The Gatekeeper by Donald Peters

Author:Donald Peters
Format: epub

Mark knew that if this went on for much longer, his resistance would eventually be broken. He may be forced to reveal the real reason he was in Afghanistan. What possible interest that was to the Russians, he had not the faintest idea.

The interrogation of Dusty followed a similar pattern to that of Mark, with no indication of time or place. With nothing in the cell to refer to, he just lay on the bench and drowsed, and waited for something to happen. Dusty had absolutely no idea what time of day or night it was, and, like Mark, he had lost complete track of how long he had been a guest in this establishment.

For the purpose of stating his role in Afghanistan to his Russian tormentors, Dusty took the view that he was quite simply hired to look after Mark Taylor and had absolutely no idea what Mark’s mission was. That story did not go down too well with his interrogator, but the Russian had so far refrained from reverting to a more physical style of interrogation. Probably because this was the Russian’s first experience of interrogating an Afro-American, and a very large and intimidating one. Unlike Mark, there was no attempt to intimidate Dusty, no hiding behind lights, no drenching in cold water, just an amicable discussion between two grown men.

The guy doing the interrogation had reluctantly introduced himself as Sergey Drubich, and then only because Dusty had been insistent that if they were to have a polite conversation, he should at least know the guy’s name. After all, Dusty had informed the guy of his full name—Archibald Miller—and spent quite some time patiently trying to explain to the humourless Russian, if you took Dusty’s first name, or if the interviewer happened to be Ukrainian if you took his second name, how you got a nickname of Dusty out of a surname of M i l l e r . It was perfectly logical to Dusty, as was Dusty’s explanation delivered in a condescending voice. But that did not seem to please his interviewer.

Finally, the Russian lost his patience. ‘Who else is involved in this plot to murder the President?’ he almost screamed.

Dusty was just as confused as Mark had been by a similar question. ‘Why would I come all the way to Afghanistan if I wanted to murder the President? Last I heard of him, he was sitting in the Oval Office. And that is on the other side of the world in Washington DC. I don’t know what his plans are, but those plans probably do not involve him coming out to this hellhole anytime soon.’

In frustration, Sergey lashed out across the table, hitting Dusty with some force, having assumed that the guards would protect him. And Dusty’s reaction was as would be expected of a man with his past association with violence and given that he was probably twice the size of his tormentor. Dusty instinctively launched himself at Sergey, grabbed him around the throat, and they both tumbled onto the floor.

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