Interdiction, W.Addison Gast [room on the broom read aloud .txt] 📗

if two girls were trying to have a conversation without disturbing the others. Most were asleep.
Badra then spoke again to the girl this time in Pashto.
“Why don’t we go to the back of the plane where we can chat without waking everyone?”
This time the girl smiled and began to get up out of her seat. Badra was hoping that she would comply with her wish and in the process, not wake the person next to her and tell them where she was going. Her sleeping companion never even stirred as the girl got up out of the seat and started to the back with Badra. When they got to the back of the aircraft where Badra had laid out the blankets, there was a young American boy just starting to lay down on the seats.
“Excuse me young man, but those are reserved for the two of us.” Badra said to the boy in English.
“First come, first serve Lady, I’m going to z out here where I can stretch out.” Said the impolite youth with the baby fat and zits.
This shocked Badra. She had not heard a young person speak in such disregard for their elders. He obviously was of a lower class, wherever he was from. Reaching over and placing her right hand on the boy’s shoulder close to his neck, Badra squeezed firmly and pulled the youngster out of the seat into the isle. The humiliation and loss of dignity of having a girl pull him out of the seat kept the kid from yelling or screaming but it obviously hurt.
“Thank you so much. You are a gentleman.” Chided Badra as the kid walked forward up the isle holding his neck ignoring the available open two rows behind the girls.
“You may sit by the window if you wish although there is nothing to see at this time of night except the lights of perhaps some cruise liners.” Offered Badra.
The girl slipped into the row of seats and sat in the one second from the window.
Perfect. Thought Badra.
“Are you going on into the other part of the United States or are you getting off in New York City?” Asked Badra.
“Chicago. My cousin and my Aunt are meeting me at the airport there.” Said the girl somewhat relaxed.
They made small conversation and then Badra thought she would ask the test question.
“Were you at the University when they arrested me for that poor Professors demise?- It was such a mess and horrible misunderstanding.”
The girl’s face suddenly changed and took on a fearful and almost terrified appearance. It was as though her mind was saying that’s where I have seen her—she is the one they say murdered that Woman in the science laboratory.
“Yes, I left the University the following day but I remember the news story. You say it was a misunderstanding?”
“O yes, didn’t you see the end of the story? They caught this young Man, an Arab who had long hair and resembled me they say. He confessed to the crime thank goodness”
Badra felt that the girl believed the story but that did not change things. Badra could not risk her telling anyone that they had meant on the aircraft. The two continued to talk for another ten minutes and when the girl was at ease in the conversation, with the darkness and the blankets covering her move, Badra took out the syringe and quickly injected the girl’s side.
“Whaaaat? Why,……did…..you….dooo.” The girl did not finish the sentence as Badra pulled up the arms on the five seats, laid the lifeless body of the unfortunate girl in the seats and covered her with blankets and a pillow. To the attendants or anyone passing the area it would appear as though the girl had made herself a nice comfortable place to sleep. Badra returned to the front of the plane and after redressing in the rest room back into the Arab Princesses robes, returned to her seat and turned off the light. Her thoughts turned to the plan that the supreme one had given her that night in the cave in the mountains while the others slept. The Americans have never had an attack in places other than the east coast. He had said. New York City is a cosmopolitan atmosphere of mixed ethnic and religions groups. Some of these people come from areas that have had war brought to their doorsteps and perhaps some may have seen death and destruction in their homeland but the people living in the interior of the American country have never had reason to fear any enemy. Even during the great World War II these inland states were relatively secure because of their geographical location. We will show Americans that there is no place that the army of God can not reach out to and retaliate for the hurt they have done to Muslims the world over. We will not only take many lives in the state of Texas on the river while the American infidels drink and indulge in their moral depravity, we will also attack the major west coast city of Los Angeles to show our capability for reining terror and fear three thousand miles from our last attack in New York.
It was all working. The plan that had taken three years to prepare and assemble was proving to be a masterpiece of covert organization. Badra felt secure that nothing could stop the group from finishing this final phase of the plan. It would all happen within the following three days.
The sun came up on the horizon behind Delta 5 and gave a soft golden glow to the cabin area where several of the passengers were now moving about using the rest room and drinking hot tea. Haydar looked over at Badra and greeted her in a solemn tone.
“We are almost to the first stop in America, Badra. Allah has seen us through some very important situations so far. I pray that our good fortune will continue.”
Badra looked over across the isle at the young man who was trying to make conversation with her. She studied his face and tried to read his thoughts. This young Iraqi was to be her companion warrior in the Texas slaughter of thousands. Could this young, innocent looking face complete what was necessary to accomplish their mission? Did he have the nerve to kill? Could he live with the fact that it was his work that was responsible for killing so many people and then just slip into the population and wait, living in this country that is foreign to him in so many ways other than his language and customs? Could he go underground and live among the Americans in a low profile that would make him an asset again when needed?
“Yes Haydar. We are indeed fortunate. Our efforts have worked because of the disciplined teamwork we have been trained to use. Let us not forget that we must continue to keep that discipline.” Badra gave a slight smile as she spoke directly into Haydar’s face. Suddenly, Haydar felt a different emotion come from her reply. It was different than he had experienced before when talking to Badra. This was a warm feeling, almost like when he was talking to his mother but different. He looked closer into Badra’s eyes only to find a different response again. She smiled and asked Haydar; “Is there something I’m missing here Haydar? You seem puzzled for some reason.”
“I think it is the aspect that I have never been to America and I do not know what to expect. What if we are discovered? Will we be tried in the American criminal system or will they send us back to Pakistan or Afghanistan?”
“Your training provided you with those answers Haydar. You know that the Americans do not torture captives because of their pacifist system of law. They do not torture captives in the field and especially here in their homeland. But why do these fears come into your head now? You are a Mujahedeen and must be ready to give your life for Allah at any time. Never let the infidels capture you alive. Turn your weapon on yourself and take as many with you as you can if you are outnumbered and about to be captured.
From the corner of her eye, Badra noticed that one of the flight attendants who had been talking to the other attendant at the galley was looking at her and Haydar. As soon as Badra looked directly at her she turned and started another pot of coffee. She could not possibly have heard their conversation over the sound of the jet engines and the music that was now coming over the intercom could she?
Delta 5 inbound made a smooth landing at JFK and the flight attendants started working the cabin to make sure everyone had their passports and customs forms out and ready to depart from the aircraft.
They were almost to the terminal when one of the flight attendants came forward and got the senior attendant and they both went back to the last row in the aircraft. Soon the flight engineer opened the cabin door and came out and moved to the rear of the plane very promptly. The captain then came on the intercom and announced that everyone was to remain seated as they had a medical emergency that would require everyone to remain seated and keep the aisle clear for the paramedics to evacuate the patient. The cabin door opened and there were two paramedics standing at the entrance to the terminal. They came past Haydar and his group and directly to the last row in the aircraft. The two medics attended the patient only a short time before they lifted her on to a gurney and pulled it down the aisle and off the aircraft . From where Haydar was sitting in first class he could see that they had taken the girl down the stairs to the tarmac and immediately into a waiting ambulance. The captain then came on the intercom and thanked everyone for their patience and advised that everyone was to have their customs forms and passports ready when they exited the aircraft.
Badra and her group were the first off of the aircraft and down the exit to the terminal . As they left the aircraft the flight attendants thanked them and wished them a good day. The attendant that had been looking at Badra and Haydar during their conversation unconsciously greeted her in Pashto instead of Arabic or Farsi. This concerned Badra but there was nothing she could do at this time. At the end of the walkway and the exit to the lobby of the terminal, there were two young men in very sharp looking Brooks Brothers suits that came up to Badra and asked for the group’s passports and customs forms. As Badra gave the taller of the two all of the passports and identification she noticed the two men dressed in white throbes and black ghutra with gold weaving. They greeted Badra in Farsi and told the group to follow them to a small stairway that led to the tarmac below the terminal. When they reached the tarmac there were three black limos waiting to take them to their next flight. Badra and the three men with her bordered the first limo and the remaining party climbed into the remaining two limos. Before the limos moved out, there were three TSA uniformed security that climbed into the last limo with the two suits.
As they pulled up to the Continental 747 they remained in the limos while the three TSA uniforms and the two suits boarded the aircraft using the stairway usually used by the aircrew and ground personnel. Soon the three TSA securities came out of