by Andres Mann
The women worked together to fit the clothes on Tess. When she looked in the mirror, she couldn’t believe her eyes. No wonder women were so easily oppressed here. The clothing itself took away anything that could have been an individual.
“You are ready.” Kejal fought to stop the one tear that escaped. “I am thankful to you. I thought that I could no longer cry.” Anything else she wanted to say was lost. “We must leave. I hear the guards going to eat now.”
Tess reached Kejal in three strides and took her hands. “Thank you, my friend. We will find you child, and the world will know of your pain and your heroism.”
Tess needed to eliminate the guard outside. Impatience made the time stretch and Tess was about to crawl out of her skin when Kejal began to moan loudly enough to be heard.
The guard entered. Tess was not sure what he said but was pretty certain they were not words suitable for mixed company. As the guard raised his hand to hit the impudent woman, Tess suddenly freed her hands from under the chador, and punched the man in the stomach with as much strength as she could muster. The blow sent him flying to the floor, allowing her to pounce on his chest and to administer one good jab to crush his Adam’s apple. The man jerked violently, staring at Tess, apparently incredulous at being felled by a woman. He quickly suffocated.
Tess eased to the door, taking Kejal’s hand, and carefully scoped both directions as she headed down the hallway. About halfway down she could see the exit that Kejal had told her about. But she could also hear voices. She turned toward the source as a hand reached out from a nook and closed on her mouth. “Shhh, don’t say a word.” The words were in English, but Tess feared she had been caught — again.
The man pulled her into a room and turned her to face him. One look at those eyes and he knew. One look at his face and Tess knew too. “What the hell are you doing here Vickers? I thought you were out playing your CIA games!” Tess’s tone was all Jake needed to know that she was all right.
“Apparently I am doing the same thing as you are, trying to get the hell out of here. I landed a short distance from here, caught the Iraqis off guard and sent them to Allah. By the way, how did you get out? And who is this?” he inquired, pointing at the other woman in tow.
“She is okay,” Tess said. “She helped me escape!”
“Good enough for me,” Jake responded. Let’s get the guys out. You stay back here and I’ll take care of things.
“Spoken like a real chauvinist,” Tess commented. “Get real; you will need all the help you can get! And don’t forget who is in command!”
Jake smiled, “How are you going to command with a tent over your head? Take it off!”
Tess was about to do that when she realized that wasn’t exactly wearing combat fatigues underneath. “Not now!” she responded, irritably. “Let’s go get the guys out!”
Jake couldn’t help but smile. He snatched a glimpse of her creamy skin under the chador. When had he begun to think of Tess as his? ‘Shake it off, Vickers and get with the program,’ he thought.
As they stealthily approached the prison building, Jake, Tess and Kejal hid behind a large vehicle. “Tess, I have to tell you. Dan Gardner died from his injuries.”
Tess felt her world falling apart. “What do you mean he died? Are you sure?” He could hear the desperation in her voice. The thought of losing Dan was unbearable. He had been Jake’s best friend for 20 years, and a beloved mentor to Tess ever since she graduated from the Academy.
“Tess, I am sure that Gardner is gone. I talked to the guys through the gates of the jail and they told me.” The tears again threatened, but she knew she had to maintain control. “Now, unless you want to stay at Club Hell for the remainder of your reservation, you will follow me…”
Jake reached around his back and pulled a handgun out of his belt. “I borrowed this from a guard. He won’t need it anymore. It is not your regular Army issue, but I assume you know how to work it,” he said as he pushed the gun into her hands. She almost felt insulted but postponed punishment until they got out of there. “Don’t use it unless there is no choice. Silence is our best friend for a while. Let’s go.”
Tess and Kejal followed Jake through the unguarded door of the prison. The guards were having their meal and weren’t paying much attention. Jake burst through the door, shot one of them with his silenced gun, and was about to dispatch the other three until Tess screamed “Don’t kill them!” Both of them held their weapons pointed at the guards.
“Are you nuts?” Jake screamed at Tess. How are we going to babysit them?” Tess insisted. “Don’t kill them. Lock them up in a cell; they won’t be a problem there.” Jake made an exasperated gesture and encouraged the men to drop their weapons and enter the cell. He closed the gate and locked it with deliberate clangor. He ran around the corner, found Tess’s men, battered but otherwise okay, and let them out.
The small group took advantage of the dark so that they could quickly exit the building and soon found themselves several hundred yards away at the outskirts of the compound. The downed choppers were still there. Tess ran to the cockpit of her disabled aircraft and checked the radio. It was still working. Immediately, she issued a rescue request. She then went back to the men. “We must lay low until we get rescued. They have been waiting just behind that berm.” The men took her to heart.
Less than 20 minutes later, a Black Hawk helicopter and two Cobras appeared. The Blackhawk landed, stirring a storm of sand while the Cobras hovered overhead. Jake hustled the soldiers, who loaded the wounded and Dan Gardner’s body on board, and urged the women to go next.
As Kejal entered the craft, shots rang out, followed by several more. Iraqi troops ran toward them. The two Cobras overhead opened fire with devastating effect, neutralizing the attackers. Tess, Jake and the other two men on the ground quickly boarded the chopper, and they rapidly flew away. Both the ex-prisoners and the crew exulted and exchanged hi-fives until Tess cried “Oh, no!” She was holding Kejal in her arms.
The woman had been shot and was bleeding profusely. The medic that had joined the crew immediately assessed the situation. He examined the woman’s wound and turned to Tess. “She won’t make it.”
Tess refused to accept the diagnosis. “Of course she will make it. I wouldn’t be here now if it weren’t for her! There must be something you can do!” The medic did not raise his head. He just stood there.
Kejal weakly took Tess’s hand. “Major, please find my child. Don’t let the General have her. Please!” The hand lost its grip, and Kejal died.
Tess wailed in desperate frustration. “Damn! This is not fair! Let’s turn back and blow them to Kingdom come!” Then she broke down, crying. The rest of the flight was silent. The choppers landed at the base and were met by several Humvees and an ambulance.
The crew that was downed was required to undergo a debriefing and medical exam. After removing the burqa and emerging in her sexy gown, Tess was quite a sight. For a few minutes, the field hospital stopped functioning while the men and some of the women tried desperately to stop staring at the stunning beauty in their midst and to regain a measure of control.
Over the protests of the physicians, Tess and Jake refused hospitalization. They promised they would be back the next day for further checkups and debriefing. The staff eventually provided Tess with a set of fatigues. After checking that Sergeant Archie was okay and that the wounded were taken care of, she just wanted to get the hell out of there.
Back at the battlefield the Coalition forces withdrew. One U. S. soldier had been killed in the battle, but the fighting had cost the Iraqis hundreds of troops. The losses included one Republican Guard infantry battalion, one armored company, two field artillery batteries, and one antiaircraft battery.
Following the withdrawal, Coalition aircraft launched an assault on the remaining defenses in Al Hillah. The planes dropped numerous cluster bombs. Following the bombing, they advanced and captured the city, encountering sparse resistance. They then advanced towar
ds Najaf. Small pockets of Iraqi irregulars continued to hold out in Al Hillah, but nearly all resistance in the city was soon annihilated. The Republican Guard no longer posed a serious threat.
Chapter 8
Prelude to Love
Jake managed to negotiate a ride to Kuwait City. “Where are we going? Tess asked.
“I booked us rooms in town. We need a bath and some sleep.”
“I thought that all the hotels in town are booked solid?”
“I have contacts.” Jake was a man of few words and many means.
At the hotel, they had to wait for their rooms to be ready. They sat at a table and ordered drinks.
“Jake, how did you know that we had been captured and how did you get involved in rescuing us?”
“I just happened to be around when the other pilots reported that the crews of two choppers had been captured. I found out that you were in one of them and invited myself to go along with the rescuers. We got outside the compound within thirty minutes but landed far enough so we would not be noticed. I insisted on leading the rescue. The army troops knew that I had the stealth experience to infiltrate enemy areas and avoid detection. We did not want to start shooting to protect the prisoners. Three of us donned Arab clothes and managed to enter the compound looking like locals.”
Tess smiled. “Looks like I was rescued again by a strange man.”
“I can’t take all the credit. I made it to the jail and talked to Sarge through the barred window. He told me they had brought you inside, and that he and the men were worried that something bad would happen to you. However, I knew that you would not lay idle. I counted on you to manage the situation, and you did. It would have been harder to rescue you if you hadn’t escaped from the building on your own.”
“Just the same, thank you, Jake. I owe you.”
They felt battered and spent. Their thoughts turned to Dan. Jake started to talk about that time when he and Dan had been best of buddies, going through the demanding regime, planning their careers and receiving their first assignments as real officers. They kept in touch and got together as often as they could, telling tales about their adventures and consoling each other over their lost loves.
Jake did not share that Dan had talked to him about Tess and had tried repeatedly to get him to come out to Fort Rucker and meet her. Dan kept telling him about how perfect they’d be for each other. Jake had at first thought Dan himself was in love with Tess; he talked about her all the time. ‘Tess is the best co-pilot I’ve ever had – except for you of course. Tess is the best XO I’ve ever had. Tess is the second best friend I’ve ever had and I’d really like for my two best friends to meet. Come on down to Rucker for the weekend. I’m telling you she’s perfect for you in every way!’
But Jake had always been busy. CIA Field Intelligence was not a job where you just took a long weekend — hell you rarely took a regular weekend. Regrets were not something that Jake let linger, but this one time he was sorry for not having taken that one long weekend.
Watching Tess, Jake understood the tears that had threatened when she talked of Dan’s death and he realized how hard she had fought to be a good soldier, a soldier Dan would be proud of. Yet, he still needed to know; he needed to be there in some way, be close to Dan one more time.
Dan’s death; Kejal’s sacrifice. Tess now felt the effects of her narrow escape from the malevolent General’s grip, the ordeal of the crash and the horror of witnessing Archie’s torture. She had reached the end of her rope and needed some rest — a chance to heal, time to think. She turned to Jake. “I promised Kejal that I would find her daughter and to bring her to safety. I fully intend to do that.” Jake looked her in the eyes. “I know. I will help you.” He did not tell her that he had no idea on how to do that.
Then he reached over to wipe away a tear that managed to escape down her cheek. The touch sent a jolt through her body and through his. Their gazes held and he bent his head to kiss her lips.
“Sir, Madam; your rooms are ready.” The bellhop interrupted the moment.
“Just as well,” Tess quipped, “I am exhausted.”
“Me too,” Jake replied.
They rose, sore and hurting in places they didn’t know they had. In the elevator, they noticed their rooms were on a different floor. At least that gave them an excuse to go their separate ways. Tess’s floor was first. She gave Jake a light kiss on the cheek and disappeared.
***
Settled in her room, Tess emerged from the shower and slipped on a soft bathrobe provided by the hotel. She dried up and started to brush her hair. It didn’t take long. She thanked herself for making the practical decision to keep it short. She could not bear the thought of an hour-long hairdo. She felt totally exhausted, body and mind, not only for the past ordeal, but also the impact of Dan’s untimely death, and her inability to do something to prevent it. She felt immensely alone.
A knock on the door; she looked through the peephole, and saw Jake. She opened the door. Jake stood at the threshold, dressed only in a clean T-shirt and slacks. He also looked sad and exhausted. Not a word.
“Come in,” she said.
Jake walked through the door slowly as if entering a sacred place. He remained silent, staring at Tess, his eyes boring into hers. She felt his sadness and overwhelming need.
The world stood still. She closed the door. Jake continued to stare at her with palpable, overwhelming hunger, hoping with all his senses that she would not deny him. Roger had never looked at her that way. Tess suddenly abandoned her defenses and felt her own need for contact, comfort and refuge surge through her body and soul. She did not want to deny him.
She went to him, folded into his arms and kissed him gently, opening her lips to signal acceptance and surrender. Jake trembled, forcing himself to touch her gently, rather than rushing to possess her and plunge into the blissful oblivion he so desperately needed.
Tess pushed herself away, took his hand, and gently made him sit on the bed. She opened her robe and stood front of him, proudly, like a Goddess waiting to be worshiped, masking her own need. Jake’s heart raced. He felt awe and wonder that the universal life force created Woman – this woman — perhaps the only good reason for him to keep on living.
Jake removed his clothes, revealing a graceful, lean and muscular body. Still sitting, he slowly drew her to him, marveling at her body. He softly breathed on her nipples, between her breasts, down to her center between her thighs. He seized her hips and gently rubbed her belly with his lips and face. He felt the tight muscles of her abdomen, marveling at the thought that she would soon accept him inside her.
He rose and embraced her, standing, relishing the wondrous feeling of her soft body against his. He gently rubbed his lips against the nape of her neck. He nuzzled her ears, brushed against her cheeks and gently kissed her eyelids. He put his lips on her breasts which were enveloped in a luminous, pearly skin, so thin that microscopic veins showed through. His penis rubbed the lips below her pelvis and felt her, warm and moist. She started to tremble.
Tess surrendered, laid on her back, breathing hard, her body aching to be touched and explored. Once more, she allowed Jake to taste her flesh. He softly kissed every inch of her velvety skin, her neck, her ears, her breasts, and her belly and that wonderful receptacle sheltering his delight. He could not get enough.
They kissed softly until Tess took charge. She always took charge. She threw him on his back and started to use her tongue on his towering erection; licking the glistening head and the hard shaft.
Then she mounted him, parting her moist inner recesses, inviting the hard rod to gradually enter her. She started to move rhythmically, savoring the sweet invasion deep inside her. She suddenly felt an orgasmic release.
Jake feasted his eyes on the body of a stunning woman pleasuring herself on him, but he did not want to reach his own release yet. He wanted to take her his way. He moved her to her back and again he let her guide his manhood inside. He descended into her and started t
o move steadily, lovingly kissing her mouth and breasts until she responded again. He increased his rhythm until she moaned with pleasure. She bucked her hips and he made a final few thrusts deep inside her, achieving mutual ecstasy. More than just love making, it was a reaffirmation of life, of love, of hope — an escape from a world that is often ugly and cruel. They fell asleep in each other’s arms.
Chapter 9
Fight forAnother Day
Amir woke up with the most agonizing headache he had ever experienced. It took him a few minutes to realize what had happened. “The whore!” he muttered, “She was planning to do this all along! He raised himself painfully and sat on the side of the bed, still dazed from the blow.
“Kejal!” he called, with less authority than usual. The mere sound of his voice reverberated painfully. Kejal usually appeared within a minute of being summoned. Not this time. Amir managed to stand up and went looking for the woman. No one was around, not even his trusted lackeys. He went to the front door, now realizing that he was bleeding from the side of his head. He went outside, only to be met with chaos. Several of his men were lying dead on the ground, others were rushing around screaming, and heavy smoke was emanating from the prison. He remained on the portico for a few minutes; the blood from his head dripping on the collar of the beautiful robe, until one his men recognized him.
“General, the prisoners have escaped and done a lot of damage!”
“From the looks of things, that is an understatement.”
He quickly called Kemal, the garrison commander and a couple of the senior officers, demanding an explanation.
Kemal, brandishing a Kalashnikov AK-47 assault rifle just to show that he had some measure of control, did not relish the prospect of breaking the news to the General, but he had no choice.
“General, the woman and the American rescuers did this! They surprised us. Three American helicopters fired at us!”
