A key turned in the lock, and the door opened. Some instinct told her to close her eyes, so through slits, she watched a man enter the room. He gave her a glance and went to the phone.
"Let me talk to Abdulah," said the man into the mouthpiece. "Jack. Jack Hogan. ... What do you mean he's busy? He's expecting my call ... yeah, OK, I'll talk to Ahmed."
Jack wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. They better not be trying to screw him over.
"Yeah, I got the ...er... package. No way, you pick it up here ... That's right, room one-seventeen."
He hung up the phone and looked at his watch. Sara followed his movements though thick lashes as he filled a hypo and headed towards her. A wave of cold fear surged through her body, but before she could react, he jabbed the needle in her arm.
"Night, night sleeping beauty." He said, just as she blacked out.
Abdulah anxiously paced the spacious cabin of his private jet. Ahmed was due here with the girl any minute. The faster they could get in the air, the better. He glanced out a portal and smiled as he saw the private ambulance drive up to his jet. Two white clad attendants carried a figure on a stretcher up the ramp and into the cabin. He planned to keep her unconscious until he had her safely locked away in his own house in Faradahd. There he would be free to enjoy this newly acquired toy.
Ahmed interrupted his thoughts. "Excuse me, Excellency, but what should we do about Mr. Hogan?"
"Why Ahmed, we give him a job, of course." replied Abdulah as he stared at the unconscious Sara's face. "We will keep Mr. Hogan around for a while longer. He has successfully accomplished this task, perhaps we will find other uses for Mr. Hogan's talents." He tore his eyes from the vision below him and faced his servant.
"You Ahmed, are in charge of Mr. Hogan. Clean him up. Show him around the casino. Keep him happy until I return. Come, come now, my friend, do not look so disappointed, I promise that if Mr. Hogan steps out of line, you may kill him."
Ahmed nodded and his gold tooth flashed as he returned his master's evil grin.
* * * Rashid angrily ground out a rare cigarette with the heel of his boot as he watched his uncle's 747 taxi to a stop in front of the steel hanger which served as control tower and terminal for Faradahd's tiny airport. He had warned his uncle to curtail any activities which might jeopardize the present negotiations with the Americans. Rashid only wished he had learned of Abdulah's transaction before it had taken place. He wondered how many similar deals had been made over the past five years since the Royal family had had the Golden Sands built to keep Abdulah occupied.