Massive Attack (A Guy Niava Thriller Book 1) Dana Arama (ebooks children's books free TXT) 📖

so did my hope that the boy had managed to pass on the warning to someone. We left the place we had been anchored when I opened the file and made our way to the huge harbor. The dials on the clock continued to move forward, because I hadn’t the willpower to freeze time. The coastal guards passed us by without regard, no loudspeaker requesting us to stop, no uniformed men demanding to come aboard. My mouth became drier and drier. I needed a line of cocaine. I’d traded in the prayers to Allah with a sequence of curses I didn’t dare speak out loud. Deep down in my heart, I knew it was my punishment for not looking out for the kid, who had been my guest. I’d failed, even though I had promised the divine powers above that I would save him in exchange for my life after that meeting with the Red Mafia.

The shoreline came into view, and the strip of lights and the high rises could be seen. I knew we were getting closer to New York. Then New Jersey would also be close, and, given a few minutes, I could find myself a number of hideouts. To wait out this whole ridiculous affair, until the crazy one committed suicide and the mission was over. If they didn’t stop him now, what were the chances of getting caught in this huge and busy port?

“Tell me,” I asked Yassin, “Do we have time to do a few lines?”

He looked at me patronizingly, as if I were a piece of shit on his expensive shoe, and answered, “Call your guys and ask them to wait with the guns next to gate number four in MetLife Stadium.”

“Are you aware that their phones may be bugged?” I wanted to try and keep them out of this mess. I wanted to say that all this wouldn’t have happened if he had just let me return the boy, but we both knew that wasn’t correct.

“I know you use disposable phones.” He smiled but his eyes held a warning look. “That’s the first thing you said to me, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, but…”

“Murat, Murat. Could it be you are trying to get out of this?” He smiled but gave me a piercing stare.

“Trying to get out of it? Why would I try to get out of it? I just hope they aren’t on to them… You know… because of the kidnapping of the boy.”

“It’ll be better for you if they haven’t been found out. Because if that happens, you will all die before you have a chance to become shahids.”

I took my phone and with shaking hands I dialed Alex. Without saying hello and in a hoarse voice, I said, “MetLife Stadium, gate four, nine o’ clock sharp.” Yassin, next to me, nodded his head in approval. I added, “You and the new Russian bring the German goods.” I hoped he hadn’t heard the defeat in my voice.

Alex said, “We’ll be there,” and then added after a moment, “I am glad to hear from you, boss.” Yassin grabbed the phone from my hand. Had Alex heard my distress? Had he understood that when I’d said ‘the new Russian’ I meant Dubroshin? And most importantly, would Dubroshin and his soldiers manage to save me?

The short time we had, had grown shorter. We entered the port in darkness and the weather became stormy again, but by the time we got off the ship, daylight was upon us. Two black vehicles were waiting for us. All of Yassin’s fighters entered the first vehicle and into the second went Yassin, his right-hand man, the one with the quiet voice, and me and the kid, who sat there apathetically. I couldn’t allow myself to feel sorry for him, because he was dead meat. But still, I asked, “If you don’t need him anymore, why don’t you set him free?”

Yassin looked at me with a look of amusement and disrespect. “What’s wrong? Do you want his virginal ass for yourself?”

“Come on, Yassin. You know me. I am the young, long-legged type.” I tried smiling. It had been years since I felt so guilty. “He is obsolete here for the rest of the mission. Just like walking around with a stinking corpse.”

“You know he is not obsolete, because I need him to get to his father, and besides that, what makes you think you know what’s going to happen?”

“I don’t know, but Thanksgiving is in about ten days’ time. It doesn’t seem right to walk around with a corpse like this for ten days.”

“I told you that on Thanksgiving, they will have something to be thankful for. I didn’t say it would happen in ten days’ time.”

“When will it happen?”

He gave me a mysterious look and answered, “Soon… Very soon.” I felt a slight shiver run down my spine.

***

The collection of the rifles happened quicker than I’d expected. As we got closer to the stadium, we stopped. The air inside the car was stuffy and suffocating. I asked to open the window slightly. Through the slit in the window, I felt the cold air from outside and could clearly see what was happening. The black van with Yassin’s soldiers drove up to the meeting point. Yassin ordered me to call Alex and tell him to leave the car with the key in the ignition. Once I’d done that, I was to tell Alex and whoever was with him that they should go by foot to the closest train station. I did as commanded with feeling of huge relief. At least they wouldn’t have to become shahids and die because of my stupid choices.

Within ten minutes, two vehicles approached us. One of them was the black van and the other a car I knew well. I had paid cash for it. Yassin asked, “Were there any problems?” and someone with a familiar accent said, “It went smoothly.”

“Go to the place where the snipers are waiting and give them the rifles. I want a