eyes.
“Look at yourself, look at us,” said Adderloy. “We don’t exist. Beyond this stretch of sand . . .” He hesitated for a moment. “We’re all lost. From now on, we make our own choices. We have to seize this opportunity, the time is now. Convergences like these come only once in a lifetime.”
“For the chance to get revenge on the fanatics, sure. But you can do better,” said Vladislav. “Why us?”
“We all need money. How long can you keep up this life? A couple of months, and then what? Rent out lounge chairs, or buy a gas stove and a wok to cook for tourists when they eventually return to the beaches? Or become hippies like the other westerners who never made it out of here? You’ve seen them, toothless fucking hobos with their fifteen-year-old girlfriend on the back of their moped. No, we’re going to rob a bank and get a hell of a lot of money, and then lay the blame on someone more deserving. With a bang that gets the whole country’s attention. We frame the minister—and we kill two birds with one stone. We give Charles-Ray what he deserves, at the same time as we get a shitload of money.”
Vladislav gave a short laugh. “To give the loudmouth fuckers a taste of their own medicine.” He looked at Reza. “I like that.”
Reza jiggled both legs in his chair. “But he’s a blood donor—what does that have to do with it? How—”
“No one gets it,” said Vladislav. “Mr. Adderloy has worked it out, but he’s not going to tell us everything yet.”
Adderloy acknowledged him with a gesture.
“But to help him, he needs a few people who are invisible. And immortal,” Vladislav added, taking a fresh look at Reza.
“We don’t exist,” said Mary.
“Whether we do or don’t,” said Vladislav with a toss of the head, “we need money, obviously, for the life we want to keep living.”
“I have enough to start us off,” replied Adderloy.
“Once we get to Topeka, we can stay at my place,” said Mary. “It’s secluded, and big enough for all of us.”
N. hesitated. What was it they were about to do? He broke in: “What are we talking about here? Are we going to America to rob a bank?”
No one spoke.
“Well,” said Vladislav finally in a loud voice, “crusading has never been my cup of tea. But I have to do something. I need the money, and you, Bill, need me. I’m in.”
Adderloy’s eyes narrowed to slits as he took a drag on his cigarette.
“See you,” said Vladislav and got up from the table. When he left, it was with the same implacable calm as when he took his gun out of Reza’s hand and walked up to the wounded pelican.
“Not a big talker, but he makes his point,” said Adderloy when Vladislav disappeared. The only reply was the rush of the sea in the night.
“I think most everything has been said,” he added, dropping his cigarette into the sand. “Sleep on it. I can hardly be the only one tired of paradise.”
CHAPTER 13
Transcript of Hearing. Tape: 2 (3), N1315263
Date:
April 12, 2008
Location:
El Dorado Correctional Facility, El Dorado, Kansas
Appearing:
Examining Officer Gordon Zachy (GZ), FBI
Assistant Shauna Friedman (SF), FBI
Defendant Reza Khan (RK), sentenced to death for five counts of complicity in murder; bank robbery; seditious conspiracy; terrorism; obstruction of justice; kidnapping; and aggravated assault
GZ: But Reza, you were born in Peshawar, isn’t that correct, in Pakistan?
RK: Must we go over that again?
GZ: Yes.
RK: [ Says something unintelligible .]
GZ: Reza, you’re slurring. I know it’s hard, but try.
RK: I said, I have already answered that question, on at least twenty different occasions. And I am suffering from a headache again.
GZ: You always have a headache, Reza. Were you born in Peshawar?
RK: So it states in my passport.
GZ: I’d like your answer.
RK: Is it a matter of consequence?
GZ: Yes, some of our investigations are ongoing.
RK: And do you genuinely believe I
“Look at yourself, look at us,” said Adderloy. “We don’t exist. Beyond this stretch of sand . . .” He hesitated for a moment. “We’re all lost. From now on, we make our own choices. We have to seize this opportunity, the time is now. Convergences like these come only once in a lifetime.”
“For the chance to get revenge on the fanatics, sure. But you can do better,” said Vladislav. “Why us?”
“We all need money. How long can you keep up this life? A couple of months, and then what? Rent out lounge chairs, or buy a gas stove and a wok to cook for tourists when they eventually return to the beaches? Or become hippies like the other westerners who never made it out of here? You’ve seen them, toothless fucking hobos with their fifteen-year-old girlfriend on the back of their moped. No, we’re going to rob a bank and get a hell of a lot of money, and then lay the blame on someone more deserving. With a bang that gets the whole country’s attention. We frame the minister—and we kill two birds with one stone. We give Charles-Ray what he deserves, at the same time as we get a shitload of money.”
Vladislav gave a short laugh. “To give the loudmouth fuckers a taste of their own medicine.” He looked at Reza. “I like that.”
Reza jiggled both legs in his chair. “But he’s a blood donor—what does that have to do with it? How—”
“No one gets it,” said Vladislav. “Mr. Adderloy has worked it out, but he’s not going to tell us everything yet.”
Adderloy acknowledged him with a gesture.
“But to help him, he needs a few people who are invisible. And immortal,” Vladislav added, taking a fresh look at Reza.
“We don’t exist,” said Mary.
“Whether we do or don’t,” said Vladislav with a toss of the head, “we need money, obviously, for the life we want to keep living.”
“I have enough to start us off,” replied Adderloy.
“Once we get to Topeka, we can stay at my place,” said Mary. “It’s secluded, and big enough for all of us.”
N. hesitated. What was it they were about to do? He broke in: “What are we talking about here? Are we going to America to rob a bank?”
No one spoke.
“Well,” said Vladislav finally in a loud voice, “crusading has never been my cup of tea. But I have to do something. I need the money, and you, Bill, need me. I’m in.”
Adderloy’s eyes narrowed to slits as he took a drag on his cigarette.
“See you,” said Vladislav and got up from the table. When he left, it was with the same implacable calm as when he took his gun out of Reza’s hand and walked up to the wounded pelican.
“Not a big talker, but he makes his point,” said Adderloy when Vladislav disappeared. The only reply was the rush of the sea in the night.
“I think most everything has been said,” he added, dropping his cigarette into the sand. “Sleep on it. I can hardly be the only one tired of paradise.”
CHAPTER 13
Transcript of Hearing. Tape: 2 (3), N1315263
Date:
April 12, 2008
Location:
El Dorado Correctional Facility, El Dorado, Kansas
Appearing:
Examining Officer Gordon Zachy (GZ), FBI
Assistant Shauna Friedman (SF), FBI
Defendant Reza Khan (RK), sentenced to death for five counts of complicity in murder; bank robbery; seditious conspiracy; terrorism; obstruction of justice; kidnapping; and aggravated assault
GZ: But Reza, you were born in Peshawar, isn’t that correct, in Pakistan?
RK: Must we go over that again?
GZ: Yes.
RK: [ Says something unintelligible .]
GZ: Reza, you’re slurring. I know it’s hard, but try.
RK: I said, I have already answered that question, on at least twenty different occasions. And I am suffering from a headache again.
GZ: You always have a headache, Reza. Were you born in Peshawar?
RK: So it states in my passport.
GZ: I’d like your answer.
RK: Is it a matter of consequence?
GZ: Yes, some of our investigations are ongoing.
RK: And do you genuinely believe I
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