relativelysmall rotating officer corps stationed this specific fortnight in Masqat in an officer corps that changes with the years—”
“Unusually coincidental, I agree, but certainly possible. What’s your second point?”
“Actually, it negates my mentioning the first. These days no vehicle from the Masqat garrison would pick up a foreigner in the manner he was picked up, in the guise he was picked up, without supreme authority.”
“The
sultan
?”
“Who else?”
“He wouldn’t dare! He’s boxed. A wrong move and he’d be held responsible for whatever executions take place. If that happens, the Americans would level Masqat to the ground. He knows that!”
“Perhaps he also knows that he is held responsible both for what he
does
do as well as for what he does
not
do. In such a situation it’s better to know what others are doing, if only to offer guidance—or to abort some unproductive activity with one more execution.”
Khalehla looked hard at the informant in the dim light of the square’s periphery. “If that military car took the subject to a meeting with the sultan, it also brought him back.”
“Yes, it did,” agreed the middle-aged man, his voice flat, as if he understood the implication.
“Which means that whatever the subject proposed was not rejected out of hand.”
“It would appear so,
ya anisa
Khalehla.”
“And
we
have to know what was proposed, don’t we?”
“It would be dangerous in the extreme for all of us
not
to know,” said the Arab, nodding. “We are dealing with more than the deaths of two hundred thirty-six Americans. We are dealing with the destiny of a nation.
My
nation, I should add, and I shall do my best to see that it remains
ours
. Do you understand me, my dear Khalehla?”
“I do,
ya sahib el Aumer
.”
“Better a dead cipher than a catastrophic shock.”
“I understand.”
“Do you really? You had far more advantages in your Mediterranean than we ever had in our obscure Gulf. It is our time now. We won’t let anyone stop us.”
“I want you to have your time, dear friend.
We
want you to have it.”
“Then do what you must do,
ya sahbitee
Khalehla.”
“I will.” The well-tailored woman reached into her purse and took out a short-barreled automatic. Holding it in her left hand, she again searched her purse and removed a clip of bullets; with a pronounced click she jammed it into the base of the handle and snapped back the loading chamber. The weapon was ready to fire. “Go now,
adeem sahbee
,” she said, securing the strap of her purse over her shoulder, her hand inside, gripping the automatic. “We understand each other and you must be somewhere else, someplace where others can see you, not here.”
“
Salaam aleikum
, Khalehla. Go with Allah.”
“I’ll send
him
to Allah to plead his case.…
Quickly
. He’s coming out of the bakery! I’ll follow him and do what has to be done. You have perhaps ten to fifteen minutes to be with others away from here.”
“At the last, you protect us, don’t you? You are a treasure. Be careful, dear Khalehla.”
“Tell
him
to be careful. He intrudes.”
“I’ll go to the Zawadi mosque and talk with the elder mullahs and muezzins. Holy eyes are not questioned. It is a short distance, five minutes at most.”
“
Aleikum salaam
,” said the woman, starting across the square to her left, her gaze riveted on the American in Arab robes who had passed beyond the fountain and was walking rapidly toward the dark, narrow streets to the east, beyond the market of Sabat Aynub.
What is that damn fool doing?
she thought as she removed her hat, crushing it with her left hand and shoving it into her purse next to the weapon that she gripped feverishly in her right.
He’s heading into the el Shari el Mishkwiyis
, she concluded, mixing her thoughts in Arabic and English, referring to what is called in the West the roughest section of town, an area outsiders avoid.
They were right. He’s an amateur and
“Unusually coincidental, I agree, but certainly possible. What’s your second point?”
“Actually, it negates my mentioning the first. These days no vehicle from the Masqat garrison would pick up a foreigner in the manner he was picked up, in the guise he was picked up, without supreme authority.”
“The
sultan
?”
“Who else?”
“He wouldn’t dare! He’s boxed. A wrong move and he’d be held responsible for whatever executions take place. If that happens, the Americans would level Masqat to the ground. He knows that!”
“Perhaps he also knows that he is held responsible both for what he
does
do as well as for what he does
not
do. In such a situation it’s better to know what others are doing, if only to offer guidance—or to abort some unproductive activity with one more execution.”
Khalehla looked hard at the informant in the dim light of the square’s periphery. “If that military car took the subject to a meeting with the sultan, it also brought him back.”
“Yes, it did,” agreed the middle-aged man, his voice flat, as if he understood the implication.
“Which means that whatever the subject proposed was not rejected out of hand.”
“It would appear so,
ya anisa
Khalehla.”
“And
we
have to know what was proposed, don’t we?”
“It would be dangerous in the extreme for all of us
not
to know,” said the Arab, nodding. “We are dealing with more than the deaths of two hundred thirty-six Americans. We are dealing with the destiny of a nation.
My
nation, I should add, and I shall do my best to see that it remains
ours
. Do you understand me, my dear Khalehla?”
“I do,
ya sahib el Aumer
.”
“Better a dead cipher than a catastrophic shock.”
“I understand.”
“Do you really? You had far more advantages in your Mediterranean than we ever had in our obscure Gulf. It is our time now. We won’t let anyone stop us.”
“I want you to have your time, dear friend.
We
want you to have it.”
“Then do what you must do,
ya sahbitee
Khalehla.”
“I will.” The well-tailored woman reached into her purse and took out a short-barreled automatic. Holding it in her left hand, she again searched her purse and removed a clip of bullets; with a pronounced click she jammed it into the base of the handle and snapped back the loading chamber. The weapon was ready to fire. “Go now,
adeem sahbee
,” she said, securing the strap of her purse over her shoulder, her hand inside, gripping the automatic. “We understand each other and you must be somewhere else, someplace where others can see you, not here.”
“
Salaam aleikum
, Khalehla. Go with Allah.”
“I’ll send
him
to Allah to plead his case.…
Quickly
. He’s coming out of the bakery! I’ll follow him and do what has to be done. You have perhaps ten to fifteen minutes to be with others away from here.”
“At the last, you protect us, don’t you? You are a treasure. Be careful, dear Khalehla.”
“Tell
him
to be careful. He intrudes.”
“I’ll go to the Zawadi mosque and talk with the elder mullahs and muezzins. Holy eyes are not questioned. It is a short distance, five minutes at most.”
“
Aleikum salaam
,” said the woman, starting across the square to her left, her gaze riveted on the American in Arab robes who had passed beyond the fountain and was walking rapidly toward the dark, narrow streets to the east, beyond the market of Sabat Aynub.
What is that damn fool doing?
she thought as she removed her hat, crushing it with her left hand and shoving it into her purse next to the weapon that she gripped feverishly in her right.
He’s heading into the el Shari el Mishkwiyis
, she concluded, mixing her thoughts in Arabic and English, referring to what is called in the West the roughest section of town, an area outsiders avoid.
They were right. He’s an amateur and
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