Page 134 of Deadly Betrayal

Christ, he wanted to pick the kid up and run,take her far, far away from here. But then, that would be takingaway her closure. From his own experience, he knew how important itwas to see your loved ones laid to rest. Which was why he knew thatbefore they could leave Afghanistan, he’d have to do somethingabout Shahram. “We’ll have to take her off-base in a truck. We cancarry her from the outside security gate, okay?”

“Yes, thank you.”

Kaden left the women to call Jake. He’dalready told Nic he couldn’t leave the base. Kaden had learned hislesson in Kunduz.

“Everything ready?” he asked Jake.

“Yep. We’ll be right there.”

Satisfied that everything was under control,Kaden went inside the hospital to wait with Azita and Laila. Theback of his neck prickled again. “Do we really have to do thistoday?” he asked.

“Yes, it is the custom.” She leaned close towhisper, “Any longer and the body will begin to smell.”

Nausea raced up his throat. Kaden was nostranger to the scents of death. It was just usually in the field,in the heat of battle. There was a commotion in the hall. Bootspounded on the tile floor and doors banged. It took Kaden a momentto recognize his name being called.

“There you are,” Jake said. When he noticedthe body in the room, he lowered his voice. “Speak to you inprivate?”

Kaden patted Azita’s arm. “I’ll be rightback.” A bundle of nerves took root in his stomach as he followedJake outside. Had something happened to Nic? Sergeant McAlister hadpromised to keep him under twenty-four-hour surveillance. “What’sgoing on?”

“Gwen did some checking up, like you asked.Some men believed to be part of Tariq’s militia have boarded aplane from Fayzabad to Mazar-e Sharif. They should be landing inabout thirty-five minutes.”

“Shit.” Kaden rubbed his still-bearded jaw.Out of respect for Freba, he had decided to wait until after theburial to shave it off. “Do we know if they have any baggage?”

“Several large crates and suitcases.”

Double shit. “Might be weapons.” He pacedaway, then came back to his friend. “What the fuck am I supposed todo? I’ve got a body to bury before sundown and two women to protectfrom a rabid warlord.”

“And God knows funerals aren’t deterrents tothese bastards,” Jake added.

“No, they aren’t.” There’d been more than onecase of entire families gunned down like dogs while attending afuneral of a loved one. Kaden heaved out a breath. “Okay, you go tothe airport. See if you can get someone from base security to gowith you, someone who’s worked with the airport securitybefore.”

Jake nodded and clapped Kaden on theshoulder. “I’ll handle it. You take care of your family.” He tookoff, then turned and shouted, “And keep your phone on.”

Kaden waved, making a decision. He wouldn’ttell Azita about this latest development. The poor woman alreadyhad her hands full. A group of men in military dress uniform walkedinto view and stopped in front of him. “Reporting for duty, sir,”said the one in the lead.

“I see there are five of you.”

“Jake asked us to bring a spare.”

Kaden smiled. Jake was completely in hiselement here. His smile began to fade as he recalled Jake’s PTSDepisode. Nope. No time for that right now. “Here’s the deal, men.We need to transport a body the Islamic way.” He explained howthey’d get off base, and then hand-carry the deceased to the localmosque. “Ready?”

The leader motioned to two of the men, whojogged a few yards and picked up a wooden carrier Kaden hadn’t evennoticed. “Now we’re ready,” the leader said.

Kaden led them inside. Using the sheet underFreba, they carefully lifted her onto the carrier. Then each mangrabbed one of the poles that stuck out. Kaden caught the sixth.Azita and Laila began to recite a prayer in what Kaden thought wasArabic. When they exited the hospital, the ambulance Kaden hadrequested awaited them. The men climbed aboard, setting the carrieron a gurney. Laila and Azita entered last.

At the gate, the guard and the driverconferred for a moment. The back doors were opened. The guardscanned the interior, nodded, and closed the doors. Once they’dleft the secure area, the ambulance stopped. Everyone got out andbegan the mile-long procession.

Several times along the way to the mosque,folks joined them for a block or two, reciting the Prayer for theDead along with Laila and Azita. Neither woman keened—for whichKaden was extremely thankful—but tears streamed down both theirfaces. In deference to the ladies, the soldiers walked slowly, andit took another half hour before they could see the entrance to thegraveyard behind the small mosque. Another group of mourners stoodthere, a body hoisted between them. What caught his attention werethe two men arguing beside the mourners.

One was definitely Khalid.

Kaden raised his hand. “Stop,” he ordered.The men froze in place.

Azita hurried over to him. “What is it?”

“Stay here.”

The soldier beside him maneuvered himselfover to balance the weight of the body before Kaden let go. Severallong steps later, Kaden reached Khalid. What the fuck was the mandoing here? Kaden had thought he was long gone, back to Kabul withhis tail between his legs.