Karl's last flight, part 9

Karl's last flight, part 9

(c)2006, Basil Sands

            As the sun set Karl and Liam left in the Nissan to pick Gilles up.  They drove the distance out of town and arrived at the hillside.  As they started to pull up Liam noticed something was wrong.

"Extra tire tracks. Get your weapon ready."

They parked at the end of the tire tracks, and got out.  Liam noticed several sets of foot prints and signs of a scuffle.  He took out his flashlight and scanned the ground around the immediate area.

"Look over there," he said to Karl, pointing to a spot at an angle about 5 yards to the right of the SUV. 

There was a dark spot, like spilled oil, on the ground.  Drag marks ran from the spot to the area where the back of the other vehicle would have been, as if someone dragged a body and put it in the back of a truck. 

"Let's get out of here. "  Liam started, then he suddenly dropped to one knee with his weapon ready pointing into the darkness beyond the SUV.  He motioned for Karl to do the same.

"What?"

"Shhh!"

He stayed there motionless, his ears and eyes scanning the desert night like a radar antenna for what seemed to be an eternity to Karl.

A moment later he relaxed, letting down his weapon. 

"You fuzzy Persian freak." He said aloud.

"Well that's not a nice way to talk to the living dead!"  came the reply in a recognizable mid-western American voice.

'Kharzai, you scared the daylights out of us." Said Liam, "My Irish Grandmother had opened her arms to receive me in heaven, and I nearly went to her of a heart attack thanks to you."

"Hey, just doing my job.  You know, 'Once a spook…'  only now it seems more ominous, me being dead and whatnot."  His bright toothy grin was visible in the dark of night.

"Hi Karl, " he continued, "Did I make you mess in your depends when I died last night, pretty convincing huh?  I'd been practicing for weeks."

"So what did you find out?" Liam asked.

"Well, it seems our friend Gilles is in it up to his eyeballs, just as you suspected.  About three hours ago he left in a jeep with a couple VEVAK agents…those guys are creepy…they also took some poor soul out of their jeep, and shot him over there where that blood is, then dragged him back.  I assume that was to make you think they killed Gilles.  Of course they had no idea ," he raised his hands like a old time movie vampire, "that the Ghost of Kharzai, Phantom of the desert wind was watching the whole thing."

Liam tried to look serious, but couldn't help smiling, "Did you hear them say anything?"

"Nope…they kept pretty quiet, and I was too far away to hear the little whispering they did do.  They went south around the town though.  I was able to watch their tail lights for quite a while."  He glanced over at Karl, "not that I make of habit of watching other guys tail lights…I'm not that kinda guy…but you know the desert does get a little lonely…and I…well…are you married Karl?"

"Alright, knock it off Kharzai.  You'll make Karl here think you're off your rocker. Besides, Esther caught his eye."

"Oooh…another one gets smitten.  She has that effect, too bad about the scars, on her flesh and on her heart, if anyone can melt her they will win a great prize.  Speaking of Faisel and his kin, we'd better get going before that nutty Frenchman and his henchmen do something dastardly to them." He stopped and smiled, "Hey that rhymed."

"Is he always like this?" Karl asked.

"Only when he returns from the grave." Replied Liam.

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