A/N There is a lot of detail in this chapter about guns and weapons. I am the first to admit that I don't know anything about the subject. So if what I've chosen for Jane lacks credibility I apologise. It felt weird to me to even go on to the internet to research this information. I kept expecting the Australian Federal Police to come through my door. Anyway you are all my witnesses that the only reason I have looked up weaponry on the internet is for the purposes of this story.. : ) I hope you like this chapter. Cheers TI
"Now ain't it good to know that you've got a friend when people can be so cold..."
When Jane arrives in Asmara she's captivated by the beautiful mix of race and cultures. The African and Arabian presence seems to blend with an exotic elegance. Still she doesn't spend too much time taking it all in, she's not here for a holiday she is here on a mission. Jane sets off down the smaller streets and back lanes as Casey suggested. This is where she'll find the black market operators who can get the weapons he's said she'll most likely need.
Everyone she talks to speak enough English for her to get by. On her fifth attempt Jane finds someone who can sell her weapons. Jane is quick to notice the glint in his eye at the prospect of selling guns to an American woman. Jane smiles inwardly, he doesn't know he's messing with if he thinks he can play Jane Rizzoli. Jane follows him into a dark cellar type room near his back street market. He opens a case of guns and another case of ammunition.
Jane plays dumb as she flicks through the guns. She makes out that she has no idea about them. Whilst she saw the hand gun she wanted immediately she takes ten minutes to pick it out. When she eventually picks out an ASP double action pistol, her seller raises his eyebrows in shock. Jane gives him her best innocent smile and asks how much. Jane takes the gun and all the ammunition he has for it. He rips her off big time, but she knew he would. She'll be armed and ready for when she buys everything else she needs.
Jane walks for about twenty minutes away from where she bought the pistol. She then heads back into another alley. She finds a discreet spot and loads up her hand gun. She slips it into her pants along her back bone. After seven goes this time Jane finds someone who can sell her weapons. With this guy she doesn't have to play dumb. He again takes her into a back street cellar and pulls out his array of weapons. Jane has memorized everything Casey's told her to buy.
The first gun she buys is a Z-M LR-300-SR semi automatic rifle. She takes all his ammunition for the gun. She then selects the Ares Shrike magazine-fed automatic hand-held machine gun, with 100-round Beta-C magazine and all the ammunition he has for that model. She also buys ammunition shoulder straps for each type of ammo. He has eight M61 grenades and nine M67's. Jane takes them all. "How much" she asks.
"Fifty thousand US" is his reply.
"Ten thousand" is Jane's response.
The trader laughs at her and starts to put the weapons back. Jane pulls out her ASP and points it directly at him. "Ten thousand"
The seller stares at the quality hand gun pointing at him; he smiles feebly and agrees to ten thousand US dollars.
When Jane loads her weaponry into her travel pack it's no longer light. Still she throws it over her shoulder and moves on to her next assignment. Jane buys a second-hand four-wheel drive vehicle. She finds a jeep; it's old and nasty but looks road worthy. Jane takes comfort in the fact that it's an American car. She hides her pack under the back seat. She keeps her ASP tucked into her pants and keeps the 300-SR semi, loaded and hidden under the dash on the passenger side but within easy reach. All set; she heads to Segeneyti.
Maura wakes when someone lifts her head to offer her water. She realises she's passed out again and obviously fallen on her side. When Maura takes a sip her lips crack and sting. She's immediately aware that her lips are a sign of her failing health and lack of hydration. She forces herself to sip slowly and to drink everything this person is offering her. Her helper is patient; when Maura can drink no more, again they take what's left of the water and pour it over her neck and shoulder.
The helper starts to move and Maura pleads for whoever it is to stay and to help her. She then hears a crackling sound. Terrified she freezes; she's not sure what's coming next. Her helper speaks for the first time; he's male. He says "eat" and gives Maura a small mouthful of what tastes like a protein bar. Maura realises the sound she heard was him opening the packaging. When he brings another mouthful to Maura she grabs his hands driven by hunger. He gives her only a small mouthful. He does this very patiently until she has managed to eat the entire snack.
When she's done he silently gets up and leaves. Maura begs him not to go; not to leave her. He says nothing and locks the door behind him. The helplessness and despair gets the better of her; she starts to cry. The tears flow silently until Maura once again loses consciousness.
Ian is sitting in the control bunker with Al Hakam and Akil. The guards stand still and silent, the engineers tap away on computer key boards. He has a black eye and fat lip from the blows he took earlier from Akil and his side kick. He's pretty sure he also has a broken rib. Since that time however, Al Hakam's men have not touched him. He has been well fed and housed comfortably. Ian senses that perhaps the balance of power is shifting. He's been hoping like hell that when both the US and Australian governments refuse to negotiate they'll want him to make contact with Constance and Harrison for ransom.
"I think our next communication with yours and the American government will please you Doctor Faulkner." Akil sneers at him.
One of the computer screens comes to life as an engineer feeds an infra-red filmed video on to You Tube. Ian stares speechless as he watches Maura drink the water offered to her. He watches her grab for the food being offered like a starving beggar. He listens to her plead to her captor not to leave her; to help her. He watches and listens to her cry. He knows momentarily the whole world is going to see Maura like this. He's sickened with guilt.
"The woman you cheated and betrayed is alive, Doctor Faulkner; are you not happy?" Akil laughs.
Ian stands "you're a sick bastard; you know that." He steps towards Akil. Akil smiles, he would love nothing more than to drop the poor excuse for a man in front of him. He can't for now; Al Hakam still has plans for him.
A guard steps to Ian and firmly pushes him back into his chair. Al Hakam speaks "she is very weak and I don't believe she will live for much longer Doctor Faulkner. We will wait two more days for Fawzi's release. If your governments do not comply we will follow your recommendation to ransom Doctor Isle's family."
Jane rattles into Segeneyti in the trusty old jeep with no more excitement on her journey then some of the amazing landscape and native African wildlife. She pulls up to a little settlement and asks for directions to the village that was attacked. She takes directions and shortly afterwards finds herself watching looters scrimmage around Ian and Maura's shattered clinic. She fires one shot into the air and the scavengers scatter.
Jane steps into the carnage. There are no human remains but among the destruction there is blood. Jane shudders to think that some of it could be Maura's. She moves around the remains examining them with her cops' eye. After scanning the scene in detail for about twenty minutes something in the rubble catches her eye. She climbs into it and digs a little. Under a piece of wood that looks like a desk top is a white Apple 4s phone. She recognises it immediately as Maura's. She cannot believe her luck.
It won't turn on and there isn't a lot Jane can do with the broken phone here. She knows however, if she gets it back to Frost, he'll be able download anything that Maura's stored on it since she's been in Africa. Jane continues to scan the scene for another half an hour but doesn't find anything that might help her. She sets off to try to find Maura and Ian's house.
Jane sees a woman not too far away walking and pulling a donkey. Jane ambles over to her. The woman is hesitant when Jane approaches. Jane smiles and gently raises her hands. The woman stops. "I'm a friend of Doctor Faulkner and Doctor Isles" Jane explains.
"So very sorry" the woman responds in a loping African accent.
Jane smiles sadly realising that this woman thinks they're dead. "Thank you, can you point me to their home please. I've been to the clinic now I am trying to find their home?"
"Come" the woman says and tugging her donkey walks Jane to Maura's little mud brick house. To Jane's amazement it doesn't seem to have been looted. Jane thanks the woman who smiles at her and continues on her journey. Jane approaches the front door and notices it has a solid and modern lock on it. It surprises her, it looks like it would be easy to break the door in; the lock seems pointless. Jane lifts her leg and kicks the door hard but it doesn't budge.
Jane's pleased. She realises for what looks like a feeble looking house, Ian has reinforced it to give he and Maura some protection. She moves around the premises looking for another way in. After searching for a while and getting frustrated she reminds herself that Maura's intruder had gotten in; there must be away and she pushes herself to think. It's then she notices what looks like blood on one of the back window frames.
Jane takes a closer look and notices the frame's been dug out and the window can be forced open. So that's how he got in she thinks. Within ten minutes Jane's inside Maura and Ian's African home. It appears she's entered through the bathroom come wash room. It lacks the creature comforts she's sure Maura would prefer but it's meticulously clean and well maintained. She knows that's Maura's touch.
She wanders further through the house. She finds the main room, come kitchen dining area, very homely and very Maura. Whilst far from the grace and style of Maura's house in Boston, it has local artwork and nick knacks that give the room a beautiful character. She opens the cooler door and almost sobs. It's stacked as if Maura knew Jane was coming. There is a small variety of cheeses. There is local fruit. There's bottled water and there's beer. Jane wipes a tear with the back of her hand. She smiles; this cooler is so typical Maura, always ready if someone were to drop in.
The only other room in the house is their bedroom. She feels as if she's intruding into their private space when she walks in. It's not like the familiarity they have with each others bedrooms back home. This is Maura's married bedroom. Jane realises she's being dumb she'd have been as welcome in this room as any room in any of Maura's places; anywhere. It's then she notices the photos on Maura's dresser and bedside table.
On one bedside table is a beautiful photo of Maura and Ian from their wedding day. Jane picks it up; she has to admit they make a beautiful couple. On the other is a picture of Maura, Constance, Ian and Harrison again from their wedding day, Jane smiles. On the dresser the first frame that catches her attention is one with two pictures of her and Maura. One is of them in their running gear as they finished the Boston Marathon. Jane laughs; she can't believe she let Maura get her into that awful running gear. The other is of them on Maura's wedding day. Jane opens the frame and pulls out both photos. She puts them inside her shirt. Jane smiles when she picks up the last photo. It's the entire Rizzoli clan, minus her father with Ian and Maura on her wedding day.
Jane scans the whole house from top to bottom a second time blocking out her emotions and using her cop eye. She doesn't find anything that gives her any sign of what might have gone on to get Ian and Maura in trouble this way. When she's completely satisfied there is nothing more for her here she grabs a couple of bottles of water out of the cooler. She climbs back out the bathroom window and goes to her car. Jane decides she needs to head back to Asmara to call the contact Riley gave her. She pulls the photos out of her shirt and looks at them and then looks back at Maura's African home.
Filled with emotion Jane looks from the photos to the house and back to the photos. "Dead or alive my friend I'm going to find you and bring you home" Jane states firmly. She again wipes away tears with the back of her hand. She jumps into the jeep and drives away.