The Caliphate by André Gallo (books to read for 13 year olds .TXT) 📕

     “The laser has its own emergency generator for lights, air conditioning—which is crucial, because this thing really heats up. But we are hooked up to the Nahal Soreq Nuclear Center to power the actual laser. I will be ready to fire again in about thirty minutes. What are the targets?”

     Habib led al Khalil toward a control panel. Al Khalil stopped and Habib turned around to face him. With even more gravity and determination on his face than usual, al Khalil put his hand on Habib’s shoulder and, looking up and scanning the electronic map, he said, “Riyadh, Tehran, and Tel Aviv. This time, I want full power.”

     Habib appeared surprised, “We just hit Tehran.”

Al Khalil dropped his hand but his eyes maintained their intensity.

     “Iran and Saudi Arabia are the regional centers of power. When both are weak, my governments, my Caliphate, will rule supreme from Cairo. I will replace the al Saud dynasty with my men, people loyal to me and to the true version of our faith, people who will not invite foreign infidels to solve problems.”

     He paused and stroked his black beard, now starting to grow out again.

     “With a strong power center in Cairo, I will establish a borderless region covering the entire Middle East. I will also change that name. ‘Middle East’ is European terminology. Typical infidel arrogance labeled each region according to its distance from Europe.”

16:03

Before Steve went down the dark stairs, he asked Izem, “Can you collect any more of your Tuaregs?”

     “There might be one other downstairs guarding the scientists, that’s all.”

     “Let’s go then. Do you know where this secret weapon is, exactly?”

     When Izem shook his head, Steve said, “We better first liberate the scientists. They can help.”

     When they reached the door to the large computer room where the prisoners were being held, Steve held up his hand.

     “Izem, go in by yourself first. Tell the guards that Hussein wants them upstairs immediately. We’ll deal with them when they come out. Say Hussein wants just one guard for the prisoners and the rest to come and help him. And the one who’s going to stay to watch the prisoners should be your Tuareg brother.”

     Izem went in. Steve and Kella positioned themselves on each side of the door, and Steve told the two Tuareg fighters to step back and face the opening.

     “Kella, tell them that the idea is to capture them, not to shoot unless we have to.”

     The door opened and the sound of footsteps signaled people coming through. Steve turned his light on one of Hussein’s fighters. Almost as soon, a Tuareg plunged a knife into the man’s throat and pulled him to the side. Steve was shocked by the unexpected violence but had no time to philosophize about it. More men were coming through the door into the darkness of the corridor where the Tuaregs knifed and clubbed them into submission.

     Then an AK-47 went off, as the finger of a dying man tightened on the trigger, causing an indiscriminate spray of bullets to hit walls, ceilings, and bodies. The light was knocked out of Steve’s hand during the general free-for-all.

     He tried to use the stock of his weapon as a club, but bodies were too close together, and arms soon grabbed him. He found himself on the ground with his hand closing around a knife then around his opponent’s wrist. Blood made his grip slippery and he felt rather than saw the knife coming closer to his face. Suddenly, a flashlight came on, a shot rang out, and his opponent went limp. Kella pulled him up.

     “Are you all right?” she asked.

     The surprise of the assault in the dark gave the victory to Steve, Izem, and the Tuaregs. The AK-47 bullets had killed one Tuareg; otherwise they escaped with minor wounds. Steve wrapped a shirtsleeve around his hand after Kella, using a borrowed knife, cut the sleeve off.

     The small space was now filled with the smell of gunpowder and sweating bodies. Steve’s eardrums were still ringing from the painful blow of close-range gunshots. He found his flashlight and gave it to Izem. He motioned toward the computer room.

     “Bring them all back in here and tie them up, quickly.”

     “Kella, untie the prisoners,” he said as they got to the computer room, pointing to the Israelis lying on the floor. At the same time, as his ears still subdued the sounds around him, including his own voice, he said, “Listen up! This is almost over. Almost! The terrorists have discovered your secret laser weapon and are about to fire it, maybe at Tel Aviv. I need your help to prevent that from happening. Who’s going to help save your country from this weapon?

     “We will,” said Shoshanna Amitai, holding her bandaged and still-bleeding hand, as she and Aaron stepped forward. “I can show you.”

     “Izem, have two men guard them,” Steve said, pointing at the Salafists. “Bring the rest of your men. This is going to be the final test.”

     Before he left the computer room, he addressed the freed Israeli hostages.

     “If any of you have a way to call outside, tell them what’s going on. In the meantime, it’s best for you to stay here and help guard the prisoners. There’s more fighting to come. Kella, how about staying here?”

     Kella glanced at Izem, Steve, and their small band.

     “All right, I’ll try to find a working phone and call my father at the embassy. The Israelis can try to connect with their government.”

     Five Israelis came up to him and one said, “We’re reservists. If you have guns, we can help.”

     “There are guns on the floor outside this room. Let’s go.”

     Steve and the two scientists, with Izem, his Tuaregs, and