“He has homes and farms in Afghanistan, and when he’s here, he stays with Najeela’s family. I don’t think Lars would stay there. It’s too risky for him and Najeela.”
“Shit, he’s somewhere in Peshawar, maybe even here at the Pearl. This is the best place, and he sure as hell wouldn’t be at Green’s.”
“What’s that mean for us?”
Nick turned and headed back to the bedroom. “I’m gonna be blunt. I think Lars is going to come after you. They tore your room apart yesterday, and today they have the newspaper and bracelet, proof that you’ve put it together. They may have been interested in me this morning, but now it’s you they absolutely have to eliminate if they want to survive. It means we need to get out of here ASAP.”
“Can we?” Abby asked, trying to hide the tremor in her voice.
“We can.” Nick’s brow wrinkled. “I’m still working on it, but we’ll get out.” He turned and went back to the bedroom, shutting the door as he went.
Abby curled up on the couch and waited. It seemed hours before Nick emerged. “We’re all set,” he said, smiling.
“When?”
“Early tomorrow. We’re on a UN convoy with aid supplies to the north, to Skardu and beyond. That area is still a mess from the floods, and they’re resupplying. We’ll follow, and then we’ll separate from the convoy in Islamabad, where we’ll be met by consular officials.”
“Tomorrow seems a long way off.”
“It’ll be here before you know it. Relax.” Nick stole a kiss, grinning. “Just trust me on this.” He looked at his watch. “Christ, it’s eight o’clock. You must be exhausted. Go lie down. I’ll be in soon, and remember, dream of me tonight and not the wily Lars.”
Abby laughed. “I’ll do my best.”
Chapter 30
“Wake up, Abby,” Nick whispered, his lips brushing her temple. “It’s six a.m., time to go.”
Abby opened her eyes and smiled. “Best wake-up I’ve had since I arrived in Pakistan.” She sat up and stretched. “Is it too much to ask if there’s coffee?”
Nick shook his head. “Sorry, we’re leaving quietly and without notice. That means no coffee, no breakfast. We’ll get something later.”
“Pass me that robe, will you? I’m not decent.”
Nick smiled. “Jeez, Abby, I’m still in pain. Have a look at these wounds. You don’t really think I’d be ogling you, do you?”
Abby laughed. “Of course not. I just like robes.”
He handed her the robe. “You’re killing me here, Abby, killing me.”
“Do I have time for a shower?” she asked, pulling the robe on.
“If you’re quick about it.”
Abby headed to the bathroom, and as directed, she took a quick shower and wriggled into the only clothes she had. She ran her fingers through her wet hair and frowned. No comb, no eyeliner, no lipstick. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d shown only her fresh-scrubbed face to the world. “I’m as ready as I’m gonna be,” she said, stepping back into the room.
“You look beautiful in the morning, Abby.”
“Wow, thanks. Seriously.”
“You’re welcome, but back to business. Here’s what we’re going to do. We’re taking the stairs, and we’re not checking out. The car is here, but it’s by the garage entrance, so we’re going out that way. We don’t want anyone to see us. Stay right behind me, and move quickly.” He slipped the cell phone into his pocket.
“We’re not checking out, and we’re taking the phone? Won’t we be in trouble?”
“You are a refreshingly middle-class girl, Abby. Not to worry—the hotel will be paid, just not today.”
“All right, lead the way.”
He opened the door and peered into the hallway. “Let’s go.” Nick held his finger to his mouth. “Remember, quiet.”
Abby nodded and followed him to the hallway and the staircase. They jogged down the steps, and at the bottom, Nick opened the door. “Garage. We just have to get through here.”
They dashed through the garage, their footfalls echoing in the empty space. A ray of light poked through the dim structure, and they emerged into a full early sun. Abby held her hands up to block the light, already beating down in what would be another scorching day.
“Over there.” Nick tilted his head toward a shiny white SUV, the blue UN logo on its door, parked by the garage entrance.
Abby couldn’t help the heavy sigh of relief that slipped through her lips.
“This,” he said, pulling open the door to the SUV, “is our vehicle, a very generous loan from the UN. Hop in.” He turned the key that had been left in the ignition, then eased the car out onto Khyber Road. “We’re heading up to Circular Road. The convoy’s leaving from the UN suboffice there.”
“I just have to ask,” Abby said, adjusting the visor against the morning’s growing glare. “You’re sure the UN office knows I’m leaving my post?”
Nick nodded. “They do. They actually sent a message that they loved you, wanted to offer you a safer posting.”
Abby felt a small thrill—the UN loved her! How many people could say that?
Nick frowned. “I told them you’d be busy.”
“Nick, are you kidding me? Why would you do that?”
“You’re coming to New York with me, right?”
“I guess, at least until we get this stuff straightened out, but I think I’d like to work with the UN again. You better not have messed this up for me.”
“I haven’t, I promise, but just wait—anything can happen in New York.”
Still secretive, she thought, shaking her head. Some things would never change.
They set off, and Abby tried to quiet her nerves. They’d be fine, she reminded herself once again. Lars was probably still sleeping back at the Pearl, and Nick would write his story and put Lars away. Abby sat back and watched as Nick pulled onto Circular Road to join the line of vehicles parked along the narrow street.
“Stay here,” he said as he parked the car and stepped out to speak with a group of men standing by their vehicles.
Abby watched as Nick spoke with the men, mostly Pakistani drivers, she thought. He folded his arms across his chest and nodded intently as the conversation wore on before he turned and headed back, leaning into the window. “Bad news—the UN’s decided to join a NATO supply convoy, and they’re carrying fuel in their trucks. All that fuel makes me nervous, but the good news is there are armed soldiers in the lead.”
Abby peered through the windshield at the line of tanker trucks. “That’s even better for us then, right? I mean soldiers. I think it’s good news.”
Nick smiled. “Ever the optimist. Okay—we’re just waiting for two more tankers.” He pulled himself into the SUV and squeezed Abby’s thigh. “Tomorrow at this time, we’ll be in Dubai, or maybe Paris if that strikes your fancy.”
Abby smiled. “Just about now, anyplace but here strikes my fancy.”
A loud rumbling broke through the hum of the idling vehicles, and all heads turned as the final two trucks, snorting and spewing exhaust, pulled into position behind Abby and Nick. Within minutes, a small, wiry man ran the length of the convoy. “He’s doing a final count,” Nick said. “As soon as he cross-checks his numbers, we’ll be moving out.”
“Are you okay to drive? Your eye is really swollen. Can you even see?”
“I’m fine, we’re not going too far anyway.”
Within minutes, the vehicles pulled out and wound their way along the street before turning onto Kohat Road, and finally onto the Grand Trunk Road. Nick reached over and stroked Abby’s face. “Close your eyes if you want. This will be an hour or so.”
The city of Peshawar faded away in the rearview mirror, and Abby let her head fall back, a yawn escaping from her lips. “Well, maybe . . . maybe I’ll just close my eyes . . .” With that, Abby was lost in her dreams until a loud explosion jolted her awake. She sat bolt upright. The convoy had ground to a halt.
“What the hell was that?” she
asked, her voice hoarse with sleep.
“Stay here,” Nick shouted as he bounded from the vehicle and sprinted along the convoy. Abby craned her neck and watched as a large cloud of curling black smoke filled the sky. She could see orange flames leaping over the vehicles, and she watched as the thick, choking black fog began to fill the road. She pushed open her door and stepped onto the tarmac. Once there, she could see it. An enormous fireball up ahead—one of the trucks was on fire.
Oh, God, the fuel trucks! She watched as the fire and explosions spread to the next truck in line, then the next. The sky turned black, and the road seemed consumed with orange balls of fire. She couldn’t see Nick through the thick haze of smoke, but she could see the flames spreading. It wouldn’t be long before they’d be here, right where she stood. She froze, unsure where to go, what to do. Where the hell was Nick anyway? Just as she began to silently curse him, he emerged from the shroud of smoke. Coughing and covered with a layer of soot, he pulled Abby from the road. “Get over there,” he shouted over the thunderous explosions, “but not too far. It was an IED. Someone was waiting for us.”
A cold, hard chunk of fear sat heavily in Abby’s chest. “Us? You and me?”
“No, I don’t think we’re the targets. Probably NATO and the fuel trucks, or maybe they thought it was a US military convoy. It doesn’t matter right now. The vehicles damn near ran into one another when they all suddenly braked, and now there’s too much heat and no damn room to maneuver them away,” Nick said, guiding Abby from the road. “They’ve already radioed for an evacuation. The helicopter will be here shortly. This area here is the clearest, so probably best for a landing. Stay right here and listen. When the chopper arrives, get on.”
“No, Nick. I’m not going without you.”
“Just get on. Do you hear me? No arguments. I’ll be right back. I’m going to check for wounded.”
“I’m the nurse, I should go.” She shouted to be heard over the roar of the advancing flames.
“I know you’re the nurse! For Christ’s sake, stay here and we’ll get the injured to you. If the chopper comes first, just get on it. I’ll be right behind you. Do you hear me?”
Before she could reply, Nick turned and sprinted back into the thick blanket of smoke that covered the road. Abby stood alone and watched as the swelling black clouds billowed over the road, orange flames licking at everything in their path. An overwhelming fear washed over her, and she stood perfectly still. She took a deep breath and inhaled a mouthful of acrid smoke. The smoke caught at the back of her throat, and she was seized by a spasm of coughing. Her eyes watered and she tried to blink away the sting. Instinctively, she moved back to where the air seemed not as dense.
She stood waiting, alternately holding her breath and exhaling. She could feel the scorching heat on her skin, and she watched as burning embers filled the sky. The fire was only four vehicles ahead now. In only minutes the inferno would incinerate everything on the road.
Suddenly, over the din of the explosions, she heard the unmistakable whir of helicopter blades. Rescue—they were going to be rescued. She stood on her toes and peered down the road, but there was no sign of Nick.
She turned back, and there, hovering just above the cloud of smoke, she spied the sweetest sight imaginable—a shiny helicopter with the blue UN logo on the side, its spinning blades cutting through the smoke and fanning the fire with fury. Abby stood and watched as it descended and landed with a soft thud. She waited, unsure what to do. The lure of safety was great, but she just couldn’t leave yet. She’d ask how long they’d wait—how many they could take. Then she’d wait for Nick and the others.
She moved closer and watched as a man appeared in the doorway, furiously waving her over. He poked his head out and looked straight at her—and Abby stiffened. Through the fog of smoke, she could just make out his wire-rimmed glasses and thinning gray hair. Abby felt a chill run down her spine, and slowly, as though time had stopped, it came to her who he was.
It was him. It was Lars Rousseau.
Abby was suddenly paralyzed—unable to move, unable to think, unable to breathe.
“Do you remember me?” Lars Rousseau shouted over the roar of the engines.
Smoke filled Abby’s throat, and she watched helplessly as Lars jumped to the ground. She coughed, and fueled by a sudden surge of energy, she turned and ran. But Lars was too quick. He was on her in an instant. He grabbed her arm and she fell forward, her face in the dirt.
Lars pulled her up roughly and shouted into her face, “Didn’t think I’d find you, did you? You thought you could slip away.” His eyes flashed, and Abby tried to pull away, but his grip was too tight. “You’re nothing,” he spat out, “just like the others—the women who thought they’d get something from me. But I’ll always win. The world loves me, and your death in this fire will be a sad dot on Pakistan’s history—nothing else.” His spittle sprayed onto Abby’s face, and she watched as he nervously eyed the rapidly approaching fire.
Abby felt the heat sting her eyes, and her nostrils and mouth filled with smoke as the fire spat burning embers everywhere. Lars was suddenly seized by a long, choking cough, and his grip on Abby loosened. She snatched the opportunity and pulled away, preparing to run, but instead Lars turned and sprinted to the helicopter, quickly hoisting himself back inside.
As Abby watched, a second figure appeared in the doorway.
A woman, it was a woman. The shadowy figure embraced Lars, then lifted a delicate hand and waved. Abby froze.
Najeela. It was Najeela.
Oh my God, Najeela was one of them, the tightly woven circle of thieves and killers. How could she not have seen it? Abby watched as Lars tenderly smoothed Najeela’s hair. They shared a kiss—and suddenly Abby’s fear vanished. A sudden burst of anger, of hate, welled up inside, and she froze where she stood, oblivious to the flames inching ever closer.
Suddenly an arm encircled her, pulling her back. She opened her mouth to scream, but then she noticed the tiny, heart-shaped tattoo. Relief swept over her. She turned and followed as Nick led her away from the flames. In a haze of smoke, Abby and Nick stood perfectly still and watched as the helicopter hurtled into the air. Then it was gone, swallowed up by the dense fog of smoke and fire. Only the rumble of the engine and the churning columns of smoke were proof that it still hovered just overhead.
As Abby raised her head to peer through the cloud of smoke, the engine suddenly silenced, the furious spinning of the blades through the smoke ceased. The only sound was the thunder of the raging fire. Despite the sting of the smoke, Abby opened her eyes wide and turned to Nick.
“Where is he?” she shouted.
Before Nick could answer, a thunderous explosion rocked the sky. The helicopter had exploded in midair, a fireball erupting in the sky. Bits and pieces of metal rained down on them and they ran for cover, watching in disbelief.
“Najeela—” Abby broke down, unable to finish.
“I know,” Nick said. “I saw her from the road. I know you believed in her for a long time, and I’m sorry.”
They huddled, wrapped about one another, watching as the flames inched closer. “NATO radioed for an evacuation vehicle,” Nick said. “We should be out of here in no time.”
Abby nodded, tears and smoke stinging her eyes. She wiped her face on her sleeve, and as she lifted her head, she saw a Pakistani army vehicle pull up nearby. She breathed a long sigh of relief and watched as a small soldier, short and muscular, hoisted himself out of the vehicle, some kind of machine gun in his hand. He turned and strode toward Abby and Nick, pulling off his combat helmet as he walked. When he lifted his head, Abby gasped in recognition.
Hana! The soldier was Hana. Abby turned and looked at Nick, who was smiling broadly at Hana. “Good to see you,” he said. “What took you so long?”
Abby remained speechless, her mouth open wide. She could only gape at Hana. Gone was her sullen expression, and gone too was her drab shalwar kameez. Instead, she was dressed in f
atigues, a bevy of stripes and emblems adorning her lapels.
She smiled confidently, and cradling her gun close to her chest, she reached out and took Abby’s hand. “Glad to see you’re safe. Come, let’s go. I’ve already ordered the remaining vehicles to set up a perimeter. Let’s get you out of here before the press shows.”
“Did you see the helicopter go down?” Nick asked. “Lars and Najeela were on board.”
Hana nodded. “A rescue team will check for survivors, though I don’t think anyone survived the force of that explosion.”
Still grappling with the sight of Hana as a soldier, Abby could only gape as Nick pulled her into the rear seat with him. Hana, her gun in hand, rode shotgun. She barked orders at the driver, who turned the vehicle around and headed back to Peshawar.
Abby almost stuttered when she finally asked Nick, “Did you know? Did you know that she’s a soldier?”
“Well, strictly speaking, she is a soldier, but she’s in the Intelligence branch, the ISI, and she’s currently working with the UN and Interpol to break a huge trafficking ring.”
Abby’s mouth fell open once again. “Hana was your intelligence connection?” Abby looked again at Hana, crisp and professional and definitely a commanding presence. So different from the brooding maid whose face had been such a mask. Abby shook her head and leaned forward. “Hana, it’s an honor to finally meet you.”
Hana nodded, a smile breaking through the mask of her face. “We’ll talk later,” she said, her eyes resting on the driver.
Abby sat back into Nick’s embrace. “Is it over?”
“Almost,” he said, planting a kiss on her head.
Chapter 31
The Pakistani army SUV flew over the roads, depositing its three weary occupants back at the UN staff house, where a still-stunned Abby was finally able to take a slow, deep breath. Her heart ached in this house where so much had happened.
“I’ll make the tea,” she said, looking pointedly at Hana. “But we have to talk. There’s so much I don’t know.”
“Seems fair,” Nick said, dropping into a chair.
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