Title: Don't Drink The Water, Chapter six
Archive: Not without Permission of the Author
Disclaimer: "Over There" and all its characters belong to FX Networks and other entities that may have been involved with its production. No infringement of copyright is intended. This story was written for personal enjoyment and to share with other "Over There" fans.
Summary: Suspicions confirm that there's a traitor in their midst; Scream and His Squad fight to save a friends life.
Warning: This story is rated NC-17 for coarse language and sexual situations. Be warned that this story does include depictions of war; and while not over graphic, they may cause some readers discomfort. Please read at your own risk.
There is no Iraqi saying that could come close enough to the American expression "being on cloud nine', but that was exactly how Sulayman Abu Mazul al-Fallujah felt this evening as he sat on several high, soft, velvet cushions on the floor of his brothers home, surrounded by those he had come to think of as his new friends; Rahman, the KAOS leader; Rustam, Ibrahim, his brother Harun, of course and a young man with dark hair and even darker eyes, named Fazul.
He reached over with his right hand, to take the warm plate of Kubbeh; minced meat, pine nuts, raisins and spices and placed one on top the rice already on his dish, before passing it on, then accepted a plate of bread as well. There was some general discussion about the weather, livestock, information about the well-being of family and friends, until the woman rose and left the room, leaving the men alone to discuss more urgent things.
"So, Sulayman," Rahman began. "Tell us what is our progress? We are most excited to hear from Harun, that you are doing well." He nodded towards Harun and smiled.
"Ah! I have good news!" Sulayman reported. "The papers regarding the upcoming election procedures are already obtained, but I was unable to remove them today. I have also already made contact with our 'helper' Several times in fact. He will be a sacrifice to Allah."
"Allah Akbar!" the Ibrahim men called out, nodding.
"So," Rahman continued, not caring one whit about the person they would be destroying or all that much about Allah. "What is your move? We will need to get this election information within the next few days so that we might prepare. Can you do this?"
"Of course! Sulayman said, brushing off the question as though his possible failure was indeed laughable. "Tomorrow night. The Captain is gone and only that fool of a Loootenant is in charge."
"This Loootenant, you are sure you will be able to get what you need from him?"
" Lieutenant Hunter!" Fazul laughed. "The man is a fool! It will be no trouble at all."
Sulayman looked sharply at Fazul.
"Fazul will be going with you tomorrow. It has already been arranged. You will give him the papers and he will smuggle them out of the camp."
"It is unnecessary-"
"It is better this way Sulayman. You must trust us. Surely by now you do?"
"Sulayman," began Rustam wearing the same pair of khaki utility paints and
dishdashah. "It is safer this way. Should one of you be captured …Well, of course we all know that the most important thing is to obtain the information, even if it means we lose a man. But that man will live forever in Paradise and he will be rewarded by Allah. Is that not worth the price of our lives?"
"Yes, yes, of course you are right, you are right, Rustam! "
"Good. Our plan will proceed."
Camp Freedom
01800
Silas stood at ease in front of Captain Baron's desk watching as his commanding officer read a document that was several pages long, and recognizing the document as the report made by Lieutenant Hunter regarding Tariq.
Baron had gotten thru three pages, then tossed the entire thing onto his desk, and began rubbing his eyes. He raised his hands to the back of his neck and began to massage the area. "Sergeant? Anything you wish to add to this report."
"Sir, I realize that Private Nisseri's behavior was inappropriate-"
"Inappropriate, Sergeant!" Hunter exclaimed, leaping from his chair to the left of Silas. "Inappropriate? It was blatant insubordination and I want this man-"
"Enough, please, lieutenant." Baron said eyeing Hunter angrily. I believe I asked Sergeant Silas for his input, not yours. I've already heard yours, five pages worth, in fact." He stared a Hunter for another moment and then turned back to Silas.
"Please continue."
"Yes, sir. I was going to say that as inappropriate and out of line Private Nisseri's behavior was, that there was a direct motivation for it, which has not been discussed, or mentioned in Lieutenant Hunter's report."
"And that would be….?"
"Private Nisseri has on several occasions made it known that he does not appreciate certain comments made about the Iraqi people, customs, and traits. On many occasions I have witnessed those types of comments being made and then similar comments inferring that Private Nisseri and his family share those traits."
"The men are making these comments, Sergeant?"
"No,sir. Lieutenant Hunter has."
Baron's Head swiveled toward Hunter, whose mouth was gaping wide open. "That's not true! When have I-?"
Baron silenced him with a motion of his hand. "Exactly what has been said?"
"The earlier before this happened, Lieutenant Hunter had made a disparaging comment about the name of an individual we were assigned to assist in eviction proceedings. When Private Nisseri attempted to explain the correct pronunciation, as well as the origin and meaning this man's name, in an effort I'm sure, to inform and educate the Lieutenant and the other men in his squad, the Lieutenant responded with a disparaging comment about Iraqi's, and stated the privates family and the rest of them were "all related anyway."
"That's not what I meant, Sergeant, and he knew it!"
"Lieutenant, did you not just recently ask Private Nisseri if anyone in his family was named Osama? Or if Mr. Nisseri, Private Nisseri's father drove a Buick or a Camel? Had those comments been made towards me sir, I would have been very offended and embarrassed by those comments as I am sure Private Nisseri was!"
"So you're saying that you feel Private Nisseri was provoked?" Baron asked sharply.
"I think that those comments in the past confounded the earlier comment and then the comment Lieutenant Hunter used in referring to the Iraqi woman-"
Baron, who had been staring at Hunter, quickly turned his head back to Silas. "Excuse me for interrupting Sergeant, but what comment?"
Silas looked over at Hunter, whose eyes were red with anger, knowing that complete honesty would cause an even further breakdown between this man and his squad, but he felt he could not hold back. It would be wrong to allow the Lieutenant to smear Tariq's excellent record. Taking a deep breath he replied, "He referred to the woman as a Bee-Keeper."
Baron shook his head as though confused. "A Bee Keeper?"
'Yes, sir. She was wearing a bourka."
"And that's when Private Nisseri verbally responded and made a comment to Lieutenant Hunter?"
"In Iraqi," Hunter sneered at Silas. "He was standing by his convictions Sergeant, but he didn't have the guts to say it in English, right?"
"Lieutenant? Private Nisseri speaks Arabic. That's what Iraqi's speak." The younger man responded. There was a wry grin on his face and a look that clearly conferred the message 'you're a pathetic asshole.'
"That's enough, thank you!" Captain Baron said raising his voice slightly. "I have enough bullshit to deal with without this bullshit. Sergeant, Private Nisseri will make up for his mistake by forfeiting some of his down time and doing extra duty that I will decide upon. He will also apologize profusely to Lieutenant Hunter…"
Hunter looked at Silas and gloated.
"-but I will not place him on report."
The look of happiness immediately deflated on Hunter's face.
"That's all. You're dismissed."
Silas nodded." Thank You, sir." He turned and nodded towards Hunter then proceeded to walk to the entrance. His unit leader was only a step behind him when-
"Not so fast Lieutenant Hunter. I'd like to speak with you. Now! "
Camp Freedom
O300 Into the Following Day
"Hey, I'm glad you didn't get into any trouble over that crap with Hunter," Dim was saying. He and Tariq were sitting on top of sandbags piled three high behind an even higher wall of sandbags, on patrol just inside the perimeter of the camp. Up about 500 meters two additional men were stationed behind there own sandbag bunker, all of them wearing their protective gear and NVG's.
"Yeah thanks" Tariq was saying. "I don't mind the extra duty and giving up the free time so much as I hated having to apologize to Hunter, but it was worth it though, if it kept me from getting put on report or having a mark on my record."
"Sarge came through, huh?"
"Yeah, I guess. He's still pissed off at me though. He's been screaming at me."
"How the heck can you tell? He screams at everyone." Dim asked. They both laughed for a moment.
"So how's Vanessa and Eddie? You haven't said much about them lately."
"Eddie's good." A look of pride fell over Dim's face." He keeps talking about all the things he wants to do when I get back home. He loves school. He's become a pretty good artist. He's sending a new picture."
"And….. Vanessa?" Tariq asked.
Dim looked down at the ground and shook his head." I guess she's okay. She's doing A.A, doing the steps, seems to be doing okay. I don't ask her much. "
Tariq kept his gaze ahead, giving the other man time to collect his thoughts.
"I know it sucks. I know I'm a shit for not caring, but-"
"Well you're hurt, man. You're prides injured. I can understand that."
"But what? Pride goeth before a fall?"
"Exactly. You love her, you try to make peace. Try to forgive and forget."
"You think that's easy?" Dim asked, standing up, his voice hard.
"No. No, I don't. Hell, it's not easy when you love someone. I've been there already." Tariq replied, straightening his legs in front of him, leaning down to massage a calf. He looked up to see Dim looking down at him strangely. Taking a deep breath, he said "Okay, I'll tell you something I haven't told anyone here. But it's personal, so keep it to your self."
Dim nodded and sat back down, scanning the open area ahead of them.
"About 6 months before September eleventh I got engaged, to a girl I - Well, I really loved her, a lot. Wanted to spend my life with her, you know, the whole deal, kids, etc. She was ahead of me in school; in fact she'll be graduating soon. She's a Journalism major. Anyway, we got engaged. The religion and ethnic background was never a problem-"
"She wasn't Iraqi?" Dim interrupted surprise evident in his voice.
"No." He laughed. "She was freaking Irish! Red hair and freckles. And my parents loved her. Her mom was okay, as long as I agreed she could raise our kids catholic."
"Ah. Catholic."
"Yeah. Anyway September eleventh happens. You know what happened to my family, my Dad getting beat up and my mom……"his voice trailed off.
Dim nodded. He'd recalled the shock he'd felt when he'd heard how Tariq's family had been treated, been unfairly judged by the actions of others.
"Well, Cathy couldn't handle it. She had a few friends who kept badgering her about us-some friends, huh? Then her mother got on her about what she'd go thru if she married me, how people would react, especially after my dad got messed up. Cathy wanted us to slow down all of a sudden, wait another year."
He laughed. "I said why? So you can test the political climate and see if marrying a man of Iraqi parentage would be more acceptable then? You know, you either love me or not, I told her, but she kept saying I do, but lets wait, things might change. And that's when I stopped and looked at her and said what's gonna change? If you think you're love for me is going to change then lets not get married at all."
"You know my mother said to be more understanding, but my pride was hurt. My pride as a man. So I let her go. Told her it was off."
He looked down. "She came around a few weeks later, apologizing, trying to explain how she felt, that she was just scared, that….she loved me, he whispered. But I said no. All because of pride."
He laughed again. "Pride is a fucking crazy thing, man. I come here because of my pride, proud to be an American, and look at the shit I gotta take, even here." He shook his head.
Dim reached over, grabbing his friends shoulder and giving it a squeeze. He was just about to speak when there was the sound of several shots fired from behind them.