our
luggage
!”
“I hope you were clean, Tony.”
“The bastards confiscated my
whisky
!”
“Oh, the sacrifices of being such a successful man. Never mind, darling, I’ll have it replaced.”
The British businessman’s eyes roved over the face and figure of Khalehla. “Well, it’s past, isn’t it? We’ll go back now and getit over with.” The obese man winked—one eye after the other. “I’ve got us splendid accommodations. You’ll be very pleased, my dear.”
“Accommodations? With
you
, darling?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Oh, I really couldn’t do that.”
“
What?
You said—”
“I
said
?” Khalehla broke in, her dark brows arched above her sunglasses.
“Well, you
implied
, rather emphatically, I might add, that if I could get you on that plane we might have a rather sporting time of it in Masqat.”
“Sporting, of course. Drinks on the Gulf, perhaps the races, dinner at El Quaman—yes, all of those things. But in your
room
?”
“Well, well … well, certain specifics shouldn’t have to be—specified.”
“Oh, my sweet Tony. How can I apologize for such a misunderstanding? My old English matron at the Cairo University suggested I reach you. She’s one of your wife’s dearest friends. Oh, no, I couldn’t, really.”
“
Shit!
” exploded the highly successful businessman named Tony.
“
Miraya!
” shouted Kendrick over the deafening sounds of the dilapidated truck as it bounced over a back road into Masqat.
“You did not request a mirror,
ya Shaikh
,” yelled the Arab in the rear of the trailer, his English heavily accented but understandable enough.
“Rip out one of the side-view mirrors on the doors, then. Tell the driver.”
“He cannot hear me,
ya Shaikh
. Like so many others, this is an old vehicle, one that will not be noticed. I cannot reach the driver.”
“
Goddamnit!
” exclaimed Evan, the tube of gel in his hand. “Then you be my eyes,
ya sahbee
,” he said, calling the man his friend. “Come closer to me and watch. Tell me when it’s right. Open the canvas.”
The Arab folded back part of the rear covering, letting the sunlight into the darkened trailer. Cautiously, holding on to the strips, he moved forward until he was barely a foot away from Kendrick. “This is the
iddahwa
, sir?” he asked, referring to the tube.
“
Iwah
,” said Evan, when he saw that the gel was indeed the medicine he needed. He began spreading it first on his hands; both men watched; the waiting time was less than three minutes.
“
Arma!
” shouted the Arab, holding out his right hand; the color of the skin nearly matched his own.
“
Kwiyis
,” agreed Kendrick, trying to approximate the proportion of gel he had applied to his hands so as to equal the amount for his face. There was nothing for it but to do it. He did, and anxiously watched the Arab’s eyes.
“
Mahool!
” cried his newest companion, grinning the grin of significant triumph. “
Delwatee anzur!
”
He had done it. His flesh was now the color of a sun-drenched Arab. “Help me into the thobe and the aba, please,” Evan asked as he started to disrobe in the violently shaking truck.
“I will, of course,” said the Arab, suddenly in much clearer English than he had employed before. “But now we are finished with each other. Forgive me for playing the naïf with you but no one is to be trusted here; not exempted is the American State Department. You are taking risks,
ya Shaikh
, far more than I, as the father of my children would take, but that is your business, not mine. You will be dropped off in the center of Masqat and you will then be on your own.”
“Thanks for getting me there,” said Evan.
“Thank you for coming,
ya Shaikh
. But do not try to trace those of us who helped you. In truth, we would kill you before the enemy had a chance to schedule your execution. We are quiet, but we are alive.”
“Who
are
you?”
“Believers,
ya Shaikh
. That is enough for you to
luggage
!”
“I hope you were clean, Tony.”
“The bastards confiscated my
whisky
!”
“Oh, the sacrifices of being such a successful man. Never mind, darling, I’ll have it replaced.”
The British businessman’s eyes roved over the face and figure of Khalehla. “Well, it’s past, isn’t it? We’ll go back now and getit over with.” The obese man winked—one eye after the other. “I’ve got us splendid accommodations. You’ll be very pleased, my dear.”
“Accommodations? With
you
, darling?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Oh, I really couldn’t do that.”
“
What?
You said—”
“I
said
?” Khalehla broke in, her dark brows arched above her sunglasses.
“Well, you
implied
, rather emphatically, I might add, that if I could get you on that plane we might have a rather sporting time of it in Masqat.”
“Sporting, of course. Drinks on the Gulf, perhaps the races, dinner at El Quaman—yes, all of those things. But in your
room
?”
“Well, well … well, certain specifics shouldn’t have to be—specified.”
“Oh, my sweet Tony. How can I apologize for such a misunderstanding? My old English matron at the Cairo University suggested I reach you. She’s one of your wife’s dearest friends. Oh, no, I couldn’t, really.”
“
Shit!
” exploded the highly successful businessman named Tony.
“
Miraya!
” shouted Kendrick over the deafening sounds of the dilapidated truck as it bounced over a back road into Masqat.
“You did not request a mirror,
ya Shaikh
,” yelled the Arab in the rear of the trailer, his English heavily accented but understandable enough.
“Rip out one of the side-view mirrors on the doors, then. Tell the driver.”
“He cannot hear me,
ya Shaikh
. Like so many others, this is an old vehicle, one that will not be noticed. I cannot reach the driver.”
“
Goddamnit!
” exclaimed Evan, the tube of gel in his hand. “Then you be my eyes,
ya sahbee
,” he said, calling the man his friend. “Come closer to me and watch. Tell me when it’s right. Open the canvas.”
The Arab folded back part of the rear covering, letting the sunlight into the darkened trailer. Cautiously, holding on to the strips, he moved forward until he was barely a foot away from Kendrick. “This is the
iddahwa
, sir?” he asked, referring to the tube.
“
Iwah
,” said Evan, when he saw that the gel was indeed the medicine he needed. He began spreading it first on his hands; both men watched; the waiting time was less than three minutes.
“
Arma!
” shouted the Arab, holding out his right hand; the color of the skin nearly matched his own.
“
Kwiyis
,” agreed Kendrick, trying to approximate the proportion of gel he had applied to his hands so as to equal the amount for his face. There was nothing for it but to do it. He did, and anxiously watched the Arab’s eyes.
“
Mahool!
” cried his newest companion, grinning the grin of significant triumph. “
Delwatee anzur!
”
He had done it. His flesh was now the color of a sun-drenched Arab. “Help me into the thobe and the aba, please,” Evan asked as he started to disrobe in the violently shaking truck.
“I will, of course,” said the Arab, suddenly in much clearer English than he had employed before. “But now we are finished with each other. Forgive me for playing the naïf with you but no one is to be trusted here; not exempted is the American State Department. You are taking risks,
ya Shaikh
, far more than I, as the father of my children would take, but that is your business, not mine. You will be dropped off in the center of Masqat and you will then be on your own.”
“Thanks for getting me there,” said Evan.
“Thank you for coming,
ya Shaikh
. But do not try to trace those of us who helped you. In truth, we would kill you before the enemy had a chance to schedule your execution. We are quiet, but we are alive.”
“Who
are
you?”
“Believers,
ya Shaikh
. That is enough for you to
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