Payback - John Hayes Series 06 (2020), стр. 15
“Okay.” Steve stared up at John, his mind whirring away. “But what about moving around inside Syria? Checkpoints?”
“That’s my idea. We fake the press credentials and pretend to be reporters. Do you really think the guys manning checkpoints can tell the difference between genuine documents and fake ones?”
Steve nodded slowly, his forehead slowly relaxing.
John turned to Adriana. “Can you get us examples of what we need?”
“I think so. At least a soft copy.”
“Good. That will have to do.” John turned back. “We’ll take a look at it and see if it’s something we can knock up on the computer.”
“I’ve got a better idea.” Steve grinned for the first time since the call. “I know a guy.”
24
Mia turned off the phone and slipped it inside her pocket. The last explosion seemed to have knocked out the phone network. She looked down at Malak. Her eyes were open, but she looked back at her mother without recognition. Mia gently rocked.
“It won’t be long, my darling,” she whispered. “Soon, we’ll be in Australia, where the skies are blue, there’s plenty of food and water, and it’s quiet.” She flinched as another explosion rocked the building, sending dust flying in the air. Mia covered Malak’s face and continued rocking. “The beaches, Malak, they are beautiful. Long, with golden sand and clear blue water sparkling in the sun. People are happy there, Malak. Everyone smiles, everyone talks to each other. You’ll love it, my baby. Not long now.” Mia said the words more for her own reassurance. She wasn’t sure if Malak would understand.
She heard footsteps on the stairs and tensed. Naeem hadn’t said when he would be back. She slid herself across the floor into the darkest corner and pulled Malak closer. The footsteps got closer, then a man stepped into the room. He was dressed like the fighters—camouflaged pants, running shoes, a hooded tracksuit top—his beard was long and unkempt, eyes sunken deep into their sockets, and he cradled an AK47 in his arms. Mia’s breath caught, and she shrank back against the wall, trying to make herself smaller. The man didn’t see her at first, his eyes adjusting to the darkness in the room, but when he did, he raised his weapon and pointed it in her direction.
More footsteps and three more men dressed in the same fashion entered the room. They stared at her, and one stepped forward and crouched down. He stared at her face with dead eyes, then down at her body. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and grinned, exposing a mouthful of dirty yellow teeth. Mia closed her eyes, clenched her teeth, and started praying.
She heard a noise and then her name.
“Mahfuza.”
Opening her eyes, she saw Naeem push through the men and walk toward her. He walked around the man with yellow teeth and stood in front of her.
“Mahfuza, we have to leave. We’re pulling back.”
Mia didn’t move. She looked past Naeem to the man who was still leering at her.
Naeem held out his hand. “Come. We have to move fast.”
Mia ignored his hand and pushed herself up off the floor with her spare hand, holding Malak close to her with the other. She looked around the floor but didn’t know why. She had nothing, only her daughter, the clothes on her back, and the blanket wrapped around them.
The crouching man stood up at the same time, his eyes never leaving her face. Mia looked away and moved closer to Naeem. He stepped to one side, adjusted his AKM, then pushed her toward the door with his left hand.
The other men led the way out the door, and Mia paused and looked back. Naeem stood chest to chest with Yellow Teeth, staring him down. The other man sniggered but didn’t back down.
“Naeem,” she called, and he glanced toward her. He gave one more look at Yellow Teeth, then followed her out the door.
As Mia reached the ground floor, she heard muffled voices, and when she stepped onto the street, in the falling light, she could just make out a group of women huddled together while more fighters stood guard.
“Go with them,” she heard Naeem mutter behind her.
“But...”
“Now,” he growled and pushed her forward.
She stumbled, clutching Malak close, then stepped toward the other women. They regarded her with little interest, their faces devoid of expression. Their hair was unkempt, their faces dirty, and like her, they were dressed in a mishmash of unwashed clothes.
“Yalla!” called out one of the fighters, and the others pushed the women down the street.
Mia looked around for Naeem but couldn’t make him out in the darkness.
25
Steve indicated and pulled off the main road onto a side street, leading behind a row of commercial buildings. He pulled the Pajero to the curb and switched off the engine.
“Here we are.”
John looked around but couldn’t see where they needed to go. They were in the old part of Dubai, an area called Bur Dubai, on the wrong side of the creek. It was so far removed from the glitz and glamor of Dubai most people see, they could have been in another country.
“Where?”
“You’ll see.” Steve grinned as he opened the door.
They climbed out, and John waited on the pavement until Steve crossed around the front of the vehicle.
“Follow me.” Steve led John along the pavement, then turned into the loading bay of a darkened four-story building. Discarded packing crates and polystyrene stacked in one corner were the only sign the building was occupied. Steve walked up the loading ramp and knocked on an unmarked door. He knocked three times, waited, knocked twice, paused, then three times again.
“Really?” John asked.
Steve winked. “Nah, mate, I’m just yankin’ your chain.” He turned and banged on the door with the ball of his fist. He looked up at the security camera above the