Chapter Twenty-Five #2
“It’s beside the bed, charging,” Kira called.
“You have her phone?” Uncle Nadir asked.
“Right here,” the gun said.
“I would like to know if your Aunt Fatima has sent you a gift,” Uncle Nadir asked.
“Oh,” Kira said, thinking of Houston and his alert. “I haven’t received a gift from Aunt Fatima in years.”
“What was the last thing you got from her?”
“Maybe a piece of artwork that she did or something that one of my cousins had made. I have those pieces hanging up in my hallway at my house.”
“You know. Don’t be stupid. What did Fatima send you? You will tell me now, or she will pay the price.”
A screech rose out of the phone speaker that covered Kira with sweat and gooseflesh.
“Uncle, stop what you’re doing. What has taken hold of you? Aunt Fatima isn’t in the habit of sending me anything. I haven’t received a single thing from her since the last time I saw you.”
“You need to come speak with me in person.”
Kira could hear the cruelty in the undertones of his words.
She could feel the menace and roiling anger.
“I don’t want to do that, Uncle. I have duties to Christen.
” Her voice quivered into the phone, and she knew that all she was trying to do was keep everyone talking so Lynx and Gator could get there.
Did it put them in danger?
Oh, Kira hadn’t considered that.
How selfish was she? How much did she wish to spare herself?
She didn’t know what kind of pain her uncle would devise for her when the questions came.
He’d been a hard man, a displeased man, but she’d never seen signs that he was a sadistic man. Not with his family.
“Could you not ask Aunt Fatima what it is you’re talking about?” Oh, she probably shouldn’t have said that.
“She is right here. Fatima, what did you send to Kira?”
“Yes, the painting by Zara.”
There was a smacking sound and a whimper. “You said a book.”
“Books.” Aunt Fatima panted. “Four. They are handwritten novels written in the 1800s. They were given to me by a friend who asked that they be sent along to Kira to study.”
“Oh, the books. Yes, in my mind, it was Aunt Fatima’s friend who sent me those.”
“Where are these books, Kira?” Kira could hear the cruelty in the undertones of his words. She could feel the menace and roiling anger.
“In the lab,” she said truthfully.
“You have a lab? Where is this?” Uncle Nadir asked.
“I don’t have a lab. I had to send them out for analysis,” Kira explained.
“What would a lab analyze?”
“The ink, the paper, verifying the age. They will swab for bacteria and other molds and such, so I can decide the best practices to preserve the works.”
“Can you get these books back?” Uncle Nadir asked.
“Yes. Of course. I can call you as soon as the lab results come in, and I go to pick them up.”
“Why are you in Washington? Tell me the truth.”
“Because of your friend William. Christen called to say that her dad was taken by helicopter to the hospital. She’s flying in from her base.
She should be here at any moment. The plan is for her to spend the night and then fly to Tanzania tomorrow.
But her ticket is standby. I’m here to support her as she’s understandably upset. She needed a friend.”
“And you took the books with you to Washington?” Uncle Nadir pressed.
“I don’t have the books. They’re in the lab.”
“Have you spoken with London?” Uncle Nadir asked.
“Not since she left the United States to go live near you. William’s health will devastate her. Do you have an update on William? ”
“No. Your Aunt Fatima, too, is in crisis.”
She heard her aunt scream, and Kira couldn’t fathom what Uncle Nadir was doing that hurt Aunt Fatima so badly. Kira wanted to vomit. She looked around and spotted a trash can, and the second man seemed to understand the look, moving the bin next to Kira.
She decided to treat him as if he were a gentleman. “Thank you.”
“I wish to speak with you,” Uncle Nadir yelled.
“I’m speaking with you.”
“I wish to speak to you in person. You will drink the bottle that is being handed to you.”
The gun reached into an interior pocket in his suit and pulled out a bottle of something blue and bubbly. He held it out to Kira.
“I … what is it?” She pulled her hands into fists and tucked them under her chin.
“Rohypnol.”
Kira gasped. “A date rape drug? Uncle, that is stunning.”
What should she do? Succumb? Fight? Did she get a choice?
The gun dangling from the man’s hand had a silencer on it.
If he turned on a recording of a military movie, he’d get cover for the noise. But if Kira were dead, he wouldn’t get his answers.
Resist.
“You wish me to be unconscious around men that I don’t know? That’s horrific, Uncle. Why would you ask me to do such a thing? It’s unfathomable.”
“Because I don’t trust you, and I need to trust you, or your aunt will suffer further.”
She heard a long scream, followed by her aunt begging for him to stop.
“Where are they taking me?” Kira whispered.
“They’re bringing you to me.”
“In Dodoma?” Kira asked, thinking that it would be very hard for them to get her onto a plane if she just agreed to walk. Maybe her image would be on the security cameras when Gator got there.
“How would you know that?” Uncle Nadir asked.
“Christen said that Moses called her because she had the medical directive for her dad since London was shot. And Moses said William was taken by a medical evacuation helicopter, and that you and the guests left in the SUV. I guess I just assumed that, since William is your dear friend, you were driving to a nearby airport to fly out and support him until his family could arrive.” She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders.
“I am not drinking the drugs and risking myself with these strangers. I was planning to come to Dodoma with Christen tomorrow. All of this is very unnecessary.”
“Kira, you will come to me, now. Your Aunt Fatima is not the only one who will suffer if you fail to follow my directives. You have cousins. Many beautiful young women whose lives are easily destroyed.”
What did he mean by such a threat?
Dangerous marriages?
Physical disfigurement?
Imprisonment within the compound.
There were so many horrible things her uncle could do with impunity.
Kira thought of how she’d watched the news of sportswomen who were on safer ground, competing outside of their countries when they were offered asylum. They went home knowing that torture and death were probably waiting for them. But they went out of love for their families.
She looked from one hardened face to the other. Kira wasn’t getting out of this, and waiting would put Lynx and Gator in danger.
Stalling was both selfish and futile.
She would do this for her family’s safety.
Kira unscrewed the top.
Ty, I love you with all my heart and soul. I hope someday you can forgive me for bringing you pain.
She brought the bottle to her lips.
Kira always knew it would come to this.
But maybe, just maybe, someone would help her before she vanished into her fate.