‘Let me go,’ screamed the Sheikh. ‘You have the woman, I have the money. It is a fair deal.’
‘You asked to leave with us and that is what you will do,’ Adeel said.
‘Put him in the back and restrain him,’ Abdullah said.
‘I will find my own way out of the country. Let me go.’
‘Is this gratitude after we offered you a free plane flight to wherever you wanted to go?’ Saleh smirked.
‘I do not need your flight. I can make my own arrangements.’
‘No, it is our honour to assist you with your newfound wealth.’ As difficult as their situation was, Saleh still saw the humour in the Sheikh’s predicament.
‘Where to now? Have you driven us down a false road?’ Abdullah asked.
‘No,’ replied the Sheikh. ‘This is the correct road to the airport. I swear it.’ He was, by now, in great fear of his life. He had seen through their plan. If they could have his money and the Prince could have the woman, then what need was his to him?
‘I don’t trust him,’ Saleh said.
‘Neither do I,’ Abdullah agreed. ‘What should we do with him to ensure he tells us the truth?’
‘Make sure he cannot run away again. Adeel, incapacitate him.’
Without hesitation, and without deviating from his driving, Adeel swung round and shot the Sheikh in the ankle.
‘You barbarian,’ Fatima screamed. Kate stared vaguely into space.
‘Where to, Sheikh? Or else he will shoot you in the other ankle,’ Saleh asked.
The Sheikh, in severe pain, responded weakly. ‘Stay on this road.’
‘For how long?’
‘Three or four kilometres, and then the road will veer into Boulevard de Strasbourg.’
‘And then?’
‘You come to a roundabout. Take the third exit.’
‘What’s the name of the road?’
‘Rue 1011. It will take you directly to the airport.’
‘I hope you are not lying, or you will be shot again.’
‘It is the truth. Please, leave me here.’
‘We will let you go when we are safely at the airport,’ Abdullah said. ‘The Prince will not appreciate your blood in his aircraft.
Sheikh Idriss had told the truth and, within fifteen minutes, they reached the airport.
‘What about him?’ Saleh gestured towards the Sheikh.
‘It would be best if we do not kill him here,’ replied Abdullah. ‘At this moment we have not committed any violence in this country. We will take him with us.’
Abdullah turned and looked at Fatima. ‘You! Tend to his wounds. Make sure he is not going to mess the Prince’s jet with his bleeding. And tell him to shut up moaning or I will have him gagged.’
‘I will do as you say,’ Fatima responded. He was her husband or had been. Degenerate, worthy only of contempt, she could still feel some affection. She could still reflect on their early years together, still remember the love that they had once felt for each other. She would do what she could to ease his suffering.
***
Phil’s reinforcements at the compound presented themselves. ‘Captain Ambrose Oyekan of the Nigerian Army at your service. We are here to assist.’ A tall, distinguished and exceptionally sturdy soldier stood to attention and saluted him.
‘Pleased to meet you,’ Phil said.
‘Do we have the authority of the Chadian government to conduct a military activity outside of the airport?’ asked the captain.
‘They gave us permission to enter their airspace, not necessarily to fight in the suburbs.’
‘If the local people see us in Nigerian Army uniform, they will become hostile. They may end up assisting those holding the compound and our women.’
‘It is a distinct possibility. It may be best if I make a phone call, and see what can be done.’ Phil said.
‘We want our women. We don’t want to be fighting and possibly killing innocent locals. The implications are too severe to imagine.’
Phil had not thought through this scenario before. He had initially planned an entry by stealth. Now it was apparent there was going to be a battle, and that the neighbourhood would be roused. Unimpeded, they would soon gather to look, and the sight of the uniform of a foreign country would rile.
He called Steve. ‘What is the situation with the Chadian military? Are they going to help us at the compound?’
‘Do you need help?’ asked Steve. ‘I thought it was going to be straightforward.’
‘That was the plan.’
‘The plan has changed?’
‘Correct. We’ll talk later as to why.’
‘If you need their military, I’ll call Ahmed and see what he can arrange.’
‘Thanks.’
‘What is the situation on the ground?’ Steve asked.
‘I have five locals as well as Captain Oyekan of the Nigerian Army with two of his men. They are in military fatigues.’
‘I see the problem,’ said Steve. ‘Nigerian military attacking a compound, the locals won’t understand.’
‘Precisely, how soon can Ahmed get some of his country’s military here to assist?’ asked Phil.
‘Let me phone him. I’ll get back to you in five minutes.’
Steve ended the call and immediately phoned Ahmed. ‘Ahmed, Phil is at the compound. He is with some Nigerian commandos. It is likely to be a gunfight. We need Chadian military personnel there. Otherwise, there will be an international incident.’
‘I understand. I have a good friend at a local military post. I should be able to get people in uniform there quickly. Will that be okay?’
‘That will be fine. They don’t need to take part in the attack, just to be present.’
Steve then made contact with Phil again.
‘Phil, ten to fifteen minutes, is that okay?’
‘Fine, we will wait.’
True to his word, within twelve minutes a Toyota pickup truck with four soldiers in the back arrived.
‘Lieutenant Mahamat Oueddei at your service. I am informed that the President of Chad has accorded you his full support and assistance.’
‘That is correct, although we did not expect to be engaged in a gunfight.’ replied Phil.
‘I am told that you come from Australia, but you have the appearance of a Chadian.’
‘It’s just a skill I’ve picked up over the years.’
‘What do you require from us?’
‘Purely to keep the people in the area calm. If they see Captain Oyekan and his soldiers in Nigerian military uniform attacking the Sheikh’s compound, they may get violent.’
‘May I ask what the purpose is? What is of interest in the compound?’ asked Lieutenant Oueddei.
‘The Sheikh has been indulging in slavery. Buying women from Boko Haram and selling them to whoever will pay.’
‘A distasteful business. It will reflect badly on my country.’
‘Your President has given us his full cooperation. The people of Chad will be able to show the world that they regard the activities of the Sheikh as abhorrent.’
‘It will still reflect badly.’
‘There are probably ten to twelve Nigerian women still in the compound. It is for us to free them and to send them back home.’
‘We will secure the neighbourhood. I will ensure that the local police block the roads in the vicinity and that they keep the locals at a safe distance. Is there anything else you need?’
‘A bus to transport the women to the airport would be appreciated.’
‘I will see what I can organise.’
Time was no longer the issue. It was necessary for Phil to calm the situation, to let the guards at the compound believe that they were safe, to lull them into a state of complacency.
Forty minutes later, Lieutenant Oueddei updated Phil. ‘The main roads into the area are effectively closed. The police will be moving through the streets in the immediate vicinity dealing with any people who venture out.’
; ‘Thank you,’ replied Phil. ‘Captain Oyekan? I am going over the wall in five minutes. Can you get the guards at the entrance distracted?’
‘We will do that.’
‘Any assistance required from my men?’ Lieutenant Oueddei asked.
‘Just be visible,’ said Phil. ‘Captain Oyekan is well briefed and it is his country’s women that he is rescuing. I would not wish you or your people to be harmed.’
Five minutes later and Phil was over the wall, the same spot as before, the same dogs who found the juicy steaks to their liking. This time they would not stir from their sleep.
Two guards prowled the grounds while two more were asleep in a quiet corner. With little hesitation, Phil systematically eliminated all four with a knife in the back, a hand over the mouth, and a tight cord around the neck.
‘Four removed inside the compound,’ he whispered into the two-way radio.
‘Inform when the women are found,’ Captain Oyekan responded.
‘Will do.’
Phil slowly and stealthily moved around the compound until he reached the women’s quarters. As he attempted to enter, a woman screamed out in a shrill voice. He had momentarily forgotten that it was not only the Nigerian women in the compound; there were the Sheikh’s other wives and their children.
‘Attack now!’ Phil issued the command.
There were only six guards remaining, and two of them were heading towards him. He quickly dispatched one with the pistol he always carried, the other he missed. The guard was strong and determined. Phil was taking a savage beating and close to exhaustion when Captain Oyekan came up behind the guard and struck him hard across the back of his head with the butt of a rifle.
‘Thanks, he was tough.’ said Phil.
‘Glad to be of service,’ the captain answered, pleased that the four guards had been dispatched in a timely manner at the entrance with no injuries to his men.
‘I heard the shooting. How did it go?’ asked Phil.
‘We’re okay. One guard did a run for it, the other three we killed.’
‘What’s it like out of the road?’
‘We didn’t stop to look. Lieutenant Oueddei is dealing with it. Where are the women?’
‘Round the back, according to what Fatima told me.’
As soon as Phil had recovered slightly, they moved around the back to where the women were.
‘Stand back,’ Captain Oyekan said to the women. ‘I am going to break the lock.’
‘Please get us out of here.’ Victoria cried in tears of fear and joy.
‘Come out into the open,’ Phil said. ‘Do we have transport?’ he asked of the Nigerian Captain.
‘I’ll check with Oueddei.’
‘Thank you for rescuing us,’ Aisha said. ‘Where is Kate?’
‘We are attempting to rescue her now.’
‘And Helen?’
‘She is fine. She is with her parents in Maiduguri.’
It was left to Phil to inform Steve of the situation. ‘We have the Nigerian women.’
‘How many?’ asked Steve.
‘Twelve.’
‘Are they able to travel?’
‘I think so. Badly shaken up, but they look okay.’
‘Do you have transport?’
‘We soon will,’ said Phil. ‘We had some assistance from the Chadian Army. They will organise transport.’
Phil made contact with Harry.
‘Harry, we have twelve Nigerian women.’
‘Any trouble?’
‘It was okay. We killed nine guards, but we are all fine.’
‘The women, how are they?’ asked Harry.
‘They should be at the airport within the hour. How about Kate and Fatima?’
‘They’re at the airport, arrived some time ago. The Sheikh is with them. He appears to be in a bad way.’
‘Where are you?’
‘We should be entering the airport in the next few minutes.’
***
The Prince’s jet was a scene of utter panic and fear. ‘Has the plane been refuelled?’ Abdullah asked as soon as he reached the plane.
‘Not yet,’ the pilot replied.
‘Why not?’
‘They said they were coming, but they had some mechanical issues with the truck.’
‘I don’t believe it. How much fuel do we have?’
‘Not enough to get to Saudi. We would have to refuel in the Sudan on the way.’
‘Is that possible?’
‘Possibly,’ said the pilot, ‘but the fuel supply is unreliable. We may land and be stuck on the ground for a day or so while they find some fuel for us.’
‘That’s no use,’ said Abdullah. ‘Besides, I don’t want our cargo waking up, or being seen by prying eyes. Once we leave here, this plane’s details will be relayed to all the police and government agencies in the region.’
‘I’m sure the reason for the tanker delay is not a mechanical problem,’ the pilot said.
‘They’re being paid to go slow,’ said Abdullah. ‘Why didn’t you bribe them?’
‘We tried, but we didn’t have enough money.’
‘Give them what they want! Just make sure to get that tanker over to the plane.’
The fuel tanker crew and their boss had acted on the request of a Chadian Air Force officer previously. The pilot of the Prince’s jet conducted his request with twenty crisp fifty dollar notes, a thousand dollars; the Chadian military officer didn’t have a chance. Five minutes later and the plane was receiving sufficient fuel to make the four thousand kilometre trip to Riyadh.
‘Get everyone on board,’ Saleh shouted. ‘We’re leaving.’
‘We need clearance before departing,’ the pilot said.
‘Forget it; just get us out of here.’
Adeel dragged the Sheikh onto the plane. Fatima helped Kate up the steps, a gun pointing straight at her back. She had seen the furious activity over near the helicopters on the other side of the apron. She was sure they were there to rescue Kate.
‘They had some trucks across the apron to block us,’ the pilot said. ‘They were forced to remove them when an Egypt Air Airbus came in from Cairo.’
‘Get us out of here quickly before they block again,’ Abdullah shouted.
Over by the helicopters, Captain Déby saw clearly the changing situation. ‘How long before you are here?’
‘Six minutes,’ replied Harry. ‘What’s the situation?’
‘They’ve got fuel. They’re preparing to leave.’
‘How did they get fuel?’
‘They must have bribed someone sufficiently well.’
‘Have you blocked their exit?’ asked Harry.
‘We had some trucks in front of them, but they were removed by the Airport Authority.’
‘Block them again quick,’ ordered Harry. ‘Move up one of the helicopters, land at their front.’
‘We’re already planning to do that,’ said Captain Déby, ‘and I’ve got some more trucks moving into position. The only problem is that it is a busy time at the airport. There are four planes scheduled to leave within the next thirty minutes, one is an Air France Airbus departing for Paris, the other three into the Middle East.’
‘Hem in the Prince’s jet. I don’t care what you do. Shoot the tyres out if you have to.’
The Prince’s jet, engines now running, prepared to move forward. Ignoring any instructions to the contrary, it came close to touching wings with a flight from Abu Dhabi that was taxiing to disembarkation after landing.
‘Captain Déby, have you managed to halt the plane?’ Harry asked anxiously after a couple of minutes. ‘We’re here at the entrance, but now the local police have woken up. They realise something is going on, so they are stopping all the traffic. We are having difficulties. I’ve got seven guys in Nigerian military uniforms and the police are waving their guns at us.’
‘I thought you had a police escort?’ replied Captain Déby.
‘We do, and they’re now arguing with the
police at the roadblock.’
‘I’m not sure how this can be resolved,’ said the captain ‘We’ll not stop the jet leaving at this rate; they only need to throw enough money around.’
‘The helicopter – where is it?’
‘They started shooting at its fuel tank with a semi-automatic,’ The Captain replied. ‘We had to move out of their way.’
‘The only way we’ll get onto the airfield is if the Chadian Army come and fetch us,’ Harry said.
‘You had some assistance down at the compound. Isn’t that correct?’
‘Yes, we did. How we are going to get anymore now is difficult. We’re hemmed in by traffic.’
‘The airport is also a military base. We could get someone from there.’
‘I’ll phone our friend Ahmed again.’ Harry said. ‘We’re stuck outside the airport, and the police are very nervous. Seven soldiers, heavily armed in the uniform of a foreign power, and the police are freaking out. I can’t blame them really, but we need to get on to the airport apron within the next few minutes otherwise the Prince’s plane will take off.’
‘I’ll phone the base. By the way, the President of Chad is aware of what is happening. He has issued a presidential command to all Chadian military forces to assist. Expect help within ten minutes.’
‘It may be too late,’
Harry immediately phoned Phil after ending his conversation with Ahmed. ‘We can’t get to the airport. Your Chadian officer, can he get some help to us? Ahmed is doing what he can. We have the necessary authority to get what help we require. Only problem is, it’s not where it is needed.’
‘I’ll ask him to do what he can. We are on our way to the airport with a police escort. Give us sixty, maybe ninety minutes. We are not hurrying; some of the Nigerian girls are showing signs of shock. Flashing Sirens may be too much for them right now.’
Harry then phoned Captain Déby for an update ‘Captain, what is the situation?’
‘The plane is temporarily blocked; I’ve got some trucks in its way. There is an Air France flight leaving in fifteen minutes, and the airport authority will release the Prince’s jet before then.’
‘There is a presidential command if we need to use it,’ said Harry.
Terrorist: Three Book Boxed Set Page 92