Chapter 8

Kraven stopped on his way to the restroom and looked at Maria. "Before you blow your top think about this. I hunted that man for years, and know him better than anyone alive. He's a rabbit not a fox, and he's not smart enough to get away from a group like this unless they let him go." Kraven pushed on as Maria, now nearly purple with rage, opened her mouth. "It's a line of bunk for a couple of reasons. One is he's not Muslim, and why would they tell all about the plan to an infidel? The second is a man I got hold of about a year ago that called himself Al Jihad."

Kallie Lenders stepped out of the bathroom and up to Kraven, suddenly all business. "You know where Al Jihad is? I've tried to find him for years. He's wanted by several government agencies, and I demand to know where he is."

"That's a problem." Kraven replied as he stepped around the focused Marine into the bathroom. "You see, he had something called a cryo-transport unit he had stolen, and it was bad mojo from what Paul told me." Kraven began to wash in the sink, using paper towels and hot water as he continued. "I don't know what was in it, but I caught him just as he was about to cross into Canada with it and close to five pounds of diamonds."

There were gasps of disbelief from everyone listening, but Kallie wasn't about to be derailed. "So! Where is he? What did you do with him?" Kraven paused long enough to fix the woman with a flat and unfriendly glare before continuing.

"I put a bullet right between his eyes at a stop sign." Kraven watched dispassionately as Kallie's face went from normal to pale white in shock, and then went close to black with rage, but it was Maria who spoke in an icy tone.

"That doesn't explain why you think the story poor Mr. Mitchell told us is a crock of shit, nor why you indulged in mindless savagery." Kraven's smile was anything but comforting.

"The sand nigger had Andy's picture along with a pile of papers in Arabic, and it wasn't mindless Maria. Not after you and the Brit gave me time to cool off, and think a minute."

Maria had a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. "What are you talking about Kraven?"

"I figured out a few things in that corner. One is that no true blue blood gets to be a full bird colonel in the SAS, and still get sent on a mission like this. It just don't fit. Second is that this is a hand-picked international team, and by not stopping me Maria you showed me that you are not in charge, and you don't like that." Kraven never stopped scrubbing while watching in the mirror as Maria gave a minute flinch. "Third thing is that no matter what's really going on, they'll have someone watching to see if we bought Mitchell's story." Kraven turned and swept hard eyes over everyone in the doorway before finishing his speech. "I just gave everyone in this room one hell of a bad reputation when this gets out, and it will get out. You can bet on it."

Everyone, including Kraven, turned at the sound of clapping from the doorway into the room. "Very astute my dear Kraven." Came the comment from Nigel. "I was born and raised in a two room flat in Ellington. Until I joined Her Majesty's service the most I ever had to my name was five pounds. Being in Her Majesty's service has given me my wife, an empty title, and the honor of defending Queen and Country." Nigel walked up and clapped a friendly hand on Kraven's damp shoulder. "Behind that savage mask of yours hides an observant and sharp mind. What say you to slaying the dragons that threaten both of our nations with horrific death for the innocent?"

Kraven's eyes twinkled as he deadpanned. "We got time for lunch first little Lord Fauntleroy? I skipped breakfast."

The man known only to his subordinates as Mohamed ended the call that had turned his fine breakfast to acid in his stomach, and sat back looking out the window at the remote valley Allah had led him to in order to strike the fatal blow to the Great Satan.