No Girl Left Behind: A Jamie Austen Spy Thriller (THE SPY STORIES Book 5)

by Terry Toler

  “Where is she?” I asked.

  “The women’s correctional facility in Hanadi.”

  I’d been hoping for that intel. Now that we knew where MJ was, I’d get the AJAX team working on a possible extraction plan, even though I didn’t have much hope that we could do anything. Brad had practically forbidden it. Our team was too valuable to go on such a risky mission, he argued. The guys all reluctantly agreed.

  We couldn’t save everyone, so our focus today was on saving Amina. My guys had attacked Amina’s extraction like a group of hungry pigs. Overkill really. Josh put together the plan to the last detail. The four of them were in a van across from the courthouse, out of sight but in close enough proximity to see what was happening. I had a radio in my ear and a microphone attached to my lapel so we could communicate with each other.

  Even though everyone else was in place in the courtroom, Amina hadn’t yet arrived. The four men who had attacked her kept looking my way. Glaring at me. I stared back. The one I injured when he stuck his hand in my car trying to grab my cell phone was sitting on the end, closest to me.

  Fortunately, a guard was sitting right behind him. Fortunate for him. If I could, I’d wipe that smug smile off his face with one backhand. I also had a knife hidden in my skirt. I could envision taking it and slashing his throat.

  Vengeance is mine, says the Lord.

  Curly said that’s true and that what we did wasn’t vengeance. Our job was as the facilitator of God’s work. We killed the bad guys to get them before God as soon as possible. So he could extract his vengeance. Also, so they couldn’t hurt anyone else. That’s how I justified carrying my anger for these lowlifes. Righteous anger. Like the kind Jesus had when he drove out the moneychangers in the temple.

  The radio in my ear crackled.

  “Vehicle approaching,” Josh said.

  I didn’t respond. We’d already tested the mikes so I knew they could hear me. The last thing I wanted was a guard to see me talking to my lapel and become suspicious.

  “I’ve got eyes on your girl.”

  “One guard.”

  “Belly hanging over his belt.”

  “Easiest job you’ve ever given us.”

  I couldn’t help but smile. We all knew when weapons were involved, there were no easy jobs. Murphy’s law had a way of rearing his ugly head at the most inopportune times. The guys did have enough weapons and ammunition to fight off a small army.

  In the courtroom were two guards. Counting the one with Amina, I could take out all three guards with just the knife in the hem of my skirt or the gun in the console of my car. With a van full of trained lethal killers sitting right across the street, these guards were nothing more than target practice. Like a skeet shooter mowing down one fake bird after another. Having them nearby made me even more confident than I already was that this mission would be successful.

  “Your girl has some new injuries to her face,” Josh said. “Somebody has roughed her up again.”

  The words stirred around the anger inside of me like a cook stirring a pot of boiling water. When Amina was led into the room, one or two tears almost escaped my eyes. Her face was bruised and battered again. She walked with a noticeable limp. This time, it was her right eye nearly swollen shut. I could only imagine what someone had done to her. Probably a guard in the prison.

  I took a deep breath to calm myself down. Her ordeal would be over soon. I’d be able to protect her from her father. We’d get her out of there and on our plane. Out of the country. Away from these horrendous, godless people.

  The judge entered the courtroom. My understanding was that the trial of the four men would begin first.

  As expected, the judge’s first words were, “This is the trial of four men, Tarek Quadri, Lukman Mir, Rasul Siddique, and Waseem Akbar. Are the four defendants present and represented by counsel?”

  Malak leaned over and whispered, “The first guy is the one who is married.”

  That meant he was facing the more serious charge of adultery.

  A weaselly looking man stood and said, “I am counsel for all four defendants.”

  “Thank you, sir,” the judge said. “The prosecutor will read the charges.”

  “Your Honor, I will begin with the charges against three men. Lukman Mir, Rasu Siddique, and Waseem Akbar are charged with sexual indignities. My understanding is that they intend to plead guilty to the charge of having sexual relations with a woman, Amina Noorani, outside of marriage.”

  “Counsel, do your clients plead guilty?”

  “Yes, Your Honor.”

  Malak leaned over and said, “They pleaded guilty, so they’d have evidence against Amina.”

  I didn’t fully understand the system of the tribal laws but was rapidly becoming familiar with it. Enough to know it was written by men and heavily skewed for their benefit. Women were victimized twice. Once by the men and then again by the judge. Hopefully, Amina would be able to get off on a technicality. Maybe, there were pockets of justice occasionally for women in these settings. Malak said that most of the UAE wasn’t like this. These were the fundamentalists. Like the people in America who blew up abortion clinics in the name of God.

  “Since the three men plead guilty, I’ll go direct to sentencing,” the judge said.

  The three men stood next to their attorney.

  “Don’t let the judge see a reaction out of you,” Malak said.

  I didn’t know why he said that. I expected the men to get lashes and prison time. It would be satisfying to see them taken into the yard and beaten with a cane.

  “I find you guilty as evidenced by your plea. You’ll each pay a fine of 1600 dirham and six months in jail. The jail sentence is reduced to time served. As soon as you pay the fine, you’re free to go.”

  What?

  No jail time. No lashes. The fine was equivalent to $160 American dollars. I’d gotten speeding tickets with bigger fines. Now I knew why Malak had warned me to watch my reaction. I wanted to stand and scream at the judge at the top of my lungs.

  When the men sat back down, the one whose wrist I injured, looked my way and started laughing at me. Almost mocking me. I bit my lip to prevent a reaction. Malak was right. I didn’t want to do anything to get the attention of the judge. My head was covered with a scarf, but my face was in full view.

  I only wished I had the opportunity to get that man before God today, so he could sentence him to hell.

  I had to focus. Amina was why I was there. She was the one who needed me. Someday, God would make things right with the world. Atrocities and injustices were allowed in this world so that we could have free will. A just God would eventually punish the wicked. That wasn’t my job. I couldn’t solve all the world’s injustices.

  “Prosecutor, please read the charges for the fourth defendant.”

  “Your Honor, Tarek Quadri is accused of adultery.”

  “Does Mr. Quadri intend to plead guilty as well?” the judge asked.

  “No, Your Honor,” his counsel stood and said. “My client pleads not guilty.”

  “Mr. Prosecutor, please present your evidence.”

  Barney was sitting next to the prosecutor with his little black book in his hand. I presumed that he’d speak next.

  “We have no evidence to present, Your Honor,” the prosecutor said.

  I almost fell out of my chair.

  “Then why was he charged?” the judge asked.

  “The woman is the one who brought the charge against him. She claims she was raped.”

  “Malak, do you care to respond as to why your client brought this accusation?”

  Malak stood to his feet. I could see his hand shaking. Even as an experienced lawyer, I could see why anyone defending a woman in these circumstances would feel intimidated.

  “On the night in question, these four men attacked and raped my client on the side of the road as she was walking home. As Your Honor has already heard, three of the men pled guilty to the crime and admitted that they raped he
r.”

  “I believe they admitted to having sex with her,” the judge said.

  “My client did not consent to the sexual encounter,” Malak argued.

  Malak paused like he was waiting for the judge to respond. When he didn’t, he continued. “The fourth defendant was present at the rape, and my client will offer testimony that Mr. Quadri also raped her multiple times. I might add that the men brutally beat her as well, putting her in the hospital.”

  “They weren’t charged with assault,” the judge said.

  “They should’ve been,” Malak said. “I have the medical records to prove her injuries.”

  “I can only consider the charges before me.”

  “Understood. The charges before the court are serious in and of themselves. While Mr. Quadri has pleaded not guilty to rape and adultery, Your Honor does have the guilty verdict of the three men and the testimony of my client. That should be more than enough evidence for the court to find the defendant guilty of adultery.”

  The judge rubbed his beard.

  Malak sat back down.

  “Does the counsel for the defendant have a response?” the judge asked.

  “Yes, Your Honor. As you know, the law requires that for a man to be accused of adultery, there must be four male witnesses of good reputation who will testify to that effect. In this instance, there are only three male witnesses. The testimony of the woman doesn’t count.”

  Malak stood to his feet. His hand was no longer shaking and was formed into a fist.

  “Your Honor, this has been a controversy for some time in our law. As you know, men don’t generally forcibly rape women in front of other witnesses. Especially four of them. Therefore, rape is almost impossible to prove unless there is a videotape, or the woman becomes pregnant. In this case, however, there actually are four male witnesses. These four men were present for the attack. This is obviously a defense ploy. Three of the men pled guilty. One pled not guilty. Why? That way, the court lacks four male witnesses. The court shouldn’t let the defense get away with such a travesty of justice.”

  The defense counsel stood. “Your Honor, my client has the right to plead not guilty. Innocent until proven guilty is not a travesty of justice. If the counsel cannot produce four male witnesses as the law requires, then I would ask Your Honor to charge the woman with slander.”

  It’s possible the judge saw my reaction. If he didn’t see it, he heard it.

  “I don’t believe this,” I said. I’m sure my face registered my utter contempt for what I was hearing. Malak motioned with his hand for me to keep quiet.

  “Stay cool, Jamie,” Alex said in my ear. They could hear everything going on in the courtroom. “None of this matters. We’re going to get her out of there as soon as it’s over.”

  “Mr. Malak? Do you have a response?” the judge asked.

  “The facts before the court are clear. We all know what happened that night. These men brutally raped my client and then beat her mercilessly. Putting her in the hospital for nearly a week with a severe concussion and damage to her eye.”

  The counsel for the married man was still standing and said, “Your Honor, I ask that you sanction counsel. He continues to slander my client with no evidence. I suggest that he either produce four male witnesses as the law requires or that he sit down and shut up.”

  I could add this attorney to the growing list of men in this country who I wanted to kill.

  The judge paused. Probably for dramatic effect.

  “The laws of this jurisdiction are clear,” he said. “The prosecutor has failed to produce four male witnesses of good reputation. Three men pled guilty to a sexual relationship with the girl. That’s true. I’ve found them guilty of that offense. Therefore, I must dismiss them as reputable witnesses. By nature of their guilty verdict, they are not men of good reputation. The testimony of the woman is not admissible without four male witnesses, so I must discard her testimony as well. Therefore, I find that there is not a single witness present who witnessed the defendant commit adultery. Therefore, I find the defendant not guilty!”

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. The four men were clapping and slapping each other on the back.

  “Further, the woman brought the charge of adultery against the man without four male witnesses to support her testimony. Counsel’s argument is well taken. I find Amina Noorani guilty of slander. I withhold punishment until I hear the other evidence against her.”

  “Unbelievable!” Alex said in my ear.

  “Just say the word, and I’ll take out that judge,” Josh said.

  Depending on what happens in Amina’s trial, I might just let them. Actually, depending on how the judge treated Amina in her trial, I might not be able to stop them.

  27

  The guys were fired up.

  After hearing firsthand what I’d been dealing with for the last few weeks, Alex, Bond, Josh, and A-Rad were ready to storm the courthouse. My ear was filled with their chatter. Amina had just sat down at the defendant’s table with Malak, her attorney, and we were waiting on the judge to begin the next phase of the trial.

  “Scorched earth, Private?” Bond asked Josh. We never used real names over the radio. He was asking if they should just go in and kill everyone associated with the travesty. I wished we could.

  “Not yet, seven,” Josh replied. Bond’s nickname. “Let’s let it play out. Either way, we’re getting that poor girl out of here today. From the looks of her, I bet Amina was raped and beaten by a guard. Makes me sick.”

  “If we kill everyone in the courthouse, they can’t convict us of murder,” Alex said jokingly. “They need four male witnesses. We won’t leave any.”

  The law of four witnesses only applied to women, I wanted to tell them but couldn’t. If a man brought a charge, he only needed one witness. His testimony counted as one. A woman’s testimony was only admissible if combined with the testimony of four men.

  Absurd!

  I couldn’t join in the conversation over the earpiece because the courtroom was dead silent as we were all waiting on the judge to begin again. The four men who had just gotten off were practically giddy. They kept looking my way, taunting me with their eyes. The prudent thing for me to do was to ignore them, but I stared back. Squinted my eyes at them in disgust. I may have even raised my fist at one of them. I don’t remember.

  Truthfully, I mainly wanted to get this trial over with and Amina out of there. If this was hard on me, I’m sure it was torture for her. Especially since she didn’t know what I knew. She wasn’t going back to jail. The fear inside of her must’ve been unbearable.

  The judge finally began speaking. “We will begin the trial of Amina Noorani. Prosecutor, please read the charges.”

  The prosecutor stood and began reading from his notes. “Amina Noorani is charged with three counts of zina. She had a sexual relationship with three men who were not her husband. The court should know that a husband has already been chosen for Amina by her father who is a tribal elder and is also present today. Her tribe has voted and unanimously asks this court to sentence Amina Noorani to death by stoning.”

  “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” the judge said. “I haven’t found her guilty of anything.”

  “I think the court can proceed to sentencing, Your Honor,” the prosecutor argued. “You’ve already found the three men guilty of having a sexual relationship with Amina. They aren’t married. Neither is Amina. She is guilty simply by their testimony.”

  “Nevertheless, fairness would dictate that the defense has an opportunity to answer the charges.”

  “Fairness!” Alex scoffed through my headset. “These people wouldn’t know fairness if it slapped them upside their heads.”

  “Does the prosecutor have any further evidence to present to the court?” the judge asked.

  “Yes. Your Honor. I would also remind the court that you did already find the defendant guilty of slander.”

  “So, noted,” the judge said. “Present
your other evidence.”

  “We’ll hear from the detective who investigated this case,” the prosecutor said.

  Barney stood to his feet and began reading out of his black book. “When the woman, Amina Noorani, was brought to the hospital, she told the nurse that she’d been raped by four men. That is an admission of sexual intercourse. I have the notes from the hospital. The doctor who examined her confirmed recent sexual contact. The girl is not a virgin and is unmarried.”

  Barney sat back down.

  “There you have it, Your Honor. The woman’s own words condemn her. As does the doctor’s testimony. You have no choice but to find her guilty.”

  “Malak, how does your client plead?” the judge asked.

  “Your Honor, the hospital records confirm Amina’s story that she was raped by the four men. She never admitted to consensual sexual contact. She was walking along the road. The four men stopped their car. They dragged her into a ditch and forced themselves on her. Multiple times. That is not zina. That’s called rape.”

  “Your Honor, I must object,” the prosecutor said. “I would urge the court to instruct Malak to watch his language. Once again, he slanders the good name of these men. The court has already found that the defendant is unable to present the testimony of four male witnesses to confirm a rape. The law states that if a charge of rape is made by a woman without four male witnesses, then the court is to assume that the encounter was consensual.”

  Malak countered. “While that may be the law, common sense dictates otherwise. The doctor who examined Amina said in his report, and I quote, ‘the internal injuries sustained by patient are consistent with violent and multiple forced entry.’ In addition, the physician documented numerous physical injuries to Amina’s head and neck where she had been struck multiple times by their fists. To the point that she had a concussion and a bruised eye socket. Does that sound like consensual sex to you, Your Honor?”