Black Site by Dalton Fury

Author:Dalton Fury [Fury, Dalton]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Mystery, Thriller
ISBN: 0312668376
Amazon: 1250014190
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: 2012-01-30T06:00:00+00:00

THIRTY

They made the first hour of their return trip wholly without incident. The American lay swaddled in blankets in the back as it bounced and shook and shuddered behind the loud tractor. He was all but hidden below the wooden lip of the cart, and the various odds and ends Jamal had hurriedly tossed back there at 4 a.m. to give the appearance that he was a merchant or a laborer served well to conceal his stowaway. It had been Bob Kopelman’s idea that Jamal half fill the cart, so the young Afghan had tossed items from the garage where he kept the tractor. There were some hammers and nails, a shovel, a pick, blankets, water jugs, and four large jerricans full of fuel.

The items rattled and bounced, and they gave the vehicle and the driver an air of purpose.

Just after safely crossing the Khyber Agency Road, Jamal stopped in a deep valley and turned off the engine so he could refill the tractor’s gas tank from a can in the back. He also took the opportunity to make a quick call on the satellite phone. Mister Bob answered immediately, reported that he was already on the Grand Trunk Road, west of Peshawar, and heading toward the warehouse. He reported seeing many Frontier Corps convoys on the main thoroughfare through this part of Khyber Agency, which was no great surprise, but he was making good time and expected to arrive at the rendezvous point well ahead of the Euroleopard tractor negotiating the arduous terrain to the south.

Soon the American climbed up onto the vinyl seat next to Jamal. Jamal wanted Mister Racer to remain hidden in back, but the valley here was steep on both sides and anyone approaching would have to do it from straight ahead, so he was less worried about being surprised by strangers.

Jamal asked, “Are you feeling better?”

In broken Pashto the American said, “Yes. Thank you. And thank you for coming to get me.”

Jamal shrugged. “I came because Mister Bob asked me to. This was not the plan. I was going to pick you up tomorrow where I left you.”

“I know. I am sorry.”

Jamal just repeated himself. “I came because Mister Bob asked me to.”

Racer said, “I understand the danger you are in, friend. If you are caught—”

“Caught? I would not have to be caught. I only have to be suspected of helping you and my life will be over. If the Taliban suspect me for one second you will find me hanging in the square by my hands, and my head will be hanging by a rope between my knees.”

That image lingered in the dusty air while they made their way over a dry hillock low in a valley. Finally Raynor asked, “So why do you do it? Is Bob a good salesman?”

Jamal took a moment with the question; apparently he did not recognize it as a joke at first. When he did, he laughed.

“No, no.” He thought before speaking. “I have been living at Kacha Garay camp outside of Peshawar.

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