The Puppetmasters Read online

  The Afghan people didn’t dislike Americans. But they didn’t embrace or welcome them either. They were relieved when the American military finally exited the country years ago. The western world contractors and their big business plans followed a short while later, after some strategic localized bombings that helped incentivize them. Hope for their billion-dollar enterprises was long forgotten in the rush to save their collective asses.

  The group drove for about five miles under a cloudless, blue sky ringed in the distance with rugged mountains devoid of trees. They entered a stone archway. An impressive twelve-foot-high security gate gave the feeling of a place of great import. All three Americans were nervous.

  Kendall was in awe of the strange and foreboding complex they’d just entered. It was clear that someone important lived here. After a short drive down an olive-tree-lined road, their vehicle rounded a bend. All three Americans gave a collective gasp. An enormous building that could only be described as a palace stood on a hill directly in front of them. The austere, stone monolith-like structure seemed to radiate an intense stare, as if to glean every last hidden thought from them.

  As they pulled up to the front of the huge formation, Paul Fields turned his head, pretending to look around. When his mouth was inches from Glenn Carson’s ear, he quietly whispered, “You know nothing.” Carson was relieved that he could deny everything, but that meant the whole burden was on Fields’ shoulders. As loyal as he was to his childhood buddy, Carson wasn’t going down for this. He didn’t have the technical know-how and had never been part of the research and development process. The remarkable but evil contrivance was not his brainchild.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  THE VEHICLE CAME TO A stop, and General Omar disembarked. His driver came around the back of the truck and opened the backdoor. General Omar looked at the three seated “guests” and commanded, “You will get out now and follow me!” The three passengers scrambled out of the truck and reluctantly followed the general up the stairs and into the building. Columned marble lined the walls, and twinkling chandeliers hung throughout the interior.

  The assemblage made their way up a side stairwell, down a hallway, and into a large oval room. Fields found the attempt to replicate the Oval Office in the White House quite amusing. He suppressed a smile by looking down and pressing his lips together.

  The room was very large. Suddenly, a door at the back opened, and a tall male in Kabuli attire, complete with qaraqul hat made from the fur of an aborted Persian lamb fetus, strode into the room. His piercing brown eyes were unfriendly and flashed with anger.

  Behind him at a careful distance came two dark-haired, mustachioed young men, obviously brothers. One was of average height with a bulky physique. The other was slightly taller and more muscular. The shorter man’s face held a sneer, and there was a decided cruelness about his mouth.

  Kendall was surprised that the young men wore western blue jeans. Both men were conversant in English, while the older man’s English was only passable. She figured the young men were in their early thirties. From the fearful looks they cast at the older man, she concluded they were his sons.

  In deference, or perhaps sheer terror, General Omar stepped to the side of the “guests” and away from the older man, who now directed his gaze at the military officer.

  “I am pleased, General Omar. You have done what I ordered.”

  The general looked relieved that he would be keeping his head for the time being and bowed. “President Shazeb, may I present our guests. Paul Fields, CEO of Orion Premier Net Services, Glenn Carson, CFO of Orion, and Kendall Radcliffe, director of operations at Orion.”

  At the mention of Kendall’s name, the president walked slowly and determinedly to Kendall with his arms behind his back. “I must say, I was not expecting three Orion employees. And a female at that.” He clasped his hands together in the front. “This is going to work nicely into my plans. I shall have better control of all of you, and I am sure your company will work extra hard to search for you and bring you back.” His eyes roamed Kendall’s body and gave her a decidedly creepy feeling. She almost wished she was wearing the full floor-length burka. He then walked a short distance in front of the trio, turned, and addressed them as a group.

  Throwing his head back and in a haughty manner, he declared, “Let me introduce myself. I am Mujtaba Shazeb, President of Afghanistan. You are all here as my guests. My people will be speaking with each of you separately to determine who is the most knowledgeable about our issue. You see, we are having technical concerns regarding private matters of Afghanistan. Since we are using several of your services and devices, our technical experts have concluded that the issue is with your products. It is so serious that it is affecting the operation and the very well being of our beloved country. We will talk about this more a little later.”

  He looked over to the younger men and inclined his head. “These are my sons, Saaqib Waqas and Ahmad Akeem. You will see them every day during your visit. Saaqib is my oldest and is very smart with computers. He is in charge of the technology division in my administration and has designed and configured all of our computers and networks.”

  Saaqib glared at the trio, nodded his head, and directed a pointed stare at Kendall. She gulped. Shazeb continued. “You will not fool Saaqib, so don’t even start with the lies.”

  With a twinkle in his eyes, he said, “Saaqib Waqas means star warrior in Arabic. He is a mighty soldier and knows how to get to the truth. Don’t push him.”

  He pointed to his younger son, the taller of the two, and with warm affection, stated, “Ahmad Akeem is in charge of my security forces. He is a strong and athletic soldier. Most importantly, he is wise. Do not underestimate him.” The younger son did not move or acknowledge them.

  Paul Fields was prevaricating on how far he could push the Afghans. He decided on one small attempt and cleared his throat. “President Shazeb, we do not understand why we are here. Mr. Carson and I merely run Orion. We do not do any of the day-to-day technical work. Ms. Radcliffe simply administers the business practices by the most efficient means. We are business people, not technology wizards.”

  President Shazeb stalked over to Fields, wagged his finger, and roared, “Enough! Do not treat me like an idiot! I have seen your impressive résumé, and I know what you are capable of. Now, if you lie to me again, it will not be without consequence. I may decide to remove one of your fingers or have you flogged.”

  He then turned to his son, Saaqib. “You will take Paul Fields to your department and show him what is happening to Afghanistan’s property. Persuade him to work with you to determine the source of the technical issues. Do not inflict bodily harm on him just yet. You must check with me first. We should treat them as our guests for the moment.”

  The president caught Kendall’s thoughtful look and said, “Ah, you do not understand why the more physical of my two sons is not in charge of my security forces? That is very observant of you. You see, I found that while Saaqib is the stricter disciplinarian, he often loses his head and orders immediate punishment, usually severe. With Saaqib in charge, the military was always in need of replacements. He’s a bit too enthusiastic, shall we say.” He gave a disgustingly loud laugh at his own joke.

  “Besides, Saaqib’s true strength is in computer science. For some reason, it calms him.”

  The back door suddenly opened, and a tall, rugged-looking man with a careful gaze stepped in, followed by a woman wearing a full hijab. The woman quickly looked around, spotted Kendall, and moved to her side, quietly awaiting further orders.

  The president looked delighted at the interruption and exclaimed, “Ah, Rashid, my son. Come in.” He turned to his “guests.” “This is my sons’ childhood friend, Rashid Sharif. He is practically a member of the family. I think of him as my own son. He is a trusted advisor to all of us, and a gentle and loyal servant of the people. He keeps my sons in line and, most importantly, away from each other’s throats. They do like to fight … especiall
y Saaqib. Rashid can beat them both, so he keeps the peace.”

  Rashid gave an ever-so-slight bow and raised his eyes. In a flash of a second, Kendall could see that Rashid had coolly appraised all of them. She was intrigued. For some reason, he kept his thoughts and actions hidden. She realized there was far more to this man than his extreme good looks, flashing brown eyes, and unmanageable, thick, wavy hair. She felt a fluttering within her that took her breath away. She quickly looked down and hoped the attraction signals translated only as curiosity to the others. She was furious at the mutinous feelings coming from her body, but welcomed the distraction from thoughts of Jeremy Levy.

  President Shazeb crossed over to Kendall again. In the traditional Afghanistan term when addressing a female, he began, “Kendalljan, this young woman is Doctor Maysah Siddrajan. She will check on you every day to see to your medical and female needs. Afghanistan has progressed quite far in the last fifteen years. Half of the country speaks some English, and we now have many female doctors.”

  Glenn Carson had been trying to suppress a cough, and it now devolved into a major coughing fit. Carson’s color was pale, and he looked as if he might faint. The president stepped back and looked aghast at him. Addressing him in formal tones, he said, “Carson Khan, you look quite ill. This is not good. I will not have you sick while you are my guest.” Never mind that three people had been murdered so far under his orders.

  Carson croaked, “I’m fine.” Everyone could see that he was anything but. The president gave a dismissive wave to the doctor. “Go, Doctor Siddrajan, and take Carson Khan with you. Please have him checked out. He should remain at the Base’s clinic until he is thoroughly well. Be sure to post a trustworthy guard, someone who already knows of his presence. I do not need to remind you that the existence of our guests is to be kept secret for now.” He looked over at his younger son. “Ahmad, please escort the doctor and Carson Khan back to the base.” Ahmad’s eyes flashed in anger. He did not want this babysitting duty, but he was too afraid of his father to offer an alternative. He strode over to Carson, took his arm in a vicious grip, and led the little group out of the room.

  Kendall caught the sly wink and smirk Rashid gave Ahmad as he passed by. Ahmad seemed to relax a bit. She realized that Rashid did have some sort of calming power on at least this son. She stored this information away.

  The president was tired of the meeting. He barked, “Saaqib, take Fields Khan to your offices and thoroughly explain our issues.”

  They left the room, leaving only the president, Kendall, Rashid, and their original escort, General Omar. Shazeb looked at Kendall and motioned towards the back of the room, to an early 1900s French two-seater sofa decorated in Afghanistan ceremonial fabric. “You, go sit there while we talk.” Kendall frowned and wondered what assignment she would be given and who her minder would be. She half hoped yet feared it would be the rakish Rashid Sharif.

  The men spoke in low urgent tones. The president ordered General Omar to stay with him, so they could discuss short-term plans for their “guests.” The Afghan leader decided that once their guests’ luggage had been thoroughly searched, they would be allowed their personal belongings, sans electronic and communication devices. He figured their personal effects would bring them some measure of comfort and hopefully entice them to cooperate so as to speed up their exit plans. Mostly, he hoped this little measure of conciliation would incite Fields to come clean on Orion’s technical trickery.

  However, he had underestimated the depth and breadth of Orion’s electronic machinations. The fact was that Orion executives couldn’t afford to tell the truth. Even Orion did not fully understand the scope of the electronic tentacles that had been laid.

  Omar was finally dispatched to work on the details that had been discussed.

  There were now only President Shazeb and Rashid Sharif left, with Kendall still awaiting her fate at the back of the room. He leaned in toward the good-looking younger man and tapped him on the chest.

  “Rashid, I want you to get to know Kendalljan. Be her friend. You are very good at putting people at ease. Learn her secrets. She must know a lot about Orion Premier Net Services. Find out everything about the company. Romance her, and make her see that you are on her side. Win her over.

  “My sons will be mad with jealousy. They bicker enough between them. I hope this will not be a problem. You know you will have to share her eventually. Now, go work your charm on her. If you stay out of the public eye, do not be concerned with being alone with her. Since she is a westerner, we must treat her so in order to gain her confidence. Understand?”

  “Yes.” Sharif put his hand over his heart and gave a slight nod. The president nodded, turned, and headed for the door from which he had entered.

  Sharif pondered the president’s scheme and decided it would fit nicely into his plans.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  THE BROAD-SHOULDERED, DARK-HAIRED MAN APPROACHED Kendall and stood before her. She was at first nervous but then quickly angered as she remembered the Orion people were all there against their will. He stared at her for so long that she finally had to say something. Her voice was dripping with sarcasm and annoyance. She stood up.

  “Well, what is my assignment? What do I need to do to go home?” She figured if they had intended to kill her, she would already be dead. So, she could afford to show her true feelings, which at the moment happened to be great displeasure. She wasn’t even afraid any more. Somehow she could tell that this man was a lot gentler than his appearance. She felt safe in his presence. His countenance was one of quiet control and thoughtfulness. He certainly did not reveal a lot of emotion. Rashid Sharif was not saying a word. He was contemplating his options and sizing her up at the same time.

  “Well, are you going to stand there staring at me?”

  He smiled, and she realized that he was even better looking than she originally thought. He had a twinkle in his eyes that flashed and sparkled with humor. She felt the urge to laugh with him, but gave herself a mental slap.

  “May I call you Kendall?”

  “Yes, if it will get me out of here. Why are we here? Why am I here?”

  He frowned. “Yes, it is unfortunate that you are here. It was never intended that you be brought here. You are what is called collateral damage. President Shazeb only ever wanted Paul Fields. Your presence is a problem. The only thing you have in your favor is that you are an Orion employee. I suggest that you cooperate and make the best of it, or you could be dealt with in a most unfortunate manner.”

  She had no doubt what he was referring to. Yet somehow, she wasn’t afraid of him.

  “Fine. I can cooperate—even help, if need be. What are you supposed to do with me?”

  “I’m supposed to get to know you to see if you have any information that might solve our problem.”

  “Well, it sounds like your system has technical issues or maybe even a virus, if you believe that state secrets are getting out through your systems. Why would you think it was Orion Premier that caused this?”

  “I’m not technically proficient, so I cannot begin to explain the intricacies of the issue. Let’s just hope that Fields and Saaqib can solve this. Why don’t you and I take a walk down to the president’s stables? He has some of the finest stallions.”

  They exited the oval room and headed downstairs, with Sharif leading the way. As they stepped out into the bright sunlight from a side door, Kendall was blinded for a moment. She stopped to get her bearings, causing Sharif to slow to a stop. He gave her a questioning look. She decided to get the jump on any interrogation and barrage him with a lot of questions. Two can play this game, and I can be charming to boot!

  “I’m going to call you Rashid. How come your English is so perfect? You must have been educated in the West.”

  “Very astute, Kendall. I attended a university in England.”

  “Where did you grow up?”

  He threw his hands out in a wide arc. “Close to here. My father ran President Shazeb’
s farms. He was the manager, and oversaw the operations. My mother worked for the Shazeb family, helping with the children and doing light accounting projects. They were both very smart and loyal people. Soon after the Taliban arrived, my parents were killed when one of Shazeb’s farms was set on fire and completely destroyed.”

  “How horrible for you! Why would the Taliban have destroyed the president’s farm?

  Rashid said with a wry smile, “They didn’t like the crop that was being grown.”

  “What a waste of humanity, not to mention vegetables!”

  “Who said anything about vegetables?”

  It suddenly dawned on her what the “crop” had been. Poppies! Good Lord, President Shazeb was a former drug lord. She felt quite naïve and chided herself for being such a dolt. You really must get out more. Hey, look at this. I already am! She felt better and continued with her questions. “So, the president felt guilty that you lost your parents, and he took you in?”

  “Something like that, only this family does not feel guilty about anything. Most things are justifiable in their eyes.” He gave a long sigh as he decided that full disclosure was in order. “As a matter of fact, I also lost my four brothers and sisters and the poor excuse for a hut we lived in. The president lost his wife and two of his children. Because I got along so well with his surviving sons, Ahmad and Saaqib, he took me in more as a companion for his children. I was a little older than the boys. I would accompany them to school. Otherwise, I would never have gone to school.”