10 Chapter 1.9

Chapter 10

Alain had spent all afternoon curled up on his observation post behind the crags to forge a clear idea of the movements inside the village and once that was accomplished he crawled back to the location of his friends at the top of the hill. There he stood up, confident he was outside the visual range of the guards in the valley and walked and moved vigorously to loosen up his muscles; he then soaked his head with water because although he had remained in the shadow of the rocks the heat was unbearable in that place.

“Have you seen something new?” Asked Djamba.

“All the movements I have seen confirm my assumption about the location of Farrah and Ahmed´s tents in the field.”

“Have you seen her?” Inquired Faisal.

“No, but it is unlikely that with so many native warriors and Bedouins Sheiks around Ahmed had exposed the woman he wants to sunlight. She must be locked in her tent.”

“Inhuman. I feel pity for her.” Added the young Arab.

“We´ll seek to compensate her for all her sufferings once we get to set her free.” Answered distractedly Alain. His two companions ironically raised their eyebrows at the comment thinking how he was planning to make up for her suffering.

The shadows had fallen over the valley. The waning moon already in its course toward the new moon offered only a faint illumination yet allowed the three men to descend the predetermined path without tripping over rocks or rolling on the ground. The silence in the valley was total and there was not even the slightest breeze. The raiders walked stooping to minimize the chances of being seen and had carried only their daggers with them. The rest of the gear including firearms had been moved to a point on the route of withdrawal and easy to discern even in the shadows.

Going down the valley between the gentle undulations of the west entrance they first perceived the scent of burnt wood. Alain had already located during the day the only checkpoint located on that path, occupied by two natives armed with muskets and spears. The men were around a small fire that cast some light and warmth in the cold night of the African savannah, while keeping away the nocturnal beasts. Alain found that there was a pathway approach to which none of the men of the guard was watching. From that direction Djamba and Faisal approached the slumbering guards. With rapid movements jumped on their victims and cut their throats in absolute silence.

Always lurking the three men approached the perimetral huts inside the boma. After passing through the first row of kibandas they slid towards the second sentry post to be neutralized in order to arrive undetected at the center circle where the tents where Ahmed presumably held Farrah captive stood. The two Kamba sentries also fell to the ground with their jugulars severed. A dog barked in the distance; the raiders waited tight until it shut up before proceeding. Once they deemed it advisable the raiders marched with absolute stealth describing a wide semicircle to approach the tent marked as target from an angle that would ensure them not be seen by the Bedouin sentinel guarding its entrance. The plan conceived by Alain was thorough and it was necessary to carry it out accurately and in complete silence, without need of verbal orders or instructions. Garnier walked along the tent with a heavy heart thinking that his beloved was the other side of the thin fabric. At one point he jumped into the back of the Bedouin, who was standing in front of the tent door and grabbed him by the arms immobilizing the man while introducing a rag in his mouth to prevent him from screaming. Djamba emerged from the opposite side of the tent and pierced the heart of the sentinel with his dagger. Alain held the lifeless body and let it fall silently to the ground. The Frenchman slid the tent cloth door and entered into it. One of the risks of the entire rescue action was that Farrah awoke alarmed and uttered a cry, so that upon entering Garnier pronounced the only words spoken until then.

“Farrah, I am Alain. Keep silence, we have come to get you out of here.”

In the dark interior of the tent the man could perceive a shadow that was lying on the floor and then stood up. As he walked towards her Alain took the hand of the woman and realized that she was shaking. Without thinking it twice Alain took her in his arms and pulled her close to his body.

“ Is it really you?” Whispered the Farrah. “ I thought I would never see you again.”

“Let´s stay silent. We've come to take you home.”

Alain led the young woman along a pre-established route back to the perimeter of the village marked by the boma or palisade There he heard a whistle and saw Djamba and Faisal approaching them covered by the shadows. Together they left the valley and got to the site where they had left their firearms and other objects and from there began the long march in total darkness, toward the grove where the previous day the men had left the horses. When the first light of dawn emerged on the horizon they crossed the low hills of the West. The animals were nervous perhaps sensing the presence of nocturnal predators, so that they received the travelers with joy. The four riders began the return to the aduar after successfully completing the rescue the beautiful young lady; the action had cost the lives of five men.

Ahmed burst of fury when he saw the empty tent, ripped the fabric with his dagger and started kicking the body of his fallen guard at the door. His personal guards watched the scene in silence and feared the possibility of being victims of the wrath of his boss, whose temper they knew.

“Idiots! Traitors! Useless bastards. They deserve to be dead; had they not being killed by my enemies I would behead them myself.”

A new character approached and coldly watched in silence ben Assaff´s outbreak. His appearance was magnificent and the Bedouins respectfully let him pass. Fully dressed in black, much taller than the average Arabs, though his skin was clearer than the Bedouins around him his eyes were blackened like his beard and hair that showed under the luxurious turban. The newcomer manners were noble and contrasted with the grotesque spectacle offered by Assaff ben Ahmed who realizing his arrival suddenly softened his language and gestures.

“Hello Abboud! How did you spend the night? “Asked Ahmed slavishly.

The visitor remained silent in meditation for a while after which he answered.

“It looks like you're in trouble.”

“No, not at all. Only one minor misstep.”

“Well, I'm glad it's only that.” The tone of the man called Abboud was ironic and the surrounding Bedouins clearly perceived some disdain of the imposing character to their boss.

“Do not forget that at noon my men will be arriving.” Continued Abboud in an imperative tone. “ They will need water and food as well as fodder for their horses and camels.”

“Yes Yes. Count on that.” Ahmed then turned to his subordinates.” You´ve heard the emir! Go and prepare food and water.”