Even as Range negotiated around, the threesome holding her swung like the hands of a clock, making it impossible to get a clear shot on the last guy, who had a weapon thrust past middleman to Kasra’s back. Clever.
“Let her go, and we can talk.” Understanding the man’s determination, he angled his M4 to the floor.
“Talk?” The man balked. “There will be no talk. She will be put to death for her adultery and sin!”
Clearly this man did not keep a strict adherence to their religious edicts, at least pertaining to violence in his mosque.
“The Quran demands 100 lashes, not death,” came a voice from his ten—Zaki.
Range eyed Kasra, ticked at the violence done to her. Fury coursing, he forced himself to think. Reason.
“Imam Butrus,” Zaki said, coming forward, “where is the man with which you accuse her in this fornication? Does the Quran not condemn the menandwomen who fornicate? If she is guilty as you have charged, then where is the man?”
“Are we to bring ten years of men to this hall?” the imam scoffed. “We must rid this village of her filth before she can pollute it any more.”
“Ten years,” Range said, inching closer. “Where did you get that number? That you know it’s been ten years tells me you knew when she was sold and taken from here. Forced into it. Not her choice.”
“She could have escaped,refused. Even killing herself would have been better than to live in such sin!
Kill herself?This sick p—
“But no, she took men’s honor, destroyed women and children. She is not only a whore but an abomination!” He stabbed a finger in the air. “She must be punished.”
Another seemingly pious man came forward. “Imam Butrus is right. The Quran say‘The woman and the man guilty of fornication, flog each one of them with a hundred stripes—and let not any pity for them restrain you in regard to a matter prescribed by Allah, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day, and let some of the believers witness the punishment inflicted on them.”
“As Zaki said—lashes, not death,” Range stated.
“You are American,” Butrus said, “I do not expect such an immoral man to understand our laws. Neither do you have a say in it. She will die—”
“Your own religion says no violence in the mosque, yet here we are,” Range barked, taking two steps forward, weapon ready again. “Touch her—”
“Why do you care so much for this whore, American?”
He was going to kill this guy if he called her that one more time. Or if he lifted that gun. “She’s my prisoner. I’m taking her in.”
The imam scowled at Zaki. “Is this true?”
“He has said that, but she has not been in cuffs since they forced their way into my home.”
Forced our way …What the fluff was going on ? Range wanted to punch the guy … but swiftly realized Zaki needed to say that?—he had to live in this village and not have his throat slit in the night for harboring a prostitute and American. “We were trying to leave when you took my prisoner.” Not a whole truth, but close enough.
“And how often do youkissyour prisoner?” Zaki challenged, his eyes blazing with legit outrage.
So, he’d seen them …
The guy turned to the imam. “I saw them in a very passionate kiss just a few hours ago.”
“Zaki,” Kasra hissed, earning another kick from the second man.
Range snapped his weapon and fired a short burst, the deafening barrage left a ringing in his ears. Bullets skimmed the man’s tunic, earning a shout and angry retort. “Don’ttouch her.”
“Does a soldier try to kill an imam and his caliph over a prisoner?” Zaki laughed. “I think not! It is much more than a captor and his prisoner.”
“What’re you doing?” Range glowered.
“Since Yusuf is filming,” Zaki went on, “Imam Butrus, why do you not make an example of them? Force the American to marry the harlot—let him buy her freedom by making her his wife!”
A sick gleam hit the imam’s eyes that shifted to Range. “Would you do this? Buy her life with marriage?”
