Covert-Completed(book 1 Dr Jenny Stevens Series)

Chapter 29

"Freaking hell!"

Josh only shot me a mild look of exasperation. He appeared otherwise unperturbed. We were surrounded by men armed with M16, no less and yet he looked unruffled.

I tried to think of a way out of this but my beating heart thrummed too loudly in my ears. I couldn't hear myself think.

I looked helplessly at Josh but then inspiration struck. I reached out to grab my bag and rummaged through for my portable unit. I would radio in for help. Shout mayday mayday the pigs have landed or some such. I couldn't for the life of me recall the coded message for emergencies. I was without doubt a bloody failure. Maybe a plunge down that ravine earlier would have been better. Instant death rather than what ever it was these guys had planned for us.

"Keluar! Keluar!" The men dressed in civilian clothing carrying weapons that spelt out death in capital letters called out something in some foreign language. No doubt the Indonesian local dialect. I have some experience in speaking Bahasa Indonesia, having been to Bali before in a purely tourist capacity. It took me a while to recall but I finaly realised what it was they were saying...Get Out! Get Out! They wanted us to exit the safety of our vehicles.

I was not entirely happy with this. I doubted Josh was overly estatic about it either but it clearly seemed like that was the way to go about it. So I did what I had to, I moved on ahead towards the door and swung it open. Lifting my hands up in surrender I said the only thing that came to mind.

"Abdul Malik!"

There was an abrupt silence as the crowd of men stared at me and I at them.

"Apa? Apa cakap?" Shouted the man in front again. The leader I persumed.

"Abdul Malik!" I exclaimed again. This time with renewed vigor. I knew they were confused. I was too. Since I had no idea where I was going to with this but I had their attention so I might as well play along.

Josh shot me an are you kidding me look to which I only shrugged my shoulders.  Then he was being hauled out by the leader and we were both being herded away. This was not looking good. I watched helplessly as they removed every bit of hardware and gadgets off me and worse still reduced Josh to be literally bare of artillery.

I returned his glare with one of my own. There was no way he was shooting our way out of this mess. He may like the blood and gore but I was sure I would  only puke my guts out to effect.

No there had to be another way out. Also we were now in position to adress the matter of identifying and eliminating the seed they were charged with transporting to Australia. Eliminate the seed and the plant will never take root. We were in the ideal place to gather intel on the workings of the terrorist from the inside. Of course we'd first have to find a way out alive if the intel we gather is to be put to any good use.

I have a need of a computer and the web. Just five minutes with that and help will be on the way. It helped to be as rigged up as I was. Just a tap on a key and my equipment back home and now at covert has been activated to an alert. Triggering a list for help that will start rolling across the screen an instant later. It will mark our exact position and more importantly it will alert all my web buddies to the think tank. I didn't know about the covert but I knew about my friends. They will, if no one else, pull through.

For now we need only concentrate on gathering the intel needed and putting a stop to any plans we uncover.

I walked along the muddy trail watching the dark sludge soil my boots. Thankful of the sturdy shoes I took a sweeping look over my surroundings. There was nothing here. Nothing overly alarming. Just wooden huts that housed the residence. Children mingled with the adults running around scampering for a better glimpse of the prisoners. Us.

I took in the rounded chubby faces and their grinning smiles. They were estatic. Happy with our capture. We were the enemies. We were the terrorists to these people. It felt strange to be the receiptient of so much scorn. But here I was feeling the full on effects of just such scorn. I could not find it in me to return the favour. I did not scorn them. Even knowing as I did of the disasters they would create. I could not scorn them. They were misguided. They were disillusioned. They did not have the understanding that is required. They have been deliberately misled. It was not really their fault.

But then it wasn't the fault of all the victims that would suffer the consequences of their actions.