Tess Awakening (34 page)

Nicola explained that the A129 Mangusta was
the first European attack helicopter; it had a fully computerized
integrated management system to reduce crew workload. Similar, to
the American Apache, the Mangusta was designed for a crew of two:
the pilot and a weapon systems officer sitting in a conventional
tandem cockpit, one behind the other. The fuselage was highly
angular and armored for ballistic protection; the composite rotor
blades could withstand hits from 23mm cannon fire.

Tess and Carmen transitioned to use the craft
competently and practiced for a week both as pilots and weapons
officers until they were satisfied that they could do the job.
Tess, of course, continued to relentlessly pursue perfection and
Carmen went along on many practice runs until both could
practically read each other’s minds.

Joe Slezak, the computer guy, was hard at
work monitoring the activities of Fadime and Amir. Fadime seemed to
be the epitome of a beautiful, wealthy person enjoying the
sybaritic pleasures of the Amalfi coast in southern Italy; her
lavish spending left quite a trail. Presently, she was staying at a
rented private villa.

In contrast, Amir kept a low profile. He
rarely used his credit cards. Mostly, he seemed to be working at
all hours training and inspecting troops with frequent visits to
government offices.

The reports from Major Nizar Hamdani, the
embedded spy, again did not reveal anything that could be used to
their advantage. It seemed that Amir was a dedicated leader that
was working hard to build and improve the new Iraqi Army.

General Turner’s Plan B relied on obtaining
evidence of Amir’s intention to organize a coup against the
government. So far, the only possible subterfuge he detected
consisted of Amir’s private meetings with key members of his staff.
These meetings were routine, and even the bug planted in Amir’s
conference room by Nizar only revealed discussions by men that were
working on strategy sessions of a military nature. There was not
much else that could be done at this time except keeping a watch on
Amir’s movements.

The team finally got a break. They found out
that Amir was going to Italy for a short trip. The destination was
Naples.

“There is only one reason why Amir would want
to go to Naples,” said Tess. “It has an airport which is the
gateway to much of southern Italy. I would be willing to wager that
he is going to see his sister Fadime. He probably wants her help to
move the kids to a more secure location.”

Jake added, “Joe told us that Fadime is
somewhere on the Amalfi coast. He knows where her house is
located.”

“Jake was still thinking. “The problem now is
what to do next. We could corner them somewhere in Italy, but that
would not necessarily lead us to finding out where little Morgan
and the girl Aara are being held. If we can monitor the movements
of Amir and Fadime, when they leave for Turkey or any other
destination, then that might be the place.”

“The problem is that Amir flies around in his
private jet,” said Tess. “That gives him great flexibility, far
more than we can expect to have. We will be handicapped if we have
to use commercial airliners.”

George Kimmel asked if it would be possible
for General Turner to provide a private or company jet for them to
use.

“It’s possible,” Tess said. I will call my
dad and see what he can do.”

Chapter 56

A driver in a black Mercedes picked up Amir
after his plane arrived at Naples airport. They swiftly proceeded
to the Amalfi coast, a spectacularly beautiful road carved on the
side of the mountains along the crystalline Mediterranean Sea. The
road was also very narrow, twisting and treacherous. When meeting a
large tourist bus coming from the opposite direction, cars often
had to back up and find a spot on the side so that the bus could
pass. Wise people knew that the best way to avoid plunging down to
the sea was to avoid driving on this road altogether; it’s was best
to hire a local driver for the job.

Amir was not in the mood for landscape
appreciation and spent most of the time reading until they arrived
at a pink villa high on the hills above the small resort town of
Positano. He was led into the house by a servant and found Fadime
sunning herself by the pool overlooking the town. She got up and
rushed to embrace Amir.

Fadime was Amir’s trusted friend and
confidante as well as his lover. The incestuous affair had started
a long time ago, when Amir, trying to help her remain a virgin,
made love to her in many ways to satisfy her lust, at the same time
taking care that there was no penetration. He wanted her to marry
into an important family, but Fadime enjoyed her free lifestyle too
much to be encumbered by a Muslim husband. When Amir was not able
to see her during the war, she got herself a few lovers in Paris,
thus rendering the concept of her virginity moot.

When Amir had seduced Tess at his house
outside London, Fadime recorded their lovemaking using hidden
cameras. Afterward, she and Amir made passionate love while playing
the videos. No one had ever satisfied her like her brother, their
intimate sessions enhanced by the images of Amir and Tess cavorting
in bed. Ultimately Amir destroyed what he thought was the only copy
of the video because he had fallen in love with Tess.

Fadime dismissed the servants, telling them
to come back later to prepare for dinner. Then she took a swim in
the pool with Amir, followed by taking a bath together. Fadime
loved everything about her brother: his handsome looks, the lithe
musculature of his body and most of all his remarkable lovemaking
skills. She got out of the large bathtub and treated Amir’s eyes to
her beauty. Her huge almond shaped black eyes suggested a pool of
mystery; her body was flawless, creamy skin, beautiful breasts, a
tight tummy and long legs.

Amir got out of the tub, dried himself, and
joined his sister in the bedroom. She was already in bed on her
back, breathing hard, anticipating the joining of their bodies.
Their first time of making love together after an absence was
always quick a passionate so she could get her release. Afterward,
they indulged in extended lovemaking for hours on end until
exhaustion took its toll.

Fadime was ready, her female center wet with
anticipation. Amir kneeled between her legs and spread them wide,
holding them there so he could feast his eyes on her body while he
sank inside her. Fadime gasped in pleasure, finally welcoming her
brother home. Amir stayed kneeling with his legs behind him,
holding her legs open, thrusting into her until an incredible
orgasm made her scream. Now she needed closeness. Amir let he arms
go and settled on her, moving inside her with slow, deliberate
strokes until she climaxed again.

“Amir, I want you to climax inside me,” she
begged.

“Not now, Fadime. I am saving myself to make
love to you again — all night.”

Fadime exhaled. “Yes, you must dwell in me; I
am not happy when I am empty and not possessed by you. No one gives
me pleasure as you do.”

“I am glad you are happy.” Amir gave her one
last kiss and dismounted.

Lying closely side by side, touching each
other, they enjoyed the afterglow for a while. They finally got up
to shower and prepared for dinner.

The chef had cooked a simple meal of local
broiled fish, mixed vegetable, rice, marvelous hot rolls and gelato
for dessert. Fadime did not want heavy food to spoil her plans for
the night.

After retiring to the balcony, they enjoyed
the lights of the town below, observing locals and tourists
navigate the steep streets lined with expensive shops. The
waterfront was lively, frequented by diners in the open air
restaurants and people just taking an evening walk.

Amir was not there for a vacation; he needed
to talk. “Fadime, I need you to do something for me.”

“You know that I would do anything for you,
Amir.”

“You are the only person in the world that I
trust, Fadime and I must ask you to do something important that I
know will be a burden for you. I need you to look after my son and
Aara.”

“What do you mean by your son? Isn’t he with
his mother Tess in America?”

“No.”

Fadime had to think for a moment, startled.
“Are you telling me that now you have the child in your
possession?”

“Yes.”

“How did that happen Amir? Tess would never
turn the child over to you voluntarily.”

“She didn’t. My people took him when Tess was
at the hospital.”

“Amir, you are full of surprises. Care to
tell me the whole story?”

He told her what happened: the botched car
chase, the death of his operatives during the car chase, Tess
getting injured, probably still in a coma. The only thing that went
well was the seizing of little Morgan, bringing him to Montreal and
fleeing the country with the help of his new wife.

“You didn’t tell me you had a new wife, Amir.
This is crazy.”

“Don’t worry. It was just a business
arrangement to help me get the child out of Canada. I will divorce
her as soon as possible.”

“Amir, I thought you were trying to get back
with Tess, and now you are telling me that you attempted to kill
her?”

“I did not such a thing. My men were supposed
to eliminate her husband and bring her back to me.”

“Amir, this is getting more complicated by
the minute. Where do you go from here?”

“I need your help, Fadime. I know that I can
trust you. I need you to take over the care of the kids and keep
them hidden until I can find a safe and anonymous place for me and
them.”

“What about your new wife? Can’t you keep her
around a little longer?”

“No, I can’t trust her. She hates me.”

“Why does she hate you? What did you do to
her?”

“I didn’t do anything to her, and that is the
problem. She wants us to have a real relationship and act like a
married couple. I have no intention to do so. I will get rid of her
as soon as you take the kids.”

“Amir, think this thing through. Keep her for
a while; she might be helpful with the kids.”

“No, I want to get rid of her as soon as
possible.”

“Amir, you know that I am not the mothering
type. I like kids, but after ten minutes I get bored. Not only I
would make a poor mother, but a poor aunt as well.”

“What I ask you to do is not forever, Fadime.
I just need you to keep the children until I find a safe place for
them. I will have a new identity for all of us.”

“Amir, of all the risky things you have done
in your life, this is the craziest. Have you considered what might
happen if Tess recovers from her coma and finds out you stole her
son? Have you forgotten what she is capable of doing?”

“As far as we know, she is now a vegetable. I
am sorry about that because I love her and would still like to have
her as my wife. If it can’t be, I will settle for my son. This is
worth the risk. You need you to help me Fadime. This is the first
time that I have asked you to do something for me.”

“Fine, Amir; I will help you even though I am
scared to death. Where do we go from here?”

“I have rented a house with walled security.
I can’t tell you where it is located yet, but is in a fairly
substantial town. It will be easy to have privacy and the town has
every amenity you might want. I will fly the children there in a
few days. I have already arranged for you to have a new identity.
We just have to lay low until the storm passes.”

“I hope you are right Amir. I just hope that
your Tess will not find out what happened to her kid. If she does,
I am afraid that the gates of hell will open.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll handle it. Now, it’s late.
Let’s go to bed. I am not done loving you.”

Chapter 57

After his brief trip to Italy, Amir returned
to Iraq.

Nizar Hamdani, the planted mole, had told
Jake and Tess’s team that General Amir al-Saadi made weekly visits
to the Iraqi Armed Service and Supply Institute located in Taji.
This facility was the equivalent of a western military academy, but
it trained both officers and non-commissioned officers.

Amir was instrumental in designing the
training based on a Sandhurst model, the British military academy
that he had attended at the beginning of his career. This training
model was chosen in part due to its shorter graduation time
compared to West Point. Much of the Iraqi officer training program
was copied directly from the Sandhurst curriculum.

He also based procedures on the philosophy of
the U.S. military, believing that an army can be built faster by
training its leadership first rather than the enlisted men. Upon
successful completion of officer training, the men were to form a
battalion’s leadership cadre, which would then oversee the
recruitment, training, and readiness of enlisted men under their
command. He hoped that having the Iraqi officers train their
subordinates would overcome problems such as recruitment,
desertion, and unit loyalty.

To make the trip to Taji, which is located a
few miles North of Baghdad, Amir preferred to use a Russian-made
Mil Mi-24 Hind large helicopter gunship. He preferred this aircraft
because its fuselage was heavily armored. It had titanium rotor
blades and the cockpit was protected by ballistic-resistant
windscreens and a titanium-armored tub.

***

Tess, Nicola, and Carmen were planning a
risky operation: shooting down Amir’s chopper. The intent was not
to kill him but to force the aircraft down so they could capture
him. They made an assessment that even though it would be necessary
to shoot it down, the tough Russian helicopter was likely to
provide protection for the occupants. At best, it was a risky plan
because it was essential not to kill Amir. If that happened, they
might never know where he hid little Morgan.