CodeY

by Lamar Rutherford

  The polo team had been assured they would be kept safe and had only to abide by the Sharia law in public. But everyone was still apprehensive. They knew one wrong move could bring about unwelcome consequences, especially for the women helping to support the team.

  Still, everything seemed to be running smoothly for the moment. The team was welcomed warmly by hosts, largely because they were the only team from off the Peninsula brave enough to come. Having the La Dolfina team participate made it a truly International tournament. Also, because they were arguably the best team in the world, they added credibility to the event. The La Dolfina players knew several members on the other teams. The teams were all from clubs on the Arab Peninsula, but each had many Argentinian pros playing for them. Spirits were cautiously high among the players, as they spent the next few days acclimatizing the horses and prepping for the big match.

  In the meantime, the other team, TOPO, was quietly researching and preparing for their VEP mission. Through Devon’s hacking, Sanji’s interpreting, and Shanta’s medical expertise, they had discovered the details of ISEX’s devastating plans. ISEX intended to launch a highly contagious virus on the African continent shortly after the tournament ended. They would offer a vaccination to their loyal supporters, and those willing to convert. To launch the attack, they would infect some of their current prisoners and then release them back to Africa, starting in the northeast. The infected prisoners with this strain of the virus were contagious for several days before they showed any symptoms. Thus, the disease would spread rapidly, since the carriers would not know they were infected. After day three or four, the disease almost always ended in a painful, brutal death. Initial flu-like symptoms turned into terrible internal bleeding, diarrhea and hemorrhaging.

  The only way to stop it, once infected, was to get the vaccine within the first three days. The TOPO team had to find a way to get that vaccine so they could stop the disease. Otherwise the virus was likely to spread worldwide, devastating populations everywhere. Their goal was to steal the vaccine, destroy the virus, and stop further production of it.

  ISEX appeared to have moved the production lab for both the virus and the vaccine away from where the girls and Jadyn had been held prisoners to a location about three hours from Dubai. The TOPO team would leave the night after the finals of the polo tournament and, hopefully, destroy the virus before they were discovered missing. The party after the tournament would, as usual, be a big bash, so most of the participants and spectators would be caught up in the celebrations, and not notice the children’s whereabouts.

  A couple nights before the final match, the TOPO team was reviewing the plan with Pele, Keece and Drew on a video call, a map projected on the table.

  “Okay, so you will all leave the party after dinner, excusing yourselves since you are too young to drink. Right?” commented Pele.

  “Yes,” replied Rane, “Devon and I will leave last since we’re the oldest. The others will all get back earlier and make sure the gear is ready.”

  Devon continued, “Once we’re all out, we’ll slip over the fence back by the barns. We’ll use one of the team vehicles.”

  “Kala will drive us, dressed as a man, of course,” added Rane. “With her driving, and under cover of darkness, we should get to the warehouse lab in about three hours.” Fortunately, in less Westernized countries, not all transport vehicles were auto driving.

  Kala smiled, “If we get a decent van and don’t run into too much traffic, I might be able to shave 30-40 minutes off that.”

  Keece, “Yes, I’m sure you can, but remember not to attract too much attention and be safe. The drivers here can be much more unpredictable than we’re used to.”

  Kala nodded with a knowing grin to Pace.

  “Okay,” continued Pele, “While on the road, you’ll stay in touch via the secure satellite line. When you get to the warehouse, you’ll hide the truck, then…”

  As he was about to continue, the door behind them creaked. Devon immediately killed the connection, but the map was still projected on the table, as one of the local grooms stepped in. Sensing he had interrupted something, as everyone turned to look, he immediately started backing out of the room, and then took off running down the hall. Sanji looked at Devon, then immediately sprinted after the boy.

  “Wait!” Sanji yelled in the local dialect. The boy turned, slowed slightly, but kept running.

  “No, wait!” continued Sanji. He slowed and stopped cautiously.

  Sanji, hurried to him, “It’s okay. Why are you running away? We were just playing a game. Do you want to come back and play with us?”

  He could see the boy’s hesitation, but Sanji also knew that if the boy went back to the other local guards and described what he saw, the whole team would be in danger.

  Trying to be encouraging, Sanji added, “We’re going to serve buttered popcorn.”

  They had discovered the locals loved home-made buttered popcorn, which was a novel snack for them. The Argentinians, and their American helpers, cooked it frequently as an evening treat, sometimes accompanied by a movie.

  This caught the boy’s attention. “After the game, I’m sure we’ll watch a movie.” The kid cautiously started walking back.

  Sanji hoped the boy would believe him and forget all his concerns if they could convince him this really was the planned activity. Sanji had called Devon when he started to catch the boy, hoping Devon would hear the conversation and prep everyone back in their quarters.

  It worked. When Sanji and the boy returned, everyone acted as if they were just wrapping up “the game” they were playing and were starting to set up the movie. The popcorn was already popping on the stove.

  The boy slipped out as the movie ended, and the rest of them breathed a sigh of relief. Disaster was seemingly averted for the moment, thanks to Sanji’s quick reaction.

  Chapter 31

  Cheers rose from the crowd as the two polo teams battled for the final trophy. The stands were filled to the brim with excited, decked out fans, both the ladies and the men in stylish, traditional dress. The field was beautifully groomed, the grass providing a velvety green backdrop to the colorful festivities. The heat from the afternoon sun was mitigated by wide-brimmed hats and shaded grandstands. Horses and grooms lined the field, at least ten horses for each team member, looking smart with their pads and wraps in their team colors. The players’ tents offered protection from the unforgiving sun during those few moments when they got to sit down, surrounded by mallets and gear set out neatly for easy access. Fancy classic cars, used to carry in the dignitaries during the opening parade, were parked around the edges as decoration and entertainment for the crowd.

  The finals were La Dolfina against United Arab Emirates’ best team, UAE Polo, sponsored by the Al Habtoor polo dynasty, a family that had helped revitalize polo in Dubai several generations ago. Truly the “sport of kings,” UAE’s team had two princes riding for them, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Nayan and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan. But rank and title mattered not on the polo field. The riders fought rough against each other regardless of class or status. Several other Royals had ridden for other teams that were eliminated in the earlier rounds.

  The final two teams were playing aggressively, both well-mounted on equine superstars. Fast and agile, these horses could not only tear down the field at a breakneck pace but also stop and turn on a dime. Their athletic ability was second to none in the world of equestrian sports.

  In the fourth chukker, Luca hit a great back shot, preventing UAE from scoring, but the ball took an unlucky bounce, hit a horse, and then just barely slid to the inside of the pole into the goal, giving UAE the lead. The audience went wild! Only two chukkers to go, and La Dolfina was behind by one.

  The UAE team was clearly feeling confident, but La Dolfina still appeared calm and collected. They knew this was the chukker when they typically stepped up their game. Mounted on their best horses, they started to go to work. Their player, Diego Gomez, riding
in the number one position got a piece of the ball on the first throw-in. Their star player and quarterback, number three, Ricardo Sanchez, shot forward to scoop it up and carry it towards goal. Luca sprang into line behind Ricardo, both to help protect him from the UAE’s number two player, but also to back Ricardo up in case he miss hit the ball. No need for a backup on this run. Ricardo hit a great shot forward and then scored easily, bringing the match back to tied.

  The game continued to volley back and forth with both teams scoring, but La Dolfina inched forward. They had a two-goal lead going into the final chukker. All they had to do was maintain that and the crown was theirs. As the sixth chukker started, both teams battled heatedly. A bad call by the referee, resulting in an easy penalty shot, put UAE within one goal of the lead. Tensions between the riders rose as they fought for possession of the ball. Another bad call by the refs made tempers flare, but Luca kept his team in check. The last thing they needed was to have a member thrown out for bad conduct. He went to the ref and asked for the formal replay. Asking for this was always a risk. If the refs were right and the challenging team, La Dolfina in this case, was wrong, then the opponents would get an automatic goal without needing to shoot the penalty shot. If La Dolfina was right, it would be a throw-in instead of a penalty. The crowd waited eagerly for the replay on the big screen. Most of the crowd, who were primarily supporting UAE, groaned when it was clear it was a bad call. The teams lined up for the throw-in, still one goal apart, with only two minutes left.

  The ball was pitched in. UAE’s second player got a piece of it but knocked it into the air. Luca made an outstanding play, hitting the ball out of the air towards his goal. He streaked forward following it up but was hooked by UAE’s number three player on his next shot. Another UAE player was right behind him. That player went for a back shot, but Diego was right behind him. The player missed. Out of frustration he swung his mallet around again, accidentally hitting Diego’s horse in the leg. The horse tripped on the mallet and went down, Diego with him. A hush went over the audience as play stopped and everyone waited anxiously for horse and rider to get up. The horse popped up but was clearly lame. Diego, moving much slower, got up, but was obviously hurt. His was having trouble putting weight on his right leg, favoring his knee. The ambulance rushed out to his aid while a groom caught the horse and took him to the vet on the sidelines. Both horse and rider were okay, but neither could continue to play.

  Pace sprung up and headed for Diego’s spare horse, Novia, who was dancing with excitement. Like typical athletes, the horses got anxious when they knew they were about to perform. The groom, used to handling the excited animals, did his best to keep her calm. Pace came to her side, remembering what his mom had always told him about animals; take a quick moment to acknowledge them, as if to say, “I’ll take care of you if you take care of me.” It was simple and quick, but he had learned it made a difference. He stood briefly by Novia’s side and gave her a gentle pat as he looked her in the eye. She paused, calm for a second, and he mounted quickly. They were off, galloping onto the field.

  Having a new player thrown into the last chukker, with only a couple of minutes left was enough to unsettle any team. Pace hoped he and the team could hold onto their lead. He lined up in the number one position. Paolo Diaz, La Dolfino’s number two player, was behind him. On the throw-in, UAE got control and shot the ball down the field to their number one. Paolo had almost caught him, but the player made a long shot towards goal. Fortunately, it flew just to the right. Luca quickly brought the ball in. He sent it toward Paolo. Paolo blitzed after it. Ricardo fell in behind Paolo, to protect him. Ricardo pushed his horse into a UAE player who was in hot pursuit, allowing Paolo to get off long, high shot down the field. The ball flew fifty yards, landing just short of the goal. Pace was already on his way before the ball was hit, and swept forward to take the shot in for an easy goal. The crowd went crazy! It was a great display of high goal polo.

  Both teams hustled back to center, but the game was essentially over. There was one more throw in as the thirty-second bell rang. Both teams fought for the ball, but as soon as possible, La Dolfina hit it to the boards, officially ending the match.

  The players congratulated each other and thanked the refs. Then the celebrations began. The players dropped their ponies off with their grooms and headed to the podium for their awards. After the trophy was presented, they were all drenched in champagne, a tradition that seemed strangely at odds with the strict Sharia laws that forbade alcohol consumption. The players from overseas, unsure about what was acceptable for them, tried to be discreet with any consumption, but even this limitation could not dampen their celebratory mood.

  The crowd spilled from the stands onto the field, the music started and everyone; teams, players, and fans alike, mingled, enjoying the highlight of the event. It was not as festive as in past years since ISEX had taken over, but those involved still enjoyed the opportunity to see each other, play, and party together. Polo was typically a small community because few could afford to play, but the ones that did were all passionate about the sport. Most of the fans were more into the scene and partying than the actual game, but they were enthusiastic about attending and enjoying the affairs.

  As the evening wore on, as planned, Rane and Devon were the last ones to slip away. He escorted her to the women’s quarters. They never let any of the women walk alone, too risky in this environment.

  As they approached her door they paused. Rane had always worshipped Devon when they were young, almost like a younger sister crush, but as they had gotten older, they had grown apart. Devon had gotten into the party and drug scene, and Rane was not interested. She was much more into her sports and academics. When Devon tried to pull her into some of his druggy parties, he and Pace had gotten into a verbal fight then a physical fight. Rane may not have needed Pace’s interference, but she appreciated his support.

  After Devon’s brush with death from his overdose, he had not been the same. He had lost his cocky confidence and was clearly humbled by his mistake. However, with Drew’s guidance and the clearly valuable contribution he was making in thwarting ISEX, he was rebuilding his confidence, but with a less daredevil attitude. Rane had started to take notice.

  Rane took her ever-present hat off as she got to the door. She turned back to say goodbye,

  “See you soon.”

  Devon gently reached up and brushed her braid out of her face, “Be safe tonight,” he said, seeming to express unusual care for her well-being.

  Rane, surprised at the sign, stared into his eyes with a slight questioning look, and then he was gone. She turned to go into her room, a little puzzled, and excited at the same time. Then she did her best to put it out of her mind, telling herself to focus on the task at hand. There were many more important things to pay attention to in the next few hours.

  Chapter 32

  They all met behind the barns, sneaking out quietly, one or two at a time. Their Robustor suits, disguised under their Arab-style robes. To their surprise, Pele had added individual marks to each of their suits. “Striker”, Rane, had a large purple “S” across her back and chest. “Killer,” Devon, had a black “K.” “Pilot”, Pace, a blue plane, “Racer,” Kala, a green race car, “Cross,” Shanta, a white cross. “Guns,” Zander, had steel grey crossed guns. “Lingo,” Sanji, a magenta cursive “L,” “Devil,” Jadyn, a red devil, “Peanut,” Jaya, a bright yellow peanut, and finally, “Fin,” Calice, had a turquoise dolphin. They had been using their code names the entire time in Dubai for protection, so they were all comfortable referring to each other by these nicknames. They were excited about the upgrades to their suits.

  Zander asked Kala to help him zip the back, top part of his suit. She did, but could not resist teasing him, “A little too snug for comfort?”

  Zander, always quick-witted, winked at her and responded, “Oh plenty of room for comfort. In fact, maybe you should try snuggling in here with me.”

  Kala rolled her eyes, s
hook her head in exasperation, and walked away, ignoring his open arms. Everyone else chuckled.

  Once they were all ready, they piled into the truck, Kala at the wheel. The driving in this part of the world was, by American standards, like a crazy game of chicken, but Kala was up to the task. Fewer and fewer people in the US even knew how to drive, with the advent of so many driverless cars, but Kala was a master. She wove in and out of the traffic with lightning speed, making most of it look like it was standing still. Sanji and Devon in the front seat, exchanged smiles as she deftly drove at an uncomfortable pace.

  A few hours later, they were approaching the warehouse, where they believed ISEX was housing the virus and vaccine. From the communications tracked by Devon, ISEX had recently moved it here so they could produce it in higher volumes, apparently in preparation for their attack plan. The warehouse was in what appeared to be a fairly run-down, isolated area, desolate, with only a few sparse shrubs and trees for cover. The warehouse itself was heavily guarded, but with no guards in the surrounding yards. The team believed this was because the warehouse was well-covered by surveillance cameras.