Chapter 17: Blind Man's Bluff

Nothing in life is so exhilarating as to be shot at without result.

Winston Churchill

The Lake House
Tues., June, 26 12:10 PM (Local), Tues., June 26 16:10:00 (Zulu)

Courtney had tried to continue the luncheon with her friends, but the darkness seemed so near that she found it very difficult to follow the conversation. She picked at the food and made single syllable comments now and then, just to show that, as much as possible, she was still with them. A black fog kept trying to invade her consciousness, and she resisted as best she could. Gaho had moved her chair very close and was holding Courtney's hand, as she sensed some of the same closeness of death.

Suddenly the blackness swept over her and she was overwhelmed. She stood straight and rigid, her mouth drawn into a grimace, her eyes wildly racing back and forth but seeing nothing. After a quick breath, she let out a long mournful moan. "Nnnnoooooooooooooooo..." It started quietly and got louder until it cut off just as abruptly as it had started. Gripping the table with one hand, she retched violently and convulsed, her skin turned a pasty white, and then she collapsed like a marionette with the strings suddenly cut. Had Gaho not been so close, to support her, she would have crumpled to the floor. Instead she fell into the arms of the older woman.

Courtney's face twisted in agony and she cried out "No... ! No! Please God No!"... She started to sob uncontrollably, and slid to her knees. Her hands grasped at Gaho's clothing. Occasionally between the sobs, she weakly pleaded again, "No, no, please no..." Finally she collapsed completely, apparently into unconsciousness. Jaclyn and Robyn rushed to their friend's side and looked to Gaho for guidance.

"There is nothing any of us can do now to help her or to help Darryl," Gaho said, gently stroking Courtney's hair as she held her. "Only a miracle could save him now that death has come. But when she comes to, she will need the help of her friends to deal with the loss."

The Cave, Afghanistan
Tues., June, 26 8:40 PM (Local), Tues., June 26 16:10:00 (Zulu)
Kabang... Kabangbang...

The shots continued, so loud that Darryl felt each one as though it were in his head... but the searing pain, and the blackness of eternity did not come.

Then he heard voices, loud voices; Azalea shouted in English, "GET DOWN, GET DOWN!!!"

His instincts took over. He pushed Azalea and Nura off their feet and fell on top of them. His first confused thought was, "This is an execution; we're not supposed to duck!"

The firing stopped abruptly, and Darryl heard men scrambling down the hillside behind them, as well as the sound of a truck engine.

A voice shouted again, and Azalea called out, apparently in translation, "It's over, we can get up. These are friends."

Darryl raised his head and looked around. His arms and legs were so shaky they would hardly hold him, but he rose to his knees, helping Azalea and Nura up. Cheryl lay weeping over James' litter, but they were both alive, although shaken. Squinting into the lights, he saw that Colonel Khalifa and the firing squad lay dead where they stood. The truck headlights they had used to make the prisoners such perfect targets had served to make them sitting ducks as well. The reaction finally hit him... he turned to one side and fell to his hands and knees, violently retching up yellow bile as his body protested the obscene level of tension it had just absorbed. After emptying his stomach of whatever it contained, he struggled to his feet taking Azalea's hand in his again.

Their rescuers came into view, recognizable as Mujahadeen veterans of the type that were springing up in groups to oppose the Taliban, as the central government collapsed. There were seven of them all together and to his surprise, Darryl recognized three. One had minutes before been standing with the firing squad as the colonel's trusted aide. His presence now indicated that the Taliban had been infiltrated by a least one spy. The second man he knew as Ayman, the trusted associate of Kabir Durrani, who had originally hidden them in this cave; one of the few people who would have known their exact location. The third was the apparent commander, Fahez Raza, Nura's father, who Darryl remembered had been a high ranking Mujahadeen officer, and who was now carrying out a personal vendetta against the Taliban for the murder of his brothers and only sister. Nura ran to her father and they enjoyed a brief but happy reunion before he proudly introduced her to the other men.

Azalea leaned over to Darryl to explain. "He's very proud; he's telling them how she single-handedly disabled an armed Taliban guard and saved all our lives."

"It's no more than the truth, she really is a remarkable young girl in so many ways."

"Of course she is, but remember, this is a warrior culture, and nothing is more valued than courage in the face of danger and loyalty to your comrades."

The brief personal moment over, Fahez Raza and Ayman hurried over to Darryl and Azalea. Two of his men carried James' litter closer so that he and Cheryl could hear also. The conference was between Darryl and Raza as acting heads of their respective parties, although Azalea had to translate every word.

"Mr. Raza?"

"Colonel Raza of the Provisional Resistance Forces will do, Mr. Sanders."

"Colonel Raza, thank you for saving us. We owe you our lives."

"You are welcome, although your safety is far from assured. I must apologize for the rather dramatic timing of the rescue, but my force is small, and I knew that at the moment of execution, all attention would be focused on you, giving us the perfect opportunity."

"I can assure you that my attention was completely focused, Colonel."

Raza laughed and clapped Darryl on the back. "No doubt, no doubt. I regret that we have little time to talk, but Colonel Khalifa will be soon missed. We must all be gone before then. I will try to explain very briefly how we happen to be here, and what we will do next. I will not have time to answer all of your questions so I am going to ask your indulgence. Some of the gaps you will have to fill in for yourself. First, the man really responsible for your rescue is Ayman, who will describe his own actions."

"After I left you at the cave, I went directly to Kabul to report to Kabir." explained Ayman. "Fortunately, I spotted the Taliban intelligence agents that had him completely sealed off. I wasn't known to them, but there was no way I could reach or communicate with Kabir. I realized that you would be trapped, so I came back to the cave with the idea of attempting to get you over the border on my own."

"You were under no obligation to rescue us. Your job just was to get us to the cave, and you had done that. What made you come back?" asked Darryl.

"I work for Kabir, and I know that he had obligated himself to get you to safety. Since I was the only one of his people still free to act, the loyal thing to do was to fulfill his obligation. But by the time I returned, I found the whole area crawling with Taliban forces under the command of Colonel Khalifa. They were too much for me, so I left to seek help. I remembered Nura's father saying that he was going to organize a force to raid the Taliban, so I went to find him."

"When he found me, I was very interested in his report," explained Raza who took over the conference again. "Besides the fact that my own daughter was trapped, Colonel Khalifa is the very man responsible for the deaths in my family, and the man I have sworn a sacred oath under Pashtunwali to personally slay. I knew he was back in Afghanistan and had been trying to pin point his location. Then Ayman handed him to me, and on ground I know very well. We got in the area and made contact with a member of his staff who had served under me in the Mujahadeen intelligence service. Through him we learned that Khalifa was a member of the Saudi Arabian faction that had conspired to assassinate American journalists. One reason he was operating in this area was because of rumors that three American journalists, you three, had survived and were hiding somewhere nearby. His mission was to insure that you disappeared forever.

Since we controlled one of his key advisors, we figured we could convince him that the best course of action was a nighttime execution with a small squad, leaving the fewest witnesses. We even picked the spot for him, and prepared the ambush position on the hillside behind. We were ready if the cave was found accidentally, and if not we were going to tip him off tomorrow anyway. Those two fools this morning almost ruined everything. We were about to rush in and rescue you, when we saw Cheryl come out to do recon and figured you had contained the situation. I did not know that it was my own little Nura that was the hero. We watched you and Azalea play Taliban, and figured you would make a break for it after nightfall. I could have just sent Ayman in as a driver, and you might have made it. But without a diversion it is doubtful, and Khalifa would then escape. So instead, I decided to stay with the original plan, and move it up one day. Our man tipped off Khalifa, and fortunately he behaved exactly as predicted, setting himself and his men up directly in our ambush."

"And if he hadn't behaved exactly as predicted?" asked Darryl rather coolly.

Raza shrugged. "We wouldn't be having this conversation in that event. Your bones would have joined those of countless other foreigners littering the wastelands of Afghanistan. And may I remind you, I would have lost my daughter. Tragedy, as you know it, Mr. Sanders, has lost all meaning here after two decades of war."

"You're right; I apologize if I implied any criticism. Your plan worked flawlessly, and I have every reason to be grateful."

"No offense taken, Mr. Sanders; on a successful fishing trip, the fisherman is likely to be much happier than the bait."

Darryl noticed that Raza's men had already gotten into the military rover and a Taliban truck and were obviously awaiting their commander. They had loaded James into the back of what had been their truck; an all black vehicle similar to the Taliban but without markings of any kind.

Raza glanced at his watch meaningfully. "It's time to go. Here's what's going to happen now. We're going to drive off in the direction of the main Taliban camp. There is a good chance we will be mistaken for the colonel. You will quickly grab anything essential from the cave, and get out of here. Ayman will drive. No one knows this terrain better. You are to drive away from the cave, far enough to have good cover in case someone comes here to investigate. In about 15 minutes we are going to attack and blow up the Taliban ammunition and fuel dumps. When that happens, the sky will light up and the ground will shake. Wait a few minutes, and every Taliban for miles around will come rushing back to the main camp, where we will be causing as much trouble as possible. Using this as a diversion, Ayman will drive like a madman in the opposite direction, while you try to hold on for your lives. That's the best chance I can give you. Good luck!"

"And good luck to you, Colonel Raza..." but Darryl found he was talking to the empty space where the veteran warrior had stood. He was already climbing into the Rover which drove off without so much as a wave.

Before boarding the truck, Azalea walked a few paces to stand over the body of Colonel Khalifa. Staring down at his dead face, she muttered, "I told you I would never come to you, even to save my life. Two men have ever treated me like a whore, and you both are lying here dead."

Bending down, she retrieved her knife. When she rose, she contemplated him for a moment, before she kicked his lifeless body and watched the dust fly, "See the dust, soon that's all you will be."

She spit on him; then turned her back and rejoined her comrades, to speed away into the darkness.

MH-53J Pave Low Helicopter
Tues., June, 26 9:00 PM (Local), Tues., June 26 16:30:00 (Zulu)

"OK Gentlemen," shouted Dave Worthy, loud enough to be heard in the helicopter compartment "We'll be on the ground in ten minutes, so... what the fuck was that?"

A thunder like noise accompanied by some bright flashes coming through from the flight deck could have been a thunderstorm if that hadn't been a meteorological impossibility.

The pilot stuck his head through the flight deck door. "Worthy, Lt. Barber, you need to see this."

The two of them unstrapped and were soon looking out the front of the big helicopter at an extraordinary sight. To the right was a huge fire which at almost regular intervals spit huge fireballs into the sky. On the left, it was the Fourth of July in trumps, as several spots were emitting skyrockets and explosions of impressive fury. As they watched, another spot lit up and started its own light show.

Worthy turned to the SEAL Commander, "Sam, is that what I think it is?"

"If you think it's the supply officer having a really bad day, I think you're right. That's a fuel dump on the right, a fairly big one, or at least it was. On the left, those are ammo bunkers going up. The fact that they are going up one at a time means that this is no accident; there is a raid going on."

He then turned to the pilot. "Where is that exactly?"

"That's the main Taliban camp seven klicks beyond our cave. It's the place that was our most likely source of serious opposition."

"OK, Lt. Smythe, it's your bird, and Lt. Barber, you're in command on the ground, so I'm asking each of you: how does this development affect you?"

"Without hesitation the SEAL responded. "I'd say we owe someone a thank you for one hell of a fine diversion. Suits me fine."

"I'm with the Navy on this one; nothing makes people overlook a fat-assed chopper like all hell breaking lose. I'll just try to stay as much as possible on reverse slopes, where we won't catch reflections from the fireworks."

He nodded to the pilot. "OK, Lt. It's your show until we're on the ground. What's the plan now?"

"Minor changes due to the light show. I'll use the terrain avoidance and terrain following radar to put this thing on the deck. It's what this bird was built for. We'll make two passes over and one wide sweep around the cave with the forward looking infrared to check for anyone on the ground. If clear we'll set down in that wide ravine just outside the cave. We've got great cover there. Then you guys do your rescue thing and we're on the way back. Better strap in. Terrain avoidance at this altitude can be bumpy."

They both slipped their harnesses back on as the Pave Low, already flying near the ground, dipped even lower. Everyone started feeling the effects of the terrain following radar tracing the contours of the rugged Afghan landscape. The gunners deployed the fuselage guns; a 7.62 mm minigun on the starboard side, and an older but still powerful .50 caliber machine gun on the port. The huge black helicopter was covering the remaining distance to the cave very quickly.

Afghanistan, near the Cave
Tues., June, 26 9:00 PM (Local), Tues., June 26 16:30:00 (Zulu)

The little refugee band had parked their truck in a shallow gulley about one and a half kilometers from the cave. Those who could stand got out and gathered together around the rear, as though they needed the physical contact to prove to themselves that they had survived their almost certain death. For a while nothing was said, Cheryl wept quietly. Darryl and Azalea held each other very tightly, as though they might lose each other if they let go. Azalea pushed Darryl away just enough to look into his eyes. There were tears in hers.

"The things I said to you back there, you must promise to forget," she whispered. "I would not have spoken them, if I hadn't thought we were about to die."

"Are you saying that you didn't mean them, that you don't love me?"

Azalea looked down as though she could not face him. "No I spoke the truth, but I spoke of feelings to which I have no right."

Moving his hand under her chin, Darryl lifted her face back up to face him. "Your feelings are your feelings; you have every right to say whatever your heart tells you. You don't need permission."

"But you belong to another."

"I belonged to another, but she sent me away. Now I'm not sure what I feel. I believe I still love her, but I know I love you too. My last thoughts as I waited for the bullets were of both you and her. It's something I will have to sort out in my own mind; but this is not the time or place. Let's at least be honest. If what you said was what you truly feel, then I accept it, with thanks. What I said to you is what I feel; I wouldn't change or take back a word of it, and I ask you to accept it also."

She smiled at him. "I accept your feelings and I accept my feelings too. We will need to talk about this when we get out of here. Until then, is another kiss permitted?"

Darryl gently put his arms around her and brought his lips to hers. The kiss started warm and tender, but as the frustrations and pain and fears of the night came out, it became more intense, hungrier, more urgent. Then the questions and hopes for the future made it passionate. And the passion scared them both so they parted slightly and looked into each other's eyes. They each found love and many unanswered questions. Focusing back on the rest of the group, they realized that everyone was smiling at them, even little Nura. Azalea, modest by culture and shy by nature, blushed, but did not move from Darryl's arms.

"I'm afraid I have been affected by our extraordinary experience," said Azalea, "Not many people have seen death as close as we did tonight. I doubt that any of us are the same person now that we were yesterday. We've changed in ways that we may not even realize yet."

Cheryl spoke up. "I'm not sure if it changed me in a profound way. It certainly was an intense experience. But my reaction was that I was completely and utterly terrified. When the first gun went off, I emptied my bladder and my bowels. And I'm not ashamed to admit it. I would have had to change my underwear, if I wore any."

"It's not that uncommon a reaction," said James. "It's an extreme form of the body's flight or fight response to an emergency situation. Honey, it's completely involuntary, and it does not indicate cowardice. It's actually the body's way of getting rid of nonessential cargo in an emergency."

"But it did change me in one way," continued Cheryl, "I realize I do not want to die in some God forsaken corner of the world in the name of my career. It may be cowardice, but I'm through with this type of assignment. You guys can be heroes if you want, but I plan to die in bed surrounded by a herd of grandchildren."

"Choosing what you are willing to die for is not cowardice." James spoke in a quiet subdued tone, not like his usual speaking style at all. "I've lived my whole life as a great adventurer, taking risks, telling everyone, including myself, that I knew the odds and embraced them. But somehow deep inside I had never really lost the young man's feeling of invulnerability. The belief that "it" really can't happen to you that has allowed countless generations of soldiers to fight wars with seeming fearlessness. Even the convoy ambush shook that confidence, but didn't destroy it; after all, I survived. The first shot, that seemed to come from that firing squad killed my feeling of invulnerability forever. I realize I have been shooting dice with death for far too long, and the odds are that sooner or later, I'm going to lose. And worst of all, I realize now that I am afraid of death. I have things I want to live for. So much for the myth of James McNichol, the fearless adventurer."