The prisoner’s hoarse breathing quickened as he turned his head toward the wall.
“Cyrus. Look at me. Listen…”
When the wounded kidnapper slowly turned his head back, Crocker noticed that his right cheekbone had been broken and his nostrils were stuffed with cotton.
“I’m not going to lie to you. You’re either going to hang, or spend the rest of your life in jail. That you can count on.”
The corners of the young man’s mouth curled into a kind of grim recognition.
Crocker continued, “As a man, a son, maybe even a father, your responsibility now is to your family.”
“I have no family,” the prisoner mumbled.
“What’d you say?”
“I have no family.”
Crocker realized that he was at a certain disadvantage. Though Oman was an Islamic country, it maintained a deep respect for the rights of all of its citizens, even prisoners. In Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, or Iran, Cyrus would have had the truth beaten out of him. But not here. As long as he was in Omani custody, he couldn’t be forced to talk.
“We all have families, Cyrus,” Crocker said authoritatively. “We come from somewhere. People I know will find them. That’s what happens in cases like this.”
“Go to hell.”
“Why should your relatives suffer for the things you’ve done? Like kidnapping innocent girls and torturing them.”
Cyrus gritted his teeth.
Crocker’s anger broke to the surface; he pushed it down again.
“Why should they suffer for you, Cyrus? Think about that.”
The kidnapper responded in a grim, unsteady voice. “Our fates are, and always will be, in the hands of Allah.”
“Doesn’t Allah condemn torture and kidnapping? Doesn’t he show mercy to those who show compassion to others?”
“You’re an infidel. What do you know about Allah?” Cyrus spat back.
“I suspect that you have a wife somewhere. Maybe a young child.”
“I have nothing!”
“Think about them.”
“We are at war, you and me! That’s all we need to know about one another.”
“But now you’re of more use to me than you are to your own side.”
“We will win in the end. You’ll see!” The kidnapper’s eyes threatened to pop out of his head.
“You failed, Cyrus. Didn’t you?”
This struck like a bullet.
“No.”
“You were caught. Now Zaman would prefer that you were dead.”
Sadness crept into the corners of the kidnapper’s eyes. “What do you know, infidel?”
“Any promises he made to you before, to protect your family, don’t mean anything now.”
“Go away.”
“Think of them. Think of the burden they’ll have to bear. Their son, their father, their brother has put them in danger. He failed his cause.”
The skin around Cyrus’s mouth started to tremble. “Imshi!” (Leave me alone.)
Sensing a tiny opening, a moment of vulnerability, Crocker pressed on. “Tell me about the ship you arrived on and I’ll make sure your family is given money and moved to a safe location.”
Cyrus’s dark eyes grew darker as he considered.
“The ship, Cyrus. Be smart.”
His head shook slightly.
“I know it’s being used for some sinister purpose. If you don’t talk, my air force will blow it out of the water.”
“No.”
“Help your family.”
“Kill me!” the prisoner snarled, turning toward the window. “Make me a martyr. Mush mushim.” (I don’t care.)
Crocker couldn’t see the kidnapper’s face past his shoulder but sensed that the conversation was over.
“Cyrus, the next group of people you see won’t be so reasonable. They’ll start by breaking your toes and fingers, and pulling out your teeth.”
“Allah will show mercy.”
“The pain will be real. And your family will suffer. All you need to do is tell me about the ship.”
As the American leaned closer, Cyrus turned with great energy and Crocker saw that his right hand held a pointed object aimed at his neck.
“Allahu Akbar!”
The SEAL countered fast, throwing his right elbow and forehead into the bridge of the kidnapper’s nose and using his left to block his hand.
Cyrus’s nose snapped, and another punch to the neck loosened his grip on the weapon, which Crocker pulled free. A ballpoint pen that a careless doctor or nurse had left behind or dropped.
Crocker smashed the bloody terrorist powerfully in the mouth. “That’s for trying to fuck with me, Cyrus!” Then he unloaded on his face again. “And that’s for the girls you kidnapped and abused!”