his door. Unbelievable.
He had played his cards just right. First, he didn’t permit al Mudtaji to just purchase the medication with what Adnan knew to be a false doctor’s requisition, even though al Mudtaji had offered three times the standard price. Adnan had needed to see where the terrorist lived, meet those around him and with any luck, see for himself that Ghaniyah was there. For this reason, Adnan had insisted that he would need to see the patient and monitor the dosage. At first al Mudtaji had balked, but Adnan had explained that if the dosage was not strong enough, the man’s heart could stop, too much and it could cause the heart to beat so fast and erratically that it could lead to cardiac arrest. Of course, this wasn’t entirely true. But what choice did al Mudtaji have? He needed the American alive so he could kill him. Again, the irony of it all.
And so here Adnan stood – in the Ring of Allah – as al Mudtaji read the charges against the infidel. Finally, al Mudtaji announced that the American was guilty and must die. Adnan swallowed hard. He had never seen anyone killed. He glanced at al Mudtaji and was surprised to find the terrorist staring at him. Al Mudtaji held the sword high and gave an indiscernible nod. Adnan’s heart thundered. Did al Mudtaji want him to kill the American? He couldn’t. Hell, he had always wanted to be a doctor. Ever since he was a kid. However, he had ended up getting a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, and worked as a pharmacist – a job he thoroughly enjoyed because he liked helping people, giving them medicine to make their lives better, and explaining the side effects of other drugs.
Finally, Adnan gave al Mudtaji an identical nod in return. Stepping to the side of the American and with one firm kick, al Mudtaji knocked the prisoner over. The man fell on his side, his eyes wild. One of al Mudtaji’s other men placed a foot on the prisoner’s ribs, holding him in place. The American must have known what was coming and, although he didn’t say a word, he frantically looked around. Suddenly he was staring directly at Adnan, his eyes pleading, overwhelming fear on his face. Adnan wanted to look away, but he found he couldn’t.
Under the bright lights, the reflection of the sword’s blade arced across the room, causing Adnan to momentarily glance away. He looked back at the American just as the sword hit home, blood spraying across the room. The American gave an audible “Humph.”
Adnan was horrified to find the American still staring at him. Then the blade came down again and the head rolled away, coming to a stop near Adnan’s feet.
Chapter One
Jadida, Iraq Wednesday, April 12th 1:43 p.m.
As Adnan made his way through the busy city streets of Jadida, he was amazed that everyone was simply going about their business as usual. Scores of people at the open-air market, many laughing and visiting with friends. Two men arguing over a newspaper article. Teenagers playing soccer on a nearby side street, two buckets spaced apart to serve as the goal. A woman prodding her young son to keep pace, saying they were going to be late.
Adnan marveled that al Mudtaji had been so wrong. The terrorist had predicted that the beheading would have their fellow Sunnis across the country clamoring for more. Instead, in this ethnically mixed neighborhood which was largely Sunni, no one seemed to even know about the execution. Adnan wondered if something had gone wrong with the live feed on the Internet. That would certainly explain it.
Walking briskly, he relished the fresh air. After the man had been killed, Adnan couldn’t get away fast enough, suppressing the urge to vomit. Al Mudtaji had asked him to stay for a celebration meal, but Adnan had declined, insisting that he had to get back to the shop. Al Mudtaji had given him
a strong embrace and thanked him for his help, praising Allah.
Leaving the abandoned warehouse, he had half expected to find soldiers surrounding the structure, their guns drawn, ready to take them all down. But there wasn’t a soul around, and it took all of his will not to run as fast as he could. Only after he was back near his own neighborhood did he finally start to relax.
But no matter how far he walked from that building, Adnan couldn’t erase the image of the American from his mind. As he had left, two of al Mudtaji’s men had been loading the body and head into the trunk of a car, having been given strict instructions to dump the head close to the Green Zone – the heavily guarded sector of Baghdad that housed the Coalition forces. He briefly wondered if the American had been married or had children.
Seven Days From Sunday (MP-5 CIA #1) Page 1