by J Randall
“I’m going to contact Holden and inform him that we found them. Try and get some water into him.”
She reached Holden on the satellite phone and gave him the news. She read him the coordinates displayed on her GPS. “Be careful of the sand—it’s treacherous.”
Then she and Nigel sat next to the driver and waited.
* * *
Before the three Land Rovers came into view the sound of their engines alerted the two operatives to someone’s approach.
Driving slowly across the sand, Bill was ecstatic to see the two people aiming their weapons at him as he approached.
As the lead vehicle stopped, Bill jumped out with his arms raised above his head and said, “I’m Holden,” then continued in their direction.
Gloria and Nigel lowered and holstered their weapons.
“What took you so long?” Gloria said with a smile warm enough to melt a small iceberg. “We thought we would have to dig this out ourselves.”
Bill knelt on the ground next to Derrick Willy and checked his pulse and breathing. Seeing that Derrick was stable, he went to the other inspectors and greeted each one with a gentle hug.
Their condition caused tears to stream down his face as he knelt and spoke to each man. All of the inspectors were there—except for Billy Dumont.
Bill hurried to the other side of the vehicle, thinking one of his men could have moved him.
Lawrence Paisley said, “He isn’t here, Bill. We’ve already searched the plot, but Billy’s nowhere to be seen. I’m sure Derrick would have brought him if he was with the others.”
Feeling anxious, Bill strode back to where Gloria and Nigel were quietly standing.
“Ms. Caruthers, I assume?” he said, wiping the moisture off his face.
“I’m indeed very pleased to meet you.” Gloria extended her hand, but was surprised when Bill leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.
Bill gave his attention to Nigel and extended his hand. “Sir, whom do I have the pleasure of thanking?”
Nigel in his turn was surprised by the boldness and civility of the man standing before him. “Nigel Porter, sir, at your service.”
“Did either of you see a man along the way when you were following the Land Rover?”
“No, is someone missing?” asked Gloria.
“One of our inspectors—Billy Dumont.”
“Was he with the others?” asked Nigel.
“I don’t know. I guess we’ll have to wait until Derrick can talk. Mr. Porter, you have performed a service today that won’t be forgotten for a long time.”
Bill noticed that his men were hooking the winches from two of the Land Rovers to the mired vehicle. “I suggest we get moving. These men need medical attention and this isn’t on my top ten list of most hospitable vacation spots to visit.”
“Mr. Holden,” said Gloria, “we’re not officially in Iraq, which could cause some difficulty if we showed up in Baghdad.”
“Ms. Caruthers, the name’s Bill.” He looked at her more closely and for the first time noticed her figure under the camouflage uniform.
“Bill, the name’s Gloria,” she shot back with a smile, appreciating more and more the man standing before her. “We’ll arrange a pickup, but not before the sun goes down.”
“I won’t hear of it. Neither of you will have any problems in Baghdad. The Republican Guard has declared us persona non grata and refuses to have anything to do with us.
“At a minimum I offer both of you a warm bath, clean clothes and a hot meal at our compound. We’ll arrange transportation out of country. I’m sure Walter Terrance would expect no less of me.”
“We accept,” said Nigel before Gloria—who was considering the prospects of a bath—could utter a word.
When the Land Rover was free of the sand the men rearranged the missing inspectors amongst the four vehicles, topped off the fuel tanks and headed toward Ar Rutbah.
CHAPTER 23: AR RUTBAH ENCOUNTER
THE FOUR TRUCKS with the two Shiite clerics and their drivers exited the highway and headed into the Syrian Desert.
Ehab Al-Zibri raised his coarse black eyebrows and shifted his head toward the Imam, who was sitting next to him in the lead truck. “The blue hat vehicles we passed…?”
“Yes, you would ask something?” the Imam replied quietly.
“Do you think they know about their brothers in the cave?”
“I cannot say for sure, but I doubt it. Perhaps they are searching for them. They have so many motor vehicles, it is hard to tell why those might have been here.
“Anyway, it is the will of Allah. We can do nothing but work to fulfill the Prophecy.”
Ehab thought for a moment. “In doing Allah’s bidding we must be vigilant and ready to deal with all situations.”
“I agree, brother, and so we shall.”
The face of the Imam displayed the ridges and creases of a life simply led. He was a religious leader for the clerics and other faithful who followed the Shiite teaching at a mosque in Baghdad.
The path of the four vehicles took them west as the sinking sun cast long shadows that caught and passed the following vehicles until they all drove in complete darkness.
Three months earlier the senior cleric in Mecca had notified the Imam of the Cave of a wonderful discovery. One of the mosque’s faithful, an amateur religious archaeologist, had found a cave in an out of the way part of the desert around Mecca. The senior cleric believed that it was the cave where much of the Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.
They drove a dozen silent kilometers before Ehab said, “I’m not questioning your decision to travel to Saudi Arabia, but don’t you have doubts?”
The Imam calmly faced Ehab. “I always have doubts and I always pray for guidance—as I have in this matter. Allah has given me no reason to think that the clerics in Mecca are wrong.”
The four trucks continued into the night toward the ‘false cave,’ as they now referred to the cave to which the faithful believed Allah had led the Imam three years earlier. The trucks followed the route that the Imam and Ehab knew well from their many journeys to and from the cave under the blessing of darkness.
As the first truck’s headlights framed the cave’s entrance, the Imam and Ehab could see that its doors were wide open. In the darkness the entrance to the cave appeared to the masons like the mouth of a dragon, inviting anyone who dared to enter and be eaten.
The Imam took the precaution of assuming that if there were intruders, they were still inside. He gathered three of the drivers handy with the nerve agent, extracted three canisters from a compartment in his truck and handed one to each.
The three drivers, all taller than the five and a half foot man who was their religious leader, waited patiently for his guidance.
“Brothers, I do not have any masks to give you, because they are in the cave, so I will ask you to do something for our cause. You must enter and find the intruders, if they remain there. Use the agent if there is no other way to subdue them.”
The three men nodded then willingly pushed forward into the darkness. They knew of no greater service than complete devotion to the Imam of the Cave.
Thirty minutes later the drivers returned.
“We found no one but the caregivers. They are tied up in the back of the front chamber. The infidels are gone.”
The drivers drove the trucks into the cave and closed the doors.
The Imam and the cleric from Jordan inventoried the equipment and found that a Land Rover was missing. At the back of the cavern they found the two caregivers, still bound and lying on their stomachs.
Aamir and Hisham began sobbing. “He has taken our babies and we could do nothing.”
As the two men were untied, they prostrated themselves in front of the clerics.
“Who took them?” asked Ehab.
“One of our babies.”
“How is it possible? They were less than children. You fed and cleaned them. They were incapable of speech. How could this happen?”<
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Aamir was frightened. “We don’t know the answer. He woke us during the day. He had a gun. He spoke to us in our language, though he was hard to understand. He made me bind Hisham then he did the same to me. He gave us water before he fled. We heard him leave.”
The Imam’s gaze went to Ehab. “Allah has answered my prayers and confirmed my decision. We will leave after the sun goes down tomorrow.”
CHAPTER 24: OUT OF THE DESERT
THE FIVE LAND ROVERS’ arrival at the BMVC compound in the evening created a flurry of activity. Bill had contacted the communications center when they were within an hour of the compound. He notified them that he was bringing in the missing inspectors and requested that medical personnel be standing by.
The inspectors were taken to the dispensary where they were going to be examined. Bill accompanied them and had a private chat with Berry Winslow, the UN doctor.
“Berry, I need to tell you something, but you have to keep it to yourself—I can’t afford to create a panic among the UN personnel. The inspectors were exposed to a type of agent and they are mentally incapacitated. They can’t speak or understand language or do much more than an infant could do.”
“What type of agent?”
“I honestly can’t say, but there are people at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta working to get answers as we speak. I can tell you that the men aren’t contagious and won’t affect anyone who’s exposed to them.
“Your people will need to feed and clean them, as they would babies, until we arrange a medical flight back to the States. Derrick Willy alone appears okay, with the exception of the heat prostration.
“I want you to contact New York and talk to this man. He’ll brief you.”
Bill reached into his shirt pocket then handed Dr. Winslow a piece of paper with the name and secure telephone number of the UNSCOM executive chairman.
“Berry, one more thing—send someone for me when Derrick’s awake.”
Bill made several phone calls then went to the guest quarters, where he was to meet with Gloria and Nigel. They had been given VIP suites reserved for Mr. Bittermann and his deputy during their infrequent visits.
In answer to his knock on the door he heard a female voice say, “Come in.”
He owed more than he could ever repay to the two people sitting before him. “I hope you two have been treated well—we owe you so much.”
“Nonsense,” Nigel replied. “We did what we could. Everything’s superb. If we hadn’t met up with you in the desert, we would be having cold rations and waiting on a helicopter to resupply us.”
“Gloria, have you contacted Mr. Terrance?” Bill had contacted Mr. Bittermann from the desert shortly after picking up the missing inspectors, to put the rescue of the men on record in case anything should happen on the trip to Baghdad.
“Yes, I reached him in London. Gave him a detailed report. I’m sure there’s more you could tell him.”
Bill nodded and started to turn. “I’ll let you catch up on a well deserved rest. We’ll talk in the morning about transportation out of country.”
He padded tiredly to the canteen and the meal he hoped a cook was keeping for him.
CHAPTER 25: UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
BILL AWOKE and glanced at the windup Big Ben sitting on the maple nightstand that his predecessor had left behind. The hands pointed to 7:20.
His first stop was the dispensary.
Derrick Willy was still unconscious, with an IV stuck in his arm.
Dr. Winslow walked into the dispensary and over to where Bill was looking down at Derrick.
“Derrick’ll be fine. We need to let him rest and replace the fluids and electrolytes he’s lost…I can’t explain the condition of the rest of your men.”
“Thanks, Berry, I appreciate everything you and your staff are doing.”
Bill’s next stop was the communications center, where he contacted New York before heading to the canteen.
He waved to a couple of inspectors who had accompanied him on the trip into the desert, then headed to the table where Gloria and Nigel sat eating breakfast.
Bill poured a cup of coffee from the warmer sitting on the table. “I find it hard to believe that a woman as pretty as you isn’t surrounded by half the men in the compound.”
Nigel explained, “She was, but one of your men—I think his name is Big Bob—chased them away so she could eat before it got cold.”
Bill smiled with pleasure at the image. “About your flight. We have a United Nations C-130 Hercules arriving today at Saddam International Airport. At 1300 hours. I’m afraid it’s the best I’m capable of on such short notice.”
He took a sip of the strong black coffee.
Nigel asked, “What’s the destination, Bill?”
“You’ll stop in Izmir, Turkey for fuel then on to Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany. Someone from the British Embassy will meet you and make transportation arrangements to London.”
Gloria, who had finished her breakfast and lit a cigarette, now broke the silence she had maintained during the briefing. “And me, Bill? Won’t there be anyone to meet me at the airport?”
“That depends.”
“On what?”
“On whether you take the flight or not. I talked to Walter Terrance this morning, to thank him for the exceptional assistance we received from both of you.”
“And?”
Bill observed Gloria closely as he went on. “When he asked me if all of the loose ends were tied up, I explained that there was still the matter of the cave.”
“You aren’t serious!” exclaimed Nigel. “After what we have been through you want us to go back to the cave?”
“No, Nigel, that’s not what I’m saying. Your government considers the matter closed, now that we have the missing inspectors. They were adamant that you’re to catch the flight.”
“I would hope so,” Nigel retorted.
Gloria said, “Nigel, quit being an ass. You heard what Bill said. Your people want you back in London, job well done and thank you very much.
“I work for the UN. It isn’t a matter of choice.”
Bill said, “Gloria, it is a matter of choice. Walter Terrance said he supported you in whatever decision you might make and I admire that.”
“What are you going to do?” she asked.
“We’ll pay a visit to the cave—with or without you. We have to do this.”
Gloria took a drag on her cigarette and thought for a moment before turning to Nigel. “I’m sorry, dear—you’d better pack you bags.”
* * *
Bill stood on the flight line watching the C-130 Hercules lift off with the stricken inspectors. He wished them well, knowing that they would get the best medical care available.
Nigel Porter was on the plane reluctantly, knowing that Gloria would be remaining in Iraq, but MI6 left no options in the matter.
The UN personnel who had driven to the airport got into their vehicles and headed back to the BMVC compound.
Upon their arrival, Bill went to the dispensary to check on Derrick Willy.
“How’s he doing, Berry?”
“He woke briefly then quickly went back under. That’s a good sign that his body’s healing. But rest is what he needs and we’ll make sure he gets it.”
“Thanks, Berry.”
At 1700 hours Bill was to meet with the team who had accompanied him into the desert. Gloria would brief them on everything she and Nigel had observed.
He picked up Gloria at the VIP quarters and walked with her to the conference room where his team waited.
“I appreciate your finding me something clean to wear,” said Gloria.
“We don’t receive many female visitors. I wish I had something better to offer, but I must admit you wear khaki better than most.” The grin that spread across his face said more than his words.
“Thank you.” Gloria reached over and touched his arm as they walked into the conference room.
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��Gentlemen, may I formally present Ms. Gloria Caruthers? Ms. Caruthers, may I introduce you to the finest group of men I have ever had the pleasure to work with?”
Bill introduced the men individually, making everyone feel special to be shaking hands with this stunning woman.
Big Bob was the last to be introduced, but before Bill could get his name out, Gloria said, “Bob, I really appreciated your assistance this morning when I was having breakfast.”
The blush that had appeared on Bob’s face at being addressed by name, before Bill could introduce him, glowed a bright red.
“Thank you, Ma’am, it was my pleasure.”
“Call me Gloria. All of you call me Gloria—that’s my name. And as Bill here reminded me, I’m one of the boys—or should I say one of the team?”
The laughs and snickers she received from the men in the room broke the ice.
She had realized that they would be reluctant to work with a woman.
“There’s not a lot I can tell you, but if Bill thinks I can help, I’ll do my best.” Gloria intended to use Bill’s acceptance of her to bond with the men and gain their trust.
“The first night was uneventful. Our main objective was to get into the desert unobserved, establish an operational base and get our bearings.
“Our first objective was a small airfield approximately fifteen kilometers from our insertion point. We remained in the hidey hole until the sun went down, then quick marched under darkness to within three kilometers of the airfield.
“When the sun came up and we saw it was deserted we inspected it.
“Much to our surprise, an Iraqi observation plane landed. It was a two-seat Cessna with a pilot and observer on board. Being armed with nothing but a couple of 9mms—I have to be honest with you—our pucker factor increased considerably.”
Her quip brought forth more laughter.
“At first we thought they had spotted us, but then we realized they had landed to refuel their plane from a fuel bladder hidden in a bunker next to the airstrip.”
Bill’s curiosity rose. “Gloria, how much fuel was in the bunker?”
“It was a 5,000-liter bladder and appeared to be three-quarters full.