Authors: Keith Hoare
“You think that do you? Actually I was just bored and fed up with your pathetic attempts to keep me interested and I much preferred to sleep. But I diversify, the point is, what do I do with you now? After all if you threaten to kill me, I should have the same right to return the threat to kill you.”
Salem had decided that she’d delayed too long, by questioning if she should kill him. He’d no doubt she had the guts, but not the impetus any longer.
He looked at his watch. “A lot of talk, Karen, I know when a girl is enjoying the sex and you girl were doing just that. So for payment, rather than insult you and give you a few dollars for opening your legs, take the girls. You and Halif have five hours before I send my men after you to bring my girls back, oh and to kill you both.”
Karen smiled, leaned forward and began to move the pillows behind him. “I’m really grateful for that, Salem. Tell you what, in order to make sure you do give me all that time I’ll make you more comfortable before I leave shall I? After all I’ll be locking the door and pulling the wire out of the telephone.”
He sat there with a smug look on his face, managing to stem the blood oozing from his penis by stuffing the blankets round and pushing down hard with his hands. He couldn’t believe her naivety thinking he’d give her a few hours’ start.
“There you are, Salem, just lean back, it’s going to be some time before they come and find you,” she said quietly.
He leaned back on the pillows grinning at her as she turned away. “Look after my girls, till I collect them,” he mocked.
Karen turned back and stared down at him. Then she shrugged. “What the hell, this is not like me I’m getting too soft, he’ll never learn,” she muttered, pushing his head back onto the pillow, before swiftly drawing the knife across his throat, then standing away watching.
“Sorry, Salem, I’ve changed my mind and decided it’s best to kill you. After all you did threaten to kill me, or even worse planned to hand me over to Saeed. That was your biggest mistake, to tell me that, because Saeed is a man I have real reason to be very scared of, without any protection that is. I’ll always remember you though; you’ve certainly helped me in my personal confidence. I was afraid I’d be frigid, unable to cope sexually with a man again, after being raped particularly badly by Saeed. I’ve also found out just how vulnerable men really are when they get the belief, with my acting submissive, I no longer pose a threat. How very wrong they would be by making that assumption. Why you might ask is that important to me? Because I have a date with just such a man, who believes he can deceive and treat me like shit the same as you. He will find to his cost I’m very capable of defending myself, even without weapons I was able to stun, possibly might have even killed you, as you’ve found tonight to your detriment.”
He was staring at her, unable to believe he was dying and she was just stood there indifferent, rambling on about nothing. Slowly his mouth dropped open, his eyes still wide with shock as he lay slumped back on the bed, a pool of blood beginning to build up around his inert body.
Karen went into the bathroom and turned on the shower. She wanted to wash this man’s sweat from her body and was under for some time, using plenty of soap. Finally, in her view clean again, she dressed in her army clothes and left the room. Closing it silently she locked the door. The house was quiet as she went down the passage into Halif’s room. She sat on the side of the bed and shook him.
He stirred and opened his eyes. “What are you doing here?”
“Well for a start I’m not the replacement for the girl who was going to see you tonight. Secondly why are you not out looking for the girls, while I was entertaining that excuse for a man?”
“She never came; I think there was something in my drink as I just fell asleep.”
“I know why she didn’t come; he’d no intention of letting Sirec’s hired help have either of his girls.”
“How do you know that?”
Karen told him everything that Salem had said.
“What have you done with him now?” Halif asked.
She shrugged. “The stupid man threatened to kill me, said he’d follow me all over the world. So I cut his throat.”
“You’ve killed him?” he gasped hardly believing this girl could actually have killed in cold blood.
“Of course, that’s what you do with scum. Besides, if he’d lived I’d have another Saeed on my back, and just him alone pisses me off.”
Halif stood and began to dress. “You realise what you’ve done?”
“Yes, killed Salem.”
“Apart from that, Karen. Your stupid action will also bring the whole bloody region down on us. We’ll be lucky to get out of the area alive.”
“Well you’ll have to be creative won’t you, besides I saved your life. He was going to kill you in the morning anyway, so you owe me,” she lied.
“Just how do you suggest we be creative?”
“Let’s have a fire. Us two will run out and poor Salem will perish. When I was at Sirec’s house the SAS did that and destroyed any evidence that two people inside were shot. Anyway while they’re struggling to put it out, we’ll tell them we have to move on and will take the girls back to Saeed, to be looked after.”
Halif didn’t want to correct her assumption the evidence of Salem being killed beforehand would be destroyed, except the girl was right in one way. There would be a delay in finding out Salem was already dead, which meant they would be well away from the area.
He fastened his trouser belt and looked at her. “It might work.”
“It’d better; otherwise you’ll be in the same boat as I was in, last time I was here.”
“What are you rambling about now, Karen?”
“Chased by hundreds of soldiers, that’s what.”
He sighed. “Come on, let’s start the bloody fire and get out of here.”
Twenty minutes later the bedroom Salem had died in was not only on fire but the entire house was threatening to be engulfed. The soft furnishings inside were quickly turning it into an inferno. His guards were running everywhere trying to stop the fire spreading. Halif went to get Sirec’s men together, while Karen replaced her ammunition belt, collected her gun and went to the guard’s accommodation building. It was empty as everyone was fighting the fire. She soon found the locked door but no key. However in seconds she’d kicked the flimsy door open. Inside were two girls, huddled together on the bed, a single blanket covering them, not even looking up with the noise.
Karen went inside. “Don’t argue or ask questions at this moment. My name is Karen Marshall, I’m English and I’ve come to take you home. Get dressed quickly, and then we go.”
Both girls got up without saying a word and dressed in jeans, t-shirts and jumpers as she asked. Then they all left the building and ran over to the waiting lorry. Moments later it set off along with the other two vehicles of the convoy.
Saeed replaced the telephone in its handset. He was deep in thought. The man he’d sent to Salem, to collect Karen, had just telephoned and told him of Salem’s death in a tragic accident. By describing Karen to the guards the man had confirmed she’d been there, but moved on during the fire. Saeed wouldn’t have thought any more about it, except that Salem’s two girls had also left with Karen. Now Saeed was convinced she’d had a hand in it, but he wasn’t certain. However, there was nothing lost in planting a seed of doubt.
Dialling another number, he waited a time before it was answered. “Is Ishmael there?” Saeed asked the person who’d answered the phone.
A few minutes later Ishmael came to the phone. “I can’t talk now Saeed, my brother has just died in a fire at his home. I need to go there.”
“Yes, Ishmael, I’ve just heard. But if I were you I’d look into the death very carefully. It just seems a coincidence that Sirec’s man Halif and Karen, Sirec’s new girl, were also there and have collected Salem’s girls.”
There was silence on the other side of the phone for a minute or so. “Are you suggesting Sirec’s man has got something to do with my brother death?”
“Not only suggesting it, but you can be certain if Sirec’s girl is also around, it was no accident.”
“Then Sirec will pay with his life. My brother was a kind, simple man who would hurt no one.”
Saeed rolled his eyes back, Ishmael had no idea just what Salem had been up to all these years. But if he wanted to believe that, so be it, after all you can be certain if Ishmael found Sirec was involved, it would be war between two very powerful men.
“I suggest you intercept them and perhaps have a little chat, Ishmael, they are on their way to see Lomax. But I’d like a small favour if you will?”
“What is that?”
“Karen, Sirec’s girl, injured my mother. You know what a kind and loving mother she is. I was very upset by the way she was treated. I’d dearly like to have Karen apologise to my mother personally, before she’s handed over for punishment, to the authorities.”
“If we manage to catch up with them, you can be sure I will arrange it for you Saeed. You are right, your mother was so very kind to me and my wife on our visit to your house.”
“Thank you, Ishmael, you are most generous.”
Replacing the receiver, he lifted it again and dialled another number. “Lomax, Saeed here. How’s the girl?”
“Saeed, good to hear from you. The girl is very well. You couldn’t have found me a more loving and obedient companion. Besides she is very beautiful and admired by all my friends.”
“That is good, Lomax, but we have a problem with Sirec.”
Lomax was also a gunrunner, like Sirec. However he was nothing near the size of Sirec’s operation, selling mainly into the African states. “What’s Sirec got to do with me?” he asked.
“Sirec wants your girl. In fact he’s sent Halif to collect her. But Halif is not alone he’s travelling with a few of Sirec’s gunmen, and would you believe Sirec’s girl.”
Lomax thought for a moment. “That’s not the girl who escaped and he offered silly rewards for her return is it?”
“The very one.”
“So why does he want my Annette, if he has her back?”
“You know Sirec, he doesn’t keep his girls long and has heard good reports about your girl,” Saeed lied.
“Well he’s not getting her. Thanks for the information, Saeed; I will see you’re rewarded for it.”
“That’s okay, Lomax. I will call you if I hear anything else.”
Lomax rang off.
Saeed leaned back in his chair. Now the seeds were sown, either man could bring about Karen’s downfall.
“Are we going straight home?” Sammy asked Karen, as they travelled in the back of the lorry. Natasha the young girl was asleep, huddled close to Sammy ever since they had left Salem’s.
“No, we have Annette to collect first. Then you’re going home.”
“What about the others, have you found them?”
“Yes, there’s already three on their way home. Anyway, how did Salem treat you?”
Sammy looked at Karen, her voice low. “He treated us well, if you can accept being raped regularly as being treated well? But that was preferable to our first day in which he showed us the alternative to refusing to do everything he wanted of us.”
“How do you mean?” Karen asked, although she knew what Sammy was going to say, but felt it prudent not to mention her hours with Salem.
Sammy went on to tell her of the barn.
Karen shook her head. “You know the actions of these people don’t bear thinking about.”
“I agree, but Natasha didn’t deserve any punishment, she’d done nothing, never spoke out like I did. God knows what they had against her, even at the auction, they’d virtually starved her, used an electric stick on her for amusement, then for Salem to string her up, I don’t know how she’s held herself together. When I was fourteen I’d have been a blubbering wreck, but she’s never once complained and there couldn’t be a more sensitive and loving girl you could ever meet.”