"I will just be a moment" said Claudia on her way to the bathroom. On the way back she detoured via the cashier to collect her windfall and folded the wad of bills into her purse.
There was a car waiting to take them back to the suite at the Savoy.
Chapter 28
By the time Kamal had emerged dripping wet from the scalding hot shower Claudia was already naked and propped up on a fluffy pillow in the king size bed. Her beautiful breasts peeked playfully over the sheets and her red hair cascaded down the pillow.
"Hurry and get dry darling, I can’t wait to hold you" purred Claudia. She noticed the unusual item around his wrist.
"Don’t you ever take off that bracelet?" she asked.
"Never my dear, it is my good luck charm."
"Then come over here and get lucky."
Kamal had only so much self-restraint and toweled himself quickly before falling into Claudia’s waiting arms.
They kissed passionately for a few minutes until Kamal could wait no longer.
Kamal was a selfish lover at the best of times, but after wine with dinner and champagne at the casino, this was far from a satisfying liaison for Claudia. Yet, her performance was worthy of an Oscar, and Kamal never even considered for a second that Claudia may not be actually enjoying their time together.
It did not take long for sleep to claim Kamal. He had another big day away from prying eyes.
Kamal’s view of Islam was that it did not really apply to him, particularly while he was visiting another country. Drinking, gambling and extra-marital sex were fine as long as he did not get caught in the act by the more militant fringe.
Chapter 29
For the previous twenty years, the social fabric of England had been changing. There had been huge levels of immigration from the West Indies and India. In more recent years, it was the Muslim population that had increased rapidly. One in seven children does not speak English as their first language.
There is a ready supply of freedom fighters who are actually born in England, but had been taught to hate by the militant Islamic fringe.
The first ever coordinated attack on the London transport system began at 8.50am.
Three bombs exploded within fifty seconds of each other.
The first casualty was the underground train 204 east bound on the Circle line. The train had left the King’s Cross station eight minutes earlier.
Bomb number two covered the westbound Circle line and train 216 had just left Edgeware Road Station when it erupted into a fireball.
The Piccadilly line is a deep level underground line and train 311 had just left King’s Cross station when the rear of the first carriage disintegrated.
Nearly an hour later there was a fourth explosion on a red double decker bus.
The death toll for the day numbered fifty six, including the four suicide bombers. Nearly seven hundred passengers were injured.
Due to the open nature of the bus explosion, the body of the suicide bomber was in much better shape. This was the only body that could be positively identified. He was a kitchen hand at Simpson’s in the Strand restaurant. In his jacket pocket, the police located a scrap of paper on which the locations of the four bombings were written in large block letters. There were exact locations, and times given to maximize the carnage caused.
Finger print analysis of the paper was unable to find any prints except for those of the deceased bomber.
Chapter 30
Bali is a small tropical island in the Indonesian archipelago. It bisects the Indian Ocean and the Java Sea. The population is ninety five percent Hindu, with Islam accounting for most of the balance.
However, the Indonesian nation as a whole has a much different mix. In fact at eighty eight percent Muslim, there are nearly two hundred million followers of Islam in Indonesia. It is by far the largest Muslim country on earth.
Kamal was on the way home to Saudi Arabia from his annual pilgrimage to the electronics trade show in Las Vegas. He advised his pilot to alter their flight plan to allow for a few days rest in Bali.
By the time the luxury jet had landed, Kamal’s secretary back in Riyadh had made the accommodation arrangements.
While the pilot was staying near the airport, Kamal always opted for more luxurious surroundings. The Grand Hyatt Hotel, the crown jewel of resorts was on the other side of the island at Nusa Dua. A white limousine was waiting for him on arrival, and the pilot loaded his two heavy suitcases into the trunk for the forty five minute trip to the hotel complex. He was checked in by 10am.
Swimming was not Kamal’s strongest sport. In fact, there was no way he was actually going into the seawater. He had read reports of weak swimmers being swept away with the tide. The pool was much more to his taste, and this far from his home, he thought it appropriate to sip on a Pina Colada whilst sunning himself.
He enjoyed viewing the bikini clad tourists lingering around the pool.
There was a wonderful buffet lunch available, and Kamal went back for a second helping of the crab.
He had arranged to join a commercial tour in the afternoon.
He was picked up at the hotel, and they visited the handicraft village of Obud, higher up on the island. Then they stopped at the monkey forest.
"Are you enjoying the tour?" Kamal was asked by a small Asian fellow tourist.
"Yes, but monkeys scare me" answered Kamal truthfully, but using the pre-arranged authentication phrase.
They wandered away from the rest of the group so they could chat unobserved.
"I am Amrozi. Thank you for coming to Bali" the man began.
"It is my pleasure to meet you, I have heard much about your organization here. It is better that you do not know my name" said Kamal.
"Of course sir, we don’t have much time before the tour moves on to watch the Legong Dance at the Ubud Palace. Our plans are in place, but we need money for the explosives. Can you help us?" asked Kamal.
"Yes, maybe I can assist you. Meet me on the beach outside the Grand Hyatt hotel at 10pm tonight" said Kamal who walked back to the tour party. They went to watch the dancing and Kamal was excited seeing the dark skinned girls dancing in their colorful costumes.
He was delivered back to his hotel at 9pm, and he was able to squeeze in a quick snack and a beer before grabbing his larger suitcase and walking out into the balmy night. His villa backed onto the beach, and he was able to slip out unobserved.
Amrozi was hiding under a bunch of palm trees. They shook hands warmly.
"Is that the money?" asked the anxious Indonesian when he noticed Kamal carrying the suitcase.
"It is something much better. It is military grade explosives, I understand you know how to use this product?" asked Kamal.
Amrozi’s jaw dropped "How did you get this here? Security is tight in Bali".
"Everything is possible" explained Kamal, who neglected to mention that having your own private jet made customs checks of any kind a rarity.
"Of course we know how to use this! We are experts. Most of our people are ex-military. I cannot begin to thank you for your help. What can I do for you in return?" asked Amrozi.