Harroun looked at Josh, “I have read about you and your pilgrimage to find your father. It is commendable. I understand from Abbas that you wish to go to Abu Kamal. I will help you. I have a friend who has a transport business and regularly goes to Syria in his van. Sometimes he takes furniture, sometimes engineering equipment. It is possible that he will take you if I ask him.” He paused for a moment, and then continued slowly, “I think he is going tomorrow. I will find out. Please wait here, Miriam will get you food and coffee.” Without another word he was gone.
Miriam, as if by magic, emerged bearing coffee, bread, olive oil and fruit. After setting it down on the table in front of the boys, she left the room. “A lady of few words,” said Josh.
Moments later Harroun returned. “Take your pick,” he said looking at the boys with an air of triumph. “My friend is going tomorrow morning at six o’clock, and he is also going again in a weeks time.” He looked at them as if waiting for a reaction. “If you wish to go tomorrow, you may rest here tonight.”
“There’s no doubt we would prefer to go tomorrow, if this is possible?” Josh said, looking at Ahmad questioningly. Ahmad nodded.
“I knew that would be your answer,” Harroun said, “so I told my friend that unless he heard further from me, he should expect to see you first thing in the morning.” He called to Miriam and spoke to her quietly. Seconds later she appeared with blankets. Handing these to the boys Harroun said. “Now you must make yourselves as comfortable as possible. I will rouse you early tomorrow. Sleep well, my young friends.”
The next morning at 5.30, Harroun found Josh quietly sitting in a chair in the dim light. “But you are awake!” He said in surprise. “Come, I will prepare coffee and bread for you. It is a long journey and will take many hours.” On hearing their voices, Ahmad opened his eyes, sat up and stretched.
“I don’t think it would be a good idea for you to be seen with us, Harroun,” Josh said after he and Ahmad had had breakfast, “so, if you will tell us where we are to go, I’m sure we will be able to find it.”
“There’s no need to worry. I’ll make myself invisible.” Josh looked questioningly at Ahmad. “Ha ha.” Harroun chuckled, “but you will see. Go out the door and make for the archway straight ahead of you. Wait there and I will come to you in a few moments. Just follow me at a distance of about five metres.”
Without seeing Abbas, who was still too weak to get out of bed, they left the house and went to the archway. They waited then, a figure that resembled an old, doddery, poorly dressed man, appeared alongside them wearing a long black gown and Arab keffiyeh headdress. He tapped Josh with his stick and walked very slowly on in front of the two boys. They followed, as instructed.
After they had been walking for fifteen minutes, Harroun suddenly ducked into an alleyway. He opened a gate and went down a path that led to the back of a large garage, in which there were two small and one large furniture vans. He was immediately met by a heavily-built man with dark brown eyes, short well-kept black beard and dressed in dirty mechanics oily clothes. After a brief conversation, they both walked towards the garage, seemingly ignoring the two boys.
“I suppose we should wait here,” Josh said with a shrug.
“Yes I think that introductions are not going to happen. I only hope that Harroun’s friend has not changed his mind,” Ahmad replied.
Moments later Harroun reappeared from the garage. “On a signal from me you must climb into the back of the van without being seen,” he said. “There are many eyes that are not friendly, and my friend is very nervous of repercussions against his family if it is known that he is helping the so called, ‘enemies of Islam’. In case you are caught and tortured, it is not necessary for you to know his name. It is also very important that you do not let your presence be known to anyone, especially my friend’s employee, who will also be travelling in the van. He is young and may talk openly not realising the seriousness of the situation.” The whole time Harroun was talking he was cautiously looking around, but trying to appear casual. “Whenever the van stops, if it is clear for you to be able to get out, my friend will bang on the side three times. You must wait for two minutes before pulling the tarpaulin aside and climbing out. After attending to any call of nature and exercising your limbs, you must get back into the van immediately.” He looked Josh intently in the eyes. “I believe I have some encouraging news for you,” he said. “When you reach your destination in Abu Kamal, the driver will bang on the side of the van once, followed by a short pause, then three other bangs in quick succession. This will be the signal for you to quickly get out. When the van has driven away, and is out of sight, a man will approach you and give his name as George. He will ask you to follow him and, I am told, lead you to the man being held captive.” He suddenly pulled back, his eyes filling with tears. “I hope he is who you are looking for… In here,” he said, handing Josh a bag, “you will find a little refreshment for your long journey, and a pair of night-vision binoculars, which you may find useful… I will pray that your mission is successful.”
They followed him round to the front of the garage where they could see the van parked against a wall with the back open. On a signal from Harroun, they leapt into the back and hid themselves amongst the many items of furniture that, apparently, were going to be transported to Abu Kamal. They found room under a sheet covering a large settee, so that they were able to hide themselves completely from view from anyone who might decide to look in the back of the van. Piled up to the roof were other items of household goods, which further added to their security.
They didn’t have long to wait before they could feel movement, confirming that they were underway. The steady rocking of the van and humming of its engine soon had both boys asleep.
They were woken by the sound of banging on the side of the van. Coming to their senses they quickly realised that they were in a car park as they could hear the sound of other vehicles, see their lights and smell diesel. Josh reached out his hand and took hold of Ahmad’s arm. They slid along the leather settee and, after pulling back the sheet that had acted like a tent, felt their way in the intermittent darkness, towards the rear of the van.
Without warning a light appeared through a crack in the canvas covering the back of the vehicle. Someone was walking towards the van shining a flash-light. Josh stopped in his tracks and put his arm out to Ahmad to warn him of the possible impending danger. As the light got nearer, they quickly retraced their steps until they had regained the comparative security of the settee. Quickly yanking the sheet back into place they lay quietly until they heard the canvas tarpaulin at the back of the van being pulled back and the sound of muffled voices.