Chapter 4

July 2009, Sudan

I was reasonably calm as I drove the beaten old Land Rover north out of the town. I kept on driving carefully, since there was no need for anyone to take any notice of me. To be more exact; it might not be a bad thing if someone were to remember seeing a man driving a car out of the town, so long as nothing more was noted.

It took me almost two hours to get to the point I had previously picked out. My luck persisted, and I was able to leave the road without any other vehicle or people being in sight. The terrain was difficult, but once I had switched over to four-wheel drive, I had no problems getting away from the road and behind the first two series of small hills.

Once I had stopped, I checked the surroundings, again. As I couldn't see anyone, I decided to proceed. If there were some satellites, I couldn't help it; but the persons I worried about most wouldn't be using them anyway. Like there was some reason to take satellite images of a single car on the edge of the Nubian desert? However, I was cautious, and rolled the carpet carefully open inside the car's trunk. There was not much room, and I was sweating before I had him freed and was able to roll up the carpet again. This time, though, it was empty. I checked that he was breathing, and I made sure that he was still tied securely, but not so tight that it would leave marks. Just in case, I secured his legs to one of the loops near the rear door with a lock and a chain.

I had been told that the shot I gave him should keep him unconscious for long enough for me to finish what I planned to do. I took that information as I had all the other intel I'd been given: I hardly believed half of it. I took the carpet away from the trunk and placed it in the passenger seat. After picking up a rock I had stored in the trunk, I closed the back door. After that I used the rock and gave a hard rap to the lower corner of the big jerry can that was located in the back door. One hit was all it took. I noted the smelly fluid started dripping out of the rusted jerry can.

I threw away the rock and climbed into the driver's seat and started the GPS navigator. There was no way that I could find the place I was going to, without it.

After one more hour of driving, I stopped at the bottom of a wadi. I shouldered the carpet and set it behind some rocks on the side of the wadi. After that, I took a few large rocks and used them to make sure that the carpet would remain there. When I looked around it felt a bit silly, but I just didn't want to take any unnecessary risks if I could avoid it. I took a sip of water and a quick look at my passenger before I started driving again.

It took two more hours, and it was starting to get dark when I finally got to my destination. I had taken occasional looks in the mirror and was quite sure that my passenger had woken up some fifteen minutes ago. So much for the intel.

I knew that I had to be extremely careful while approaching him as he was a dangerous man. However skillful I was, I should not test myself against him. I knew that he had killed several times before, and there had been several cases when he had escaped much more dangerous men than I.

Before I stopped the vehicle I took a look at the fuel gauge which looked almost empty. I smiled grimly. If something happened to my escape vehicle I would also be in very deep shit. But as he was awake, I couldn't test it, yet. I got out of the car and opened the side door which allowed the access to the leveled storage area of the car. Had I not looked I wouldn't have noticed his fingers stopped moving. Shit, he was good. But I was not going to play fair. I had seen the pictures of the bomb explosions he had organized, and I had heard his voice on videos when he had executed some hostages. Then I had heard his current plans. As fast as I could I emptied another syringe into the nape of his neck at his hairline. His hands had started moving but they stopped once the shot took effect. I almost felt sad because it had been so easy.

I took a look at him and for a moment I wondered if I was that much different from him. Those kinds of thoughts had been troubling me more and more, lately. Maybe I should take real control of my life, from now on. Like I had not tried that before?

July 2004, Khao Lak, Thailand

Saturday morning I slept a bit later than usual, but instead of feeling heartbroken I felt relieved - and free. My good feeling was short-lived since this morning there was no coffee or breakfast waiting for me. One look from sad-looking Pam told me that this morning I'd better look for breakfast somewhere else. I shrugged, took some money with me, and walked a bit. It seemed that my evening activities had pissed Toey off royally.

Only then did I remember that I had not paid anything for my last massage at the parlor. I decided to take care of that before starting my next renovation step. I knew that there were several broken tiles on the roof of the house. The replacements had already been transported to the house - now I only had to lift them to the roof and change the worst ones. A piece of cake. A very sweaty piece of cake.

When I got outside the parlor the lady from last night was there and she looked grim when I approached her.

"I thought that we agreed to something last night."

The daylight showed her age a bit more clearly but even if her voice was annoyed there was some sensuality in that voice that almost made me hard again. I smiled at her.

"Yes, we did, and even though I'll miss my massages terribly, I intend to honor our agreement. But yesterday I was a terrible client, since I forgot to pay for my massage."

Now she smiled to me.

"Greg, yesterday you were not a customer, but a friend. Besides, what would you think of me if you offered me money for the things we did yesterday."

She managed to sound hurt with her almost perfect English, but her eyes told that she was just teasing me.

"I feel honored to be called your friend. But I'll still miss the massages, for sure."

"Oh, you will not be missing them for long, I'm certain."

She rose on tiptoes and kissed my cheek. When I turned to leave, she quickly patted my ass and giggled when I walked away. At least she was not angry with me.

When I got back to Toey's house, after a quick breakfast, I changed into my work clothes. I started carrying the new tiles to the roof. Several hours later my fingers were sore, my hands were sore, my legs were sore, my back was sore - I guess the only place that was not sore was the one that would probably not be used for a while, anyway. When I came down from the roof, I sighed when I saw the pile of broken tiles in front of the house. Yeah, there would be cleanup, too, but not today.

I took my towel and walked to the back of the house. I might as well use the bigger shower. When I was done, I was about to pick up my towel, when I noticed that it was not there anymore. I peeked out from behind the plastic wall, just to see a smiling Toey.

"Your towel not clean. I wash it."

Then she pointed the new towel on the sun bed a few steps away. Ok. If she wanted a peek, she'd get it. I got the towel and after a quick sweep through my hair I put it around me and sat down to the sun bed. By that time Toey was back with a beer.

"You rest now. Dinner is ready soon."

"Thank you. Right now I'm quite happy to do that."

The awning was down and, even if the sun bed was not that comfortable, I dozed as soon as I had finished that beer. I woke up with someone gently touching my shoulder. Pam.

"Mister Greg. Mom says dinner is ready. Maybe you should get dressed."

I noticed that I was barely covered by the towel. I thanked her and staggered up.

Once again the dinner was excellent and, unlike the morning, Toey was in a good mood and smiling at me. I decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth but be happy, too. At least as happy as my sore muscles allowed me to be.

After dinner I helped with cleaning the kitchen, but once I was back in my own room I was surprised to find Toey there. She had thrown a blanket over my bed and she had two bottles of oil on the desk next to the bed.

"You sore. I give you massage."

I was not sure if that was a good idea, but I truly was so sore that I didn't object. I stripped to my briefs, but, as she didn't look happy with that, I just pulled them down. After all, she had already seen it all.

When I lay down on my stomach, it took a moment for her to get ready. I closed my eyes and relaxed but everything changed when I felt her body over mine. It took my mind a few seconds to process the information my skin was giving to me. All I could feel was skin. No clothes. As soon as I had that processed my mind started creating mental images of her naked body. Those nice thoughts were crudely interrupted by her hands, which started to torture my aching back.

She might not have been quite as skillful or experienced a masseuse as May and her mother had been, but still there was something almost electrifying in her touch. When I involuntary winced when she found some really sore place on my back she stopped her massage.