CodeY

by Lamar Rutherford

  They all continued to hunt for clues throughout the day, each taking periodic cat naps.

  Rane asked Pele and Drew, “Could they be talking about waves of some kind of chemical?”

  Pele answered. “Possibly, but how would they execute that? Maybe wipe out an area at a time?”

  Devon chimed in, “I picked up something about spreading to Africa first, then east to Iran towards India.”

  Pele contemplated this, “So spreading geographically. Could they do a chemical in the water and spread it that way? Airborne seems too hard to control.”

  Rane, still brainstorming, “What about a virus?”

  Pele nodded unhappily, agreeing. “That’s a possibility. Let’s play out both options and see how they could possibly execute them.”

  They started playing out scenarios and continued pondering options.

  Before lunch, Pele called them all together to take a moment to remember Cole. They all stood quietly in a circle holding, bowed heads, hands.

  Pele spoke solemnly, “We will always treasure our memories of our dear Cole. He was a special friend to me for so many years, and a wonderful father, friend, and role model to all of us. We will honor his memory by defeating this horrible faction, who killed one of our own when he was so bravely simply trying to protect his beloved family. It is our promise to do everything we can to defeat these enemies and safely bring all his children and all of us back home.

  There was not a dry eye in the group when he finished. Zander, rarely at a loss for words, simply nodded in appreciation and clung tightly to his baby sister Calice’s hand.

  Chapter 25

  Later that evening, Calice noticed two of the locator dots had moved away from the warehouse where they believed Jadyn, Jaya, and Shanta were being held.

  Devon with a heavy sigh, “I was afraid of this. It looks like Jadyn and Jaya are moving out without Shanta.”

  “They probably believe they can get out and get help to go back and save her. It’s probably a good option.” Keece said, trying to sound optimistic.

  Devon shook his head. “I don’t know. I’m worried about her.”

  Pele immediately got on the phone to General Adams. “We need to get a rescue team ready. We believe two of our family members are escaping.”

  The General assured him they would have a team ready shortly.

  An hour or so later, Zander realized he had left his phone in the other room. When he checked it, he saw the text from Jadyn and Jaya. He immediately tried calling the number but got no answer. About 30 minutes later a text came in from Jadyn. “Stowaways on a ferry to Port Sudan. Can you meet us there? Arrival around 4am.”

  Zander looked at Pele. Without hesitation, Pele told Zander to text back, “Yes”.

  Pele was not sure how, but he knew they would somehow get there.

  They communicated with the Egyptian and American military forces—America now had troops in the area—and they were soon on a helicopter to the Port of Sudan. Pele, Zander and Pace were onboard. Pace in case they needed an extra pilot, the rest left behind to continue the research and strategizing. The three were each equipped with a Robustor suit strapped to their backs, in case of unexpected trouble.

  When they got to the Port of Sudan, the military was clearly concerned about how to get two undocumented travelers past Sudan’s security, but Pele reassured them, “Don’t worry. The Sudanese won’t ever know they were here.”

  He said to the pilot and crew as they landed, “Just leave the helicopter unlocked and then ask them if we can check to see what the ferry brought from Jeddah. Tell them we’re looking for any type of weapons or bombs. All we really need is about 10 minutes.” The military commander looked skeptical but followed the order.

  Zander had already confirmed with Jadyn via text that the ferry had landed, and he and Jaya were off the boat. He told them where to find the helicopter and that it would be open. As a backup plan, Pele had brought some bags of “supplies” and had them unloaded near the helicopter pad. Jadyn and Jaya could empty those and slip into them if they couldn’t get across the copter pad, the one space with no cover for protection, safely. Pele would then tell the military they did not need to leave the supplies and have them reloaded on the copter.

  The Sudanese police were very reluctant to let them inspect the ferry but finally acquiesced. Pele, Pace and Zander made a quick sweep through the ship, pretending to be searching for dangerous weapons. They noticed the ferry was essentially empty except for the crew on its journey from Jeddah to Sudan, but there were many ISEX loyalists waiting to take the next one back to the Arab Peninsula. The Sudanese were happy to let them go, relieved to have the extremists leave their country.

  Pele thanked the Sudanese and then gave their military escorts the sign that they were ready to depart. Once they were in the air, Jadyn and Jaya emerged from their hiding and happily embraced each of them.

  They gave a full account of the warehouse where they had been held, and that the purpose seemed to be to provide women for the ISEX troops. They described how the women and girls were being taken out in small groups every evening, when they were “fertile,” and being forced to have sexual relations with the men. Jadyn was also quick to explain that they had not left Shanta completely alone, that Amethyst, the sister of one of Rane’s teammates, was there with her.

  “We have to get them out soon,” Jadyn continued in a grave tone. “By my calculations it will only be a couple of days before they could be taken for their turns. We have to get them out before then.”

  Jaya added, “We did smuggle a phone into Shanta so we can text with her, but only at night. She has to be very careful that none of the other women see her.”

  Pele complimented them on what they accomplished, “Excellent work you two. Getting that phone to Shanta was brilliant.” Jadyn and Jaya smiled smugly at each other.

  Pele continued, curious to know more. “Have you gotten any more information from Shanta?”

  Jadyn shook his head, “Very limited, just that she’s okay. More women are getting raped. The food is terrible. She started to text about something she saw, but then she must have gotten concerned because it stopped suddenly. Later she said, “More later.”

  Pele nodded and pondered this for a moment, then asked, “Any thoughts on how we can get them out?”

  Jadyn looked over to Jaya.

  Jaya, who typically let her brother do most of the talking, started explaining their idea, “We do have a plan. They deliver goat milk every morning, usually by goat cart. I think we can do that delivery. We can create a rack system under the cart where we could hide them.”

  Pele smiled a little to himself at the low-tech scheme that sounded like it just might work.

  “Okay. I certainly haven’t heard a better plan. So, let’s get you two back to our hotel and sort out the details with the others.”

  Chapter 26

  Less than twenty-four hours later, the rescue team, Devon, Jadyn, Jaya, and Sanji were ready for departure. Dressed in unobtrusive local garb, they needed to leave just after midnight so they could arrive in time to be part of the early morning food deliveries at the warehouse.

  The Egyptian Coast Guard boat carrying them skipped across the Red Sea, brisk waves spraying from the bow. It dropped them, in a slightly battered dingy just north of the main port, near a rocky outcrop where many small fishing boats dotted the shore. They landed unobserved, thanks to the darkness still engulfing the morning sky.

  Gravely, in hushed silence they worked together to pull their dingy ashore and then hid it in a nearby vacant building. All were serious and nervous about the task ahead, fully aware of the danger if any of them slipped up and they were discovered. Gathering up the portable carrier intended for putting under the milk cart to use to transport the girls out, they started on their way. The Egyptian government had a connection with a local goat farmer, who agreed to let them make his delivery that day. Sanji was to take the lead. He and Devon would do the delivery. Jaya
would slip in to get the girls. Jadyn was handling communications and backup in case of emergency.

  As they approached the warehouse, they huddled together, out of sight or earshot of the front guards, to review the plan one last time.

  Devon taking the leadership role, “Okay, everyone ready? Remember, we’ve successfully run missions like this before. It’s no different than our Navy Seal escapes. Execute the plan, trust the team, improvise if needed. Let’s go!”

  With that, they were on their way. Sanji and Devon started for the delivery gate with the milk cart. Sanji stepped forward to report in with the milk delivery. As he was speaking to the guard, Jaya slipped by almost like a shadow. Sanji and Devon slowly unloaded the milk jugs. Jaya slipped Amethyst out unnoticed, with her covered in a burka. She was under the cart and strapped in by Jaya without incident. Jaya then went back for Shanta. As she was slipping Shanta out, she froze, and pulled her behind a barrel. One of the guards had come over to the cart and was yelling at Sanji and Devon for being too slow. Sanji started yelling back. Jaya and Shanta could not tell what was being said, but the discussion was getting heated. Sanji and Devon went to grab the last jugs, continuing to yell at the guard, but moving slightly faster. Jaya and Shanta could not move or they would be detected. The boys were about to turn the cart around, having run out of excuses to linger, when suddenly there was a loud bang on the other side of the building. The guards all took off running, giving Jaya and Shanta the chance they needed to duck under the cart and get Shanta hooked in. Jaya then jumped lightly into the cart, curled up into a tiny ball, and Devon put an empty crate over her.

  Sanji and Devon slowly started to pull the cart away. The guards still distracted by what might have caused the noise. As they pulled the cart down the road, they saw the guards looking at a soda can that had exploded. They seemed to conclude it was some kind of prank. Everyone in the cart knew this was Jadyn’s work.

  As they got out of sight, Jadyn joined them. A safe distance from the warehouse, they got the girls out from under the cart. Both were teary eyed, but clearly happy and relieved to be with them. Amethyst had a huge black eye and split bottom lip.

  Jadyn, stunned and concerned, asked, “Amethyst, what happened? Are you okay?”

  Amethyst was sobbing now and only buried her head in Shanta’s shoulder.

  Shanta wrapped an arm around her. “We’ll tell you about it later. Let’s just get out of here.”

  They made sure the girls were all fully covered in burkas and slowly walked towards the shore and the vacant building where the boat was stashed. They strolled casually, so as not to raise any suspicion. Once they got there they slipped into the building. Departing in broad daylight would raise too many suspicions, so they knew they had to hide there for a few hours until dusk.

  As they settled in, Devon sat closest to Amethyst, his sister Shanta on the other side. Her face was still very swollen, dried tears still streaking her cheeks. He wrapped an arm around her. “We’ll get you out. You’re safe now.”

  Shanta gave Devon a slightly confused sideways look. She was impressed. Her brother was not always known for his sensitive side. Amethyst cried harder and buried her head in his shoulder.

  Jadyn looked at Shanta with a questioning look, “Who did this to her? One of the other women?”

  Shanta replied slowly, “No. Remember how you wanted to get us out before we were sent to men?”

  Jadyn’s eyes widened, “Yes, of course.”

  Shanta was now welling up with tears too. “Unfortunately, you were too late.” She buried her face in her hands in shame.

  Jadyn and Jaya both put their arms around her. “Oh, Shanta, I’m so sorry. Was it horrible? I’m so sorry we left you. We never should have left you,” replied Jaya.

  Shanta sobbing, but adamant, “No, that was the only way to get us out.”

  Then she continued in a measured tone, trying to explain without getting more emotional, “For me, I was lucky. Mine was actually gentle, not that it wasn’t awful, but nothing like what Amethyst experienced. Hers was horrible, mean and very rough with her, really brutal. Thank goodness we didn’t have to go to them another night.”

  Devon asked gently, “How many nights did you have to spend with them?”

  Shanta said unhappily, “Two. They handpicked about eight of us for the princes. I was sent to one named Amir. Amethyst went to his half-brother, Hamza. Unfortunately, I believe they would take us to them again tonight. They will likely notice very soon we are gone.”

  Devon looked at Shanta slightly perplexed as if seeing her for the first time. As her older brother he had never even considered that she might be attractive. She had always been his skinny, somewhat awkward, little sister, with features almost too big for her face. But, now, as if noticing her for the first time, he realized that over the last year or so, she had blossomed. He could see how others would see her now as an exotic beauty with deep, dark sensitive eyes like his father’s, and full sensual lips like his mother. It was no wonder she was picked out of the crowd for the princes. Amethyst was an obvious choice as well, with her large deep blue, almost purple eyes and fair, apple-blossom complexion. But Shanta too would stand out in the crowd, tall, slender and long-legged.

  Almost as soon as Shanta finished her words there was a commotion outside. They all vanished into hiding places. Fortunately, Sanji had swept away any footsteps near the door outside and in, so no telltale signs of their entrance remained. A group of the guards from the complex were searching for them, checking any open buildings. The guards burst open the door to the building, but they only did a cursory search and found nothing before they moved on. Sanji and Devon watched until they were out of earshot before they all stepped out of their hiding places. Jadyn and Jaya dropped from the ceiling. Devon shook his head, always amazed by their ability to so effortlessly get in and out of unexpected hiding spots.

  They all got antsy as dusk fell, but Pele, communicating with them from the Coast Guard ship, encouraged them to wait for full darkness before moving out.

  A few hours later, they were carrying the boat out of the building, when Sanji abruptly stopped and retreated. They all scrambled as quietly as they could behind the building, just as a group of young men walked nearby. The young men appeared to be out looking for some kind of entertainment, or trouble. They settled into a circle by the shore and started smoking and talking loudly. Sanji and Devon looked at Jadyn, who nodded and headed off south of them. Shortly thereafter, about a hundred yards down the shore, behind the cover of a group of rocks, there was a loud pop and some kind of commotion.

  Sanji said softly, “That’s our cue.”

  The young men rushed down to see what caused the noise. Sanji, Devon and the girls sprinted to the water with the boat, dropped it in, and hurriedly pushed off. A short distance out, they saw Jadyn swimming towards them. They paused and pulled him into the dingy, and then continued rowing out to sea, still trying to move as quietly as possible. Once they were far enough out, no longer within earshot, they started up the small motor and headed out to meet the Coast Guard boat.

  They were greeted enthusiastically by Pele and the crew once onboard.

  Pele went immediately to the girls, “Very happy to see you Shanta, and to meet you, Amethyst. We are so relieved to have you back.”

  Shanta, smiling a little shyly, “Thank you. Not as relieved as we are to be back.”

  They wrapped everyone up in blankets and headed back across the sea, bouncing through the waves as rapidly as possible.

  Pele had called ahead warning Keece about what the girls had gone through at the hands of ISEX. As soon as they arrived, Keece wrapped her arms around them and took them into the master bedroom.

  “Let’s get you girls cleaned up and rested. Kala, can you and Calice get some food and clothes for them?”

  Keece continued, talking directly to Amethyst as they entered the room, “Sit here Amethyst and let me help you undress.”

  Amethyst was relieve
d to see a familiar face. She knew Keece from attending many of Rane’s and her brother’s soccer matches. She welled up with tears all over again, sobbing uncontrollably now. Keece took her in her arms, “It’s okay. It’s over now. You’re safe here with us. Do you want to talk about it?”

  Amethyst shook her head no, then said quietly, “It was horrible.” She continued with obvious loathing, “He was dirty and disgusting and so mean. All I can think about is revenge. I want to kill him…or worse.”

  Keece, still rocking Amethyst in her arms, said softly, “That’s okay. Don’t think about it. Some things are best forgotten.”

  Amethyst vehemently, “I will never forget. I want him to pay.”

  Keece smiled at the girl’s tough determination. “I understand and I don't blame you, but let’s get you healed first.”

  She inspected the bruises and cuts. The girl had clearly taken a rough beating.