The Martyrs

Chapter 2

Angel Of Light

1994

"Hasam, you've lived in America, you know what it's like." Hasam's cousin Ali passed him a skewer of roasted lamb. "It's the wickedest place on Earth! Homosexuals, child molesters, perverts of every kind. They form organizations and publish magazines! Hollywood and their banking system are completely controlled by Jews!" They spread their lies and perversions throughout the world! They feel they have the right to invade or bomb any nation they want! Truly they are the Great Satan!"

Hasam nodded, "True, but there are also good people in America too." He took a bite of the lamb, it was delicious.

"I'm sure there are, but they are trapped in darkness. Even good Muslims who live in America too long eventually get seduced into heresy. Americans need to be brought into the peace and joy that only Islam can give them. America is the solid rock of the West. If it falls the rest of the world will soon follow. We shall finally achieve the worldwide caliphate."

Hasam thought it over. He had never gotten his engineering degree. He blamed it all on the arrogant sheriff in that small town of Trinity. But to join Al Quada was a very big step. He would have to dedicate his entire life to the Jihad. He would probably die very young and very violently but with the guarantee of Paradise. He might have to kill some innocent people but it was all for the greater good. The image of the sneering sheriff's face rose in his memory.

"Yes, Ali, I will go with you. Count me in."

1996

Caleb was walking home from school, he took the route by the river because he liked looking at the water. Suddenly a beautiful young girl in white was walking next to him. He gave her a bored glance. The appearance of his sister's ghost was nothing unusual to the boy. "What's up Merlyn?"

"I'm gonna have to leave you for a while, I'm gonna have to leave town for a while, it's very difficult for me to do this, it takes a lot of energy."

"Where're ya goin'?

"I have to go to Africa."

"Africa! Why're you going to Africa, Merlyn?"

Merlyn gave him a somewhat sad look. "Because friends forever is a thing that can never be broken." She then faded from his sight.

Narobi Kenya

In his high rise hotel room Hasam peered through his binoculars at the truck. Mohammed had parked it next to the American Embassy and was now wending his way down the sidewalk to where Ali was waiting on his motorbike. This was their first real operation and while they were all willing to martyr themselves for the cause it wasn't necessary this time. As soon as Ali and Mohammed were a safe distance away, he would punch in a certain number in the cell phone he had clutched in his sweaty hand. Another cell phone in the back of the truck would detonate the explosives that they had placed there and with the will of Allah, the American Embassy would be leveled. They couldn't risk a timer with the traffic in Narobi being what it was. He saw many civilians on the sidewalks but if they were good Muslims they would be in Paradise in just a few minutes.

"Hasam, don't do it." A feminine voice spoke in English with a soft American Southern accent.

Hasam jumped. The voice startled him. He was alone in the room with the door locked and barred. Behind him stood a beautiful young girl with dark brown hair, pale skin, and bright red lips. She wore a bright white dress and seemed to have a glow about her. There was something vaguely familiar about her.

"Hasam, if you do this you'll start down a dark path that you can never return from. You'll never be able to undo this terrible thing It's not too late to turn back."

Hasam pulled the Glock out of his shoulder holster. His hand was trembling. He'd never actually killed anyone before but he must fullfill his mission. He had no idea who this woman was. She must be a CIA agent sent to stop him. He fired one shot. There was a small flicker as the bullet passed through the girl's heart and buried itself into the wall hehind her but she didn't even flinch. What trickery was this! A hologram?

"Hasam, they lied to you. You can't reach Heaven by murdering people. All you will achieve is your own damnation. I know you're a good man. Deep down inside you know this."

"Who are you?" he shrieked.

"I'm your friend. I'll be your friend forever."

"If I don't do this they'll kill me!"

"There's worse things than death. You know this."

Hasam began punching numbers into the phone. After all, couldn't Satan disguise himself as an angel of light? "Demoness! You won't trick me! Allah Akbar!"

The blast blew out the window behind him spraying him with shattered glass. He lay facedown on the floor. He could taste blood in his mouth and his ears were ringing. He raised his hand and felt a cut in his forehead. His hand came away covered with blood. From outside he could hear a loud howl as if the entire city was crying out in anguish. He rose to his knees and looked around. There was no sign of the girl. Aside from the small bullet hole in the wall there was no indication she was ever there. Hasam looked out the window. The embassy was still standing. He didn't destroy it. But the streets outside were devestated. There were bodies everywhere.

Hasam stumbled to the door. It was still locked and barred from the inside. The girl couldn't have come in this way. Did he just imagine her? Was she a demon sent to stop him from performing his duty? He trotted down the hall to the elevator. He had done his duty. There must be hundreds dead. Most of them were Kenyans but he hoped some were Americans. As for the Kenyans, they shouldn't have allowed the Americans to have an embassy in their city in the first place.

When he came out the delivery door of the hotel he saw Ali and Mohammed waiting for him in their car. Ali grinned at him. "You could have at least given us a few more minutes! That was a close one! Get in!"

Instead Hasam got on the motorbike they had parked nearby with the keys in it hoping it would be stolen. "I'm going back. I've got to see it."

"Are you crazy!" Mohammed shouted at him, "The place is crawling with soldiers and police! You'll be caught!"

Hasam started the motorbike. "I won't be caught. I'll meet you at the safehouse." Without another word he took off for the embassy.

From blocks away he could see debris and shattered windows. The air was filled with the sounds of sirens, screaming and sobbing. When he got closer he could see bodies, shattered burning automobiles, and collapsed buildings. The smoke and dust in the air choked him. He could see the embassy, it was still standing with only minor damage. He got off the motorbike and stood alone amidst the horror. So much death and still he failed his mission.

Hasam turned to leave when he stopped in his tracks. Sitting against a broken wall was a pretty young black African woman in her late teens or early twenties wearing a red dress with white polka dots. Through some fluke her body looked completely untouched by the explosion except for a coating of dust and the fact that the top of her head was sheared off less than an inch above her eyebrows. Bloody grey brains were leaking out as she stared at Hasam with empty brown eyes glazed with death.

Hasam was struck with nausia and horror, he leaned over and threw up on the street. His stomach kept heaving until it was empty. He couldn't take it anymore. This was all so wrong. He had been looking forward to returning in triumph, perhaps even being personally congratulated by Sheik Osama himself. But this was just cold blooded slaughter. He had to leave now while he still had his sanity. He stumbled back to the motorbike and took off.

He made it back to the safehouse easily enough carefully checking to see if he'd been followed. Ali and Mohammed were sitting in the small living room watching the news on TV. "We didn't destroy the embassy, it's still standing." He blurted out.

"We know," Mohammed answered. "But it doesn't matter that much. We attacked the Americans. This should cause a war for sure!"

Hasam stood against the wall behind them and shut his eyes. He didn't want them to see the tears, the shivering, to think he was weak. When the knock came at the door he jumped. His shaking hand pulled out the Glock.

"Put that away you idiot!" Ali whispered. "It's just the pizza we ordered."

"Pizza? Why did you order pizza?" Hasam asked frustrated. They were supposed to be laying low."

"Because this safehouse doesn't have any food and we're hungry! That's why. Since you weren't here we agreed you'd pay for it." Ali grinned as he and Mohammed slipped into a bedroom. Three middle eastern men together after a bombing like that might attract too much attention.

Hasam waited until they shut the door before he went to the front door and opened it. The pizza delivery girl was a pretty young black woman in a red dress with white polka dots. The top of her head was sheared off and was leaking bloody grey brains. She held the box out to him as the room began to spin and he collapsed.