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When they reached the edge of the village, Bahram nodded at a dark spot in the fields that surrounded the town. “My friend’s car,” he whispered.
“Okay.” The vehicle was at least a mile away. Maybe more. Quite a walk to reach it. And that was good. The farther away the car was, the less chance of a villager hearing it start up and drive away.
Bahram led her past fields of beans. Barley. Cucumbers and eggplant. She walked behind him now, because she had no choice. The rows of vegetables were close together. The spaces between them were only wide enough for one person. But now they were outside the village and she could see all the way to the mountains rising on the horizon. Any potential threats would be visible for miles.
She hoped.
As they walked, he pulled a bottle of water out of a pocket on his tunic and handed it over his shoulder to her. “Need some water?”
“No, thanks,” she said politely. “I’m good. Save that for yourself.”
He hesitated for a moment, then nodded. Slipped it back into his pocket. “The air is very dry,” he said after a moment. “Water is important.”
“I know,” she said lightly. “That’s why I grabbed water before I left.”
“Good.” He flexed his fingers as he walked, and Laila wondered why. She slipped her hand inside her tunic pocket. Touched the gun. Its weight, the textured grip were familiar to her now. Comforting.
Then she let her hand drop to her side again and swing as she walked.
A ribbon of stars smeared across the sky in a wide, white band. The Milky Way, bright enough to illuminate the paths between the rows of beans and barley. It illuminated Bahram in front of her. She watched his hand twitch as he slid it into his tunic pocket. Watched his other hand clench and unclench.
Why was Bahram nervous?
She touched the gun in her pocket again. She’d practiced this scenario. She’d be ready if he made any move.
But they kept on walking toward the car on the other side of the fields. It was more visible now. A dark sedan. Old, with one door a lighter color. The starlight shone on a dent in the rear fender.
The person who’d driven the car wasn’t visible. Was he still in the car? Why hadn’t he stepped out of the car to study his surroundings? Unless he knew there was no imminent attack.
Or unless he was expecting one and wanted to stay out of the way.
Unease crawling up her spine, Laila let her head swing back and forth slowly, studying everything. The car was the only sign of life out here. In this open valley, a person could see a threat coming for miles.
She wasn’t naïve enough to believe that she was safe just because she couldn’t see the danger.
Finally they were past the fields of vegetables. Bahram had avoided the pastures where the domestic goats and sheep grazed, thank goodness. She didn’t want to surprise any animals on this walk.
Her companion glanced over his shoulder. “We’re almost there,” he said, nodding at the car.
“It’s good of your friend to drive me to the caves,” Laila replied, trying to sound grateful and unsuspecting of any ulterior motive.
“He is fond of Amira,” Bahram said.
So this was the friend who was allied with the Taliban. Laila took a deep breath. She’d pay attention. Stay alert. And keep her gun at hand. She’d never shot anyone. Didn’t want to start tonight. But she’d do what she had to do to survive.
Fifteen minutes later, they approached the dark car. Up close, Laila saw the old, bald tires. Various dings and dents in the doors. Windows made cloudy by sandstorms.
But Bahram’s friend had driven it out of the village, all the way to the edge of the agricultural area. She had to believe it could take her as far as the mountains and their warren of caves.
A young man stepped out of the car. He had the beginnings of a beard, just as Bahram did. He nodded to Bahram. Didn’t look at her.
Bahram said, “This is Feroz. He will drive us to the mountains.”
Feroz glanced at her. Laila saw scorn in his eyes, and she wondered why Feroz had agreed to help save her.
He wasn’t helping her. He was leading her into a trap.
Letting her hand rest against the comforting weight of the gun in her pocket, Laila nodded at Feroz. “Thank you for helping me tonight.”
