Chapter 12
Harry slowly raised his arms. One of the guards spoke in good English, "Let the gun slide to the ground." "Now kick it toward me."
Doing as he was told, Harry considered fighting. But with Angie on his back and a gun to José's head, it really wasn't an option. The guard said, "Put the lady down." Harry had no sooner complied than two of the guards moved forward and patted him down confiscating his pistol and knife. One of the guards then planted a kick in Harry's midsection. It was a good kick but probably not enough to have taken Harry down. Harry collapsed however and Angie screamed. A door opened and a man dressed in silk pajamas and a robe entered the hallway. He spoke firmly in Arabic and the guard responded in a more subdued voice.
Angie recognized Dr. Ahmad and demanded, "Make them stop!"
Dr. Ahmad said a few more words in Arabic and then addressed Angie, "I apologize for my man. Apparently his cousin and your Harry had a previous encounter during his cousin’s demise. I am assuming this is your Harry."
Angie nodded in the affirmative. Dr. Ahmad said, "Dr. Williams, I would have wished to have made your acquaintance under more welcoming circumstances. It would appear our security has been severely compromised. I must inconvenience you, your wife and friend for a while longer. We mean you no real harm." He turned to the guard and gave commands in Arabic before returning through the door from which he had previously entered. Harry's hands were tied behind his back, as were José's. Angie was left free of restraints, but the guards kept their guns pointed at them.
Angie helped Harry to a sitting position. He groaned as if in great pain and concentrated on trying to reposition the rectal probe by using only his sphincter muscles. The kick had partially dislodged the probe and Harry's squirming finally accomplished the complete reinsertion of the probe. Angie was fussing over him and Harry whispered, "I'm OK."
After several minutes of waiting, Harry opened his eyes and appeared to have recovered. He asked José what had happened. José simply said, "They have a submarine."
"A submarine?"
"That bridge abutment we thought was so overbuilt… It's a submarine docking station."
Any further conversation was stopped when a guard shouted, "No talking!" While they waited in silence, Harry thought about the drop-off they had found when their surveillance was interrupted by the fish catching José. It made sense to have a way of accessing the secure area without using the highly visible bridge. His thoughts were disrupted by the sound of a helicopter approaching. It was a single rotor, turbine powered model almost certainly a Huey. At first Harry thought it must be military. But since no one seemed worried, it must be one of the civilian versions. The neighbors weren't going to be happy having a helicopter land at this hour. The copter had no sooner landed when the guards yelled at them to get up.
They were led into the garage area and out the opened doors. Harry's feet were sore enough that he had no trouble limping and moved quite slowly. One of the guards kept yelling at him to hurry up, but Harry ignored the order. A new looking helicopter was now sitting in the large drive area with its rotor winding down. It was one of the fancy civilian versions of the Huey. They told Harry to climb in and he proceeded to do so with apparent great effort. Angie helped him and Harry took advantage of the noise to tell her, "You need to know, I love you. We'll get out of this yet."
Harry took advantage of his slow-moving to scan the helicopter controls. They looked pretty standard - though a lot more electronic gizmos than he was used to. One of the guards directed him to an aft seat and he sat where directed. A second guard kept a gun pointed at him while the first guard tried to secure the shoulder straps and seat belt. Harry was just too big. And with his hands behind his back there was no way the shoulder harness was going to fit. They looped the shoulder straps through Harry's arms and used more duct tape to secure him to the seat. They again showed respect for Angie and had her secure herself. José was secured with tape while the guards stood at the ready.
They were busy loading crates into the cabin and Harry could see Dr. Ahmad directing the loading. They finished loading and Dr. Ahmad entered the helicopter which immediately powered up its rotor. They rose quickly. Harry watched the movement in relationship to the shore lights and was pretty sure they were moving straight north. They ascended to maybe 1500 feet before leveling off. It sounded like the engine was being pushed pretty hard. Harry lost his visual references and concentrated on keeping track of time. One of the guards placed a headset over his ears with the microphone positioned in front of his mouth. A similar headset was given to Angie. As soon as Angie's headset was positioned, Harry heard a voice speaking in very proper English, "Dr. Williams, can you hear me?"
Harry responded, "Loud and clear."
The voice continued, "I must apologize for not introducing myself earlier but your surprise appearance has disrupted our normal operations. I am Abram Ahmad. Since you have so completely violated my security system I would assume you already know that. Would you mind telling me how you found us?"
"The equipment in the genetics lab had done a partial backup before your people destroyed it. My friend traced the genetic sequence to a paper you had written. From there it was an educated guess."
"This would be your friend in Alaska?"
"Yup."
"Seems one of our people who was sent to retrieve my intellectual property sustained a head injury. Required some sort of brain surgery which was performed in a village without a hospital. I would assume you had something to do with that."
"He had a run in with a crowbar and developed a subdural hematoma. I performed a burr hole to relieve the pressure. It was a challenge operating with just a cordless drill."
Dr. Ahmad was quiet for a few minutes before saying, "Dr. Williams, you are a most remarkable man. In some ways I wish you had not kept that surgical specimen, but it is God’s will that we meet. Your innocent action has produced an avalanche of consequences. I personally apologize for the stress this has caused to your wife and yourself. We will need to detain you for a little longer but we mean you no harm."
"Can I have my boots back?"
Harry watched Dr. Ahmad work a switch and talked to someone on a different circuit. After a brief conversation, Dr. Ahmad returned to their circuit and said, "It would seem your boots have been destroyed. Was there something special about the boots?"
Harry replied, "Just that they were very comfortable; my feet have been pretty sore since my walk in the desert."
Again Dr. Ahmad worked the communication switch and spoke with someone else. Even from the back seat, it was obvious the discussion was very animated and went on for several minutes. When Harry's circuit became active again, the strain in Dr. Ahmad's voice was obvious. Dr. Ahmad explained, "I have never meant you harm. Unfortunately, Oregon is a long way from my home and instructions seem to lose their clarity as the distance increases. My men exceeded their authority and I will need to deal with this issue. Being a military man you probably understand better than I the nature of field operations."
Harry asked, "How is it you were able to follow me?"
"My associates have spent years building up an information system which works through both public and private systems. I found it most interesting that your file includes lots of information about your medical career and your athletic career but almost nothing about your military career. Our sources in the military are pretty good and I would have thought our database would have been more complete. What did you do in the military?"
Harry replied, "I spent my eight years in the Navy."
"This much we know and your wife said you did some diving. Having witnessed firsthand your abilities, I would assume you spent time with the Navy SEALs. Would my assumption be correct?"
"Could be."
"Your period of service would coincide with the genocide against those of my faith in the Balkans. It is known by some that the special force
s of the US military were instrumental in limiting the deaths of those who practiced my faith. Would you have been involved in those operations?"
"Maybe."
"It is difficult for me to understand how a world which is supposed to be civilized can tolerate such barbaric behavior. It is an obvious demonstration of the power of Satan in our world. I was never more proud to be an American than when our forces stepped in to stop the slaughter of these innocent people."
Harry responded, "I'm not sure you need to create a devil to explain mankind's actions. We're plenty capable of being nasty on our own. In every conflict there are always two sides to the story and I'm not sure anyone was completely innocent."
"You are a humanist then. Do you share your wife's beliefs in the teaching of John Calvin?"
"Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs and Angie is perfectly capable of maintaining her beliefs on her own. It would seem logical that higher powers exist in the universe, but I do not claim to understand them. The peace she finds in church I find in the wilderness."
Dr. Ahmad was quiet for a moment before responding, "Not until the death of my wife did I understand the message from God. My beliefs were quite similar to yours. I had no need for religion. Once my heart was opened, my world expanded greatly and the greatness of God is evident all around me. I would pray that this understanding may one day be yours also."
Before Harry could respond, Dr. Ahmad was interrupted and again switched communication channels. He spoke a moment to someone and the helicopter changed directions, all lighting was turned off. A brief glimpse of another helicopter followed the sudden turn. Harry knew they were now on a stealth run. He figured they were following a river because of the intermittent banking and low altitude. Only occasionally would he get a glimpse of a light in the distance. The multiple turns had long since disrupted his sense of direction and he had no idea where they were headed. Almost 30 minutes passed before their conversation resumed.
Dr. Ahmad announced, "Seems you must have had some more friends. My home was invaded by the police, accompanied by some national security people. They had a search warrant looking for you."
Harry responded, "I had heard the FBI was looking for me because some footprints were found outside Angie's parent's home. It would seem someone had fed them some information. Maybe they were following up on the lead."
"Dr. Williams, I would doubt very much the national security officers would be involved in a domestic matter. It would seem much more logical that your arrival preceding theirs is the relevant connection."
"Your point is well taken. Would it also not be logical for me to have left a message which would activate if I did not return in a given time? Seems like the game is about up."
"Oh, if only it were a game. Obviously our contingency planning will now have to be put into effect. The operation will of course go on, though you have made things more difficult. Do you have any other surprises waiting for me?"
Harry quipped, "Life is full of surprises, but it would appear it's your show now." He thought about the rectal probe and gently squeezed his buttocks to assure himself of its position. The range of the signal was limited. Hopefully, military monitors would pick the signal up at least intermittently. He looked over at Angie, who really wasn't big on flying anyway; there was nothing to see in the darkness. Harry wished he could at least hold her hand to reassure her. The pilot seemed to know what he was doing, and it was probably better that Angie couldn't see out and realize how low to the ground they were. The continuous banking had to be hard on her stomach though. Forward he could see the reddish glow from the instruments and what he thought were night vision goggles on the pilot.
For the better part of an hour they wound and wove, then finally leveled out. Harry could see no lights whatsoever. They now continued straight and level, but Harry could not get a clear enough view of the stars to figure out what direction they were going. He occasionally saw some reflections of starlight, so he figured they were flying over water at least occasionally. Dawn was at least an hour away.
Harry determined they had been flying for the better part of 2 hours when the helicopter began to slow. A circle of lights became visible. Nothing else could be seen in the darkness. The helicopter had no sooner landed when the lights outside were extinguished and the cabin lights inside the helicopter were turned on. Harry looked over at Angie who gave him a small strained smile. She looked a little green around the edges but otherwise OK.
One of the guards began undoing the duct tape which had restrained Harry in a not so gentle fashion. As soon as he was freed from the restraints, the doors opened and he was ordered out of the helicopter. He instinctively ducked his head as the rotor overhead spun down. One of the guards motioned him forward. A few lights on in the building provided enough illumination for Harry to make out a walkway. Moving slowly and limping more than he needed to, Harry appeared old and beaten.
The exhaust from the turbine engine covered up the smell of fall in the pine forest. It wasn't until Harry was well clear of the helicopter that he could detect the scent of the forest. He turned and looked back and could see several other people following him.
The guard prodded him with the rifle to keep moving. A reflection from the window lights extended on for quite a way - they must be adjacent to water. They were obviously up north in the lake country, but a two-hour helicopter ride could have them anywhere in northern Minnesota or Wisconsin and possibly even in Canada. The door was opened and Harry was directed into the hallway, then down several flights of stairs. He could hear the hum of machinery; it sounded like a generator running. A door was opened and he entered another hallway. The second guard was waiting with an open door. They spoke in Arabic and Harry was directed into the room by the point of the rifle barrel. He obeyed, and the second guard began removing the duct tape from Harry’s hands. The first guard kept a few feet back with the rifle pointed straight at Harry. As soon as Harry’s hands were free, the guard moved away and the door closed behind him with a loud click from the deadbolt.
Harry surveyed the room. It had a small bed and a sitting chair. One corner of the room sufficed as a bathroom. He scanned the room for a camera and was pretty sure it was in the simple overhead light fixture. By far and away the nicest prison cell he had ever been in. Pressing his ear against the door, Harry could hear voices and then another door was closed. After a few minutes, the voices returned. A speaker box in his room announced, "Stand to the rear of the room." After doing as he was told, his door was opened. The two guards were standing there with their semi automatic rifles pointed at his wife. One of the guards said simply, "Go."
Angie ran into Harry's arms. He had no sooner embraced her when the tears started. They stood quietly with Harry's massive arms gently surrounding her while the tears flowed. Only after several minutes was Angie able to say, "They said I can stay with you if you cooperated. What do they want?"
Harry said, "I'm not sure now. Let's sit down so I can take the weight off my feet and I'll tell you what I know."
"What's wrong with your feet anyway? You're limping. Are you okay?"
They sat on the bed and Harry summarized what had happened since the night he had performed the emergency surgery. He did leave out a few details about the actual conflict, though. Angie didn't need to know people had been dying because of these brain worms. She asked, "Why didn't you just give them their worms?"
Harry shrugged his shoulders and said, "At first I didn't know that's what they wanted. Then I suppose my stubbornness set in after they attacked me. When they kidnapped you, I just reacted. They should never have dragged you into this."
"What are we going to do now?"
"I would think getting some sleep should be our first priority."
Angie objected because there was no way she was going to sleep under these circumstances, but she knew Harry was probably right. Harry may have his nightmares, but falling asleep
was never an issue for him. They pulled back the blanket and she nestled into his side with her head resting on his shoulder. Within just a few minutes Harry's gentle snoring began. She lay there with her mind racing, knowing sleep would be impossible. Just being next to Harry made her realize how much she loved this gentle giant. It must have been the rhythm of his breathing because gradually she relaxed and slipped into sleep also.
Angie was awakened by a tapping sensation. At first the noise seemed to fit into her dream. Gradually, though, she became aware of a distinct but irregular tapping sound. She could feel Harry's arm move ever so slightly with the louder taps. Without moving she whispered, "What are you doing?"
In a whisper Harry replied, "Talking to José, using prison code. Pretend you're still sleeping."
The tapping and scraping sounds continued and reminded Angie of the camping trip where the sound of mice chewing and scratching had kept her awake. She had tried to waken Harry and make him do something. He had aroused himself enough to identify the sound and instantly fell back asleep leaving her to worry by herself. It was the start of their first big argument. When morning finally came, she accused him of not really loving her because he didn't make the mice go away. Lying there listening to the sounds now made the previous episode seem so foolish, but at the time it was a major thing. She wondered what Harry and his friend were talking about. She tried to discern some meaning from the sounds. Other than detecting a rhythm of sorts they had no significance for her. She tried organizing the rhythm into a melody which she began to quietly hum. Her concentration was interrupted when the speaker box in the room activated with a crackle.