The Mission (17 page)

The taxi slowed as cars were split into very narrow lanes that zigzagged with witches’ hats. Two soldiers in khaki uniforms with red berets, armed to the teeth, walked to one car, another vehicle further up had six guys inspecting it. The boot and bonnet was up, one was scrutinising the driver and passengers, passports and IDs being passed back and forth. Another carried a mirror on a stick, putting it under the car. Jaz felt her pulse race. One of the soldiers looked inside and waved them through. Jaz had never felt so relieved to not be the one in six that was stopped. Ryan had told her they mainly stop cars with people who looked like terrorists. She was relieved to think they didn’t fall into that category. What was scary was seeing the two soldiers on either side of the lane with AKs at the ready. Behind them was a Landrover with a machine gun on the roof aimed at the lane, and not far from them was another pair of Landrovers, also with massive machine guns on the roof. Guess they weren’t planning on letting anyone get away. Jaz didn’t stop gripping the seat until they were long gone from the checkpoint.

After more crazy traffic, they arrived at their hotel before they became a road statistic. Imagine if she’d died here or was badly injured. How would she explain that to her family?

As they entered the hotel, Jaz passed an armed guard. More soldiers and guards with guns. She didn’t know if she should be relieved or worried about the two she saw out the front of the hotel.

Inside it was less frantic and Jaz felt herself relax a bit. This was all so new but the hotel reception was nice, like a hotel back home. Only she was struggling with communication and the money side of things. At least the man at the desk knew enough English to get them sorted. The worst bit was this would probably all easy for Ryan.

After booking in, they went to their room along passages of cream walls with wooden doors and a floor that followed the colour scheme in the tiles. Their room was also similar in colour and was spacious enough for a wheelchair.

The moment Jaz shut the door, Ryan got up out of the chair. ‘Oh my God, it’s a miracle,’ she said. It actually felt like one, considering she’d hauled his butt everywhere today. It got to the point where it had begun to felt very real.

‘Ha ha,’ said Ryan, turning to her as he stretched. Hearing his voice was sweet pleasure. ‘Get your stuff ready. We will need to change and be out of here soon.’ Then he ducked into the bathroom.

Jaz went to the double bed and flopped down on it, stretching out. She was feeling like crap, which was probably jet lag. Jaz wished she had her phone and could text Anna or Taylor. She wondered if Marcus had sent any texts. She’d left her phone at Pax’s and was going to pretend she’d lost it for a while. Hopefully that would suffice everyone.

‘Ah, that’s better,’ said Ryan as he reappeared. He pulled his bag off the wheelchair and threw it on the bed, then he began to pull apart the wheelchair.

Jaz sat up with interest. Within seconds, Ryan was holding a knife.

‘Was that hidden in the chair?’ she said with awe, as she watched Ryan flip it around. Was it wrong to think it was sexy watching him play with a dangerous weapon? It got better when he pulled off his big shirt, revealing the chest she dreamed about. He was all bumps and lumps of formed muscles, tight caramel skin and a scattering of hair leading down into the trackpants. Jaz swallowed hard. She knew she was staring but she couldn’t stop, couldn’t rip her eyes away.

It wasn’t until he pulled out one of those nightshirts the men wear that he looked up. There was something warm in his eyes, like a purple swirl of passion. Or maybe she was dreaming it. It was probably just a reflection from her own eyes.

‘You’d better get ready.’

If he’d seen her gawking he didn’t say, but his words moved her into action.

She pulled her bag closer and unzipped it just as Ryan kicked off his shoes and dropped his trackpants. Holy cow. His black trunks were fitted, to the point Jaz forgot to breathe. Ryan sat down on the bed to pull off his pants and Jaz started fumbling for her
gelabie
. Her eyes kept flicking back over Ryan’s wide shoulders, across his skin and scars. Oh boy, the outside heat was now in their room, temperature at boiling point.

Well, two could play at this game. She didn’t want to be the only one floundering. Jaz took her boots off, then her shirt and jeans, until she was standing in her black bra and briefs. She was reaching for the pants when she saw Ryan pull up his trousers, turn and fumble as he caught sight of her. She was deliberately slow putting on her pants, while Ryan remained motionless. Frozen. Jaz took great delight in feeling his eyes roam over her; but when he met her eyes, he turned, so she missed reading him. But his shoulders moved with each breath and his fist bunched tightly at his side as he faced the other way. He seemed uncertain of what to do next. Jaz had her pants on when he finally ducked back into the bathroom. Obviously he left to give her some privacy, but Jaz wasn’t fussed. Seeing the way he’d stared at her had given her courage. She realised she was holding the power in that moment, and for once it was nice that it was on the other foot. Maybe there was something there still.

By the time Ryan came out of the bathroom, Jaz was all dressed except for the head part.

‘Can you help me with this?’ she asked.

‘Sure.’

Jaz felt like the world had gone quiet with the
gelabie
on. It was as if she was hiding and no one could see her. It reminded her of school when she seemed invisible. Or when she was younger and would hide in a box with a hole cut out to look through. The
gelabie
felt like that.

Ryan gave her the once over, this time with her clothes on, and nodded his approval before turning to use the mirror. He was applying some dark foundation to his face. Jaz realised it didn’t matter what her face looked like but Ryan needed help to disguise his. By the time he’d finished, Jaz reckoned she wouldn’t have recognised him on the street.

‘How’s it look?’ he asked.

‘Perfect,’ she said.

He grabbed her arms, giving her a gentle shake. ‘You ready?’ He was watching her eyes intently; after all, it was the only part of her he could see.

‘Ready as I’ll ever be,’ she replied.

‘The knife’s in my right boot if you need it,’ Ryan said before he opened the door and quickly checked the hallway was clear.

That was reassuring of him. Just what her nerves needed.

He slipped the door key into his pants and they walked out of the hotel. Jaz followed him; he was heading somewhere specific. They crossed a dual lane road beside the hotel and went into a housing area. Jaz felt a little restricted looking through the little slit in her headwear. It was scary enough being in a different place, let alone the fact that it was nearly dark. Foreign sounds and smells assaulted her, keeping her nerves on edge. She wanted to reach for Ryan’s hand, but in this country she would likely be put in prison for it.

They went a few blocks, if you could call them that, until Ryan came to a house, of sorts. She felt hot and sticky already; the full
gelabie
and the black gloves making her feel stuffy. Ryan knocked on a door. ‘Stay back here,’ he said, pointing to a spot by the road. She watched as a man came to the door. Ryan spoke with him in his language, handed over some money. The man disappeared into his house then returned and pushed out a newish motorbike.

It was all done so quickly that Jaz figured it had to have been prearranged. Ryan pushed the bike to the road and started it. ‘Get on.’

She sat on the back, choosing to hang onto the bike and not Ryan. Partly because she thought she’d get arrested if she held onto him.

They moved along the street until they hit the main road. The rush of air was refreshing, cooling her off. The bit that flowed through the small slit over her face even more so. The traffic wasn’t so bad out here as they left the yellow and black painted curbed areas and lights and headed out towards more open country. Jaz would have much preferred they did this during the day, so she could at least see some of Pakistan.

The big bike had a light on the front, which they needed when Ryan turned off the main road and weaved his way to a place Jaz could never get back from. To start with, she tried to remember landmarks, lefts and rights, just in case something happened and she had to get them out of here. But something told her unless she had been writing this down she’d never remember her way out. The best she could do was hope the things she saw, like the broken cart or the dead mule, would be enough to get them back.

The bike lurched as Ryan found a pothole. Jaz grabbed for Ryan’s waist and latched on. The road was now gravel and full of unseeable holes, making it rough riding. She kept her arms around Ryan, sure no one would see them out here and in the dark. Besides, it was a chance to hold Ryan and calm her senses that were alive. She could smell water in the warm night air, almost musty.

Ryan slowed and turned them into a smaller track. In the light from the bike she could see an old looking building. Maybe an old farmhouse. Ryan parked the bike next to it in the grass. Jaz got off, her body sore from sitting on the bike. Something she wasn’t used to. It went quiet as he killed the bike; the light went off, encasing them in darkness. ‘That was my first time on a bike,’ she whispered. Not sure if she should be talking.

‘Really? I’ve got a Harley at home. I’ll have to take you for a ride on a real bike.’ He wasn’t whispering but he wasn’t talking loudly either. His hand found hers and he gently tugged it. ‘This way, we’ll wait inside.’

Jaz was glad he could see because she still couldn’t. Her foot tripped over something and Ryan stopped to catch her.

‘Careful.’

Finally, her eyes were adjusting and she could make out the building. It was only a five by five space, dirt floor and one hole which was a window. Ryan stood by the door, staring out into the darkness. Jaz sat on the ground.

‘How long do we wait?’ she asked and then regretted it. She didn’t want to sound so green and impatient. Especially when Ryan was probably used to waiting all night.

‘Not long. Half hour maybe.’

They settled into silence. Personally, Jaz was too scared to talk and her ears were too busy listening for sounds of car tyres, voices or footsteps. Even the sounds of the night seemed creepy. Ryan would move his weight to his other foot and Jaz would just about jump through the roof from listening so intently.

Jaz was starting to get a numb bum when they heard a vehicle approaching. Jaz jumped up and Ryan went to the door, hiding behind the wall. She saw a gleam from the moon; it was a blade edge, Ryan’s knife held at the ready.

Now was not the time to panic, but she could feel the fear and adrenaline coursing through her, building up momentum as footsteps came their way.

‘Fletch?’ came an unknown voice, but Jaz relaxed when she realised it was Australian.

‘Tilly, you made it,’ said Ryan with a hint of relief.

A torch came on and Jaz watched as the two men shook hands and gripped each other’s shoulder.

‘Only just, I was followed but I think I lost them, so we should do this quickly.’ In the torchlight Jaz could see this guy ‘Tilly’. He looked to be in his thirties but it was hard to tell, as it made the lines on his face shadow. He looked drawn, thin and a little wired. But she wouldn’t hold that against him if he was undercover in a drug operation. Tension would be high, sleep would be minimal and trust would be unobtainable. Tilly also had a gun sticking out of his pants.

‘Who’s this?’ asked Tilly. He almost moved to get his gun. Jaz tried not to feel offended. He shone the light in her eyes.

‘This is Jaz, one of our newest,’ said Ryan. ‘Jaz, this is Matt Tilby.’

Jaz felt it was safe to pull off her headwear. ‘Hey,’ she said. Not sure how she should greet him.

‘Damn,’ said Tilly. He was still pointing the torch at her so she couldn’t really see him but she could hear him. ‘Fletch, how did you scam that? I haven’t seen a pretty face like that in a long time.’ He put the light down a fraction. ‘Nice to meet you, Jaz. I hope you’re liking your introduction to Pakistan. I’d like to show you around the poppy fields where I’ve been working but I think we’d probably get shot if I took you back.’ The beam of light now went to his hand and the stuff in it. ‘I think they know this stuff is missing by now. And the USB, don’t lose that either. Just about lost a leg getting some of those pictures.’

Ryan took the small bag from him and tucked it into his pants. ‘Thanks Tilly. You look like shit.’

‘Worse than you did after Afghanistan?’ he asked.

‘Close,’ replied Ryan.

Jaz found their humorous banter not that funny. It brought home just how hard it must be and the sacrifices they make, the bad things they may have to do to infiltrate the gangs and prove their loyalty. She doubted she could imagine the horrors they’d seen.

‘How bad is bad?’ asked Jaz. She wanted to understand.

Tilly glanced at her, to Ryan and then back to Jaz. Seeing as Ryan didn’t stop him, he began a story. ‘You really wanna know?’

She nodded, but was starting to regret her decision.

‘One of the things I saw down at the fields after I got word we were moving on was a slaughtering of all the workers. People they had tending to the fields, mothers, fathers, even kids. They shot them all into a mass grave so no one would talk. And the only thing I could think was that I was glad I hadn’t been one of the guys who’d been given the order to kill. Standing by, watching the blood, the faces of the ones waiting to die like the others, the screaming, the crying kids. That will never leave.’ He put a finger to his brain like he was going to shoot himself. ‘It is burned in here, forever.’

Jaz shivered even though she was hot. Ryan was watching her but Jaz didn’t move or say anything. What the hell could she say after that? ‘Sorry you had to see that’? It would never be enough.

Lights flicked across her face but it came from the doorway. The torch went off in a heartbeat but light still came in from the vehicle. Both the guys moved so quickly. Tilly’s gun was cocked and ready, Ryan’s knife was unsheathed and Jaz was still standing there like a statue. Quickly she put her headwear back on and squatted down against the wall.