Chapter 16

Just as Max mic clicked off, one of Ashley’s squad came rushing up to her. “First photos from the drone. They are nice and clear but don’t seem to tell us much.”

Ashley took the I Pad and immediately began sifting through them. The guy was right, she concluded. Despite the high resolution, the photos showed nothing but miles of untouched desert that stretched into the mountain range. There was no sign of any kind of dwelling or even tell-tale tire tracks. So then how did visitors travel to the compound? The girls claimed they were driven in a car so there must be another entrance and exit. Ashley marked it as something else for Travis to work on.

She returned to the room where Travis and Bondar were. Just to make sure Adam knew how she felt about him, she gave him such a fierce scowl he immediately looked up at Travis for protection before bowing his head and concentrating on what was going on in the table.

Ashley ignored him and motioned for Travis to join her. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Adam eyeing them nervously as they huddled together in a corner.

“He’s probably got computer passwords and information for contacting Eli so hit him hard with that. The passwords and the contact procedure is very important because Max is going to turn them over to Margo. She says she can do wonders with them. They are your number one priority. Also find out about how he got in and out of the hideout with a vehicle because the drone photos showed no tire tracks.”

As Ashley marched out of the room again, Travis put a worried look on his face when he spoke to Adam.

“Look, I’ll tell you the truth. She’s impressed so far but not all that much. My suggestion is that you tell me more about Eli, everything you know about him. She’s a real bitch, you know, and not that easy to please, even at the best of times, so if you want me to keep standing up for you, I need more, lots more information and maybe we can keep her mind off her rifle.”

Adam nodded, a look of relief flooding his face when he saw his tormentor disappear down the hallway.

“So what, you got anything else that’s really big? How about telling me how you contact Eli, that may satisfy her for a while.”

Adam was silent as he eyed his protector. It seemed as if he were making important mental calculations about something before coming to a decision.

Travis was elated at what came next, but he managed to successfully hide his emotions.

“I use passwords, special passwords that are changed daily and questions, tricky questions that only the people with the special book are able to answer correctly.”

Adam was opening up again and Travis was walking on air, but he didn’t dare show it.

“And you have those passwords and that book?”

Adam nodded and gave a rare grin. “Eli gave them to me because I’m his special friend. That’s why I got the girls too,” he added with a feeling of pride, but shut up when Travis shook his head and gave him a warning look.

“Let’s not talk about them, eh? Ashley hears us and she’s likely to go off her rocker.” Travis suddenly changed directions, “Now, you wanta tell me how you get to Eli’s hideout by car. That info may help keep her happy for a while.”

Moments later he was following Adam’s finger as he traced a major road running out of the closest big city, Kabul. It ran straight as an arrow for miles but Adam showed Travis a turn off onto a smaller road that led towards the mountain range.

“There is a way in from across the desert too, but Eli forbids it’s use, so we always use what he calls the back door. The road is narrow and winding so it’s slow going but it’s good. Not too many bumps or potholes and that’s where we park.” Adam pointed to a huge grove of trees and said. “They give us good cover from the air because nobody can see the cars.”