By the Pale Moonlight

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

 

Al Khalid sent two men to meet Daemon at the Covent Garden Tube station two weeks after Daemon contacted Khalid.  Aamir and Hadi led him to an SUV parked outside the station.

“Where are we going, mates?”  Daemon asked, jovially.

“We are taking you to Al Khalid.  Is that not what you wanted?”  Aamir, who sat next to him asked.  It was not a question really.  More like a statement of fact.

When they reached the location, a mansion with great lawns stretching the perimeter, Aamir held a gun to Daemon’s head and led him to the house.

In the foyer, a large room with a high ceiling, both men flanked Daemon. The two men took Daemon’s watch and checked him for rings and necklaces, of which he had none. They frisked Daemon for any wires and took out a detector that would buzz at any metal on his body.   After this had been accomplished, Al Khalid entered the foyer and guided the group to a room with one door and no windows.

“You killed my niece.”  Khalid stated coolly.

“No.”  replied Daemon.  “Some other agent killed her.”

“Why did you run?”

“Because I knew you would think it was me and I wanted to be able to contact you myself and tell you that I didn’t do it.  As I told you on the phone, I want in.  I’m tired of slaving away for pennies when I can have so much more.”

“How can I trust you Mr. Belford.  You work for MI 5.”  Khalid was pacing the room slowly.

“That’s exactly how you can trust me.  You’ve had my background checked.  You must know how I came to MI 5. I have the perfect cover.  I find out when the next take down will occur and tell you.  Then you can change the delivery place and time. Of course, we can only do this every so often, but often enough where you make money, I make money.

“You talk a good game, Mr. Belford, but I have a way for you to prove to me I can trust you.

“What do you have in mind.”  Daemon asked, intrigued.

“You will find out when we arrive in my country.”

“You’re taking me to Afghanistan?”  The surprise was evident on Daemon’s face.  He hadn’t expected this.

“We leave in the morning.” replied Khalid.

~~~~~~

A pale light shone through a small window at the top of the wall.  Claire opened her eyes to see the moon shining through the window.  Her head hurt and her arms were sore from having her hands tied behind her back.   A searing pain shot through Claire’s body as she shifted position on the hard floor. She groaned through the gag tied around her mouth.   Someone came in the room.

“It’s not time for you to wake up, little girl.”   said the Russian accent she heard at the warehouse parking lot.  He stuck a needle in Claire’s arm and she drifted back to sleep.

~~~~~~

It was hot and dry as Daemon, along with Al Khalid and company exited Khalid’s private jet after landing in Kabul.  They quickly boarded a limousine complete with air conditioning and full bar.  Daemon sat between Khalid’s two ‘goons’ as he thought of them.  Khalid sat opposite and offered Daemon a vodka on the rocks.