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missing and Absar is dead.”
    Northwright hung up. The encryption had not yet activated. Fucking idiot. Don’t they teach these guys anything? As a known player in geopolitical espionage, Northwright could be sure that a number of intelligence ears had heard the information, but there was a slim possibility that no one would connect the significant to him. Can’t risk any communication breaches , he thought to himself. He shut off his cell phone and with a practiced flip of the wrist, he opened it up and removed the SIM. Reaching down to pull a Zippo from his pants pocket, he got out of the bed, his mind on the seven words he had heard before he had disconnected the call. His mistress stirred in the bed, realizing he was not beside her.
    “Why are you up?” she muttered half asleep, reaching for Northwright ’s shadow.
    “Sorry darling, had a nightmare,” Northwright quickly answered, hoping that she would fall back into a deep sleep. “Kind of unsettling. Go back to sleep, I ’m going to pop out on the balcony for a smoke.”
    Nicole, now more aware, slid over and wrapped her arms around his waist, strategically placing her hands. “Let me help you relax. We can have a smoke together… after.”
    Northwright fingered the SIM between his fingers, contemplating whether being insistent on a cigarette would raise additional questions, or worse bring his plaything completely out of her slumber wanting to discuss the nightmare. Northwright knew that with the SIM in his hand, all tracking mechanisms were defeated, as were the NSA’s ability to use his phone as a listening device. He could destroy the SIM later, he thought as he slid back into bed, and Nicole did what earned her the expensive gifts.
    * * *
    The sheer size of the ISI Academy campus intimidated Kamal. The Jungle, as it was known among the rank and file, sprawled over 5,000 acres of land situated in a location that no one would ever find without a map and a guide. As he was driven down the tree-lined road to the large granite building in the center, Kamal couldn’t help but compare this to his training bases at The Bird’s Nest and Attock Fort. The granite building stood alone amidst a beautifully manicured lawn and flags of the various branches of the armed forces flying above. The rest of the grounds were populated with forest, endless and vast, which would most likely be used as a training ground. Exiting the vehicle, Kamal was ushered into the building by a soldier, in full military dress, while another took his baggage from the car. In the foyer, he was given a file with his room assignment, rules, agenda for the day and course list. The soldier directed him towards a door guarded by two more men in full dress uniform.
    He entered a large hall where, he guessed, noticing the long benches and tables lining the sides of the room, they would serve lunch. The hall was massive, a double level affair with galleries along the second floor that overlooked the room. And it was crowded. Kamal stopped in his tracks, momentarily overwhelmed by the sheer size and magnitude of the space. He focused his attention on the men closest to him, trying to find familiar faces among the crowd. He knew of several SSG batch mates and seniors who had been accepted into the Jungle.
    No one looked over. Kamal moved forward through the buzzing room, scoping it out. He easily identified testosterone filled infantry soldiers from the raucous laughter and loud jokes. In contrast, air force and navy representatives were quiet and refined, speaking in low murmurs in small groups. 
    “Oye, baanchod ! What the hell are you doing here?”
    That voice… Kamal turned towards Major Iftikhar Siddiqui, a former instructor at The Bird ’s Nest during his SSG training, psyched to see a friendly face. The Major was a solid figure, built like a compact truck with a booming voice. His friendly greeting had several heads turning towards him, but the Major was impervious to the affronted