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“Those senators bailed on your ass like that.” Rapp snapped his fingers. “So it’s down to two choices for you. You either talk to General Dostum or you talk to us. With us, it’s only going to be as painful as you make it. With General Dostum it will be painful. You will sleep in your own shit for as long as he keeps you alive. He will allow his men to do unspeakable things to you. You will experience pain that you didn’t think possible. You will beg him to kill you, and after he has had his fun, he most certainly will.”
Rapp took a step back, folded his arms, and shrugged. “With us, as long as you cooperate, you will most certainly live. In twenty years or so you will probably be set free. You can even look forward to playing with your grandchildren someday.”
“The choice is simple,” said Nash, almost pleading with the man to make things easy.
The Afghani’s face was pinched in thought, like a card player trying to decide if he should fold or put everything in the pot. After a long moment he looked up and said, “I do not believe you. If General Dostum was here, he would be standing in front of me.”
“Well that can be arranged,” said Nash as he moved across the room. He opened the door and left the small interrogation room.
Rapp smiled at him. “You’re an idiot. The general wants you so bad he’s offered me money. Fifty thousand cash if I look the other way and let him take you back to Mazar-i-Sharif. And you know how much this man likes his cash.”
Nash returned with the general a few seconds later. Dostum approached al-Haq from behind and placed both hands on the man’s shoulders. There was an obvious physical contrast between the two men. Dostum was carrying an extra twenty pounds at least, whereas al-Haq was emaciated from years of living on the run in the mountains.
“Mohammad, I have looked forward to this for years.” Dostum spoke in Uzbeki, which Rapp and Nash did not understand as well as Dari. “I have many things planned for you. There are many of your old friends who can’t wait to see you.”
Nash watched al-Haq close his eyes. He tried to stand but Dostum’s powerful hands kept him in place. Nash cleared his throat. “I think we should allow you two a few minutes alone.”
“That is a wonderful idea,” Dostum said, switching to English. “Please send in my bodyguards.”
As Rapp and Nash started for the door, a terrified al-Haq began pleading with them to stay.
CHAPTER 6
CAPTAIN Trevor Leland stopped outside the door, reached for the knob, and froze with indecision. When you worked for a man like General Garrison, this was one of those moments that could make or break your career. The base commander liked his sleep and had left specific orders not to be disturbed. Leland thought of how Garrison would react to the intrusion and lost his nerve. He withdrew his hand and began walking away. After a few steps, though, he slowed his pace and started to reconsider. He’d been an aide to Brigadier General Scott Garrison for nine months, and found it extremely difficult to satisfy the man. It was by far the most tasking assignment he’d had in his six years in the air force. Garrison, like Leland, was an Air Force Academy graduate. That was about where their common ground ended, however. They disagreed drastically on how to lead and be led.
Leland thought of his own career. The general wasn’t likely to do him any favors, even if he performed to expectations. There was something the general didn’t like about him. Leland thought he knew what it was, but he didn’t want to admit it. He was a charmer. He’d figured out pretty much every CO he’d served under and been able to win them over. Not this time, though. Garrison was a tough nut, and Leland was having a really hard time trying to figure out how to turn things around. He had even tried to win over the other officers on Garrison’s staff, but so far he had received little sympathy.
For at least the tenth time in as many minutes, Leland went over his options. If he woke him up, and it turned out to be nothing, Garrison would make his glum job downright miserable. If he didn’t wake him, though, and the rumors proved to be true…Leland shuddered at the mere thought of what would happen. He remembered the senators who had been at the base earlier in the week. Leland had gone out of his way to smooth things over and make sure the politicians had everything they needed. Garrison wasn’t about to do it. He hated the politicians and dignitaries who came rolling through his base for a photo op so they could tell their constituents or friends that they had been over there, that they’d been to the war zone and survived.
So it was up to Leland to kiss their asses. He knew how the game was played. Powerful senators regularly lobbied on behalf of the officers they liked. Leland had promised them that the prisoners would be treated humanely and by the book. One of the senators had told him they’d better be or she would haul his ass before the Armed Services Committee and eat him for lunch.
Leland thought about the senator’s words as he laid out his options yet again. If he woke him up, and it was for nothing, Garrison would go nuts. He was scheduled to go on leave in ten days and planned to meet a couple of academy buddies in Istanbul. He’d been looking forward to it for months. If this turned out to be nothing, Garrison wouldn’t hesitate to punish him by canceling his leave. If he let him sleep, on the other hand, and the rumors turned out to be true, the man would do a lot more than cancel his leave. He would probably have him transferred to one of the tiny firebases up in the mountains where he could expect to be shelled once or twice a day. Leland took a deep breath and made his decision. A firebase was a far worse punishment than missing Istanbul.
Leland moved quickly now. He didn’t want to lose his nerve. He tapped lightly on the door, even though he knew it would do no good. The general was a sound sleeper. Gently opening the door, Leland walked over to the bed and cleared his throat.
“Excuse me, sir.” The general kept snoring, so Leland reached out and repeated himself. The general didn’t stir. Leland grimaced and lightly touched the general’s shoulder.
General Garrison flinched and made a loud snorting noise as he snatched a breath. He rolled over and said, “What…who is it?”
“It’s me, Captain Leland, sir.”
“Leland, what in the hell do you want?” Garrison growled through a dry throat. “I thought I told you not to disturb me.”
“You did, sir, but there’s something…something that I thought I should bring to your attention.” He took a step back.
“Something,” General Garrison said in an irritated voice as he sat up. “This had better be good, Captain, or you’re going to be out calling in close air support f
or the rest of your tour.”
Leland took a dry gulp, his worst fears confirmed. It seemed he would never be able to satisfy the man. “A plane arrived shortly after midnight, sir.”
“Planes arrive all the time,” Garrison snarled. “This is an air base, Captain. That’s what happens…planes land and planes take off.”
Leland was suddenly regretting his decision, but there was no turning back. “I think it might involve the prisoners, sir. The two high-value ones.”
The news had a sobering affect on the general. “What do you mean, the two prisoners?”
“The plane was an Air Force G III. Six men deplaned, all wearing BDU’s. They had two Humvees waiting for them.”
