An Opportunity
A knock echoed through the house, Hadiza excused herself and left to check who it was. Rose quickly pulled out the pistol from her bag and checked it; the cartridge was missing, she checked the bag thoroughly but could not find it so she put the pistol back into the bag and held firm the fork.
Hadiza walked in smiling, behind her was the Janitor holding two shopping bags.
“Which one’s mine uncle Junaid?” asked Hadiza.
“Hadidi, which one among the two looks frosty?” he asked lifting the two bags up.
Hadiza seized the smallest of the bags on his right hand and left the room, “Oh my God finally, vanilla flavour? Now you are 100% my favourite uncle!” echoed Hadiza’s voice.
He kept the other bag on the table next to Rose’s bag, “How are you faring?” he asked.
“I am much better! Thanks!” she replied looking at him.
“I had to take the cartridge! As bad as the world seems, a man has got to keep the house safe for his niece! Sorry I had to do that!” he said looking at Rose, “I am Junaid Abdul-Basit, I believe Hadiza has let the water in the dam flood your ears by now!”
“What?” she responded.
“I mean; she talks too much so I guess she must’ve told you where you are and who brought you here?” he said smiling.
“Just a little, she is a smart girl! Too intelligent for her age! I am Rose by the way, Rose Green. I am here on vacation.” she said.
They both stared at each other for a while.
“Thank you for, um, for saving my life back there!” said Rose, “I really don’t know how to uh…”
“You’re welcome!” he interrupted, “Oh and by the way, the one who treated your leg is a female; an old woman, actually an aunt from my mother’s side. She and Hadiza joined hands to dress your leg, I was outside the whole time.” said Junaid, “Nobody knows you’re here except the people I trust; my aunt and of course the almighty big-mouthed niece Hadiza.”
“It’s okay! I really appreciate it,” added Rose, “So um, your niece told me you work at the hospital for a while now?”
“Yes, four years now!” he answered.
“Your niece, she uh, also told me about your wife and daughter! Sorry for your great loss!” she said sympathetically.
Junaid stared at Rose for a while, “They are in a better place now.” he said.
Rose felt a bit on the edge.
“I could get you a phone to call your relatives or the embassy but I don’t think that’ll be a good idea for now!” he advised.
“I don’t understand.” said Rose.
“You’re all over the news, both local and international.” added Junaid as he picked the newspaper next to her feet and handed it to her. On receiving it she saw her face on the front page with some shots from a CCTV camera taken from the hospital the day she went to visit Doctor Abbas Hassan, the newspaper was written in Arabic.
“What does it say?” she asked.
“Headlines: American suicide bomber killed Doctor Abbas Hassan and thirty five others in Thursday’s deadly attack!” read Junaid.
“I don’t get it!” said Rose.
“Let me read the full story for you out loud!” said Junaid as he took hold of the newspaper, “An American woman Janice Carpenters, code-named Rose Green, who is also suspected to be a double agent with the help of some men believed to be locals launched an attack on Thursday 19th May 2016 at the Abbas-Hass Private Hospital. Doctor Abbas Hassan, is believed to be the primary target of this deadly attack. However, the American government denied any connection with the suicide bomber, the secretary of state stated that Rose Green is a wanted fugitive. The attack cost the lives of thirty five nationals, many others were also injured. Would you like me to continue?” asked Junaid.
“No. Thank you!” she retorted.
“It’s all over the news; you’re a celebrity now. They showed you holding a bag with what they believe were explosives.” he said.
“You don’t believe that, do you?” she asked.
“I am still alive and looking at the bag, am I not?” he chuckled.
“I need to make an important phone call!” she said.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea! I wouldn’t want some thug in camouflage uniform come crashing through the doors of my house, looking for you,” said Junaid, “My home has seen enough of the American contempt, insults and abuse!”
“I am only going to call a trusted colleague! Please!” she beseeched.
Junaid stared at her with such distrust before agreeing to hand her a cell phone. As she was about to dial he told her to wait; he pulled out a match box from his pocket and from it he picked a SIM Card, inserted it into the phone, restarted and gave it back to her.
“Thank you!” she said.
Rose dialled a number but nobody picked, Junaid stood there watching carefully with a straight face, his eyes set on his wrist watch. Seconds later after numerous attempts, she dialled a different number and someone picked.
“Hello” answered a voice over the phone.
“Enlighten me!” said Rose.
“RG? Oh thank God you’re alive! We got worried about you. The director felt that you got caught by the Ghazis so he ordered we pull the plug! We didn’t see it coming; no one knew they planned to attack the hospital that day too. There was a sketchy Intel on the attack but the agency didn’t think it was a serious threat, the director felt it wasn’t real and so we overlooked it. I am so sorry!” responded the voice over the phone.
“Pull the plug on me? Is this some kind of a joke?” asked Rose.
“What’s your 20?” asked the voice over the phone.
“So they went all Hiroshima on me?” asked Rose.
“It’s not like that RG”, responded the voice over the phone, “An opportunity the agency couldn’t afford to miss came up just minutes before you stepped into that hospital; we got Intel from a very reliable source that Suleiman Zaim Waqar the successor of Ahmed Al Tufail along with many others on the list made a decision that same morning to kidnap Doctor Abbas Hassan. Plus, the doc knows too much and the director was afraid that he’d crack so the best thing was to…”
“Take’m all out at once?” asked Rose.
“Yes!” came the reply.
“Knowing full well I was there also?” asked Rose, “You’d have just warned me!”
“I am very sorry RG, it was our only hope of cleaning the closet and nailing those bastards!” came the respond.
“You then decide I wasn’t useful anymore?” Rose interjected.
“Did you take him out?” inquired the voice over the phone.
“I asked you a question, damn it! I deserve an answer.” said Rose.
“Did you take him out?”
“Who?” asked Rose looking at Junaid.
“Juliet Alpha!?”
“Affirm!” she answered reluctantly.
“Job well-done RG! That’s good, the director is here, he wants to have a word with you!”
Rose went cold and hung up the call then handed the cell phone to Junaid; he switched it off, removed the SIM Card and used a lighter from his pocket to burn it.