Dead Reckoning by Warren Murphy

Author:Warren Murphy
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates
Published: 2011-09-05T00:00:00+00:00

14

Of all the terrorists that Alawi Sulayam had encountered over the past several years, only one did not fear the secret task force that America had been sending around the world to tear up the organization by its roots.

Ayir was like a giddy child in the passenger seat of Sulayam’s Toyota Maxima.

“They say the Chinaman is a little thing,” the hulking Ayir said. “As little as a little girl. And the American they say is nothing special.”

“Trust me,” Alawi said. “He is special. He has killed hundreds of our brothers. That makes him very dangerous despite his outward appearance.”

Ayir waved a huge, dismissive paw. “I cannot be fooled. They are both little men. If they have killed as many as has been claimed, it is only because they have not met me. Did I tell you, Alawi, about the men who shot me in Iraq?”

Alawi tried to answer that, yes, he had heard the story several times, but in all things Ayir was like an avalanche. Once he was started, there was no stopping him.

“It was in Kuwait when the Americans attacked us for taking back the land that was ours. I was there from Iran helping my Islamic brothers. My men and I were at the zoo in Kuwait City when the Americans came. They were part of the most elite American forces. Five times they shot me.” He held up a hand with fingers extended. They looked like five fat salamis swiped from a deli window. “I did not even know it until I was told later. I killed three of them with my hands.” Ayir made little twisting motions, as if he were wringing water from an invisible dishrag.

Alawi had heard of Ayir’s exploits. How the Americans had been forced to break into the Kuwait City zoo’s supply sheds and employ netting that was ordinarily used to capture rhinos in order to snag the rampaging Ayir. He could not be housed with other prisoners so they kept him in the gorilla cage. There was no problem with the gorillas being upset since the hungry Iraqi army had already eaten most of the zoo’s population. Not that in a fight between Ayir and a gorilla would Alawi have bet on the genuine ape.

Ayir’s sheer brute strength was the main reason Alawi had recruited him when he was assembling the second Martyrdom Brigade to infiltrate America. If the day ever came that Alawi was forced to die for his cause, he would gladly do so. But until that day came, he would remain safe, protected by a mastodon with huge shoulders, massive fists, barrel chest and a brain the size of a thimble.

Alawi parked his car half a mile from the diner, well away from the police activity. It took many long minutes to get Ayir to understand his instructions. So eager was he to get out of the car, Alawi had to repeat them several times.

“Do you have your gun?” he asked.

“Yes, but I do not need it.”

The big man was positively giddy.

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