The People Traders (34 page)

Karen thanked her, then went inside. Using the torch she still carried in her bag, she moved the bed against the door, as Martha had said, before lying down and pulling the blanket over her. Within minutes she was asleep, oblivious to what was going on outside.

CHAPTER 22

Sirec listened to Khan's report without saying a word. When he'd finished Sirec banged the table in frustration.

"Khan, we're talking about a girl only just eighteen here, not an S.A.S. soldier. A girl two of your men actually captured and now one's dead and the other badly wounded. By all accounts Karen's also wounded. You then tell me she was traced to an old farm where the owner says she demanded food at gunpoint, then moved on. This farm, Khan, is not on the line I drew to the pick-up point of Tiala, which tells me one of two things; either Karen's lost, but I don't think so, after all, she's not made any mistakes yet, alternatively Farrow's confession of Tiala is also wrong. Either way, she couldn't have got far because the kid's on foot and she's certainly not a ghost or some super being."

Khan shuffled uneasily. "It's not my fault, you said not to kill her. The men were inexperienced soldiers looking after her, waiting for their captain. She produced a gun from somewhere and that was it, they couldn't fire back."

Sirec stood and grabbed his lapels. "She had a gun. She had a gun!" Sirec screamed. "Why didn't your soldiers search her? For them to have not checked that she'd no more weapons on her person would seem very stupid, even for a conscript. So, my dear friend, let this be a warning as to just how dangerous Karen is, perhaps next time you take her, bring her in naked and bound if you want, but don't let her near even a glass of water. Do I make myself clear?"

Khan nodded, clearly shaken with Sirec's reaction.

Sirec returned to his chair and studied the map, shaking his head in confusion. "I do not understand what's happening here," Sirec began. "It would seem that if she's turned east then the logical location would be Sharma not Tiala. What are your thoughts, Khan?"

Khan, relieved Sirec had composed himself again, looked down at the map. "It's possible, but risky. We've a military base less than twenty miles from there. They would risk detection from our normal security operations in the area."

Sirec rubbed his chin in thought. "You might be right, Khan, but I think not, they'd be in and out before the base could mobilise. The problem I see is, if we saturated the area, she'll not come. We need to keep a way open for her to enter the trap. The point is, which direction will she come in from?" Sirec said, still studying the map.

"That's assuming that it is Sharma she's heading for, Sirec," Khan said bravely.

Sirec looked up at him. "Why shouldn't it be? After all, she's turned off and is heading straight for it."

Khan smiled with satisfaction. "But more the point, Sirec, why did she turn off? I suggest she turned to avoid the road and intended to loop back round. It's logical for any soldier to do that."

Sirec sighed. "But we're not talking about a trained soldier; as I said this is a school kid, Khan."

Khan stopped him. "This school kid, as you like to make us all believe she is, has had some training, she must have. She helped take over a helicopter, disabled and killed the occupants of three Land Rovers, overcame two soldiers, escaped a net even a mouse couldn't hide in and is still free. No, Sirec, no matter how you want to pull her down, she's as good as anyone we have out there, in some ways better. I say this because for her, it's freedom or die. That, Sirec, is like fighting a suicide bomber; you can never win because in the end they will commit suicide. Besides from our experience, she's very capable of retaliating if cornered."

Sirec glanced over to him. "So if I hear you right, you don't think we can take her alive then?"

Khan shrugged. "Who knows, if we're lucky and catch her unaware maybe? But if you want my opinion, I don't think that will happen, and if cornered, she'll take her own life."

The room went silent, Sirec deep in thought. The last thing he wanted was her death. "Right, let her go. Pull all your forces out and let her go."

Khan stared at him. "What are you saying?"

Sirec grinned. "Tell me this, where will the British take her?"

Khan shrugged. "Cyprus is logical, before shipping her back to England."

Sirec threw his hands up. "There you are then; I'll arrange to have her snatched in Cyprus or the UK. She'll be disarmed, that's certain. She'll have a false sense of security, thinking she's made it, even more so with the press everywhere. Can you give me a better plan?"

Khan couldn't and lifted the telephone. Ten minutes later he sat down opposite Sirec. "It's done; she'll get through without a problem. Even if they see her, they'll just report it."

By now Sirec had lit a cigarette. "I've been thinking about your suggestion that Karen intended to take a circular route. I agree with you, that's probably the case. So Farrow's location is, I believe, correct. The pick-up's tomorrow night. You take personal charge and deliver the remaining S.A.S. officers to the same location. Get the bloody lot of them out of the country in one go. It'll be certain then, with the injured, they'll head for Cyprus, so use it as insurance. I suggest you set off tomorrow and get them there perhaps an hour or so before. If she's around, she'll recognise them, even possibly joining up again when you've gone. That too will convince her we've given up."

With this plan agreed, Khan left Sirec alone. Sirec picked the telephone up and dialled quickly. "Halif, the local search has been called off..." Sirec listened then replied. "Yes it's too dangerous; you must see Assam now and tell him to set a course to Cyprus. I'll have my contacts snatch the girl and Assam can bring her back."

Halif, on the other side of the phone asked a question, but Sirec discounted it. "No, Halif, I still want the contact in England to inform us when the parents leave. This will give us further conformation she's arrived in Cyprus."

When Khan left Sirec, he made his way to the barracks. In the wardroom a number of officers were sat around. Khan closed the door and looked around. "Sirec's called off the hunt for the girl. He's got some stupid plan of snatching her in Cyprus, but it's a pipe dream. She'll be well guarded until she leaves for England. Anyway, that girl killed our comrades; she'll kill again unless we kill her first."

One of the officers in the room frowned. "How do you expect to do that, Khan?"

Khan lit a cigarette slowly before answering. "She's been very astute turning east, perhaps trying to make us believe she's going to Sharma, but I don't think so. She's on the way to Tiala."

"Why Tiala?" another asked.

"It's obvious; if you mark on the map the sightings of her, then draw a straight line, it ends up there. Besides, even the British in their arrogance, wouldn't pick up less than twenty miles from one of our bases."

Many in the room agreed and Khan opened a map. "She's caught this time. There's only one way in and one way out. We just go down and collect her."

He leaned forward and looked around their faces; "Between you and me, this girl will not come out of Tiala alive. Either she dies trying to defend herself, or we execute her there. Let her escape and we've lost her forever. Are we agreed?"

They all mumbled agreement.

"Then we move at eighteen hundred tomorrow. Form a small troop of five good men; it will be enough to flush this scum out. The ship's not due in the area until dark at twenty hundred. They will find a body, and no more."

CHAPTER 23

Sirec walked over to the Karen stirred as Martha banged on the small door. "Karen, open the door please," she called.

Eventually, she woke enough to climb out of bed, then with great difficulty was able to pull the bed away from the door.

Martha burst inside. "Come, follow me. I've good news and a hot dinner for you," she said excitedly.

Karen didn't feel that well, but followed her into the kitchen. "Sirec's called off the hunt for you, Karen. According to local sources he's withdrawn the reward and all soldiers have been returned to barracks."

Karen's eyes narrowed. "So that means they know where I am?"

Martha shook her head. "They don't, believe me. Last night they searched this place completely. I told them you'd come but moved on after food. They thought you were injured, but I said you weren't or if you were, you didn't show it. In fact I even told them a white lie, saying you were pretty fit, just hungry." Martha stopped for a moment then frowned. "I was lucky though, the lounge was splattered with your blood and I'd only just enough time to tidy before they came knocking. Anyway, they left at about three in the morning; they were still searching just before leaving. I'm surprised you didn't hear them, they pulled everything out," she grinned, "but they never closed the barn door. Anyway suddenly it was all off. Some say you're dead, others say you've been caught and Sirec's not admitting it, to save his reward money. What I can tell you is there are no soldiers for miles this morning, that's certain. I've spoken to some of my neighbours who've also been searched."

Karen said nothing and began eating the food Martha had laid out, but she felt worried. Why had Sirec pulled out? This wasn't the impression she'd formed of him. He wasn't, she was sure, a man to give up so easily, unless he'd other plans, but what?

When she'd finished, Martha left the room and brought back a dressing gown. "Right, Karen, get out of those dirty clothes. I've filled the bath so it's about time you turned back into some sort of reasonable human being. Apart from stinking, you must feel awful yourself?"

This was a demand Karen didn't object to and soon she settled down in a warm bath, finally rubbing the congealed dirt from her hair. Eventually she returned to the kitchen in the dressing gown Martha had given her.

"Out here," Martha called.

She was sat on the small balcony overlooking the entire area. "Bless me, you really are a very beautiful girl," Martha said, as Karen came out and settled in a chair at her side.

She gave Martha a weak smile. "It's good of you to say, to tell you the truth I don't feel very beautiful. In fact, since this all started I've only felt dirty and abused but the bath was very welcome. Thank you."

Martha touched her hand gently. "It'll get better, Karen, believe me, I know. It'll take time and don't, as I did, believe every man is a rapist. Just live your life and put this behind you."

Karen looked at her strangely. "Are you telling me you were raped?"

She smiled at her and put a finger to her lips. "We all have secrets, Karen. Mine are from a long time ago and time heals. Later I was lucky enough to meet a man I not only loved, but respected. Mind you, you'll find men are fickle. They like to believe they are the only one. It's stupid I know, but always remember a little deception makes for a quiet and happy life. Anyway, enough of me, how are we getting you home?"

Karen told her of the cove she was supposed to be at later that day.

Martha sat for a moment and scratched her head. "It's not far as such. To tell you the truth, it's an area where locals don't go; used in the past for illicit drug shipments. Some locals lost their lives under strange circumstances. I could take you as far as where the track meets the main highway. Beyond that my old car wouldn't cope. For that matter, neither could I. You'd have to go on alone from there."

Karen grinned. "That isn't a problem, Martha, I'd be thankful for the lift to the start of the track. At least it's a chance of freedom, even if it's tough going getting down."

With this agreed they both fell silent. Martha drifted off to sleep; Karen watched the horizon, still not convinced Sirec had given up. Later that day after a late lunch they were ready to go. Karen dressed in clean jeans, t-shirt, hair tied back, and her blue eyes shining for the first time in ages.

"My word, now you're dressed in clean clothes you really look so different. And nothing like the girl who came into this house last night."

Karen smiled, she felt good inside. "It's all your doing, Martha. It was you who saved my life, you who sorted my injuries. I can't thank you enough."

Martha shook her head. "No, that's not true really. I've helped a little, everybody needs help sometime but it's you, Karen, you've pulled yourself together and I'll take no credit for that. So let's stop this silliness and get you on your way?"

They talked very little on the ride to the beginning of the track which led down to the cove. The car, while functional, had seen better days and it coughed and spluttered all the way. At times Karen was convinced it'd give up but Martha nursed it on and eventually she pulled off the road.

The engine died and she turned to Karen. "This is it. Two miles and you're on your way home," she said sadly. "I'll miss you; it's been a day I won't forget."

Karen hugged her tightly then broke away, opening the car door. Martha rummaged in her bag and pulled out a piece of paper, pushing it into Karen's hand. "Send me a card to say you're home, will you? Don't say much, just 'wish you were here' sort of thing."

"Martha," Karen began, but Martha held her hand up. "No, Karen, we've talked ourselves out, say nothing, love. Just get on your way and be careful. I'm not one for sentiment; my husband always thought it bad luck."