FAHRENHEIT KUWAIT: AN ATCHO INTERNATIONAL SPY THRILLER (Atcho Series Book 4) by Lee Jackson

Author:Lee Jackson [Jackson, Lee]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-05-17T16:00:00+00:00

24

Tony Collins surveyed the International Hotel in Dhahran. It was a spectacular glass building, reflecting the modern architecture that had overtaken much of the oil-rich Arab countries around the Persian Gulf. With evening falling fast, the neon signage in Arabic calligraphy flickered. Collins picked up his bags and headed through the main entrance.

General Alsip’s adjutant had called ahead and made a reservation, so checking in took little time. Within a few minutes, Collins was in his room contacting Tom Jakes, his editor at the Washington Herald in DC.

“Hi Tom. Sorry to have been out of touch.” He ran down his activities of the last four days.

“You must be exhausted. I don’t see any scoops on your list, but don’t sweat it. The tele-journalists got those. We’re glad you’re safe. A few in-depth articles with your analysis will go far.”

“Thanks, I’ll fax them from here.” They spoke a while longer and signed off.

Despite feeling relieved, Collins finished the call emotionally spent. He had never been in an active war zone. The scenes he’d witnessed moved him. The gallantry of soldiers and Marines juxtaposed against the savagery of combat left him with a sober sense that would stay with him. The cries of the wounded heard up close; seeing their blood spilled on the ground with missing limbs—and the impersonal black body bags making their way to the rear—they haunted him.

He heard that the US had taken less than three hundred casualties. Estimates of Iraqi casualties conservatively topped twenty-five thousand. Knowing those numbers did not assuage his raw nerves. He desperately wanted a strong drink.

Feeling the walls closing in, Collins made his way to the restaurant off the lobby. News media personalities and their crews packed it. He recognized some of them. Most looked as exhausted as he. He spotted a few he considered friends and sat down, glad for the company and the distraction. From habit, he sat close to the wall in a dimly lit corner where he could observe without being easily spotted.

He ordered dinner with the rest of his colleagues. A subdued atmosphere hung in the air. A few pockets of boisterous people regaled their exploits. Being that they were in Saudi Arabia, no alcohol was served.

Absently, Collins glanced into the lobby. A rotund man wearing Saudi farwah and shemagh began checking in. Next to him was a man in a business suit. His manner projected quiet confidence backed by superb physical conditioning.

Something about the second man seemed familiar. Collins looked closer. The man had deep-set eyes, a light complexion—in a flash, Collins’ mind took him back to the night in Berlin when thousands of people had trudged by—including the only man who scowled and carried a suitcase and stopped to nurse his right shoulder. Klaus!

Yousef and Klaus finished checking in and strolled toward the restaurant. Collins leaned into his dark corner.

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