One-Way Trip by Scott McEwen & Thomas Koloniar

Author:Scott McEwen & Thomas Koloniar [McEwen, Scott & Koloniar, Thomas]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Thriller, War, Suspense, Mystery, Adventure
ISBN: 9781476746050
Amazon: B00BSBVJ5A
Goodreads: 17559237
Publisher: Touchstone
Published: 2013-06-04T05:00:00+00:00

31

AFGHANISTAN,

Waigal Village

Crosswhite grabbed their shaken tour guide and looked at Forogh. “Tell this son of a bitch he’s leading us out of this fucking rat maze.”

Forogh translated, and the guide became frightened, talking very rapidly. When he finished, the fellow dropped to his knees and began to pray.

Forogh looked at Crosswhite and shook his head. “He won’t do it. If he helps us escape, the Taliban will kill him and his entire family. If he refuses to help us, you may kill him, but his wife and children will survive.”

“Shit, I’m not going to kill him,” Crosswhite said. “Tell him to get up. I want him to tell us the route out of this shit hole so we can leave.”

The guide got to his feet gratefully, showing obvious relief as he spoke directly to Forogh, using his hands to indicate a number of sharp turns that seemed to zigzag their way down through the village.

“Jesus,” Crosswhite muttered. “Haven’t these people ever heard of a straight line? Tell him to come to fucking New York—we’ll show ’em how to lay out a fucking town!”

Forogh ignored him, trying to concentrate on the guide’s directions. When he felt he understood as well as he was going to, he thanked the man and apologized for Crosswhite punching him in the face. “Okay,” he said to the others. “Let’s go before I forget.”

Crosswhite turned to Naeem, who stood grinning nearby, his hands flex-cuffed behind his back. He drew his Ka-Bar and pressed the blade up beneath the Taliban leader’s chin. “You tell this cocksucker that if he pulls any shit on the way out of here—any shit at all—I’ll cut his eyes out and leave him behind.”

Forogh translated, and Naeem’s grin abruptly disappeared. The idea of being killed didn’t bother him much, but the idea of having to live the rest of his life as a blind invalid scared him, particularly since such a disfigurement could well end up following him into the afterlife should Allah find him wanting upon his death.

“Not so goddamn funny anymore, is it?” Crosswhite said, looking him in the eyes. “Speed, this prick is your responsibility. Alpha, back on point. Forogh, you’re right behind me. Let’s move!”

The team moved out down the alleyway behind a row of huts in the direction the guide had indicated. By now, word of their presence had long spread throughout the village, so no one was visible, but there was a lot of excited talking inside many of the dwellings they passed.

“Some of the villagers are panicked,” Forogh said. “They’re afraid of an air assault.”

Crosswhite stopped and wheeled around. “Good—use that. Tell them we’ve called in an airstrike. Get them to evacuate the fucking village! We’ll use the confusion to cover our egress.”

Forogh looked at him, hesitating in his response.

“What is it? Spit it out.”

“There are too many old and sick people here, Captain. The Kalasha don’t want trouble from anyone. Don’t make me do that to them.”

Crosswhite bit back an obscenity, knowing Forogh was right.

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