by Lynda Filler
“How does that affect us?”
“RB also has copies of communications to the ‘faithful’ where Tariq rages about Ms. Sayyid.”
Xavi took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
“He’s basically put a price on her head. But he wants her captured alive and brought to him.”
Xavi cursed.
His boys had never seen him so angry.
“I’m stating the facts as we know them at this moment. There’s reason to believe the men who took Sabrina are working for Tariq.”
No one spoke.
“The question is, what does he want with her?” Luci had her opinions and the top of the list was a recorded violent beheading. But, it could also be a ransom attempt.
“All this was before the Queen announced your engagement. That will change everything.”
Xavi spoke up.
“If he’s aware of the engagement, he will know we will stop at nothing to get her back. But if we’re lucky, he will want money. And that will buy us time.”
“That’s the conclusion Raven came to as well.”
“So, we wait and see?” Maggs spoke up.
“Hell, no!” Luci and Xavi answered at the same time.
For the first time in hours, they both smiled.
“Prince Xavi. There’s a call for you from Special Branch.”
36
Old Airport, Doha, Qatar
“I NEED YOU TO take the woman and meet me in this area.” Tariq sent through a screenshot of an area, location and co-ordinates. “No one must see you or be able to trace you. When you get closer, call me.”
Adnan looked at the woman strapped into her seat in the back of the plane. He had handcuffed her before they’d landed, so she wouldn’t try something stupid. His co-conspirators called him to the front of the plane.
“We have a serious situation.”
“What? I heard from Tariq and we are to meet him at this location in one hour. I’m sure he will reward us greatly for getting this job done!” He smiled. His partners didn’t look happy.
“This is even better than any event we could hope for! We will cut off the head of a future Queen of England!” The other two didn’t look convinced.
“Can’t you see? If we are to be martyrs for the cause, let it be for such a brave event. Anyway, they are probably searching all of London and the outskirts to find out where we have her.”
They looked at each other and one of them reported.
“We heard from our contact at Biggin Airport.”
“We are here now, less than half an hour from our destination. What could your contact tell us that’s important?”
“The man at the airport says another private plane took off fifty minutes after us.”
“So? She will be dead before they know where she is!”
“The contact says he spoke with the ground crew. They are flying a plane that is not in commercial service; a prototype. He says if they are following us, they might already be here.”
The three looked over at Sabrina.
“Get her in a burqa and let’s move.”
37
Special Branch HQ London, England
“WE’VE RECEIVED A communication demanding one hundred million dollars for the safe return of Ms. Sayyid, Your Majesty. We have twelve hours to transfer the money into an account in Switzerland.” He shook his head. If he kept his job after this was over, it would be a miracle.
“How should we respond?”
“Talk to Xavi first. Let’s hear a status report.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“And something else, ma’am. I believe we need to advise her father. He’s a powerful and well-known businessman. He needs to know.”
The Queen hesitated.
“All right, but it would be better if he’s picked up and brought to Special Branch. We can’t take a chance on anyone overhearing the conversation.”
“I’ll get on it right away.”
Mr. Sayyid stood before the Director of Special Branch. He’d walked by this property many times on the way to visit business acquaintances at the Dorchester. He would never have expected to find this hi-tech office of the Special Branch in Mayfair. But in these times of terrorism, he imagined Britain had to have their own forms of subterfuge. And that included expanding offices in unexpected locations.
“I assume this has something to do with the engagement announcement this afternoon. Is there some process our family must go through? A vetting procedure?” Sabrina’s father was blunt, to the point of rudeness.
“For the record, I was not in favor of this arrangement. I think it will only add fuel to an already raging fire of hatred toward Muslims. The Muslim world, never mind ISIL, will be outraged that my daughter is marrying a Protestant!”
He refused the offer to sit, paced, and continued his rant.
“Sabrina is impossible to talk to. I’m aware of countless threats she’s already received for her anti-ISIS stance on television. It’s like that girl is looking for trouble.” He turned to face the Director.
“But she loves Prince George Xavier. And he seems to adore her. What’s a father supposed to do?” He sighed and attempted a smile.
“So, how can we help you?” So far, the Director had not spoken a word.
The Director hesitated. “Sir, please sit down. We have a problem.”
Mr. Sayyid finally sat down.
“Your daughter’s been kidnapped.”
“What? When? How is that possible? You were supposed to be guarding her!”
The Director looked at the enraged man in front of him, all sign of humility fell away and was replaced with horror.
“ISIS?”
“It’s possible.”
“Have they made any demands?”
“One hundred million dollars.”
A steely look came into his eyes.
The Director looked confused.
“Yes, this must be very personal. I have each member of my family insured for kidnapping, for one hundred million dollars. Whoever has her must be aware of this type of policy.” Mr. Sayyid hesitated. “Do you have any idea where she is?”
“Yes, we’ve sent a team, including Prince Xavi and a private security company considered the very best in the world.”
“Whereabouts are they holding her?”
“That’s where it gets challenging. She’s on her way to the Middle East. We think Doha, Qatar.”
Sayyid stared at the Director. His next words were completely unexpected.
“Well, it’s not going to be that easy to take down my girl.”
38
THE MEN ENTERED a 4X4 cement-colored Toyota reinforced with bulletproof, tinted windows. They stored their AK47 weapons in the trunk, in a hidden compartment under the seats. The truck was already equipped with knives for close combat, and explosive devices to cause confusion if they were interrupted in their mission. They gave Sabrina another shot before disembarking to make sure she didn’t awaken for at least an hour.
“So, here is the map of Doha.” Adnan, the leader, pulled up Google Maps on his phone. “We are here, at the Old Airport. And this is the highway we will take to The Pearl Qatar. We will follow these GPS instructions from Tariq and arrive at our destination in forty-five minutes. We will take the Al Corniche and that will run along the ocean and into The Pearl. Tariq will be waiting right there.”
The men piled into their ride, anxious to be done with this job and far away from Doha.
Sabrina moaned in her forced sleep.
39
“THERE’S A CALL for you from Special Branch. It’s extremely urgent, Sir.”
Prince Xavi took the satellite phone. His men were organizing their equipment and moving it into two vehicles that were standing by in the hangar.
They’d originally thought they would intercept the plane’s arrival, but everything had changed. Luci and Maggs were in communication with RB and Raven to get the plane’s exact arrival.
“Sir. The Q
ueen sends her regards and wishes you a speedy return. We’ve run into a challenge. The kidnappers are demanding one hundred million dollars.”
“Have we opened any kind of negotiations?”
“Not yet, Sir.”
“How much time do we have?”
“They gave us twenty-four hours and an account number in Switzerland.”
Xavi tried not to think about Sabrina. The warrior in him needed to remain calm.
“I have other news, Sir, of a more delicate nature. The doctor’s office called. It seems Sabrina has not been well. These are the results of their tests.”
Xavi was stunned.
“Will there be anything else, Director?”
“Just one more piece of interesting information, Sir.”
40
THEY ROLLED THE windows down, anxious for the smell of the Persian Gulf. Instead, exotic spices, masala, and cinnamon wafted from the cafes along the promenade.
“Pull over at that food stand. I’m hungry.”
Tariq’s team eyed the goat barbeque and inhaled the tangy spices from the closest open-air restaurant. The men were feeling good. No enemies knew exactly where they were. But they were on home ground now, only miles away from their destination; and Tariq wouldn’t be there for at least a half an hour.
“We can’t stay here, not with her in the car. It doesn’t matter that she’s covered in a full burqa, the fact that she remains in the vehicle would be suspicious. We take food to go and we eat in the vehicle on this side of the road.”
They dug into their food. They watched cars whiz by and for the first time in the last forty-eight hours, they relaxed.
The men joked, their anxiety eased and their bellies full.
Adnan yawned.
“It’s been a long day. After Tariq gives us our money, I hope he will allow us to watch the beheading of the infidel. This will be on the news by the middle of the night. And then, we all disappear like ghosts!”
41
Ritz Carlton Hotel, Doha, Qatar
“YES, OF COURSE I will come up with my share of the money. I already have a thriving business in Yemen and South Sudan. But when we join forces, I can expand to all parts of Europe. You have the routes, and I have a workforce ready to do whatever it takes.”
The young Sheik was dressed in the traditional white garment with a red and white checkered head scarf. He had heard a lot about Tariq. They both knew that the power of ISIS was dwindling, almost completely gone in Syria, weakening through death and lost battles with the military of the US, Europe, and Russia. But they could win this war in other ways. Once the networks were running product smoothly, they could make some changes to the chemistry of their drugs. They could send lethal doses across borders and over the oceans. With any luck, they could wipe out huge portions of the drug-addicted infidel populations without them ever connecting the epidemic to ISIS.
“We will prevail, my friend. Allah is good, and he is powerful. And along the way, we will become rich!”
The Sheik paused and looked at Tariq carefully.
“Is it true that you were partners with the Triads in Hong Kong and Mme Sying in China?”
Tariq smiled. The Sheik had done his homework well.
“And that you almost embezzled fifty billion dollars?”
Tariq was cocky and proud of his accomplishments.
“Yes, that’s true.”
“The way I hear the story, you were prepared to double-cross your partners.” Tariq’s face paled at the accusation.
“No, that money was owed to me.” He stood tall, suddenly aware of the change in room temperature. The Sheik’s bodyguards moved toward their weapons.
“Do you see in Qatar we are surrounded on three sides by the Persian Gulf? That Gulf is known for shark attacks. I could take you out right now, and no one would miss you.”
Tariq stood silent, his eyes looking for exits, aware he was not only outnumbered, but his weapons were sitting on a table outside the grand hotel suite.
“We had a deal, Mme Sying and I, and it fell through because of her stupidity. I was merely attempting to get the money that deal would have paid me.”
“Just so we are perfectly clear. My partners tolerate no mistakes. If you try to play games with me and my investment, you die.” The Sheik picked up a plate with figs wrapped in something unfamiliar to Tariq.
“Here, have one.” Tariq obliged. He gagged on the taste of pork but swallowed.
“So, we have an understanding?”
“Yes.”
“And the fifty million dollars, your share of the investment, you will wire this by five p.m. tomorrow evening. Correct?”
“Yes, by close of business tomorrow.” He’d given the Brits instructions for deposit, and twenty-four hours, or Sabrina dies. He never expected they would pay a hundred million dollars; he had plenty of room to negotiate it down to meet the Sheik’s demands.
“Make sure you do, Tariq. My risk is great, bringing you into our business. My partners are unsure of your stability. But they see a benefit to your business proposal. You must prove yourself. They feel you might be too arrogant, that you are prone to doing things that can cause undue attention on us. But I assured them that I would vouch for you. Don’t make a fool of me.”
He nodded toward the door of the suite at the Ritz Carlton Hotel. It opened slowly, and his guards escorted Tariq to the exit.
“Remember something. You came to us. We opened our business to you. There is no turning back. Transfer that money by five p.m. tomorrow. Or I cannot be responsible for your welfare.”
Tariq left the gaudy suite.
He entered the elevator by himself, his weapons secure on his person. The Middle Eastern man knew one thing about himself. No one threatened him without repercussions. He would get his share of the business, identify the others in the Sheik’s partnership. And then kill them all.
42
XAVI POINTED, “WE’RE here, at Hamad International. The kidnappers plane landed at the Old Airport. Smart move on their behalf. They must be working with someone at a private hanger because there are no cameras to hack into. They’ve been conveniently disconnected.”
The Prince looked over at Luci. Ever since the Raven Group had advised her about Tariq, she’d taken on an intensity that he’d rarely seen—and never in a woman. He needed to talk to her.
“Take a couple of minutes, guys. Luci let’s talk.”
They walked away from the group. “What’s up?” Xavi questioned.
Luci was no longer present. He could see the cold demeanor of an assassin.
“It’s about my daughter. When Tariq took Alice, it was the most terrifying time in my life. I can’t believe he’s still alive. I will not leave this country until I kill him myself!”
“Look, I’m with you. I might be heir to the throne, but I’ve got centuries of warrior blood running through my veins. I know of this man. I worked alongside these guys in Afghanistan. I know your friend Zach. I raced into tunnels in the mountains with him, hunting Al Queda. We endured the heat and the freezing cold. We ate sand together!” At that, he finally got Luci to smile.
“All right. I know I’m intense.” Luci smiled.
“Focus is good; important. But emotion can screw up an operation. Let’s get back to the team. I have an interesting piece of intel.”
“Listen up. I have something to show you. Special Branch has downloaded this app on our cell phones. Open this window.”
Everyone held onto their communication devices. After entering their codes, their encrypted devices showed Google earth.
“Now, enter Doha.” He waited.
“What’s the moving dot Xavi?”
“That’s Sabrina!”
Luci looked up, smiling for the first time since Sabrina’s kidnapping. Maggs sighed. The rest of the team stayed professional but eased up; barely.
“It seems my future father-in-law took all threats against Sabrina very seriously. She’s got a tracking device implanted i
n her body. These guys are amateurs. They never checked her or didn’t know how to disable it.”
High fives all around.
“That’s the first piece of good news. We will catch up with them quickly.”
“And the second? Don’t hold out, buddy!”
“I’m going to be a father.” This news sobered the group.
“Sabrina is pregnant. She doesn’t know it yet. Just so you understand what this means. We are not only going to save my future wife, but in doing so, we will be saving a future King or Queen of England.”
They nodded solemnly, and smiling, congratulated Xavi on becoming a father.
“Now, let’s get moving. We’ve got some men that need to be terminated.”
They split up and piled into the two armored 4X4 vehicles.
The dark night was lit brightly by the tall modern structures standing on every square inch of Doha downtown. They drove west, following the exit to Ras Abboud Expressway. The two teams communicated by open cell phones, each watching the moving indicator on their maps. Sabrina appeared to be ahead of them by forty kilometers or so.
“We take Al Corniche St. here, and then Omar Al Mukhtar St., grab the Lusail Expressway and get off at Pearl Blvd. That’s where they are now. It will take us thirty minutes to get there.”
Maggs, Luci, and Xavi kept Paul, his SAS buddy, aware of the exits coming up.
“They’re stopped along Pearl Drive. I don’t know why.”
Luci had her HKP30 semi-automatic and her ceramic knife if it got up close and personal. She and Maggs were also armed with HK MP5 submachine guns, in case there were more fighters at the party than they expected.
One thing was certain. Luci would not leave Qatar until she saw Tariq’s dead body turned into shark meat in the Persian Gulf.
43
TARIQ ARRIVED AT the Pearl before his partners. He was nervous and excited to see Sabrina Sayyid in the flesh. He was conflicted now. He wanted her for himself. But it was hard to resist a hundred million dollars and a piece of the largest network for illegal substances in the world—money means freedom. He was done with the desert and living the life of a Jihadi warrior. He’d never had strong belief, but he’d grown up poor and it was either fight or die. And if you’re going to fight, take charge, be the leader. So be it. But the times were changing.