Sword of God(23)

At least that’s how she was in public.

In private, it was a completely different story. The instant she got inside the tunnel that had been carved underneath the old city, she started taking off her clothes, stripping down to the T-shirt and cargo shorts that she wore under her robe. It was her way of flipping off the mutaween and everything they stood for. Her way of showing independence and great legs at the same time. Her coworkers, an American crew of two scholars and three security guards, thought it was amusing. Not only because Shari was so dramatic about it, but also because all of them knew her behavior wouldn’t make a damn bit of difference if the Saudi government figured out what they were doing down there.

If that happened, her lack of clothes would be the least of their worries.



Boards creaked as Fred Nasir walked down the steep slope of the tunnel. When the path leveled off, it turned gently to the east. Lightbulbs hung above him, barely lighting the way. He walked fifty more feet, where he was greeted by a locked metal gate. It wasn’t what he was expecting to find so deep underground.

“Hello?” he called, his voice echoing through the shaft. “Is anyone home?”

A hulking security guard emerged from the darkness. He carried a flashlight in one hand and a pickax in the other. Sweat dripped from his brow, mixing with the dirt that covered his face. To Nasir, it looked like the guard was leaking mud. Like a mole man who lived in the Earth’s core.

“May I help you?” he asked in a deep voice.

“I have a delivery.”

“Stay there.”

Nasir nodded. What choice did he have? The gate was locked, and the person he needed to meet was on the other side. At least he hoped he was. The truth was he didn’t know anything about him. Much like it had been at Al-Gaim. He was given a time and a place but wasn’t quite sure who was going to be there when he showed up. He was told it was done for security. The less he knew, the better. Obviously it made perfect sense, but it was still unsettling.

He glanced at his watch again. Five more minutes had passed.

Finally, Nasir heard movement up ahead. He stared through the metal gate, hoping to get a glimpse of his contact before he had to talk to him. Praying it wasn’t another mole man.

One glimpse and he realized that wasn’t the case. In fact, it wasn’t a him at all.

It was a woman. A sexy woman. Striding confidently through the darkness. Her hair was covered and she wore a robe, but there was something about her that was captivating.

Suddenly he wasn’t in such a hurry to leave.

“May I help you?” Shari asked, who had put on appropriate clothes for her visitor.

“Yeah. I have a delivery.”

“Great. I’ve been expecting you. Please slip it through the gate.”

He looked at the fence and frowned. “You mean I can’t come in?”

“Why would you want to come in?”

“I don’t know. Just to look around. I’m kind of curious.”

Before Shari could respond, the guard emerged behind her. He still held the pickax in his grasp. “You know what they say about curiosity.”

Nasir gulped. “It killed the cat.”

“It’s gonna kill the deliveryman, too, unless you get your ass out of here.”

Shari fought the urge to smile. “You heard the man. Give me the package, then you better get going. I’m not big enough to protect you if he gets angry.”

Nasir nodded and slipped a sealed envelope through the gate. Inside the envelope was the take-out menu he had picked up at Al-Gaim. Inside the menu was a tiny computer disk.

Shari glanced at it and frowned. “Is that everything?”

“Yes. That’s everything.”

“Okay, then. Thanks for coming.” She turned to leave but realized he was still standing there, just watching her. “Can you find your way out? Or do you need some help?”

“I’ll gladly help you out,” growled the guard.

“No, thanks. I’m fine.” Nasir backed away from them. “No problem at all.”

“Great,” Shari said with a laugh. “Take care now. Stay safe.”



Nasir turned and hustled up the ramp, dying to get out of the tunnel. Dying to see the sunlight.

Ironically, it was one of the things that led to his death.

There’s a split second when people first leave the darkness when their eyes are unable to adjust. The sun’s rays are just too bright; pupils are unable to compensate.

To a trained killer, it’s something that can be taken advantage of. A moment when his target is temporarily blind. And a blind target is an easy mark.

The man calmly waited until Nasir stepped outside the tunnel. Then, before he could focus, he took his jambiya, a curved Arabic dagger, and slid it across Nasir’s throat. One quick slash and it was over. His scream emerged as a bloody gurgle, a short burst of spray followed by a quick loss of life. No resistance. No struggle of any kind.