Chapter 53

RPOV

What Steph had found out had me thinking, wondering if Parker had followed Fereshteh Kayeum to Afghanistan. They would have finished university 14 years ago, after 9/11 had happened, when our troops were already over there. I racked my brain trying to remember when Steph had said Fernandez was there.

"What are you thinking?"

"When did you say Fernandez was in Afghanistan?"

"2007 to 2008. Why?"

"Maybe that's where he and Parker met"

"But I thought Ferdinand was captured?"

"Probably, but he escaped somehow"

There was a story yet to be told about what had happened over there but finding out what it was wasn't going to be easy. Ferdinand was dead and Parker had disappeared without a trace. Maybe he had a way to move back and forth between the states and the middle east, something to follow up on. Now though I was trying to decide if Steph should attend this meeting with Wilt.

"Hey, are you going to let me get up?"

My attention was drawn back to Steph who looked amused that my mind had been miles away and not focusing on her. I stepped back from the bed and held out my hand to her, assessing how she looked and moved. I had to admit that she did look a lot better.

"Grab a shower while I get us breakfast"

Was what I suggested, knowing that being with her for any longer would push my resistance to not touching her lower. I prepared us some scrambled eggs, added the fresh ingredients that Ella had prepared and left in the fridge and was just about to call Steph through when she appeared from the bedroom. I stood still with the pan in my hand and just looked at her. From her hair that was tied up on top of her head down the fitted blouse and past the skirt that seemed to cling to her hips and thighs. My eyes went back up from her bare feet, taking in her long legs and back to her face, which by now was blushing.

"You look beautiful Babe"

I watched as she looked down at the floor before looking back up at me.

"Well you didn't say that I couldn't attend that meeting this morning so I thought that maybe I should dress up a bit"

"Breakfast first"

Because I wasn't sure that I could deny her the opportunity of being there. I was pleased when she finished everything on her plate and even managed some toast as well. It seemed that her appetite was certainly improving.

I knew that Bobby was going to be here soon, knowing that Steph had probably forgotten and saw the surprised look on her face as he knocked and came into the apartment.

"Shit I forgot"

Was what she inadvertently said out loud. Making both Bobby and me smile as we watched her walk over to the couch. Five minutes later she was buttoning up her shirt with a smile on her face.

"Just no exertion Steph"

Was what I heard from Bobby and then was surprised at what she asked him next.

"When can I start back with training?"

"Two more weeks, as long as you maintain the rate of healing"

"Could I do other things?"

"Like what Steph?"

I could hear that Bobby was becoming a little impatient with her and was waiting to hear what she said.

"I thought maybe learning how to get out of handcuffs or even picking locks would be a good thing to know"

I had to agree with what she was suggesting so when Bobby looked at me, I nodded my head. I knew just the man who would teach her, and maybe some other things as well.

At precisely 1100hrs I was sat with Steph in my office. I'd had Louis bring in some more low upholstered chairs so that we could sit around the low coffee table. Santos, Tank and Bobby were there and at that moment my door opened, and Wilt walked in, escorted by Cal, who would remain there until Wilt was ready to leave. I stood up to shake his hand and started to introduce my team to him.

"Wilt, I think you already know Santos, Tank and Bobby. This is Stephanie who you saw at the airport. We're being informal for this meeting because I need for Steph to have a comfortable seat"

I watched as Wilt nodded to the men and then walked over to where Steph was sat on the couch disappointed if he expected her to get up just to shake his hand.

"No, don't get up. I have to say you look incredibly well from when I last saw you"

"Thank you, I feel a lot better"

Steph replied smiling back up at him and damnit if he didn't smile back at her. I waited until we were all seated and then looked at Wilt. At the moment he was the only one who had any new information.

"I suppose you'll want to know where we're up to. Isaac Newland who was killed at the airport turned out to be working with that group as I know you're aware of. We found some emails and messages on his phone between him and a man called Andrews and a woman named Munroe. We had no idea that he'd betray us. It looks as though he got involved just after he started to investigate complaints that the Devils Delight club were scamming some of their customers. Munroe is talking, I don't think she really fully realized that she could be charged with terrorism and the penalty is very harsh. She told us that she was supposed to meet up with Beth Routledge on her flight to Dubai. Routledge was going on the flight as cabin crew with the diamonds"

"Have the diamonds been returned to Mr Edelson?"

"Yes. He's very grateful to all concerned for that"

"His son?"

"Dead. Murdered. There's no evidence to move forward on at this moment in time. The explosion that caused the blackout was triggered from a phone, we think by Isaac when he was with Miss Plum, and as you know that resulted in a partial blackout over New York. The explosives, well forensics have identified the detonator and the type of materials used. We're still chasing any leads for where they might have come from but none of the usual sources are looking good"

"Brought in then from out of state?"

"Probably, which makes it harder to identify where they came from. Munroe denied knowing anything about that. She said that all she knew was that there was a planned explosion to cause chaos at the airport"

"Barnes?"

"Total idiot. He tried to blackmail Andrews and said that he had proof of their plans. He decided to hide down in Florida, I think in case someone came for him. He got a lump sum and shares in the ownership of that club. His proof was sketchy, based mainly on what he'd learnt a few years ago"

"Randall?"

"He knows nothing and thought that he was getting his hands on the cash from scamming clients. That leaves us with this mystery man Parker"

"You know that we suspect that there's one more person involved, don't you?"

"I know, but I can't touch him. There's no evidence and I don't want to scare him before we're sure of ourselves and ready to arrest him. Every piece of evidence and every statement that we've found has come through me, I'm the only person who has the full picture"

"To protect that information?"

"Yes and to stop rumors starting. Yeah, maybe because Isaac turning came as a shock and I'm not feeling too trusting at the moment"

"What now?"

"Your man Fin reported the minimum to his handler. As far as Fin is concerned, he's completed his job, and found that woman who is dead now"

I found it interesting that Wilt referred to Fin as my man, not really sure what Fin had said to the man. Or was that it, he had only told Wilt the basics and Wilt had jumped to the wrong conclusion? I looked to the three other men sat with us expecting them to ask something or say something and was surprised when they had nothing to say.

I looked to Steph who was sat looking at Wilt with a frown on her face which had me only guessing at what she was thinking. I only hoped that she didn't mention what she'd learnt about Fernando and Parker because I wanted to do some more work on that.

"Other than what we've mentioned is there anything else we should know about?"

"Ranger, I know you and how you work. This one is yours just as you asked. All I ask is that you keep me updated and if you need additional help with anything then just ask"

I have to say that I hadn't mentioned my brief discussion that I'd had with Wilt while Steph was in the hospital. At the time he said he wanted to assess what came up from the witnesses and evidence that they were collecting so hadn't made a response on his decision. I knew that Tank, Santos and Bobby would understand what he'd just said but was very surprised when Steph said absolutely nothing.

"Well that was short and sweet"

Came from Santos as soon as Wilt had left the room. I looked around at the men who were still sat down and then across to Steph. It was obvious that she wasn't too sure what had just happened, other than knowing the outcome of the FBI investigation so far.

"What did he mean when he said that this was all yours?"

I suddenly had four pairs of eyes on me and resigned myself to having to explain what Steph had asked. Tank, Santos and Bobby knew damned well what it meant but it seemed that they weren't going to help me out with this.

"We sometimes pick up work through some of the agencies. I think Wilt is feeling compromised with what happened with Isaac and there will be some sort of internal investigation. Him and his department will be under scrutiny and that would impede the investigation"

"So you're saying that he's, what, contracted this job over to Rangeman?"

"Yes. Besides we have a better handle on what's been going on"

"That wasn't on your schematic for reorganization"

It wasn't because it didn't happen that often, other than apprehensions that we were sometimes given.

"That comes under the heading of progressing into new avenues Beautiful, something that I think we're ready to do"

I tried to catch Santos's attention, to try to stop him from continuing to talk but either he was choosing to ignore me or was so keen to express his enthusiasm it didn't work.

"We have the best researcher in the company, and it will give us the challenges we need to stop us from getting complacent"

I watched as Steph frowned at Santos, hell he'd made her believe that the four of us would be taking on work beyond the original focus of Rangeman, which to a degree was probably right.

"Little Girl. You're our best researcher, you have an intuition that leads outside the box. You're part of that team, that's if you want to be"

I could have hugged Tank for saying what was essentially true but could still see that Steph was confused with what was being said. I knelt down in front of her, ignoring the other three, in order to calm what seemed to be worries.

"Babe, the reorganization would allow the five of us to extend the business into other places. This is the type of work that I had in mind, similar to what Larri and Leo do down in Washington"

"Me?"

"Yes you. I want you with me in every aspect of my life. Can you cope with that? Because you're the only one I'll do it for"

"I want to be that woman for you"

"You already are Babe"

I stood back up to find the three others talking discreetly on the other side of the room so sitting down decided we might as well look at how we proceeded with this.

"Take a seat. Steph came across what could be the link we were looking between Calhoun and Parker, but we'll have to get creative in how we move that forward"

Once we were all sat back down, I felt that Steph needed to tell the others what she'd found out. Afterall if this new venture were to work then this would be an integral part of what she would do.

"Babe, tell the others what you know"

I saw her look at me, as though she thought it would be better coming from me but when I refrained from saying anything she slowly began.

"Ferdinand, one of the original men who was charged, grew up with Calhoun. He was in the army and on his second deployment went MIA. It was a year later that he resurfaced but he wasn't in a good place. Calhoun supported him to get help and retrain though he never successfully reintegrated back into a civilian life. I looked back at Parker's past life and found out that he was very close to a woman called Fereshteh Kayeum. It wasn't long after he left university that he disappeared"

"Fereshteh Kayeum, that sounds like a Persian name"

"So you think he went over to Afghanistan with her?"

This was when I needed to take up the rest of the story because this was when it was going to get complicated.

"Yes. Something happened while he was there and maybe it's a coincidence, but him and Ferdinand could very well have met there"

"So we need to get into Ferdinand's military records?"

I looked over to Santos and decided that he'd just volunteered himself for the job.

"Yes. Any ideas on that Santos?"

"If his death is registered then that should make it easier. I know someone who might be able to help on that"

"You do that then. Fereshteh Kayeum. How do we find out where she is?"

"I think that she's dead"

My head turned to Steph as she said that wondering what she was basing that statement on.

"It's just that, well when Parker was with her, he seemed happy. He's changed, he's cold and hard as though he's lost any feelings, other than hate"

"Being a woman in Afghanistan was never easy. If she went back there as an educated woman who'd experienced life here then it wouldn't have been easy for her"

"Why would she go back Bobby?"

"I don't know Steph"

"I'll try and find out about her"

"You sure Babe, because there won't be electronic information?"

"Yeah. I have a few ideas"

I think all of us were pleased at how Steph had volunteered to do that, it seemed as though we did actually have a team that was compatible yet covered a range of skills and ideas.

"Okay. Parker. How the hell did he disappear and where did he go?"

"Maybe back to Afghanistan?"

"How easy it is to get from Dubai to Afghanistan?"

"What are you thinking Beautiful?"

"Sophia and Beth were planning on going there with the diamonds so why wouldn't Parker be with them?"

It was such a simple assumption but one that I hadn't considered.

"I'll follow up on that, it should be simple enough to eliminate names"

"Remember to look at the crew as well"

Tank said as I started to think through what else we needed to do, though it did have me knowing what Tank could do.

"Get in touch with Fin, Tank. I think we need more information on that man Jari, who hired him and why. Then find out what Fin is up to"

"I'll look into Ferdinand's medical history"

I nodded at Bobby and made to stand up but stopped as Steph touched my arm, turning to her I wasn't sure what she was going to say.

"Can I work here?"

I nodded my head before standing, noticing that the others had left the room. Having Steph here with me didn't make me feel guilty that I would be focused on working away from her.

I'd called Wilt for access to the manifest for the flight that Sophia had been booked out on so was now going through every male that was scheduled to be on board. I was sure that there was an easier way to do this but for the moment had no idea how. It was tedious and boring and having gone through 60% of the names I was almost seeing double from reading from a computer screen. As I looked over to where Steph was working, I could see that she was fully absorbed in what she was doing and couldn't help but wonder what leads she had managed to find.

Going back to my searches I was surprised when the door to my office opened and closed, expecting that someone had come in. Looking up though I realized that Steph was no longer sat on the couch and assumed that maybe she had stepped out to go up to seven, maybe for a bathroom break. I was sure that had she intended to stay up there then she would have let me know. My curiosity got the better of me when she didn't return quickly, and I went and sat where she'd been sat on the couch and picked up the sheets of paper that she'd been working on.

Steph had started by accessing information on students who attended the university in Boston and then focused on Fereshteh Kayeum. It was interesting to learn that Fereshteh had come under the watchful eye of an organization, Woman for Afghan Women. WAW co-founders quickly learned that Afghan women living in New York were facing similar abuses and isolation as their sisters at home. In order to respond to this crisis, the Center provided a multitude of empowerment programs and human services. Fereshteh was seen as a bright young woman so the organization had sponsored her studies in political science.

Fereshteh was an active member within the organization and it seemed that Steph had done what she did best, she'd called the organization on the pretense of being a journalist wanting to highlight the accomplishments of Afghan women and in particular Fereshteh Kayeum.

Trying to read through the notes that Steph had written obviously followed the same illogical way that her mind worked. Between the random doodles and the addition of hearts above letters I think my understanding was that Fereshteh had decided that when she finished her studies that she was determined to travel back to Afghanistan to work in supporting women there.

That had me bringing to my mind a brief overview of what was happening in Afghanistan at the time. I knew it well having been there more times than I wanted to remember. The initial phase after 9/11 was to topple the Taliban, that only lasted two months before the strategy had seen the defeat of the Taliban militarily and rebuilding core institutions of the Afghan state.

The third phase, a turn to classic counterinsurgency doctrine, began in 2008 and was accelerated with the U.S. President's decision to temporarily increase the U.S. troop presence in Afghanistan. The larger force was used to implement a strategy of protecting the population from Taliban attacks and supporting efforts to reintegrate insurgents into Afghan society. The strategy came coupled with a timetable for the withdrawal of the foreign forces from Afghanistan; beginning in 2011, security responsibilities would be gradually handed over to the Afghan military and police.

The new approach largely failed to achieve its aims. Insurgent attacks and civilian casualties remained stubbornly high, while many of the Afghan military and police units taking over security duties appeared to be ill-prepared to hold off the Taliban.

I could understand why Fereshteh would want to go there, to give back to the women of her heritage. The treatment of women in that country was unbelievable and I knew that they had concerns that the peace talks would erode any gains that had been made especially as the insurgency intensified. Fereshteh had returned at a difficult time for women. There were real fears about a return to Taliban-style Sharia law and a loss of their constitutional rights, mobility, and access to work and education should insurgent leaders gain domestic political influence. They also worried about a return to civil war as foreign troops withdrew.

I'd seen attacks on schools, arson, murder and disfiguring of young girls and teachers and 2005/6 had been a deadly year for us and allied forces. A time when work for special ops was intense and when Ferdinand had been captured.

I went back to Steph's notes and there circled several times was a date. On May 4th, 2006, three women were found murdered in Baghlan province with notes attached to the bodies warning women not to work for nongovernmental organizations or Western aid agencies. It seemed that Fereshteh had been one of those women.

"Sad isn't it, that she had to die like that. She had so much to give and it was taken away from her"

I looked up to see Steph stood by the door and was feeling embarrassed that I'd read her notes without asking her.

"I didn't mean to . . ."

"It's okay, I was going to find you next because the group in New York just called. They needed to call one of the women who used to work with them for the last piece of information"

Okay, I was waiting and impatient for her to fill me in because from what I could see from her face it was important.

"The woman had been for a short stay to visit family and met up with Fereshteh and her husband, who was introduced to her as Ethan Parker"

I was always amazed that my Babe could ferret out information through diverse sources, but it was how she could pull that one thread that I would never have thought about. I placed the papers that I'd been reading on the table and walked up to her, never taking my eyes off her. I felt like a predatory animal intent on catching my prey and from the way her eyes lit up and a smile came to her face I knew that was exactly how she saw me.