by Jo Black
Alex nodded and wiped his nose. ‘Yeah, just too real. Too fucking real.’
‘Aye well. We’ve got a job to do, you’ll thank me for this later, I need to get you back in gear.’ Nish delivered an almighty punch into Alex’s midriff completely winding him. A second blow smashed into his face knocking him clean off his feet. ‘Come on you big pussy, don’t fucking sit snivelling on the fucking floor! Let’s fucking go!’ Nish went to kick him. Something instinctive triggered and Alex, quick as lightning, grabbed Nish’s leg and pulled him off balance before twisting him and knocking him over. Nish countered with a second punch and Alex, face now red with rage, responded with a pair of jabs.
‘That’s it you fucking cunt, let’s see you fucking fight!’ Alex stopped before landing his final punch, full of anger and fury. ‘Now you’re ready,’ Nish said.
Alex handed Nish the blanket, he got to his knees, wiped his bloodied nose and made his way out of the cellblock. Nish got up, patted himself down and followed. He stopped and unlocked the cells as he went. He reached upstairs. ‘Get them all out of there Sooty. Our quarrel isn’t with those poor beggars. Let them go.’ Sooty summoned a pair of helpers and went to empty the cells.
Nish exited the fort. Alex was marching to Amin’s position, now tied to a wooden pole facing the prison. Alex stopped short. He stared at Amin, resisting the immediate temptation to rip him apart with his bare teeth. Nish caught up with Alex, who was staring at Amin with the rage of a man possessed. ‘Bring them in,’ Alex spat.
Nish took out his radio. ‘Bring in the package.’
Amin tried to turn his head to see what was coming, before turning his attention to the line of emancipated skeletons now lining outside the prison, waiting dispassionately for The Rat’s humiliation, sensing that justice was about to be served and they could then at least leave with some sense of their dignity restored.
Alex didn’t break his demonic stare from The Rat for a second. A chilling stare that even The Rat shuddered to meet, knowing what a man with such a look could be capable of. He looked over his shoulder again before finally his nightmare was realised as Alex’s men dragged his wife and young daughter past him. Whatever rudimentary torture Amin had practiced, Alex was the dark master of psychologically breaking people.
In a pre-orchestrated theatre of power, Alex’s men tied Amin’s daughter and his wife to the vacant poles in Amin’s view, but far enough apart he could only see one within his field of vision at a time, forcing him to choose his final emotional allegiance, forsaking the other.
‘Please, I’m begging you. She’s just a child!’ The Rat pleaded.
‘We’re all children...’ Alex’s cold reply came. The men finished tying them up and then retreated, his wife and daughter looked at Amin for some hope, but Amin knew, as his own victims had known, there was none to be had that his captor was not prepared to cede. ‘The Rat!’ Alex spat. ‘Your audience! I wonder how many will choose to stay and watch you burn, even if they burn with you.’
‘Please, I’m begging you!’ It was the Rat’s turn to break down in tears, as confronted with the emotional reality of what he was about to lose, all his past sins were visited upon him, he lifted his head up to the sky and started praying in Arabic.
‘Allah isn’t listening Rat.’ Alex walked over and told him in Arabic. ‘I am the Angel of Death and he is not listening.’
‘Please! I beg you.’
‘You have a choice, I can torment you with their passing until sundown, or you can all leave together. You can ease their passage into the afterlife by betraying those you are about to leave behind, or you can honour them with your deafening silence, drowned out by the screams of your family.’
‘What do you want?’
‘Where is she?’
‘She is alive. They took her. I promise you, they took her alive, I did not know, as soon as I knew then she was not touched. I swear on my daughter’s head, she was touched by no man’s hand!’
‘What did you do, before you knew. What did you do?’
‘Please...’
‘Did you cut her? Electric? Did you rape her?’
‘No, nothing! Just some waterboarding. Only a few minutes. Twice. Then she gives us your name and everything is stopped. Please! For my family. It is the truth.’
‘Who took her?’
‘Smythe took her, David Smythe.’
‘When?’
‘Yesterday. Last evening.’
‘Where did he take her?’
‘I do not know, I swear! He came in helicopter and took her. On my daughter’s life it is the truth. Spare her. Have you no shame?’
‘No, I really haven’t. I have pity. I pity the human race is capable of the things we do, that places like this exist, and a system that produces people like me. Do you know what it means to be Russian? It is to suffer the slavery of a society that places no value on human life outside your own family, and sometimes none within it. If you had seen the things I have seen, what you do here is really nothing. I pity us all, so I have no shame because this is not a world for beautiful things like your wife and daughter, it is a world made ugly by men like you and me and all that we do in their name because we don’t stand up for others who can’t stand. Shame? What use is shame in the face of such overwhelming disdain for the sanctity of human life? Their lives must be taken, it is written to atone for all the lives you have broken. They must be sacrificed so your pain is welded to your soul for all eternity in this dying moment, that you ever revisit this world you find some kindness to others, and never inflict what you are about to feel on another living being.’
Amin’s face fell with shock. ‘My god...’ he exclaimed. ‘You really are the Angel of Death, I would not believe it if I did not look into your eyes and see it. I have seen it so many times in that room, I felt your presence on my shoulder so many times, and I know I now feel it here...how is it even possible...’
Alex retreated. He turned around and faced Amin’s prisoners. ‘Those of you who committed to a life of violence then witness this. This is violence. This is the face of death. Repent with the rest of your lives that you have been given back for a second chance, bear witness to this day that The Dragon burned The Rat in the fires of hell and damnation for all the evil he has perpetrated here. Think on your sins. Judgement will be done. Those who want to watch him burn then stay, the rest are free to go.’ Alex turned round and walked away. Nish and the rest of his men fell in behind as they retreated towards the helicopter. Of the captives, some fled. Some fell to their knees, bowed and prayed to Allah. Some simply stared at The Rat, perhaps thankful at a quick release from the memory of what had been done to them. Amin felt a sense of calm wash over him that he was powerless to act. That no mortal thing could stand in the way of such an immense spectre of nature. Perhaps it was an illusion, sunstroke set in within ten minutes on the legionnaires’ pole, hallucinations were quick to follow — it mattered little. He stared at his daughter, thankful she had no concept of the fate that awaited her, innocent of all that the world could make her, that she would never live to be old enough to be disappointed in her father after what he’d done to her, or feel ashamed of the work he had carried out in duty to the state. He cared only that she had been spared the worst that this Angel of Death could have brought to bear.
The rotors whirred into life as the team boarded the Hind; it lifted off and hovered briefly before dipping its nose and accelerating over the fortress, kicking up sand in a maelstrom around Amin. Seconds later, the sonorous roar of jet engines drowned out the rotor blades. The Mig-29 dipped low as a pair of free-fall bombs left their pylons and gliding in a gentle path towards the compound. They exploded in a line, a huge plume of bright orange towering flames engulfing the fortress as the napalm ignited sucking air in to feed its flames higher into a column of thick black smoke. The Mig made a wide lazy arc turn before lining up for a second pass, the secondary pylons released their payload, the bombs drifted down before detonating into the fortres
s building, the high explosive ordinance shattering the old building in all directions, reducing it to nothing more than rubble and memories, a graveyard monument to all the lives that had suffered within its walls as it was finally purged from existence by the wrath of The Dragon’s flames.
29
Alex dipped his hands into a bowl and splashed cold water on his face to wash off the baked-in sand and sweat before patting it dry with a clean towel. Nish entered the tent and handed Alex a piece of paper. He took it, walked over and collapsed into his chair, splashed two shots of vodka into glasses and pushed one over towards Nish. Nish took the glass and sat down before necking the shot in one. Alex scanned through the list and sighed with frustration. ‘How’s he always one step ahead of us?’
‘Because he knows our situation. He’s just bleeding us dry playing cat and mouse.’
‘We can’t afford to play this game Harry,’ Alex replied holding up the paper then dropping it on the table. He downed his vodka shot and refilled it.
‘Maybe we don’t have to.’
‘I’m more than ready to listen if you have a plan B.’
‘Hunter.’
‘What about him? He dead yet?’
‘Take more than cancer to kill that old scoundrel. He mentioned they were willing to make a trade.’
‘A trade? That’s a bad precedent to be setting. They crossed the line. If we give them what they want then what’s to stop them doing it again whenever they feel like it? Once they know you’ll fold...’
‘We can deal with reprisals when we’re in better shape. As I see it the most prudent course of action is to recover Zara as quickly and painlessly as possible.’
‘And cheaply.’ Alex nodded at the expense report on the desk.
‘And cheaply. Prudence suggests a trade may prove the most economical solution in the short term.’
‘What is it they want?’
‘Zara had some dirt on them. A tape and some intelligence. We can assume it was highly incriminating to those involved in whatever they are involved in.’
‘Who has it?’
‘Hunter thinks Zara sent it to Bishop for safekeeping.’
‘And where is Bishop?’
‘Gone to ground. But we have a lead, which is clearly more than they have or they’d already have him, and Zara would be surplus to requirements.’
‘And three feet under.’
‘Our best card is to get Bishop and what they want before they do, that is our leverage.’
‘Are we sure they’ll deal?’
‘We can find out.’
‘Who offered the trade?’
‘Gilad ben-David.’
‘What the fuck are Mossad doing involved?’
‘He was the one who started the missile defence system cover story.’
‘They’re going to a lot of trouble to get something better than Patriot. What the fuck are they buying, Reagan’s Star Wars program? That old nut-job Gadaffi might be onto something for once. You think we can get him? If he’s out of The Agency’s reach what’s to say we can fare any better?’
‘The Agency doesn’t have The Guild’s contacts. I suspect he’s outside their sphere of influence. He could well be in ours. There’s only one way to find out.’
Alex picked up his glass. He walked over to the entrance of the tent and peered out at the busy scene beyond as his small group of remaining mercenaries busily unpacked fresh supplies. ‘I’m not sure how wise it is to be taking a trip to The Holy Land to see the head of Mossad right now, given our landlord’s views on Judaism. It could be seen in the wrong light.’
‘I’m sure we can find a neutral host.’
Alex stared out thoughtfully. ‘Speak to Devreaux. See if the Jordanians will act as peacemaker. We can go to Amman.’
‘I’ll make the call.’
‘Why do I get the feeling we’ve been played for fools.’
‘In what respect?’
‘Smythe knew we wouldn’t co-operate if asked. If Vane couldn’t take care of it, and The Agency couldn’t take care of it then as you said, Bishop must be on our turf somewhere. They’re going to an awful lot of trouble to force our hand. Just what the hell is in that intel that’d have them go to this much trouble?’ Alex turned back to Nish. ‘Make the arrangements. Keep it quiet. I don’t want word getting out we’re cutting any kind of deal over Zara, or that show of force in Tunisia was a waste of resources.’
‘How do you want to play it?’
‘Need to know only. Have Sooty tell everyone we’re chasing down a source. We’ll take the corporate jet.’ Alex returned inside the tent and sat down.
‘I’ll take care of it.’
‘Anything else?’
‘You okay?’
‘How do you mean?’
‘What went down at the fort.’
Alex stared blankly at Nish. ‘It had to be done. Besides, she was better off out of it. He was a paedophile.’ Nish frowned. ‘At the end, he didn’t look at his wife once. She looked at him like she knew. He stared at his daughter the whole time.’
Nish shrugged. ‘She was his child, that’s what a father would do.’
‘No, not that way. He was abusing her. I just know it from that look.’
‘Sorry business altogether. What’s done is done. As you say, it had to be done. You needed to send a strong message, For Zara’s sake. For all our sakes. If they ever get the idea you aren’t the very worst thing that can happen to them then you’re in trouble. You remember what I told you?’
‘You have to be prepared to do the thing even your most feared enemy would flinch at. That’s how you beat evil.’
‘Don’t try and second-guess your decisions after the event Alex. We’re doing god’s work here. We can moralise all we like over the sanctity of children and women’s lives, but truth be told the enemy we face would wipe us all to extinction for a seven points stock gain. What’s coming will spare none but the righteous.’
‘Are we righteous?’
‘No, we’re merely the messengers.’ Nish recharged the glasses and toasted. ‘Peace be upon you.’
‘Peace be on us all.’
‘Amen.’
They downed their shots. Nish got up and left Alex, who seemed to be lost in his own thoughts.
30
Something is troubling you. I can tell,’ Devreaux said softly as the 604 settled into a high altitude cruise. Alex broke his stare from out of the window and looked at Devreaux. ‘I can always tell,’ he said with a comforting smile.
‘Sometimes, sometimes I think I go too far.’
‘How far is too far?’
‘Is there a line?’
‘Where? Between life and death? Between good and evil? Right and wrong? Left and right?’
‘Why am I cursed to do this Gabriel? Of all of us why must I carry the darkest of tasks?’
‘Because you have the shoulders to bear it. I don’t know Alex. It’s how you were made. This isn’t like you.’
‘Even the coldest of winters occasionally feels the warmth of the sun and covets the summer.’
‘Every winter becomes a summer eventually. The coldness will pass, the warmth will come. Have faith. We have a long way to go to reach those golden meadows. You must endure.’
‘How do you endure?’
Devreaux smiled and looked out the window. ‘I find comfort in the greater plan for us all. That every day, every life is merely the smallest part in a greater journey. That someday when we’ve found the limit to what the human spirit will endure and we finally break the cycle then we’ll reach The Promised Land. We’ll cast aside the shadows and all will be made as it was intended to be.’ Devreaux turned to Alex again.
‘It is a nice dream. I know why everyone calls you Preacher...’
‘You can make it our reality. We all can. We just have to keep the faith.’
‘I had never doubted it until I felt the torment of those souls in that place. So much suffering it overwhelmed me. Like being smot
hered in a blanket.’
‘She is safe Alex. Of that I am certain.’ Devreaux stared out at the desert below. ‘But there is a darkness coming, I feel it all around us like a rising tide. The forces we have kept in check for so long are finally overwhelming us, and chaos is again rising from order. This is the start of it. The great war of our time.’
‘Iraq?’
‘That’s just the opening battle, they’re unleashing enemies they cannot possibly comprehend. Their hubris and the false comfort of military superiority are about to be found deeply wanting. Their enemy has found its voice. Islam is a powerful and virulent agent to spread discourse and will shake the foundations of everyone in its path. Of all the great books, it is the one that carries the most powerful call to its followers. The King of the East will finally return to face the King of the West on the field of battle, and then, at the end of all of this, the fate of humanity on this planet will be resolved for all time.’
‘What will we do? What are we to do?’
‘The time for keeping order and balance in chaos is drawing to an end. Now we must ensure the righteous prevail. They believe this is a battle between their beliefs, but it runs so much deeper than that.’ Devreaux looked at Alex. ‘The Guild must come together now. We can no longer help them. The era of Kingdoms of God who called on our services for over two millennia is drawing to a close, as was foreseen, to be replaced by much darker forces that worship at altars of commerce and greed. In their blindness to the truth around them the poor and the righteous will be destroyed, and so The Guild must stand for those who are cast aside. Have faith. There is a plan for all of us.’ Alex’s doubt melted away, he closed his eyes and felt a calmness wash over him. Devreaux smiled as he sensed his message had served its purpose. ‘Faith is a beautiful thing Alex. It makes us all that we are...’
