He wanted to vomit and erase those fifteen minutes from his mind forever, but he couldn’t, because once you’ve seen something, you can’t unsee it. By watching that film, he’d made himself responsible for what those sicko criminals had done to Jessica that day. Guilt washed over him, and he deserved it.
Overhead, the crashing noises of falling buildings lessened somewhat even as the smell of smoke increased. He stood and grabbed his medical bag. Flames licked at the edge of the stairwell now, setting the houses’ yards on fire. “We’ve got to get out of here.”
Jessica nodded and raced up the stairs. With a flying leap, she bounded toward the section of the street that was on fire. “This way,” she called and dodged between houses.
Maybe she was right. Maybe his love life was hedonistic and wrong. One thing he knew, he could never look at pornography again without seeing an exploited teen’s face like Jessica’s, like his sister’s. Where was Ava now?
CHAPTER 20
Debris bounced off Kamal’s tactical vest as he ran after Raja. This bombardment had left no time for the daily prayers. Curse the infidels!
The coalition forces pressed in closer every hour and the airstrikes never ended. The imam said that ISIS would prevail and Mosul would be saved, but Allah needed to act quickly if that were to happen.
Increasing his steps, he caught up with Raja and the other mujahideen who headed toward Raja’s house to get the ISIS wives in that neighborhood before the houses fell to coalition forces, as they would any moment now.
Behold, Allah the Forgiving would still grant them victory this day, despite the infidel bombardment harassing them on every side. Kamal ran his dry tongue through his parched mouth as the hunger pangs of Ramadan reminded him of Allah’s grace toward all who serve him.
The smell of sweat rose from these ISIS men, proof of how they’d given up the luxuries of life to devote themselves to Allah.
“Brothers.” Kamal ran to keep up with the other dozen holy warriors. “I have an idea.”
Blood streaked down a gash on Raja Khan’s face. Another man’s arm hung limp where a bullet had splintered the bone, but he did not complain. Mujahideen holy warriors would make any sacrifice for Allah’s cause.
“We need to send out more suicide bombers.” Kamal’s dry throat burned with each word he spoke.
“We’ve already sent every man we can spare.” Raja ran his tongue over his chapped upper lip.
A house exploded into flame on their right and the dust of pulverized concrete blew in the suffocating breeze. A headache pounded through Kamal’s head, which even the aspirin he’d dry-swallowed couldn’t take the edge off. “We will send our wives and daughters. In normal cases, Allah does not wish for women to fight, but surely this is an exception.”
“That’s brilliant.” Raja twisted to Kamal. “I’ll send Ava.”
“I’ve already made the explosive vests. The women can hide them beneath their abayas.” Ahead of Kamal, Raja’s neighborhood rose amidst the all-pervasive smoke. The houses appeared to still stand and coalition forces didn’t fill the streets yet. He had a cardboard box full of explosive vests tucked away in the hunchback mosque.
The other mujahideen nodded as they recognized Allah’s benevolence in Kamal’s words. Good.
Raja shifted his AK-47’s strap on his shoulder. “You have spoken well. I will go get my wife.”
Ring. Joe’s number popped on the phone’s screen.
Kaleb grabbed for the cell as a building exploded fifty feet away in the direction of Ava’s house, blocking the road. “Hey! When are the airstrikes calming down? I can’t even make it to get Ava.”
“Stay put.” Joe’s voice was hard.
“This place is a death trap. I had a building explode on me today and there’s no more food.” He needed to get Ava and Jessica out of here. He motioned to Jessica and pounded down an alley between two apartment complexes, which hopefully wouldn’t crumble in the next five minutes.
“You’re still alive. The smuggler along with the Yazidi women and all the children are dead. Coalition forces shot them accidentally. ISIS has sent so many suicide bombers, coalition forces shoot at anything that moves.”
Kaleb’s hand went numb. The phone felt cold against his fingers. The little Yazidi boy had bounced a ball to him. The toddler had tried to drown himself in the toilet. Jessica had defended the little girl. Were they really all dead? Kaleb stared at the Arabic graffiti on the wall in front of him. He swallowed hard.
“From here on out, the airstrikes only increase. I did tell you that you were going into a death trap, Kaleb. I’m so sorry.” The line crackled.
“Joe!” An explosion sounded to the right. Electric flames shot across the wires. The houses’ lights flickered and extinguished. The line went dead. Another cell tower erupted from the earth. The metal speared the ground. Kaleb stuffed the phone into his pocket as the sizzling smell of electrical fire spread through the air.
“Look,” Jessica pointed to the last image of the map on her Android. “Ava’s house is just around the bend.”
The constant whine and crash of bullets sounded from only a street or two away as Jessica switched to her other foot in front of Raja’s house. Kaleb kept pounding on the door, raising a ruckus to rival the gunshots. “Open up, Ava,” he yelled again. No answer.
Curtains covered the windows in the rest of the street, giving no evidence if the occupants had already fled or not.
Now was their chance. The coalition forces and safety were right where those bullets were coming from, but how did they cross the frontline without getting shot themselves?
“Ava, it’s Kaleb. Open up.” Kaleb rammed his shoulder against the door.
Had she already left? Had Raja taken her somewhere else?
“That does it. I’m breaking in.” Grabbing a flagstone off the walkway, Kaleb hurled it through the window. The glass shattered against the closed curtain.
A little cry came from inside. Ava poked her head out of the broken glass.
“Why didn’t you open the blasted door?” Kaleb’s gaze clashed against his little sister’s.
Ava’s voice quavered. “Raja told me not to let anyone in while he’s gone.”
Mouth turning down, Kaleb muttered things under his breath that sounded like curse words as Ava moved away from the curtain. In a moment, the door opened from the inside.
Pushing past his sister, Kaleb ripped open the closet door and grabbed an armful of abayas and veils. “Quick, we’re getting you out of here.”
Ava stepped back against the curtain to the women’s quarters. “Raja will be angry if I leave without telling him.”
“Let the pedophile rage.” Kaleb grabbed his sister’s hand.
Ava ripped away from him and plunged through the curtain. Jessica followed her. In the sitting room where she and Ava had drunk lemonade only days ago, Ava threw herself down on the couch and started bawling. Her tears rolled over the new bruise on her right cheek.
“Ava. Come on! We don’t have time for this.” Kaleb screamed at his sister in a way that would not gain compliance from the frightened girl. He grabbed his sister’s hand again.
“Let me.” Jessica touched Kaleb’s arm. With a quick shake of her head, she motioned him away.
Kaleb dropped back.
“Listen to me, Ava.” Jessica knelt beside the couch, voice a whisper. “I know you’re scared.”
Ava bobbed her jaw up, then down, waggling the roll of fat beneath her chin. “The airstrikes keep coming. America’s legit murdering us. I freaking hate that I was born in that evil country.” She clenched both hands against her stomach.
Had Ava been alone all night in this house as the walls shook and ceilings crumbled?
“Ava! The U.S. are the good guys. ISIS is the terrorists.” Kaleb’s voice shook plaster dust loose from the broken chandelier. Half a board of drywall sagged from the ceiling, evidence of the airstrikes.
“That’s Western propaganda!” Ava leaped to her fe
et. She groaned and bent over double, clenching her stomach.
Rushing to her side, Jessica grabbed the teen’s arm. Ava dropped back on the couch. Her jean skirt rode up her sturdy thighs with the motion, revealing another bruise on her right leg.
“Did Raja give that to you?”
“He kicked me. My stomach hurts so bad now.” Ava dug both fists into her abdomen, the folds of skin puffing out on either side.
Jessica pressed the girl’s hand between both of hers. “Your brother and I are going to keep you safe. You just need to come with us. Okay?”
With a little hiccup, Ava looked up at her. “Okay.” The girl slowly stood.
Jessica glanced to Kaleb. He looked like he had a thousand things he’d like to say, but he kept his mouth firmly shut and extended the abaya robes to Ava.
A moan came from Ava’s mouth. “I feel sick.”
Probably morning sickness.
“Come on, Sis. You can lean on me.” Kaleb wrapped his arm around Ava’s waist and she started hobbling toward the curtain that separated the front of the house from the women’s quarters.
From the size of that bruise on her thigh, Ava must be sore, and being in the nauseous stage of pregnancy didn’t help one’s endurance. How were they going to run across the frontlines without catching a bullet at this pace?
As she reached for her face veil, Jessica caught Kaleb’s gaze.
Pounding footsteps sounded at the front of the house. Voices rose from the streets. “Ava. Ava!” called a man’s voice. Raja. Jessica’s heart dropped to her stomach.
Ava froze. “It’s my husband.”
“Where are you, Ava?” Raja called. “I’m taking you to the hunchback mosque.”
“Stay here.” Jessica said in a whisper and inched the women’s quarters’ curtain open one slit. She raised her AK-47 and leveled the barrel for a point-blank shot.
“Are you going to shoot him?” Ava clenched Kaleb’s arm as both brother and sister looked to her.
“Yes,” Jessica said.
With a scream, Ava ripped away from Kaleb and ran through the curtain into the dining room.
Kaleb grabbed for Ava too late.
“I was so worried about you. I saw the broken window. Are you safe?” Raja clasped Ava’s hand.
Ava threw her arms around Raja, blocking any hope of a good shot. “My brother broke it. He and his wife tried to abduct me. They said you were a terrorist.” Mucous dribbled down Ava’s upper lip as she clung to the man, her substantial curves slammed right into the sights of Jessica’s AK-47.
“She’s literally out there betraying us.” Kaleb stared through the slit in the curtain. The warmth of his arm pressed against Jessica’s as they stood side by side.
“Cover yourself. I’m getting you out of here.” Raja threw a face veil over Ava’s chubby cheeks and the black fell over her face, turning the child into a woman grown. He swung his AK-47 off his shoulder and eyed the thin curtain.
Ava twisted. “Come on out, Kaleb and Jessica.” She protected Raja with her body, her hand on his arm.
Behind her, Raja leveled his AK-47. “Yes, come out my brother.” His voice had an edge.
Behind the curtain, Kaleb whirled to Jessica. “Give me the gun.” He grabbed the stock of the AK-47.
“If I shoot Raja, I could hit Ava. What do you want me to do?” Jessica pointed to Raja through the slit in the curtain as more ISIS soldiers burst through the house’s front door. The men scattered at Raja’s command, looking for them.
Kaleb dropped his hand from the weapon. She let the AK-47 slide to the ground as the ISIS mujahideen burst into the women’s quarters and grabbed Kaleb and her.
“What are you doing here?” An ISIS soldier threw Kaleb into the front dining area. His elbows hit the floor as his chin smashed against tile.
Another man grabbed her elbow. Disregarding ISIS’s modesty rules, he shoved a pistol against her head.
The floor rocked as Jessica sensed the metallic taste of fear.
Kaleb rolled away from the ISIS soldier and leaped for the man’s knife. A boot caught his stomach, knocking him off balance.
The cold metal of an AK-47 barrel pressed against his ear. An ISIS soldier, Kamal he’d heard the man called, curled his finger around the trigger.
Death flashed before Kaleb’s eyes.
Raja grabbed Kamal’s arm. “He is my brother-in-law.” Shoving the ISIS soldier aside, Raja took Kaleb’s hand and pulled him to a stand. “Also, he’s the only doctor in the city, and we have dozens of wounded. Do not act so hastily.”
Jerking his hand out of Raja’s, Kaleb darted his gaze around the room. AK-47s were everywhere. Ava pressed back against a chest of drawers, none of her face visible behind the black. Jessica stood weaponless, surrounded by ISIS soldiers. They couldn’t run.
Clearing his throat, Kaleb met the gaze of his pedophile-in-law. “You are right, my brother. This is all a mistake. I was merely trying to get my sister to safety at the hunchback mosque before the evil coalition forces overran your house.”
“Good.” Eyes narrow, Raja made a sharp gesture at Ava and his sister walked over broken glass toward the front door. “Your wife will go with mine to the hunchback mosque. I will ensure their safety there.”
They’d never escape surrounded by ISIS soldiers at the mosque! Kaleb cast a glance back at Jessica. She stood mute, shrouded in black, gloved fingers locked around each other.
“Why haven’t you been at the hospital these past days?” Raja’s accusing voice rose loud. “The translator texted you often.”
Kaleb froze. Had they found the translator’s corpse? “I, um, lost track of time.”
With a cry, Ava stumbled. She grabbed for the door handle. Her head smashed against the ground.
No! Kaleb leaped toward her. Falling to his knees beside Ava, he ripped off her face veil. Her eyes were glazed, but she appeared conscious. “How are you feeling?”
Ava moaned. “I’m so dizzy and my stomach hurts.” She looked ready to slip into unconsciousness.
Scrambling past loaded AK-47 barrels for his medical bag, Kaleb yanked out a water bottle. He tore off the cap. “Drink something, Ava.”
“I can’t.” With a groan, she threw the bottle away from her. “It’s Ramadan.”
“You’re freaking pregnant.” Kaleb sprang for the bottle before all the precious liquid spilled out against the floor. “If you don’t drink—”
“Don’t give my wife water.” Raja kicked the bottle across the ground. “She will fast as Allah commands.” He jerked her face veil back down, blocking off oxygen—perfect treatment for a fainting episode.
“I’m a doctor. She’s got classic heat exhaustion signs.” Turning his back on Raja, Kaleb pushed up the sleeve of Ava’s robe and felt for her pulse. She was sweating, so heat exhaustion hadn’t turned to heat stroke yet. If she could get hydrated, she should regain her strength. The abdominal pain was probably from the combination of pregnancy and fasting.
“Allah is God. That is far above mere medicine.” Raja grabbed Ava’s arm and heaved her to a stand. The other soldiers swung the barrels of their AK-47s toward him.
The #### imbeciles. Grabbing for the bottle, Kaleb stood and thrust the water into Jessica’s gloved hand. Somebody was going to be #### hydrated in this death cult.
Jessica tucked the bottle underneath her robes. One person who actually respected that he had a medical degree and that one hundred and twenty-degree heat combined with not drinking for sixteen hours could cause lethal heat stroke.
“I will take the women to the mosque.” Eyes narrow, Raja pointed to another ISIS soldier. “Escort our brother to the hospital to save our mujahideen.”
With a click, an ISIS soldier tightened handcuffs around Kaleb’s wrists. Grabbing his arm, the soldier forced him to watch as Raja the Pedophile led his sister, and the woman who’d risked her life trying to help him save Ava, out into the street as airstrikes pelted the city.
How long until Raja traced
Omar’s cell phone and found the dead bodies? Kaleb tried to curse, but the words refused to move to his numb lips.
CHAPTER 21
The hunchback mosque’s leaning minaret towered several hundred meters in front of them. Jessica held onto Ava’s arm as an ISIS soldier hurried them along. Her shoulder went numb, but still Ava leaned ever more heavily on her. She struggled to keep the girl upright. Ava cried out as she clenched her stomach.
Mortars exploded overhead. The smoke and smell of gunpowder pervaded the air. The steady popcorn noise of bullets hitting concrete pounded around them. A buzzing noise sounded. Raja and the rest of the men rushed ahead through the mosque’s doors to safety, for the Americans would never send an airstrike against a mosque.
With a moan, Ava collapsed on the side of the street. Jessica’s knee hit the road as Ava’s weight fell on her.
“Hurry.” The last ISIS guard motioned with his AK-47.
“Help me,” Jessica yelled as she struggled to a stand. She wrapped both arms beneath Ava’s shoulders. She heaved up. She couldn’t move the girl!
The buzzing grew louder.
“It is haram forbidden to touch a woman.” The ISIS guard yelled and sprinted toward the mosque. A ball of flame hit the street. The soldier’s limbs flew in different directions as the blast launched his body into the air.
Concrete dust smashed against Jessica’s face. Ava grunted.
Knees to her chest, Ava huddled in the cave of debris. Jessica yanked her toward a slab of broken concrete that added some measure of safety. More drones buzzed overhead.
A tremor ran through the entire road, cracking the pavement down the center. The high-rises above them quavered. Concrete blocks crashed against debris as the top story of the block of flats caved in. Thirty centimeters in front of them, a dining room table -sized chunk of concrete smashed against the pavement. Air from the impact blew back Jessica’s face veil.
Veiled by Choice (Radical Book 3) Page 17