Chapter 20

Back at the Kabul army base Donna Jackson was waiting impatiently for the word from Max. In the meantime she tried to follow a normal routine lest Husseini suspect what she was up to. She didn’t sit idle, it wasn’t in her nature. On her way back to the base she had created a mental list of her must trusted men and women who were in key positions and able to act immediately and without question.

She caught the first two. Rick Adams and Beth Connors were leaving the mess hall and she strode with them on their return to their quarters. Once she believed they were far enough away from any buildings to avoid any bugs, she had a hurried conversation with the pair.

“Top secret only so don’t either of you breathe a word to anybody, but the scuttle butt is that we could be going into action soon.”

Donna turned to Connors who was in charge of medi-vac helicopters. “Any chance you can have a crew ready to roll at a moment’s notice?”

Connors nodded. “Sure but what’s so top secret? It would be a lot easier if I could tell my people what’s going on.”

“Sorry but no, what we’re planning is a surprise so all you can do is tell your people to be prepared for a surprise drill. That way if anybody worries about heightened activity you can tell them it’s just mandatory practice to keep them sharp.”

“And the same goes for you Adams,” Donna told the captain who commanded the small squadron of helicopters at Kabul. “The reasons are top secret, but your people must be ready to go at a moment’s notice. Got it?”

As the pair nodded Donna began seeking out a few more key people. Unbeknown to her she was watched by Husseini who stood watching the trio converse from the corner of a cabin which was shrouded in darkness.

“Damn bitch,” he muttered. “See the ungodly way she struts around like she owns the place. I’d just love to have her for a few days in Eli’s compound. She wouldn’t act so high and mighty then.”

Since he hadn’t been close enough to overhear the conversation he shrugged, snubbed out his cigarette and rubbed his crotch as he thought about how soon he could return to the pleasures that awaited him in Eli’s bunkers. If he’d stayed just a few minutes longer he would have witnessed Donna huddled around a couple more of her people, but he missed it so he had no idea of what was being planned.