Good Soldiers Follow Orders

His retrospection was interrupted by Hamdiya waking up. With a stretch and a loud yawn, she snuggled closer.

"Good morning."

"Morning." She laughed at his response, as if he'd told the funniest joke in the world. He still couldn't figure out why she liked being with someone as bland as him, but he sure as hell wouldn't complain.

She gave him a kiss. And then another. And then a longer one. And soon Abdul figured she wanted to continue where they had left off the previous night. That is, until she stopped their foreplay with a serious look. More serious than any she'd given him before.

"Look, Abdul... I like you. I really do." Her voice trailed off. He knew those lines. Everyone knew those lines. And everyone knows that after those lines came a big- "But, I don't know if I can keep doing this with you. Without showing you all of me, that is."

"All of you?"

"Abdul. Do you care about the people of this city?" Odd question.

"Yes."

"Do you really care? Do you care about their futures? But not only them, the future of the country as a whole?" She looked as if she was pleading with him to give the correct answer.

"I wouldn't be in Kabul if I didn't."

During their initial talk, without letting slip his occupation, Abdul mentioned that his parents moved out west and that he was in the area to see the sights along with trying to do some good. Then she asked him what he thought of the American occupation.

He argued that American influence would be an overall good for the country. Once the enemy had been rooted out, they would be left to thrive with some American assistance. Hamdiya argued that American influence was an insult to their pride. She admitted that some things had improved since the Americans arrived and drove out the Taliban, but she also countered with the mistreatment of Afghan 'POWs" and the riot earlier in the year.

The riot was caused by a military convoy crashing and leaving several Afghan people dead. Abdul was off that day, but his squad had been put on standby had things escalated. Despite his allegiance to the US military, Abdul conceded that the Americans could have handled it better. And there was no defense for the treatment of prisoners.

Hamdiya also argued that their continued presence after driving out the Taliban showed the rest of the world that the middle east was a place to be closely monitored and controlled, like an unruly child.

They went back and forth for a while but the conversation ended with them agreeing that they both wanted a better situation for the middle east. Hamdiya admitted some things were slightly better with American influence and Abdul recognized that their presence had done a good deal of bad along with the good. The awkward silence had only lasted a few moments before she brought up some new topic and dragged him back into her rhythm. It seemed she wanted to reopen the issue.

"I need to hear you say it." He looked her in the eyes. This may have been the most emotion he'd ever put into anything he'd ever said. He did want a better situation, and he wanted to be with her. They were in a tense agreement earlier and he didn't want some misunderstanding to ruin what they had.

"I care, Hamdiya. I care about you. I care about them. I care about anything and everything that happens here. That's why I'm here." As the words left his mouth, he silently hoped she wouldn't question what his last line meant.

She studied his face for a while, searching his eyes for any hint of a lie. Not finding one, she lit up and enthusiastically resumed where she left off, taking up the rest of their morning.

After the morning sex, she told him that she wanted to show him off to her friends. She said he'd love them. He checked his watch. Twelve thirty. He had some time. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on who you ask, he agreed.

Friday, unmarked building, 13:00

The first sign of trouble were the armed guards he saw upon entering the building. The situation was made worse by the lack of identifying paraphernalia. He was dealing with an unknown group.

"Wait here." Hamdiya gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before pushing him onto a couch. Then she went into one of the back rooms. He was left awkwardly sitting there, with one of the guards eyeballing him.

After a commotion, he heard heavy footsteps come from the back of the building and Afshin entered the room. Unlike their first meeting, the man's demeanor was deathly serious. And he did not look happy to see Abdul.

He turned to his sister. "Hamdiya why would you-"

"He can help! He wants to help." Hamdiya looked upwards into her brother's eyes, showing off the confidence and aggression that Abdul loved.

"You can't just bring anybody here!"

"Well he's not just anybody." Afshin let out a frustrated sigh and turned away from her, running a hand through his hair. She didn't back down. "At least talk to him. Give him a chance."

A tense moment followed. Then Afshin let out another sigh, the tension leaving his shoulders. He dragged a chair over to the couch and sat down in front of Abdul.

"So you want to help, huh?" Everything in Abdul's body urged him to say no. But he figured that wouldn't be conducive to his health. He had to play along.

He swallowed hard. "Yes." Afshin studied his face for a silent minute.

"Why?" The question hung in the air.

Abdul had always heard the best lies had a bit of truth in them. He hoped they were right. "Because it pains me to see what has become of my home. My family's home, that is. My parents survived the Soviet invasion and moved out west, looking to escape the hardships that came with it. But I couldn't just sit by and watch this country fall apart on the news. I needed to do something. So here I am." Afshin studied for a few more moments before Abdul saw his shoulders slack, even if barely.

"Tell me, brother. Have you read The Kite Runner?" The title sparked recognition. Abdul's parents all but shoved the book into his hands the second they themselves had read it. It shined a dark, yet truthful light on the plight of their homeland.

"Yes." Afhsin nodded, almost to himself.

"Good. Good. Then I take it you remember the section where the bully assaults the servant of the main character? For what? Not giving up a fucking kite?" Adbul remembered the scene well. It was a big point of conflict about the book as a whole.

"Yes, brother." His use of 'brother' caused Afhin to give him another suspicious once over, but he let it pass.

"In my humble opinion, that scene is the best one in the book. It perfectly encapsulates what the west is trying to do."

"... Assault our children?" Afshin's eyes were drained of their suspicion and filled with an almost righteous fervor.

"Not so literal, brother. They seek to rape our country. The kite can mean any number of things. Our resources, our land, anything. But I like to think of it as our pride as a people. And the Americans and the Russians and whoever the hell else is here against our wishes are the bully. Doing what they want just because they are bigger and stronger. Are our people not entitled to their pride? Are we not permitted access to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness under our own rule?" He almost spat out the words of the American Declaration of Independence.

"And if you've read the book, you must also remember what the main character did as the servant was being attacked. Correct?"

"I do."

"Say it."

"He-he watched."

"That's right, Abdul. He sat back and watched. Too afraid to stand up for himself or his friend. But not us. We refuse to watch as others come into our country and do as they please. We are going to stand up for ourselves and the rest of our people. The question is, are you willing to as well?"

Abdul swallowed again. The room felt cold as all eyes were on him. Afshin had leaned in close since his rant began, his intensity nearly scalding Abdul as their faces sat inches apart.

"Yes, brother. As I told your sister, I wouldn't be here otherwise."

After a final moment, the tension in the room vanished as Afshin released the grin he had worn when they met. He stood and dragged Abdul to his feet to wrap him in a bear hug.

"Welcome, Abdul. And on behalf of our nation, thank you."

Abdul should have probably left it at that. Asking more questions would lead to more chances for him to be found out. But he had to know who he was dealing with for when he reported in.

"Once last question, Afshin. Are you... Taliban?"

The kindness vanished as it was replaced instantly with anger. "Brother, if you'd read the book you would have remembered that the bully grew to be a leader of the Taliban. No. We are not a part of those fuckers. We seek to be free from all oppressive forces, be them external or internal. Once we push out the Americans, the Taliban is next. Our once allies are going to regret overstaying their welcome. Now come, we have work to do."

The last line filled in the final piece of the puzzle for Abdul. They weren't Taliban. If they were, Hamdiya would never be allowed to act as she does. That also left out any other Islamic extremist sects. The men around him were also too comfortable with their weapons. There's a distinct difference between how a soldier and a militiaman carries their equipment that only a soldier's eye could detect. These men were well armed and well trained. That left only one option. They were remnants of a force long disbanded. A rogue vestige of the Northern Alliance.

While his brain whirled at the revelation, Afshin led him to a back room with a map of the city, with certain points near the edge of the city where the American base was marked off.

"Consider this your proficiency test. Do you know this area of the city?" His finger traced a circle around the area marked off.

Abdul told the truth. "Yes, I know that area very well."

"Good. Tomorrow, Americans will follow this path on their patrol." His finger traced the route on the map until it got to a red X. "We will ambush them here. Tonight we'll set up an explosive and once it goes off, we finish off the survivors. I want you to detonate it. You up to the task?"

Abdul's face lacked the uncertainty and fear it had before. He had become serious. "Yes, brother." Afshin took nicely to the seriousness and clasped him on the back.

"Good. Hamdiya will bring you to me in the morning. Get some rest."

And with that he was free to leave the building. With a kiss goodbye, one that her brother gave them a look for, Hamdiya let him out the door and vowed to see him the next day. He kept the serious face all the way back to the base. How could he not?

The path Afshin had marked was his squad's.

Friday, military base, 16:15

Abdul had one thought as he entered the camp and walked straight towards command.

He shouldn't have gone. He shouldn't have agreed to meet her friends. And yet, how was he to know? How could he have possibly known?

Maybe he could let her live. If she wasn't around when the soldiers dealt with the cell, perhaps she'd go into hiding. He'd never see her again, but he'd at least know she was safe. If she got captured, perhaps he could make her imprisonment comfortable. He had some sway with the brass. They all liked him and he'd never asked them for anything before. Surely they'd indulge him this one time? Whatever the case, he hoped she wouldn't be around later that night.

He concluded his silent prayer as he entered the command center unannounced.

"Who in the fuck-"

"I'm very sorry sir but I have important intel."

Friday, inside the insurgent compound, 21:00

Hamdiya waited for her brother to finish finalizing plans with the others. Then she heard a phone ring in the back room. She was startled by her brother barging in the room with several other people in a flurry.

"Get out! Now!" Her brother commanded, as he and the other men started moving things around, flipping tables and moving desks, seemingly fortifying the room.

"What?"

"The Americans found us! Akbar said he saw a few of their dogs headed this way. You have to get out now." Her blood ran cold as her heart rate skyrocketed. But the cold blood didn't cool the fire in her heart.

"No! I'm a part of this too!" She bolted off the couch and headed toward a desk.

"Hamdiya, now is not the time. You need to-"

"I'm not some little girl for you to protect anymore, Ekhwah." She reached the desk and reached under it, finding the handgun holstered beneath.

"Hamdi-" The room exploded into sound and noise.

Friday, outside the insurgent compound, 21:02

Before he could delay anymore, they heard movement inside - raised voices and the moving of furniture. No more stalling. He had a job to do.

He clicked a button and the breaching charge on the door exploded. Just like training, he gave it a count of one Mississippi before entering the doorway, knowing his squad was behind him.

Within the damaged room were several men, reeling from the shockwave and shrapnel. He paid them no mind, knowing his brothers would take care of them. His focus was on the womanly figure in the center of the room.

Time slowed to a crawl and he thought his heart stopped. It was her. She was here and in the worst possible place to be. But that's okay. She could just surrender. He'd tell her to surrender and then she would. As long as she doesn't pose a threat, nothing would happen to her.

Time continued to creep forward and they made eye contact. He saw the recognition in her eyes. The betrayal. He hoped she could see the guilt in his own. He had his M4 trained on her with no real intention to shoot. His finger was slightly off the trigger. He just wanted to scare her.

He opened his mouth to tell her to get down but the breath caught in his throat. The smoke between them cleared a bit and he could see her torso. And the handgun in her hand raising towards them. Training kicked in and did what it was meant to do.

Good soldiers follow orders.

As her gun leveled, he shifted his finger to the trigger of his M4.

Note 2: As usual leave comments on what you liked and feedback is always welcome.