Sahara (Dirk Pitt 11)

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You and your partner must be very valuable men."

"Not really. At the moment we're just your everyday, garden-variety prisoners."

"What do you mean by valuable?" inquired Kazim.

"My agent also reports the UN is sending a special tactical team to rescue them."

Just for a second Kazim looked shocked. Then he quickly came back on balance. "A special force is coming here?"

"Probably already on its way, now that Mr. Pitt was able to contact his superior." Massarde glanced at the message again. "According to my agent, his name is Admiral James Sandecker."

"It would appear there is no fooling you." The elegant room on the houseboat was cooled by air conditioning, and Pitt shivered uncontrollably after suffering the steamed heat in the bilge, but he was more conscious of a nameless chill.

It came as a shock that Massarde was privy to the entire mission. He tried to imagine who might have betrayed them, but no one came immediately to mind.

"Well, well, well, we are not so clever and indifferent now that our cover is blown, are we my friend?" Kazim poured himself another glass of Massarde's excellent champagne. Then he looked up abruptly from his glass. "Where were you planning to rendezvous with the UN force, Mr. Pitt?"

Pitt was trying to give his impression of a man with amnesia. This was a dead-end street. The Gao airport was too obvious a pickup point. He dared not compromise Gunn, but he took a long shot in hopes that Kazim was as dumb as he looked.

"The Gao airport, they're flying in at dawn. We were to wait at the west end of the airstrip."

Kazim stared at Pitt for a brief moment, then suddenly he struck Pitt across the forehead with the barrel of his Beretta. "Liar!" he snapped.

Pitt ducked his head and covered his face with his arms. "It's the truth, I swear."

"Liar," Kazim repeated. "The airstrip at Gao runs north and south. There is no west end."

Pitt exhaled his breath in a long silent sigh, and shook his head very slowly. "I guess it would be useless to hold out. You'll get it out of me sooner or later."

"Unfortunately for you, I have methods for doing just that."

"Very well," Pitt said. "Admiral Sandecker's instructions after we destroyed the boat were to head due south of Gao about 20 kilometers to a wide, shallow ravine. A helicopter is to be flown in from Niger."

"What is the signal for a safe pickup?"

"There is no need for a signal. The surrounding countryside is deserted. I was told the helicopter will scout the area with its landing lights until they spot us."

"What time?"

"Four A.M."

Kazim looked at him long and pensively, then said caustically, "If you have lied to me again, you will deeply regret it."

Kazim put his Beretta back in its holster and turned to Massarde. "No time to waste. I have to prepare a welcoming ceremony."

"You would be smart, Zateb, to keep the UN at arm's length. I strongly advise against interfering with their tactical team. When they do not find Pitt and his friend, they will fly back to Nigeria. Shooting down the helicopter and killing every man on board will only open a hornet's nest."

"They are invading my country."

"A trivial point." Massarde waved his hand. "National pride does not become you. The loss of aid and funding for your, shall we say, nefarious programs, would not be worth satisfying a blood lust. Let them go unmolested."

Kazim gave a twisted smile, and a dry, humorless laugh. "Yves, you take all the pleasure from my life."

"While putting millions of francs in your pockets."

"And that too," Kazim acquiesced.