Page 105 of Down and Dirty

Arsallah and Hakim both sneered, as did others sitting about the lavish three-bedroom suite where they had been staying these past two days, waiting for the right opportunity. “American women are immodest. Harlots for the most part,” Arsallah postulated. It made no difference that they had all watched an X-rated movie on the television the night before. Actually, it probably contributed to that opinion if all American women behaved in that manner. “Take the female SEAL, too,” he ordered.

“We will use silencers on our weapons outside,” Hakim told him. “Inside, shall we use drugs or Tasers?”

Arsallah shrugged. “Just do not harm the boy and woman in any way that will show on the outside. Once we are on the return flight, a reporter and cameraman from Aljazeera will interview me. I do not want any human rights or U.S. government officials crying mistreatment.”

“Shouldn’t we wait a day or so then, till we are certain the boy and the woman will say what we want?” This from the more logical Daoud.

“They will do as told,” Hakim answered for Arsallah with a harsh laugh.

Arsallah agreed with his henchman. “Especially that spineless grandson of mine. I should have had him shot at birth, along with his traitorous whore of a mother. At least now Samir can be used for our benefit. First off, we use him for a bargaining tool to have every al-Qaeda prisoner released from CIA prisons.”

“Can we threaten to kill the boy, or cut off a body part, if the Americans do not comply?” Hakim practically licked his lips with anticipation. Not so long ago, Samir had kicked Hakim in the balls when ordered to get rid of a mongrel dog that had been bothering his sleep.

“Threaten, yes, but get my permission to follow through.”

Both Daoud and Hakim studied him carefully, probably thinking that he was getting soft on his grandson. He was not. As far as he was concerned, Samir’s diluted blood merited no familial consideration. But he did want to rein in control of this volatile situation.

“And then… after the negotiations are complete?” Daoud asked. “What happens to the boy… and the woman soldier… then?”

Arsallah knew, but he was not about to share all information, even with these old comrades. No one could be trusted, really.

Chapter 18

Being conned by a mini-con…

Britta didn’t have a maternal bone in her body. Leastways, that had been her opinion till today… and tonight, with Sammy.

They were propped up against pillows in his small bed, looking through picture books. The way he leaned against her, smelling of boyling skin and minty soap from his bath, the way he seemed to be drawn to her, and she to him… well, her heart nigh swelled with strong emotions she had ne’er felt before.

Her reading was still not very good, despite the tutoring lessons, so she and Sammy were making up stories to fit the pictures, some of them absurd, some poignantly telling of both their pasts.

His favorite of the children’s books was The Poky Little Puppy; apparently, he yearned to have a pet dog someday. She would have to mention that fact to Zachary when he returned. Her favorite was Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, although she was a mite suspicious about the goings-on betwixt the pretty lady and the seven little men. Men were men, no matter their size, in her experience.

“That is enough, do you not think? Time for sleep.”

“Just one more.”

“That is what you said three books back.”

“I could show you my father’s magazine.” There was a sly look in his blue eyes… eyes that matched Zachary’s.

“Why would I want to… ”

Sammy had already jumped off the bed and was digging under a pile of shoes on the floor of his closet. “He hid it under his mattress, but I found it there. Then he hid it under the towels in the bathroom.”

He tossed the magazine to her. A magazine was sort of a book, but bigger, with no hard cover. This one, with the title Penthouse, seemed to be filled with lots of words and lots of color pictures.

Penthouse? I wonder what kind of house that is?

She flipped the magazine open, gawked, then immediately flipped it shut. Oh, my gods and goddesses! “Sammy! This is not appropriate fare for a child.”

“How am I ever gonna learn stuff?”

“I do not think you need to know, close-up, how a woman’s nether parts look.”

“Why not?”

“Because… because it will be a long, long time afore you would find that information of any use.”