VECTOR

Chapter 19 Unraveling

Chapter 19

Unraveling

Ravi felt terrible. One moment he was sweating like a goat keeper and the next he was freezing cold. He couldn't understand why he felt so bad, and he was aware that the medicines he had taken were not helping. Luckily, driving the car required little input. The irritating GPS woman told him where to turn, and the cruise control maintained his speed. He basically need do nothing but steer. He could steer.

He regretted killing the police officer, but it was unavoidable. Ravi also knew that his car was now known. He was certain the police vehicle had been equipped with a camera that recorded the license plate as well as other details. In fact, Ravi now regretted leaving the car to kill the man. No doubt, the camera in the police vehicle had recorded the killing. That would initiate a wide-spread search for him. With only a bit of help from the immigration service, they would know all about him, from name to country to arrival to everything. As soon as they knew that, they would contact Jasmine, and she, well, she would argue for a few minutes. Her husband was in Rome. The camera footage would convince her, and she would cooperate. That was all she could do. But he knew it wasn't just duty. She would see this as an opportunity to rid herself of her husband. An American prison for life would suit her just fine.

Stupid b***h.

Ravi shook his head and immediately regretted it. Shaking only worsened the pounding headache. He hit the console in frustration. What a time to be sick. He needed all his wits and skills to escape this country and return home. Even then, he wasn't sure his country would take him back. The Americans would apply immense pressure, and they were very powerful and very rich. What they couldn’t order done, they could pay for. Ravi held no illusions about his fellow countrymen. Wave a few bills under their noses, and they would ship him back in a coffin if need be. No, he would have to sneak back into his country and hide in the wilds for a while. In time, even the Americans would grow weary of chasing him. They were not equipped with the patience needed to find him.

If he could get out of this godless country.

If the b***h in the trunk spoke the truth quickly.

He had always meant to kill her—after some exquisitely inflicted pain. But now, he had little time to play. He would have to get what he wanted quickly and search for a new vehicle. For that, he would need help. Who might help him? There was only one person he could rely on, and that young punk was probably playing a video game or texting some godless woman. Still, it was Ravi's only play. And if he was going to use Arif, he had to start the ball rolling immediately. Cars wouldn't magically appear just because he or Arif wanted them to. He grabbed his phone and sifted through the calls he had made. Arif’s was there, and he dialed.

**************************************

Arif recognized the ring tone and frowned. As he watched, the agent pulled a plastic baggy from his pocket. Arif's phone was ringing inside the baggy. The agent pushed the baggy across the table.

“Answer it, and act as if everything is normal. If it's Ravi, keep the connection open.”

“What's in it for me?”

“Answer it!”

Arif pulled the phone from the baggy and answered. “Hello.”

“Put it on speaker,” the agent said.

Arif obeyed and set the phone on the table.

“I am in need of assistance,” Ravi said. “Things have changed. I will require a different vehicle and different documents if possible.”

“What happened?” Arif asked.

“The less you know the better. Vehicle and documents. I will ca back in one hour.”

“What kind of—“

The line went dead. Arif looked at the agent and shrugged. “I did the best I could.”

“Have any idea why Ravi needs new docs and vehicle?” the agent asked.

“How could I know?”

“A short time ago, Ravi shot and killed a deputy sheriff. Cold blooded murder. The deputy's dash cam caught it all. So, you see, Arif, you are now on the hook for felony murder of a law enforcement officer in addition to the terrorism charges.”

“I had nothing to do with the killing,” Arif said. “I was here with you.”

“If you understood American law a little better, you would know that you are an accessory to the crime.”

“That cannot be. I'm here.”

“You provided the car. You no doubt provided Ravi with food and shelter.”

“As is the custom in my country.”

“And you probably provided him the place he's going to. That makes you complicit in the crime. If you aren't executed for terrorism, you will be for the murder.”

Arif bit his lip and wondered how much of what the agent said was true. Was he making up the murder? Was he exaggerating the cruelties of American law? Arif couldn't know, but could he afford to take a chance? He was already mostly certain he was not going to be released in the foreseeable future.

“One more point,” the agent said. “That phone call just proved you were part of Ravi's plan. You're on the hook for every crime he commits. If I were you, I'd cut my losses.”

“I would like to help you,” Arif said. “But I have limited knowledge of his plans. As you can surmise from the phone call, he does not trust anyone.”

“He trusts you, which is why he called. So, help yourself, Arif. Tells us what you know.”

Arif nodded. “I should start with my uncle in Pakistan.”

The agent tapped the photo of the woman. “Why don't you start with her.”

Arif looked at the woman and nodded. “Her name is Claire, I believe,” Arif hedged. “And she was the reason Ravi came to America.”

**************************************

“You have arrived at your destination.” The GPS woman's voice sounded perky and upbeat, and Ravi hated it. Why couldn't the voice be simple and direct. Not everyone was happy to arrive at their destination. Some people might be absolutely depressed by arriving. Didn't they know that?

Ravi shut off the engine and closed his eyes. He shivered as he fought the illness. In a moment, the cold would give way to the heat, and for Ravi, the heat was preferred. He could handle heat. Cold, well, cold was not something he enjoyed. As the chills receded, he climbed out of the car. He was slow because his body didn’t have enough energy for speed. He held the pistol in one hand as he opened the trunk.

The woman had not moved. Her eyes were wide with fright. Ravi motioned with the gun.

“Get out.”

The woman didn't move.

“If I have to pull you out, you won't like it.”

The woman climbed out, and Ravi was gifted with a quick view of her tan legs. For the first time in an hour, he felt slightly better. It was amazing how the thought of s*x chased away the illness. As her feet hit the ground, he grabbed her hair tight.

“If you try to run, I will shoot you,” he told her. “I won't kill you, but I will make sure you cannot run. Understand?”

She nodded.

“Let's go.” Holding onto her hair, he escorted her to the cabin. The key was hidden in a flower pot—both unoriginal and stupid. He unlocked the door and threw her inside. Locking the door behind him, he told her to sit on the couch.

The cabin was nothing like something in Pakistan, Ravi thought. This place was pure luxury compared to the rough places Ravi had visited. The furniture, the rugs, the pictures on the walls, it all spoke of money, lots of money. For some reason, that made Ravi angry. Why was it that the Americans were filthy rich? Why had Allah blessed them with money?

Because Allah had beggared their souls. That's what Ravi thought. While the Americans were rich in goods, they were poor in spirit. And their poorness was their weakness. They were not strong of character like the men of his homeland. In a way, he would enjoy painting this room in blood.

“Please,” the woman pleaded. “Let me go. I promise not to tell anyone.”

“I have no desire to hurt you,” Ravi lied. “But I do require information.” He stood close, towering over her, intimidating her. “Tell me what you know about Jasmine.”

“I don't know anything about anyone named Jasmine,” she answered.

His hand was quick and hard. The slap snapped her head to the side. “I will not tolerate lies,” Ravi said. “If you lie, you will be feel pain.”

Tears appeared in the woman's eyes. “I promise, I know nothing of Jasmine.”

He raised his hand, and she cringed. Then, he lowered his hand. “Take off your clothes,” he said.

“What? Why? Please, you don't have to this.”

“Would you prefer I take them off you? You might not like that.”

She held out her bound hands. “You'll have to free my hands.”

“I don't think so,” he said. “And you have exactly two minutes to strip.”

She looked at him, and he made sure she understood that he wasn't kidding. As her fingers started unbuttoning her blouse, he smiled. He would enjoy taking her.

**************************************

“What did he want with this woman?” the agent asked.

“I am not sure,” Arif answered

“Take a guess.”

“From what I gathered, he wanted to speak with her about his wife back in Pakistan. They were friends or at least acquaintances.”

“If he wanted to speak with her, why didn't he just call her or take her to lunch?”

“I was led to believe that the information he required was of a delicate nature. He wasn't at all sure she would be willing to part with it.”

“So, your job was to help him kidnap this woman.”

“I was not aware of what he would do to her or with her. I was only to provide some support. You have to believe that.”

“At this point, we’re not sure what to believe, but we don't have a great deal of time, Arif. As you witnesses when you came here, we are battling a biological disease. We must contain it. If it escapes and kills people, this government will seek revenge. And we can inflict a great deal of devastation on your home country.”

Arif suddenly realized that he was out of cards to play. His life was now over for all intents and purposes. The only way he might stay in America would be in prison. That was clear. Cooperation might save him from the death penalty, and even that was not assured. He cursed the day he agreed to help his uncle and this animal who killed the police.

“Ravi came to America to take the woman and get what information she had. I do not believe he intends to let her live. And I think he will torture her to make certain she doesn't lie.”

“Where did he take her?”

“I procured a cabin for him away from the city. He has had time to reach it, so he may be there if he took the woman.”

The agent pushed over a pad and pen. “Write down the address.”

Arif picked up the pen. “I am not certain about things because Ravi is a snake. He does not reveal what goes on inside his head.”

“I'll give you some info. When he was stopped Ravi was alone. There was no one else in the car.”

Arif shrugged. “Perhaps he had already achieved his goal.”

“I don't think so.”

“It is possible,” Arif insisted.

“I doubt it.”

The agent stood and opened the door.

Into the room walked the woman from the photograph.

Stunned, Arif gaped. How could she be here? If so, why had Ravi gone to the cabin?

“As you can see,” the agent said. “Claire is safe with us. That's one murder you won't be on the hook for.”