Heart of the Assassin

CHAPTER 23

"Your boy has fast reflexes," said General Kidd as Michael and a slightly bigger boy circled each other in the courtyard, swordfighting with sticks. The sound of their battle echoed across the dirt, their bare feet kicking up dust. Mothers sat in the shade, tending to infants, laughing and gossiping-all were modestly dressed, their chadors banded with color, some with their faces veiled.

General Kidd and Rakkim sat cross-legged in the grass at the edge of the courtyard separated from the other men, watching the children's combat. Michael the only white face, smudged with dirt, intent as any of the others. The Somali section of the capital was clannish and heavily guarded, most of the men Fedayeen, always alert for outsiders. Rakkim was welcome here-the few times he attended mosque, he accompanied Kidd to the small, plain mosque at the center of the district.

"See?" Kidd pointed as Michael deftly parried the bigger boy's aggressive attack, always ahead of him. "See how he anticipates Shakur's movements? You've been teaching him."

"He's quick," said Rakkim, wary. Compliments came from Kidd's mouth as rarely as profanity.

"Very quick," affirmed Kidd. "He takes after you."

Michael feinted, drew the bigger boy off balance, speared him lightly in the chest. The boy cried out, not from pain, for it was but the briefest of contacts, but from surprise. The boy hung his head as the mothers applauded. Except for one tall, slender woman, whose white hijab perfectly framed her beautiful black face, making her beauty even more stark. She watched the boys without betraying any emotion.

Michael put his arm around the bigger boy, who shoved him away. Michael pretended not to notice. He suddenly broke his fighting stick over one knee, squatted down and started poking at an anthill. The bigger boy hesitated, clutching his own stick, finally bent down beside him. Michael handed the boy the other half of his broken stick, and together they amused themselves with the ants.

"He's smart too," said Kidd as the bigger boy draped an arm over Michael. "That he gets from his mother."

Rakkim smiled. "It's true."

Kidd didn't smile. "Dangerous for a man to have a wife smarter than he is."

"I'll take the risk," said Rakkim.

"You need another wife," said Kidd. "At least one more. Three would be better."

"I can barely keep up with one," said Rakkim.

"I have a daughter, Irina," said Kidd. "She served us tea."

"She's very lovely," said Rakkim.

"She's fifteen and in good health," said Kidd. "She'd make you a good wife."

Rakkim looked into his large, liquid eyes. "Sidi, I'm honored, but-"

"A warrior needs more than one wife," said Kidd, "and I would be greatly pleased to make you part of my family."

"I feel like I am part of your family."

Kidd shook his head. "It is a matter of blood, Abu Michael." He took Rakkim's forearm, squeezed. "Your blood mixed with mine. It's important."

Rakkim stared at him. He was missing something. "Important…how?"

Kidd released him. Watched the two boys. They were playing tag now, dodging through the smaller children, whooping it up, but deftly avoiding contact with the toddlers.

"Sidi, what are you trying to tell me?"

"I have fourteen sons living," said Kidd, still watching the boys. "All warriors, but it will be Amir who will follow me in leading the Fedayeen. Amir may be challenged, but he is ferocious, widely renowned…and he has the respect of the president."

"When that time comes-and I'm in no hurry to see that day-when the time comes, may Allah grant Amir the wisdom to do what's best for the Fedayeen and the nation," said Rakkim.

"Amir is not suitable for the task." Kidd's eyes hadn't left the boys. "You know that as well as I do."

"He's young."

"His youth has nothing to do with it." Kidd half closed his eyes. "There is something wrong with him, there always has been. He is…a drum with a hairline crack, sound under most circumstances, but struck too hard…" He shook his head. Pointed at the two boys working at the anthill. "Shakur is Amir's oldest son. Amir loves him as he loves his own life. Even so, when Shakur's mother tells Amir that not only did another boy defeat him, but that it was your son who did it, Amir will beat him until he can't move."

"They're five years old."

"That won't matter to Amir," said Kidd. "All that matters is that Shakur and Michael fight again, and this time Shakur will have to win. If he doesn't…there is no telling what Amir will do to him."

"And all of this is because I snatched Amir's knife from him? I didn't mean to."

"There was no malice in your actions, I know that," said Kidd. "You did it because you wanted to stop Amir from escalating his demands to fight…and he would have done just that. He would have killed you that day if he could. You saved his life by taking away his knife, and that he will never forgive you for."

"Why does he hate me? I've done nothing."

"Amir is jealous of your skills…and there is another thing." Kidd touched his chest with his palm. "This other thing is my fault. Not yours." He raised his head, his profile stoic as he watched a toddler on the other side of the courtyard trying to walk, the child falling over and over, each time rising again. "Amir knows that I favor you over him. We have never spoken of it, but he can see."

Rakkim felt as if there were a warm egg in his throat.

"I want you to take over the Fedayeen when my time is over," said Kidd.

"That's impossible," said Rakkim.

"Not if I say so."

"A shadow warrior at the head of the Fedayeen?" Rakkim shook his head. "Most of the brothers distrust us."

"You are not a shadow warrior, not anymore," said Kidd. "Did you really think I couldn't see the change in you?"

"Then what am I, sidi? You tell me."

Kidd stayed so still that he could have been carved out of ebony. "I'm not sure. By Allah's grace and wisdom, I am not sure, but one thing I do know…you are the best one to lead the Fedayeen. The nation is in peril from within and without. If I falter…if I fall, you must be ready to take up the blade and carry on."

"You'll have a revolt within the ranks if that happens," said Rakkim.

"Your brother Fedayeen will rally around you soon enough…and those that don't…?" Kidd shrugged.

"How will Amir tolerate the shame of being passed over? He's your son."

"The pain Amir will feel will also be shared by me," said Kidd. "You have only one son, Rikki. When you have more you will learn that you don't love them all equally. Mothers may love their children without limit or hesitation, but not so for men. Me…I may favor you to lead the Fedayeen, but I love Amir more than any of my sons."

"You'll break his heart."

"And break my own at the same time. I'd do it willingly to save the Republic."

"You think the Republic is at risk?"

"Ask Sarah," said Kidd.

Rakkim watched the dust clouds roll across the playground. "Sidi?"

"Yes."

"When we first sat down for tea and dates, Michael played with the other children. Shakur was not here. You whispered to your daughter when she served us…and a few minutes later Shakur joined in the games."

Kidd sipped his tea.

"You sent for the boy, didn't you?"

Kidd set down his teacup. "Michael needed a playmate close to his own age."

"You knew what would happen when the two boys started playing…knew where it would lead." Rakkim fought to keep the edge from his voice. "You set your grandson up for a beating, so that Amir and I would be forever at each other's throats."

"You were already at each other's throats, you just didn't want to admit it. Now you know." Kidd popped a papery date in his mouth, chewed lustily. "Interesting news this morning. The whole city is buzzing."

"Yes."

"A fortunate turn of events, wouldn't you say? Here you and I were concerned whether Senator Chambers was in thrall to the Old One, and now that problem has been resolved." Kidd smacked his lips, reached for another date. "Barely a week before his appointment as secretary of defense too."

Rakkim slurped his tea. "Allah works in mysterious ways."

"Allah? Perhaps." Kidd's large white teeth flashed in the sun. "I woke up for dawn prayers to find that Senator Chambers was caught staggering down the main street of the Zone, drunk and buck naked…the uncensored video is everywhere. Everywhere. You should have heard my wives giggling." He patted Rakkim on the shoulder. "Sad to say, in regard to the instrument of procreation and pleasure, Allah was not generous to that poor white man."

"Hung like a hamster," said Rakkim.

"Yea, verily."

The toddler learning to walk managed a dozen steps before falling over. He scrambled up, face scratched, clapping his hands with delight. Then he started walking again.

"Chambers has already resigned from the senate." Kidd licked his fingers clean. "Still…such humiliation seems a small price to pay for betraying his country. You should have killed him."

"I'm tired of killing."

Kidd toyed with another date, rolling it over his fingers.

"It comes too easy now. I barely have time to think and it's done."

Kidd tossed the date back into the bowl, wiped his hands. "You're tired of killing…but killing is not tired of you."

"What is that? Some Somali nursery rhyme?"

"Cool your anger, Abu Michael, I meant no insult," Kidd said gently. "Death walks beside you, that's all I'm saying."

"Oh, that makes me feel a lot better."

"Death walks beside you, but you are not his slave. Another man might have killed Chambers. I would have killed him." Kidd's eyes shone with humor. "Instead, the naked senator retires to his country estate…to spend more time with his family."

"Sidi…isn't that punishment enough?"

Kidd clapped him on the back, the other men craning their heads to see what was so funny. Kidd stretched out his long legs, rolled on his side facing Rakkim. "The president called me just after the news broke. Sounded like he was still half asleep. He asked me to recommend someone for secretary of defense. He seemed to be in quite a hurry."

"He should have done that the first time."

"You don't correct a president, Abu Michael, you merely compliment them on their wisdom in seeking your counsel." Kidd stroked his beard. "I suggested Joseph Vinh." He nodded to himself. "Vinh's merely adequate as a strategic thinker, but we served together in the Great War. I trust him. Right now, that's the most important thing."

"Putting Vinh up for defense secretary solves our immediate problem," said Rakkim, "but the bigger problem remains-who suggested Senator Chambers for the position? Who did the president trust enough to heed his counsel? That's the Old One's mole. That's who we need to find."

"Senator Nichols mentored the president when he first went into politics…they remain close," said Kidd, "and Jason Fletcher lavishly funded his campaigns…they still play golf at least once a month."

Michael and Shakur wandered off together, dragging their broken fighting sticks in the dirt. Michael suddenly raced ahead, Shakur giving chase.

"Love your children while they are young, Rakkim, hold them close," said Kidd, his eyes on the two boys, "because they grow up soon enough, and then…then they have no need of you."