by Andres Mann
“You didn’t tell me you had a new wife, Amir. This is crazy.”
“Don’t worry. It was just a business arrangement to help me get the child out of Canada. I will divorce her as soon as possible.”
“Amir, I thought you were trying to get back with Tess, and now you are telling me that you attempted to kill her?”
“I did not such a thing. My men were supposed to eliminate her husband and bring her back to me.”
“Amir, this is getting more complicated by the minute. Where do you go from here?”
“I need your help, Fadime. I know that I can trust you. I need you to take over the care of the kids and keep them hidden until I can find a safe and anonymous place for me and them.”
“What about your new wife? Can’t you keep her around a little longer?”
“No, I can’t trust her. She hates me.”
“Why does she hate you? What did you do to her?”
“I didn’t do anything to her, and that is the problem. She wants us to have a real relationship and act like a married couple. I have no intention to do so. I will get rid of her as soon as you take the kids.”
“Amir, think this thing through. Keep her for a while; she might be helpful with the kids.”
“No, I want to get rid of her as soon as possible.”
“Amir, you know that I am not the mothering type. I like kids, but after ten minutes I get bored. Not only I would make a poor mother, but a poor aunt as well.”
“What I ask you to do is not forever, Fadime. I just need you to keep the children until I find a safe place for them. I will have a new identity for all of us.”
“Amir, of all the risky things you have done in your life, this is the craziest. Have you considered what might happen if Tess recovers from her coma and finds out you stole her son? Have you forgotten what she is capable of doing?”
“As far as we know, she is now a vegetable. I am sorry about that because I love her and would still like to have her as my wife. If it can’t be, I will settle for my son. This is worth the risk. You need you to help me Fadime. This is the first time that I have asked you to do something for me.”
“Fine, Amir; I will help you even though I am scared to death. Where do we go from here?”
“I have rented a house with walled security. I can’t tell you where it is located yet, but is in a fairly substantial town. It will be easy to have privacy and the town has every amenity you might want. I will fly the children there in a few days. I have already arranged for you to have a new identity. We just have to lay low until the storm passes.”
“I hope you are right Amir. I just hope that your Tess will not find out what happened to her kid. If she does, I am afraid that the gates of hell will open.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll handle it. Now, it’s late. Let’s go to bed. I am not done loving you.”
Chapter 57
Capture
After his brief trip to Italy, Amir returned to Iraq.
Nizar Hamdani, the planted mole, had told Jake and Tess’s team that General Amir al-Saadi made weekly visits to the Iraqi Armed Service and Supply Institute located in Taji. This facility was the equivalent of a western military academy, but it trained both officers and non-commissioned officers.
Amir was instrumental in designing the training based on a Sandhurst model, the British military academy that he had attended at the beginning of his career. This training model was chosen in part due to its shorter graduation time compared to West Point. Much of the Iraqi officer training program was copied directly from the Sandhurst curriculum.
He also based procedures on the philosophy of the U.S. military, believing that an army can be built faster by training its leadership first rather than the enlisted men. Upon successful completion of officer training, the men were to form a battalion’s leadership cadre, which would then oversee the recruitment, training, and readiness of enlisted men under their command. He hoped that having the Iraqi officers train their subordinates would overcome problems such as recruitment, desertion, and unit loyalty.
To make the trip to Taji, which is located a few miles North of Baghdad, Amir preferred to use a Russian-made Mil Mi-24 Hind large helicopter gunship. He preferred this aircraft because its fuselage was heavily armored. It had titanium rotor blades and the cockpit was protected by ballistic-resistant windscreens and a titanium-armored tub.
***
Tess, Nicola, and Carmen were planning a risky operation: shooting down Amir’s chopper. The intent was not to kill him but to force the aircraft down so they could capture him. They made an assessment that even though it would be necessary to shoot it down, the tough Russian helicopter was likely to provide protection for the occupants. At best, it was a risky plan because it was essential not to kill Amir. If that happened, they might never know where he hid little Morgan.
Upon boarding their Mangusta chopper, Tess insisted that this time, she wanted to be the weapons officer and asked Carmen to pilot the aircraft. Usually, it was the other way around. Jake noticed the two women strap themselves in their seats, Tess not in the usual position. He ran to the chopper and climbed to the open cockpit. “Tess, what are you doing? Why aren’t you in the pilot’s seat?
“I am working the guns because I want the satisfaction of shooting down the bastard with my own two hands.”
“Tess, do I need to remind you that we need to take Amir alive? If he is killed, we will lose the trail to find the baby.”
“Sad, but true; I know that. I have studied the Russian rig, and I know precisely where to shoot so there will not be catastrophic damage.”
Jake was not convinced. He still feared that Tess would succumb to her impetuous behavior. He just hoped that Tess would keep her focus on the objective: capture Amir. He reluctantly walked away from the Mangusta and waved.
Carmen started the engines and Tess checked the weapons systems. They waited until Nizar phoned to Jake to advise him that Amir was in the air.
The team had armed their Mangusta chopper with 50-calibre machine guns and two missiles. Carmen lifted off and proceeded to the coordinates where they would intercept Amir’s aircraft. They spotted it and closed the gap rapidly. Carmen positioned herself behind the Russian craft, giving Tess a clear view so she could use her weapons.
The pilot of the Iraqi chopper saw that something was amiss, and maneuvered to avoid the pursuing craft. Tess started firing the machine gun, aiming it at the helicopter’s engines. Amir’s pilot initiated evasive maneuvers and deployed countermeasures thinking that the pursuer was going to use missiles next.
Tess had no intention of using missiles. As much as she wanted to kill Amir, she knew that she needed him alive. The faster Mangusta closed in again on the Hind, enabling her to blast the cowl, finally generating some smoke from the damaged engine. The chopper was wounded, and the Iraqi pilot had no choice but to land in an open area. The Iraqi security detail spilled outside the craft and started to shoot at the Mangusta. Carmen deftly maneuvered to avoid the bullets sprayed at them. She circled the area, and Tess unleashed a devastating spray of bullets around the soldiers, clearly signaling that their resistance would bring death. The soldiers raised their arms while the Mangusta continued to hover above. Tess did not see Amir, who was still in the chopper.
Having seen the attacking Mangusta, Amir concluded that insurgents were not likely to steal an attack helicopter, particularly a machine that was not in the army’s inventory yet. He grabbed a machine gun from the rack, fully planning to use it against the mysterious attackers.
Carmen kept the Mangusta almost stationary, the rotor blades stirring sand and dirt. Tess again established that resistance was futile by firing a few rounds close to soldiers that appeared to resist. The men soon concluded that they would join their wounded comrades if they did not surrender. They raised their hands in surrender.
Jake had followed the Mangusta with his own team with an Iraqi Black Hawk that was officially undergoing maintenance. He landed next to
Amir’s crippled aircraft and his men spilled out, quickly surrounding it. Jake ran to the smoking chopper while his team tied up the Iraqi soldiers with plastic straps. He approached the Hind’s boarding door. “General al-Saadi, I am asking for your surrender. You will not be harmed if you come out with your hands up in the air.”
Amir had been in countless scrapes before, and he understood that this time he couldn’t shoot his way out of it. He made for the exit and raised his hands in surrender. Two of Jake’s men tied his hands behind him and hustled him into their aircraft. They let go of the Iraqi soldiers after destroying the Hind’s radios.
Jake immediately took off with the Black Hawk. Carmen, still in the air, banked her chopper and followed them to a secluded area into the desert. John Powers and Ken Ross were waiting with a Hummer. The team threw Amir into the vehicle and sped off to a ramshackle, isolated blockhouse that appeared abandoned.
Carmen landed her craft and jumped off, with Tess following. Nicola jumped on board, took the controls of the Mangusta and lifted off to fly it away to Jordan. He would later claim that the craft had been stolen by insurgents.
A second Humvee picked up Tess and Carmen.
Jake’s men tied Amir to a chair. Tess walked in. Amir was startled to see her approaching him with a look in her face that was murderous at best. ‘This is going to be interesting,’ he thought.
“Hello Tess; did you miss me?” he said, smiling.
Tess slapped him on his face.
“Tess, if you want to play rough, I will be more than glad to accommodate you. Just take your clothes off. Would you like me to spank you?”
This time Tess punched him. She was ready to do it again when Jake grabbed her by the wrists. “Stop it. Don’t forget what we are here to do.”
Amir was bleeding from a cut to his mouth, but it didn’t affect his sarcasm.
“Ah! You must be Mister Tess. Glad to make your acquaintance.”
Jake saw that Tess was about to lose it. Before he could restrain her, she kicked Amir in the chest, toppling him backward. The chair slid and came to a stop when Amir hit his head against the wall. He passed out.”
Jake was furious. “Tess, get a hold of yourself; if you kill him, we might as well go home because we will never find the baby.” Jake hated having to repeat himself. He forcefully dragged her out of the room.
Ken Ross checked Amir. He was still on his back and he was bleeding from the top of the head. He pulled him back up, still tied to the chair.
Tess was struggling to control her murderous rage. She had an overwhelming need to break every bone in Amir’s body, to hit him again and again until he turned to pulp. All of her resentment about his past deceptions and the ultimate crime of his seizing her son unleashed her pent-up fury. She was shaking with rage. Carmen came over, grabbed her shoulder and persuaded her to go to the other room.
Amir woke up, feeling like he had been hit by a freight train. His vision was blurry and his head was hurting like hell. Ken gave him some water.
Tess came back in. Amir could not resist. “Tess, beloved, it seems that being with you often gives me a bad headache. I would enjoy it even more though if you wore a proper outfit. You know, black rubber suit, a mask, stilettos and a whip.”
Tess still wanted to murder him, but Jake gave her a hard look to discourage inflicting additional bodily harm on Amir. She asked Jake to leave.
Now she went to business. “Amir, we can do this the hard way or the easy way. I don’t have to elaborate, as you know very well what I mean. I am going to ask you only one question: where is my son?”
Amir affected a puzzled look. “Do you mean our son Tess? Have you lost him? Do you need my help to find him? My lawyers will take a dim view of your parenting skills; mothers generally don’t misplace their children.”
Tess kicked his shins with her combat boot. Amir winced, but wouldn’t let up. “That felt great Tess. Is it my turn now? Can I spank your beautiful bottom? Please bare it for me. I would enjoy that.”
“Amir, enough games; tell me where you are keeping my son and I will let you go.”
“My love, I don’t want you to let me go. I want to be with you. Tell me what happened, and together we will look for our son. We will be a family again.”
“We were never a family, you bastard, stop being delusional. Once again, where is little Morgan?”
“I never liked that name. He needs to be renamed with a proper Turkish one worthy of his lineage. How about Tahir? If you prefer, we can work together to choose another name.”
Tess grabbed the small table in front of the chair and hurled it at him. A corner hit him in the face, breaking a cheekbone. Amir blanked for a minute.
“That was good, Tess. You are getting more creative. You are turning me on, as usual.”
Carmen and Jake came back into the room and tried to drag Tess out.
Jake was clearly concerned. “Tess, you are getting nowhere. He is goading you. We need to get one of the guys on him to make him talk. You are too tied up with him emotionally. Your anger is not helping.”
“There is one more thing that I think will work. Carmen. Give me a knife.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Watch me.” The rest of the team was lounging around in the next room, with the door open, smoking and playing cards. All noise stopped.
Tess went back in the room with Amir. Without saying a word, she went to him and unzipped his pants.
“Tess, it looks like you need me to give you pleasure. Please help yourself.”
Tess did not respond. She cut his pants at the belt line, then his underwear.
“Anxious, aren’t we? We have no bed here, but I am sure that we can improvise.”
“Ok, Amir, this is what’s going to happen. You tell me where you are hiding my son, and I won’t cut your dick and balls off.” She showed him the knife.
“My dear, why would you want to harm the divine instrument of your delight? Do you remember our sublime night of love? Wouldn’t you like to enjoy me again?”
Tess placed the point of her knife on one of his testicles and stabbed. Amir screamed in pain. “You bitch!”
“You deceived me about Aara. You killed the baby in my womb and you have stolen my son. The only reason you are still alive is because I need you to tell me where my baby is. Do you think for a minute that I don’t mean what I say?”
“You sound harsh, but you don’t have the guts to kill me.”
“This is what’s going to happen, Amir. I will grab your balls and cut them off. Then I will cut off you dick and make you eat it the whole package.” She stabbed him again in the groin and twisted the knife.”
Amir screamed one more time. “All right, I will tell you.”
“Excellent Amir; now tell me, where is my baby?”
He is in a house on the outskirts of Istanbul. He is being taken care of by my new wife along with Aara.”
“Congratulations on your marriage; many happy returns. I would ask to see the pictures of the wedding, but as you can see, I am in a hurry.
She kept the knife on his groin. “Now, you wouldn’t be lying to me, would you?”
“I couldn’t lie to you. I must keep my private parts in excellent shape so we can again make exquisite love together.”
“You never quit, do you, Amir?”
“A man in love is never satisfied, my beloved.”
Tess went back to the team’s room. Carmen and the guys were somewhat disappointed that she had not cut Amir’s manhood off.
Jake now instructed George Kimmel. “I want you to sit down with Amir and get the info down. I want the address of the place, whether there are guards and what the routine of the people in the house is.”
George was an experienced interrogator and went to Amir sporting a benign smile. “Nice to meet you, General; I understand that you have some detailed information for us.”
Amir looked at him with hostility. “I changed my mind, I will tell you nothing!”
<
br /> George was not in a mood to negotiate. He slid a knife from his belt and lightly ran his finger on the sharp end if the blade. “Before we begin, General, I need you to know that Tess has authorized me to cut off your privates if you don’t cooperate.”
Amir looked at his blood soaked lap and knew that he needed help. “Fine, I shall provide the information you want, on the condition that I receive medical help for my injuries.”
“Of course General; that will be no problem once you tell me what I need to know.” George kept inspecting the blade of his knife.
Shortly after, George joined the team in the other room. “We have the info we need.”
Carmen asked, “What do we do with Amir now?”
“We are going to take him to our CIA black facility in Jordan,” said Jake. “I just want to make sure he is telling us the truth. If we end up on a wild goose chase, I want access to him again.”
“Too bad,” added Tess. “I was looking forward to killing him.”
Chapter 58
Istanbul Again
The team landed in Istanbul and checked in at the Armada Hotel. They met for dinner at the famous terrace. The place boasted a spectacular 360-degree panoramic view of the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Marmaris Sea, and the Asian side of the city and to other areas of Sultanahmet. At night the major sites were dramatically lit in the background, the lights twinkled from the opposite shores, and the sound of the ships plying the waters enhanced the atmosphere.
The whole team was there except for Carmen and Nicola, who stayed behind to take Amir to a CIA facility in Jordan. Jake and Tess, George Kimmel, Ken Ross, John Powers and even Joe Slezak, everyone’s favorite geek, admired the view, but none of them was in a party mood. They were conscious of the importance of the mission to retrieve little Morgan. After dinner, they retreated to a conference room and studied maps of the city. Not only they had marked the location of Amir’s rental house in the suburbs but had also planned escape routes. As usual, it was not necessary to take notes. Jake had committed all the details to memory.
