Istana Nurul Iman Palace
August 26
“What about them?” Robert asked, pointing toward the black berets. “I say we tie them up.”
Peter nodded. Following the example in the reception room, Robert ordered them to remove their bootlaces. While he was busy binding their hands and feet, Peter conducted a more complete examination of the instrument consoles. In particular, he wanted to identify the pathway of the electrical power cables. If he could disable the power, there could be no further actions from the control room if other personnel came to staff it.
It didn’t take long to determine that the conduits extending downward from the commercial ceiling panels almost certainly carried the main power to each instrument cluster. Peter climbed from a chair to the top of a console and lifted the ceiling tile. Confirming his suspicions, the drop ceiling concealed a tangled array of cables. Judging by the shape and insulation, many were communication wires, but some were definitely power cables.
Robert had just finished his task. “What are you doing?” he asked.
“These metal conduits,” Peter ran his hand along the nearest, “enclose communication and power cables. We need to sever these, and this equipment will be nonfunctional for at least a day—long enough to get help and close this operation down for good.”
Robert wrapped his hands around one of the conduits at shoulder height and pulled, but the metal resisted his efforts. He tried again, more forcefully. Although the conduit bent, it sprang back to its original position. “That’s not gonna work. An axe would probably do the job nicely.”
“Sure. Did you happen to see one laying around?” Peter said.
“No. A fire axe doesn’t exactly fit into the Asian décor Guan-Yin was obviously fond of.”
Peter placed the muzzle of the Berretta 9mm pistol against a length of conduit. “Cover your eyes.” He pulled the trigger once… twice. On the second shot he was rewarded with a bright blue-white flash indicating the metal bullet had, for just an instant, shorted the high-voltage wires.
Robert followed the example and shot through a conduit with his rifle, also achieving the same brilliant-white flash caused by the electrical short circuit. Together, they severed the remaining four electrical conduits. With no power to illuminate the screens and indicators, all of the instrument clusters became dark.
“Okay, now what?” Robert asked.
Jade came to Peter’s side. “I don’t want to stay here,” she said. “What if she returns?”
“I promised your mother that I would not let anyone harm you. I intend to keep that promise.”
Robert clicked the safety on his weapon to on. “So, what’s the plan?”
“Since I shot our free pass, I suppose we have two choices: we can stay here, and hope that eventually someone who is not a party to this conspiracy finds us; or we can take our chances and leave the palace. If we can make it past the outer gate, it should be safe.”
“Then what?” Robert said. “When word reaches the Sultan, he’ll have the police and army hunt us down. We won’t make it out of the country.”
“If that’s the case, we’re in greater danger staying here. Our best chance is to escape and contact the U.S. Embassy.”
“They’ll have police in front of the entrance. They won’t let us in.”
Exasperated, Peter said, “Look, I’m doing the best I can. If you have a better idea, let’s hear it.”
“I say we leave,” Jade said before Robert could speak. “We have to escape.”
Robert’s eyes moved from Jade to Peter. “Okay, let’s do it. I’ll take the lead. Jade, you’re in the middle. Single file. Ready?”
After leaving the reception room and entering the outer hallway, they stayed close to the wall. Diesel stayed close by Peter’s side, his blocky head moving from side to side, always searching for danger.
They hadn’t travelled far before they encountered their first black beret. Robert was faster to respond and had his rifle aimed at the young man. “Don’t do it. Just put the gun down, and you will live to see another day.”
The man hesitated and then complied. He placed the rifle on the carpet and raised his hands.
“Do you have any other weapons?”
He shook his head. “No. Only the rifle.”
“Go, get out of here.”
The guard started to turn back the way he’d come. “Wait!” Peter said.
The guard froze. “Is that direction to the exit? To the palace grounds?”
The black beret nodded.
“Thought so. Other way,” Peter ordered.
The man turned and hugged the opposite wall as he passed the armed trio. Once clear, he dashed out of sight.
“What was that all about?” Robert said.
“Didn’t want him alerting any friends on the other side of the exit.”
“Good thinking.” They advanced again and reached the exterior door without any further encounters. The double door was massive in proportions—wide, tall, and constructed of tropical hardwood. Robert gently eased one side open.
“Looks clear. Ready?”
Jade and Peter nodded.
“Once we get out the door, I’ll go left. Wait three seconds, and if there isn’t any shooting, Jade, you and Peter go right.”
Robert disappeared out the opening, and Peter mentally counted down the seconds. All was quiet, so he exited and turned right with Jade and Diesel close behind.
Coming from the air-conditioned interior, the tropical heat felt like a blast furnace, and before long Peter was dripping with sweat even though they were in the shade of a covered portico. Carved stone lions flanked the entry. A driveway extended both directions, disappearing around the corners of the palace.
Looking away from the building across the palace grounds, he saw more expansive lawns with gardens dotting the landscape. In some of the gardens, there were fountains. Others had benches to encourage visitors to sit and enjoy the beauty. Some gardeners were working in the distance, but no black berets were visible.
“This way,” Robert said. “The entrance to the palace is on the far side of the building. There’s a high wall around the grounds, so the only way out is through that entrance. We’ll follow the colonnade until it ends and then cross through the gardens.”
Together they moved at a brisk pace, Peter and Robert constantly looking around for danger. They stopped at the last white marble column. Robert searched ahead for any sign of guards while Peter frequently checked to the rear. That’s when he noticed the surveillance cameras high along the wall. “I hope no one’s monitoring those cameras,” he said. Robert looked up, following Peter’s gaze.
“I don’t know. They’re constantly changing and updating the security procedures. But so far the coast is clear.”
Just then the crack of multiple gunshots and bullets impacted the marble column Peter was leaning against. The trio sprinted around the corner of the palace and into the garden, aiming for the nearest group of shrubs that might offer some concealment—a dense boxwood hedge four feet high. They ducked behind it, Diesel hugging Peter’s side.
“Now we know—they’re monitoring the cameras,” Peter said.
“It’s the most efficient way to find us. The grounds are even larger than the palace.”
Jade was trembling. “Are you okay?” Peter asked.
She nodded. “Yes, just scared.” Her voice was quivering.
“Me too. Stay close. We have to run from one garden to the next so we are not in the open any longer than necessary. I’ll be right beside you. You can do this.”
She took a deep, calming breath, and Diesel rubbed her leg with his head.
“We have to get to the gate. From there, we can escape into the city traffic and make our way to the embassy. That’s the only way. We have to do this.”
Three guards appeared at the corner of the building. “We need to get moving,” Robert said. “It won’t take them long to find us if we stay here.”
Bending over at the waist so as not to be exposed above the hedge, they ran for a fountain surrounded by lush lawn. The fountain was constructed in a star pattern, with jets of water shooting up and splashing into the water-filled pool.
They made it to the fountain without being seen. The sun beat down on their already overheated bodies. Diesel’s tongue was flushed pink and hanging low. The sound and smell of the water was a strong attraction, and he jumped over the foot-high ledge and into the water, lapping to slake his thirst. Fearful of making a commotion, Peter allowed the pitty to drink.
Voices emanated from the distance, followed by rifle shots. Bullets splashed the water, almost hitting Diesel. Peter sighted over the edge and observed the same group of three black berets. They were standing rather casually as if they didn’t realize the Americans were just on the other side of the fountain. Perhaps they thought the dog had strayed from the group in search of water. Peter thought he heard laughter and watched as the three guards stood side-by-side and took aim, acting like they were at a carnival shooting gallery.
“Diesel, on me,” Peter said, his voice firm, while he aimed his rifle.
As Diesel hopped over the ledge, the guards fired. And so did Peter. The black berets missed… Peter didn’t. One of the guards fell, mortally wounded.
The remaining two guards dove for cover behind the boxwood hedge.
Robert fired a short burst from his rifle at the location he thought the guards to be. The bullets shredded leaves from the thick hedge and broke woody stems but otherwise failed to do any damage. “Go!” he yelled.
Peter and Jade dashed for a large banyan tree. The branches stretched out for 100 feet from the main trunk, supported on many dozen trunks formed from air roots that had dropped years ago. He urged Jade forward. “Get in the center where the wood is thicker!” Diesel followed her, and Peter rolled to the ground, ready to fire on any pursuing guards.
Seeing they made it safely, Robert jumped to his feet and sprinted. The guards from the hedge saw him fleeing and opened up with a withering volley of automatic fire.
Bullets sizzled passed Robert; a few hit the ground to either side as he ran headlong for the protection of the banyan tree. He only had ten more yards, and his legs were pumping hard, his chest heaving to suck in air.
Peter was shooting back at the guards, even though he couldn’t see them behind the hedge. In a couple seconds their rifles were empty, and he felt a wave of relief knowing Robert would make it to safety while they stopped to reload.
The big man tumbled to the dirt in a controlled crash, stopping just short of Peter. He was winded and trying to catch his breath. “How much farther?” Peter asked.
Robert’s face was answer enough. They still had to circle around the sprawling palace, and they’d only started, maybe completing twenty percent of the distance.
Jade was at Peter’s shoulder. Robert had been her bodyguard for many years, and she knew him to be confident, strong, persistent. She read his expression with certainty. “We’re not going to make it, are we?”