The Exodus Quest

II

Khaled reloaded his Walther as he stared down at the hole in the side of the shaft. What the hell had they found down there? Footsteps behind. Faisal was hurrying up, drawn by the blast, the shots. 'Look!' said Khaled, pointing down. 'I told you we just had to keep digging.'

Faisal stared incredulously at him. 'You're worried about that now?'

'We need to get down there. We need to finish this. Go get the rope.'

'Rope? What rope?'

'The one we climbed down on, idiot. Get Nasser to throw it down to you.'

'But we need it to get back out.'

'We'll use the path. The rain has to stop sometime, doesn't it?'

'But-'

He smacked Faisal across the cheek with the barrel of his Walther. 'That wasn't a request. It was an order. Now carry it out.' He watched Faisal stalk away, fretted for him to return with the rope, then anchored the slipknot around the iron peg, tossed the rest down into the shaft. He was about to go first when he realized what a perfect spot it would make for an ambush, so he took Faisal's AK-47 from him. 'You go,' he said. 'I'll cover you.'

'Unarmed?' snorted Faisal.

'Here,' scowled Khaled, giving him his Walther. 'Take this, then.'

'Why can't we just-'

'Don't you want to see what's down there?'

'Yes, but-'

'We're going to be rich,' insisted Khaled. 'The three of us will have more money than you've ever dreamed of. Just do as you're told.'

Faisal looked sullen as a mule, but he tucked the Walther into his waistband, grabbed hold of the rope, tugged it to make sure it was secure, then lowered himself over the edge, climbed without incident down to the foot.

Khaled allowed himself a little smile. The three of us indeed! First Abdullah, then Faisal. What a tragic night for his unit it looked like being.