Karl's Last Flight, Part 13

Karl's Last Flight, Part 13
(c)2006, Basil Sands

They made their way through the city streets with little notice.  Anyone who would have seen them would have avoided them, as the only vehicles authorized to have tinted windows belonged to VEVAK.

Leaving the city they made their way north, towards the mountains.

The storm was growing ominous, spreading its dark shadow across the otherwise clear night sky.

About 3 kilometers out of town, the van pulled off the road and traveled another kilometer down a bumpy trail until they reached what looked like ancient ruins of a town.  Kharzai and Manoosh got out of the van and ran inside a partially collapsed building. 

Liam explained, "This is the old city.  It had been inhabited from the early 5th century until about 80 years ago, when a major earthquake destroyed it.  Several hundred died here, and the place got the labeled as cursed.  So rather than rebuild the city here, they moved it and resettled."

As he finished his historical dialogue, the other two men returned, each carrying a small canvas bag filled with what looked like bricks.  Kharzai put the van in gear and took off with a jolt.

At the intersection with the main road, they saw two sets of headlights coming their way.

It was fuel trucks, headed to the airfield.

"Those are the trucks I saw on my way back to you folks at the spice house ." Kharzai said.

Liam frowned, "What took them so long to get here?  It has been nearly two hours since you said you saw them."

"Dunno." Kharzai said, matter of factly, "Probably had to stop and check in with VEVAK as they headed through town.  At any rate," he continued, "this means we still have time to get on base before they fuel up.  It will be another hour before than can gas the planes."

"Do you have a plan for how we are going to get this done?"  Karl asked.

"I'm thinking this is what we should do," Kharzai started off, "First, we drop Liam and Manoosh at Harans farm.  They'll make their way to the planes on the runway and set the explosives.  While they are doing that, we go in through the front gate and cause a distraction." 

"Front gate?" exclaimed Esther, "How will we do that?  This van may be VEVAK, but they will know we are not.  Have you forgotten, I am, rather obviously, a woman.  There are no female VEVAK."

"Liam, gimme one of those ID cards you took in the alley."  Kharzai said.

He took the card out of his pocket and handed it over to Kharzai.

"Take a look at this." He handed the card back to Karl, "No pictures.  The VEVAK guys ID cards have no pictures, on them.  They use biometrics to verify identity, but no pictures so that if the card gets lost or stolen, no one can use it to visibly recognize an active agent."

Karl looked at the card.  It had a number and some Farsi writing on the front that resembled the kind of layout one would see on any ID card.  The rear of the card had a barcode and a mag-stripe like a credit card.

"So won't the guards use a scanner at the gate to verify who we are?" he asked.

"Nope," Kharzai went on, "the only scanners are in VEVAK offices and a few police stations around the country.  It was one of those great ideas that only got partial funding by their government.  So these guys out in this little outpost won't have a means to verify the card."

He grinned the way only he could, and continued,  "The common soldiers are also under the impression that VEVAK agents are infallible supermen, who would never lose their cards. But little did they count on MegaMan Karl here being able to put them down with a sneeze from his nasal super-powers."

"That still doesn't answer how you are going to get me in there," Esther said.  She looked nervously at Karl, obviously not trusting the idea of going into a military base.  Women were not allowed in places such as this, and were typically only brought into one when sentenced to terrible punishment.

"Don't worry there pretty lady, you'll be fine.  I have a plan." Kharzai said and continued driving.

They turned left at a fork in the road several minutes later.  Half a kilometer and they were at a small stone and brick, thatched roof house.  Liam and Manoosh got out, taking both of the explosive laden bags with them.

Kharzai looked back and said, "Karl, put this on Esther's wrist,." He handed him a large white zip-tie strip. "Make it tight, but don't cut off her circulation.  We don't want to actually hurt her."

"What are you doing?" Demanded Esther nervously, "What are you planning? Tell me! Tell me what is going on!"

"We are going to pretend you are our prisoner." Kharzai said, "We have to tie you now so that you will look like you have been tied for a while by the time we get there.  This way, we can get in.  Karl will pose as an associate of Gilles, and I as a VEVAK agent."

She reluctantly accepted the plan,  obviously uncomfortable with being tied up.  Karl took her hands behind her back, and gently pulled the zip-tie together, making sure not to pull it to tight.

Even though he knew it was all part of a ruse to get them on the base, Karl felt that he was betraying her as she fearfully looked up into his eyes.

"Don't worry." He told her, "Everything will be all right.  It will work out."

Several minutes went by in silence the Kharzai called to Karl.

"Hey! The gate's coming up.  Get up here in the front seat with me, and try to look Gilles-ish."

The base was contained inside a double fence topped with barbed wire.  There was about three meters between fences.  A seven meter high guard tower stood 10 meters away from the entrance.

Kharzai slowed the van as a soldier stepped out of the small guard house that stood in between the two fence sections.  Three other soldiers were just inside the second section of wire.  When Karl glanced up, he noticed at least two soldiers manning a large machine gun on the tower.

Rolling down the window, Kharzai leaned out and said something in Farsi, motioning to Karl.   The soldier nodded towards Karl, who stared back at him expressionless. 

The Iranian soldier then continued in Farsi motioning to the back of the van.  Kharzai smiled an evil looking smile and responded in words that made  Esther's eyes grow wide.  She sat still staring open mouthed at Kharzai.

The guard sent them through the gate, pointing to a building at the edge of the runway, not far from where ten fighter jets were sitting.  Karl counted eight MiG 27's and two MiG 31's being fueled by the two trucks that had passed them on the way in.

They drove up to the building, parked at the front and got out.  Both had their MP5 Carbines strapped loosely over their shoulders.

The wind from the storm front was starting to pick up.

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