Interdiction - W.Addison Gast (great novels TXT) 📗

taken several weeks and many trips into the city to present the required papers to the Iranian authorities and have his photograph taken once again. He noticed while looking at the two photographs taken some months apart how he had changed. He looked much older than his twenty years. He compared the photo that was taken at the border when they crossed and this one. There was definitely a difference. The passport and visa were stamped “student” in a very noticeable typeface and in his “next of kin” area on the passport was a name and address he had never seen before. He was not comfortable with the fact that his group of friends were now narrowed down to the twelve he was to travel with.
At the airport he wanted to stay in the large terminal with the clean marble floors forever. It was air-conditioned and smelled fresh even with the multitude of humanity that was waiting on flights, carrying baggage and buying tickets.
The master held all the tickets and passports for the group. When the tickets were purchased and it was necessary to personally match the passport photograph with the person, the master called the student’s name and each in turn presented their self to the agent as their name was called. All bordered the Air Afghanistan flight with no problems. Even in the security line, the students were passed promptly and preceded to the area to board their flight.
It was at this airport that Haydar saw for the first time in three years, an American soldier. He was on the same flight as the group and was seated across from Haydar and the “Goat.”
The master did not come on the flight. He left the students group just before they went thru security. He waited to see that they were all in the boarding area and then on the aircraft. He left as Air Afghanistan flight 3701powered down the runway and into the sky.
“Masa Alkhar” Said the American solder in perfect Farsi to Haydar.
Haydar as well as the Goat about swallowed their crackers the hostess had given them whole when they heard the sergeant look at them. .Haydar calmly returned the greeting;
“Masa Alnur”
“Is this your first flight? Asked the American, again in Farsi.
Haydar was now in a very unfamiliar position. He had been instructed by the master what to answer if asked any questions in the terminal and not to talk to strangers but this was a direct question from this infidel that Haydar had not expected. He decided to do as his training in Iran instructed. Do not attract attention and do not volunteer information. He decided to engage in conversation that his friend the Goat would not understand. Haydar knew that the Goat’s English was poor and he was very slow to understand the words even when spoken distinctly and slow. Haydar knew that both he and the goat would go through a “debriefing” on this encounter when they arrived in Mazar I Sharif.
“I am a student of engineering and seen these aircraft many time in the sky but, yes, this is the first time I have traveled on one.” Said Haydar in what he considered very good English. Suddenly, he realized that the other students that had been watching the encounter between him and the American were quiet and very much attuned to their conversation.
“Your English is perfect. Do you use it very often in your university or where you are going to school?” asked the American. This time in English.
“It is a part of my education. Yes.” Answered Haydar
“Are you camped in Mazar I Sharif?” Asked Haydar of the American.
“You mean am I STATIONED here in this area? Yes. I train the local police recruits.” Answered the American.
“Perhaps we will meet again then Sergeant in Mazar. Now I think I will take a bit of sleep as we have had a very long journey.” Haydar thought he had ended the conversation well and the American asked no further questions. Only a warm “good-bye” as they parted at the terminal
When the group arrived at their destination they were met by an instructor that they had all seen before. Abdid al-salmar. This man us one of the most feared men within the tribal organization of Osama . He had been compared to and described as the modern day Gestapo head. With little or no rebuttal, accused recruits and seasoned mujahedeen veterans, accused of spying or being unfaithful to the cause were eliminated. There were horrid stories of the torture they had withstood before their death that made recruits look at this person as a devil.
It took only a brief period of time for Abdid to hear of Haydar’s conversation with the American on the plane.
He was separated from the group when they arrived at the camp he was led to a small room where there were three of the older instructors from the camp that Haydar had known before. They were all trained insurgents and had killed many infidels, it was known.
“You were given instructions before you got on the airplane about talking to strangers-right?” The older, taller and very thin master started the questioning.
“I was given the seat that I was in by the airline and the American said good morning to me in my language. What was I supposed to do? Ignore him and possibly insult him?”
The second instructor that had been sitting on the side of the room on a wooden chair absolutely flew out of the chair at Haydar across the room. Haydar remembered being hit on his jaw by what he thought was a bar but it was the man’s fist.’
“You will not question our reasons or use such disrespect to the master in your replies, insolent one.” The man was furious.
The questioning continued for two hours and then he was left in the room alone. It was the first time Haydar had been struck in the face in many years. The last time he remembered it was during an argument in the schoolyard and both students had been taken to the masters office and their parents had to come take them home. The welt that was rising on Haydar’s face made him think and have concern.
Just then, he had the shock of his life
Through the door came the feared Abdid and he was not smiling.
“They call you the Engineer, is that correct ?” He was looking at Haydar very quizzically as if he was trying to place his face or something.
“Yes master”
“You had many friends in school I am told. They say you were a very popular person with your classmates and teachers.”
“I enjoyed the friendship of many during that time of my life.”
“You speak as if that was a long time ago and you have made some different decisions since then.”
“I am a true believer master and I want to serve in the army of Osama with honor.”
I’m sure you do. I believe you have the potential to serve our cause in a very responsible mission considering your young years.”
Haydar can hear the master continue to tell him what he has in mind for him to accomplish to prove his convictions and commitment to the cause. He was taken back to his sleeping area where none of his fellow students asked about his swollen face or what had taken place in the room. The goat came over and was trying to explain that he had no choice but to tell them all that he had heard in his conversation with the American.
“I have no problem with your loyalty Goat. I would have found it necessary to do they same had I been in your place. No problems.”
It was the following day that there was much rejoicing around the camp as the masters placed a small television set in the largest room in the camp and assembled all of the students and masters to see what had transpired in New York City on that morning. It was September 11,2001.


The argument next door became quiet and the room noise ceased. Haydar adjusted himself to his opposite side and fell asleep.
Haydar’s group consisted of seven other students in addition to himself. All had had completed the training both in Iran and the isolated camp here in Afghanistan. They were all trained in explosives and how to figure the force of a given blast from the materials used. They were also trained in the skills needed to make explosive devices from several commercially available products.
Their new training was now was in a much more relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. The classroom had a television set at one end with several desks around it. It was not for entertaining it was for training in the ways of the American way of life.
Several language tapes were used every day that were designed to teach foreigners perfect dialect free English. Haydar’s entire group spoke English very well but this training was just to keep them sharp in the slang terms they may run up against in their effort to blend into the American social environment
The entire group were housed in a remote section of the camp and had meals specially prepared and were exposed to an atmosphere of that which would be found in any American city. They had discarded their djellabas and started wearing western style pants and shirts in order to get used to the dress. They were all ordered to start shaving on a daily basis as well. They could keep a small goatee if they desired but the full beards had to go. This made the Goat happy as he did not want to lose his immaculately trimmed goatee.
Haydar had never been told what his mission was going to be but when the dark master Abdid selected him as leader for this special group, he knew in his mind it would be soon and one of honor. Perhaps his group would be as famous as the heroes that completed the Trade Center mission?

Chapter 6
Lessons in spying on the unsuspecting.
Sadaqua was very pleased with the way that her work had progressed and was hopeful that they would soon be able to complete one of the most meaningful research projects within her project. They had to find a way to control the speed in which the compound accelerated through the tissue of the patient. The university had recently been given funding for additional research and the benefactor had specifically named the cancer project as the intended recipient of the majority funding. They had even given Sadaqua an additional laboratory assistant that was to report to her just this morning..
Badra Husna parked her small much used VW car in the university parking lot for the laboratory and exited after grabbing her small briefcase. She thought that on her first day it would be more appropriate to wear the black pants suit and low cuts than “scrubs” or her favorite-Levis and tennis. Badra smiled to herself as her mind wondered over to the lite side as she thought; perhaps they think I will come into the laboratory this first day wearing a Burqua because I am a Pakistani?
The two women exchanged pleasantries and then related their education and family backgrounds. By lunchtime it was obvious that the two would work together well and possibly become great friends.
The second day in the lab Badra was given a briefing on the status of the research project. She appeared very interested in all aspects of the research and their progress especially the production of the deadly venom which was known in the lab as “437X”. By the second day, Badra knew all there was to know about how 437X was synthesized.

Chapter 6