Nasir summoned the barmaid and said something to her in German, and they chatted. The barmaid seemed to sense—or knew from experience—that Mr. Nasir felt very comfortable here and was used to getting what he wanted.
Nasir said to Brodie, “The bar lady says there is a manager’s office in the back which we can use.”
Brodie looked at Taylor. “What’s the stupidest thing I can do?”
“Hard to top what you’ve already done.”
Nasir interrupted, “This lady stays here. My two companions stay there. We go to this office with Hasan.”
Taylor replied before Brodie could, “You don’t make the rules. We make the rules.”
Nasir didn’t like that, but he said nothing and looked at both of them. By now he knew that these two Americans were more than the bereaved friends of their deceased compatriot. Which was why he’d had them followed all night.
Nasir said to Brodie, “You asked for information. I am here to give it to you.”
Taylor interjected, “You could have done that about six hours ago.”
Nasir was getting annoyed at the American woman and said, bluntly, “If we wanted to kidnap you—or kill you—that would already be done.”
Brodie said to Taylor, “He makes a good point.”
She ignored Brodie and said to Nasir, “Are you selling this information? Or giving it away?”
Nasir replied, “It is free.” He added, “I don’t need your money.”
“What do you need?”
“I need peace. I don’t need trouble for my people, or my community. This is all I want.”
Taylor and Brodie exchanged glances, and Taylor gave him a slight nod.
Brodie was the boss, but Taylor had more experience in dealing with Middle Eastern types. Brodie had been in Iraq to kill the bad guys; Taylor had been in Afghanistan to talk to them. “Okay,” he said to Nasir. “Thank you for giving up your evening to follow us around. We’d like to hear what you have to say. And here’s the deal—you and I and this lady go in the back room. All your friends stay here.” Brodie and Taylor stood.
Nasir hesitated, then said, “Hasan comes too. He has information that you should hear from him directly.” He added, “Unlike me and my friends here, he is harmless. A civilian.”
Brodie eyed Hasan, who actually looked scared shitless. He said, “Fine.”
Nasir got off his barstool. He threw a hundred on the bar, and the barmaid gave him a key and said something to him in German.
Nasir turned to his man standing close by and spoke to him in Arabic. The man replied.
Brodie glanced at Taylor, who spoke passable Arabic, and she nodded, indicating that what she’d heard wasn’t something like, “Let’s kill these bastards in the back room.”
Nasir led the way back through the red curtain and into the hallway, with Hasan close behind him and Brodie and Taylor following. Beyond the hall Brodie could see the dancing and music were still going.
On the left wall of the hallway were two doors labeledW.C.To the right was a door markedPRIVAT, which Nasir opened with the key.
He led them all into a small, windowless office furnished with a simple gray steel desk, steel shelves, and four olive-drab, wood-and-canvas camp chairs.
Brodie turned a chair to face the door and Taylor did the same, thenBrodie slid two chairs against the closed door and motioned Nasir and Hasan to sit, which they did.
Brodie and Taylor sat facing the two men and the door, their hands still in their empty pockets.
Nasir asked the obvious question. “Who are you?”
Brodie replied, “We’re not here to answer questions.”
Taylor added, “You came to us.”
