"Yes, but Mexico is better and safer because we have many agents and sympathizers not only there, but all over South America. If need be, we can bribe the Mexican officials to turn their backs to this sort of thing more easily than if we took her through Canada. The Americans are not as interested in what or who crosses into Mexico as much as they are in what comes into the States. With the cartel and human trafficking going on all the time, this sort of thing is not unusual. Juarez, the Mexican city across the border, is a completely lawless town and the Mexican officials are easy to bribe and look the other way at such things. I will be waiting in Texas and I will then take her by small plane into the hills of Chihuahua and then to a larger plane to fly her to Venezuela. There too, the government is known to turn its back and we have many contacts, some of who can arrange for the air passage to Libya. In Libya it is a short hop to the Sinai where she can be held until Jesse joins you. After that, it is your job to get Jesse to agree to your terms."
"Why the Sinai? Why not bring her here to me in Syria direct?"
"This would be the first place they would think to look for her, besides the Americans have lots of connections among the rebel anti Assad forces here and you don't want them to rescue her before you have Jesse. Besides, if Jesse decides that she is not worth the effort," he smiled and said, "I have something else in mind for her."
"Why is it that somehow I thought you would? Well tell me, what is that?" the Caliph laughed.
"Why - you are going to issue me papers that state I am a freeman and am no longer your slave. Also, as payment for my services I will want $500,000 and I will take her for my concubine. As such, she will be mine and we will be free to stay in Egypt or anywhere in the Islamic world. Perhaps we might even move to Pakistan or Indonesia where we will be safe."
"Safe? Safe from whom? Just remember, if I wanted you, I can get to you in any place," jested the Caliph.
"Not from you! After I complete this job, you will grant me my freedom, give me that money and papers so that I can get away from here for good. It is not you that I need to be safe from. I'm sure you want Jesse to yourself. This woman would only get in your way," he smiled pointing to her picture and said, "You will leave the two of us alone. This beauty is worth a fortune. If you try to screw me out of the money, I might even sell her to one of the Sinai sheiks. I hear they like young tender flesh. No, it's not you that I fear - I need to be safe from the Americans when they come after me."
"Don't worry about that. I don't think they will come after you. You are not that big a fish and while they may make some noise about Jesse after a while, I think that they will even calm down and accept the fact that the two of them may have run off together and gotten married. They then arranged this huge fabrication and fled to us because we recognize and honor their marriage. The Americans would never let him live down the fact that he had robbed the cradle. Why waste all that money searching for two runaway lovers. I like your plan. It has all the makings of being successful and leaves me in the clear. What are you going to need?"
"Okay, I will start to make all the arrangements. I will need you to supply a plane and some money. Is that a problem?"
"No problem. But are you really sure that you want to leave me. Now that I see how resourceful you are, I would hate to lose a man of your abilities. As for your freedom, if you pull this off and Jesse joins us, I will be glad to free you. However, I could always use you as a freeman and a soldier for Islam. Perhaps even promote you to a Governorship of one of my smaller Caliphates."
"I thank you for the offer of my freedom. I will be glad to remain under your leadership until we take over the United States at which time I will become the American Caliph and not Jesse. I will then have the glory of dealing with that rotten son of a bitch, Yethro. But for now, I have to get busy and make the arrangements."
"You go ahead and execute your plans. You may use whatever resources I have. As far as you being the American Caliph - I have no problem with that as long as that Caliphate is allied and under my Caliphate. Jesse on the other hand might object. However, I intend to make sure that Jesse will not wish to return to America after he sees what I can give him here. All this could be his, if he wants it and I will do my best to make sure he does. For now, just let me know how it is going and what help you will require. Just remember that I want Jesse unharmed. As far as she is concerned, like you said, once I have Jesse here I'm sure I can get him to forget about her. In fact, I know I can make him forget about women and the two of us will rule the Caliphate together."
Several days later Ronnie and Rashid were shopping at a downtown mall department store. Jesse had a birthday coming up and she was looking to buy him a gift. She had decided to buy him a new wallet and, not knowing too much about men's accessories, she had dragged Rashid along with her. He had reluctantly agreed to accompany her, because he himself needed a few shirts of his own. They stopped at the menswear counter where he picked out about four shirts and, holding one, against his chest, he asked Ronnie how she thought it would look on him.
"The color is nice. It goes with your eyes but what do I know about men's shirts? I would rather see you in a Jalabiya. I love when Jesse wears the ones that Yethro had made for him. Especially that white one with the fancy embroidery. If I had my way they would be the only things he would ever wear. They are made so roomy. It makes him look so romantic and when the wind blows and all that material is forced back against his body... you can see his entire form and it makes me want to get under it with him..."
"You floozy, you disreputable little tramp! You're acting like a little tramp! The two of you had better get married soon or I will have to have you fitted with a chastity belt," he laughed.
"Don't you dare!" she scoffed at him. "I'm sorry, but it is how I feel and there is nothing I can do about it. I spoke with Grandma and she says it's normal to feel this way. She keeps saying we are foolish to wait. The whole idea is stupid. She keeps telling me that in the old country a girl is married by age 12 and it is her husband's job to teach her about sex. She did say that since she had this additional time she would use it to teach me all about what I have to do on my wedding night. At times, I become so aroused that I have to stop her and take a cold shower. I, too, wish we were already sleeping together as man and wife. I want him to hold me in his arms and (and in Arabic she whispered to him) I want his manhood in me. I can't help but feel that way. I am having all these really arousing thoughts and dreams. There is nothing I can do about it. They come on me at the weirdest times and I sometimes have to change my... I know that Moslem women are just to accept the match that is made for them but from the moment that you brought him home that Sunday and you introduced him to me, I fell in love with him. I really love him and just in case I never told you, Rashid, I'm glad you found him for me and will always love you for it. And for the way both you and Grandma protected me all these years."
"Well I'm glad you're glad, but now tell me how do you think this shirt will look? Do you think that if I wore it, some woman might want to rip it off my back and make love to me?" he said, trying not to sound uncomfortable.
"How can I say that? To me you are the handsomest of men, Jesse excepted. I'm sure there are women who would love... Rashid, you are like a brother to me and I love you in a different way and I always will. As far as what other women think, I'm sure that there are other women out there that will want you."
"And you know that I love you too. Now to get back to these shirts... I think they are the right size, but sometimes the cut is too small. These are not American made and I may need a larger size. Besides, you know how they shrink in the laundry."
"I know, I have the same problem when I shop with Grandma. She always says to buy them a size bigger to grow into. Why not take them into the dressing room, try them on and see for yourself. If you like them why not buy them all? You could always use more shirts and you can afford it. That way you can also check on the size. In the meantime, while you are doing that, I'll walk over to the leather goods showcase over there and look at the wallets for Jesse. I'll wait for you before I choose one."