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no
threat to you!”
    Amir increased his painful grip on her arms
and shoulders. “Why are you so worried about him; is he your
lover?” Tess tried to break away, unsuccessfully.
    “No, he is not my lover! He is a soldier. Let
him go!”
    Unimpressed, Amir let her go and nodded to
the guards. One of them picked up a bucket and splashed the
contents on Archie’s head, reviving him. Two of the others yanked
on the pulley and raised the sergeant off the floor. He screamed.
Tess’s heart felt like it had stopped.
    “Amir,” for the first time she called him by
his first name, “I beg you, please don’t do this. For your sake,
don’t put yourself in jeopardy when the Americans find you here.
Don’t be a war criminal!”
    Amir smiled. “Do I detect some concern for
me, beautiful one? Perhaps you like me a little, no?” Another nod;
another yank of the rope.
    “Damn you!” Archie’s scream went right
through Tess’s soul. She fought an urge to kill the General.
    “Amir, please, I ask again: Stop this! I will
do whatever you want!”
    The sergeant heard her and started to shake
his body in a vain attempt to free himself. “Major, don’t do
anything. Tell him to go to hell! They haven’t even begun to hurt
me!”
    Another nod from the General. One of the
guards approached the prisoner with a wireless electric drill in
hand. He started the tool, grabbed Archie’s hair to raise his head.
He pointed at the drill and said with a grin “Made in USA.”
    Amir grabbed Tess again, making a show of
smelling her perfume. “Where should we start, my beautiful? A small
hole in his thigh? Perhaps though the eye?”
    Archie tried to kick his tormentors, to no
avail. “Major, ignore them! After they get through with me, they
will kill you!”
    Amir, still holding Tess, nuzzled her cheek
from behind her. She could not stand it anymore. “General, stop
this. I will go with you if you let him go.”
    Amir took another whiff of her hair and held
up his hand, stopping the goon from inflicting any more damage on
the sergeant. He spoke in her ear. “Are you sure my beauty? You
want to come to come to me of your own free will?”
    “Yes, I will come to you!” she angrily
responded.
    “Are you sure, of you own free will? Will you
beg to have me?”
    Tess was desperate. “I beg you to take me,”
she moaned through her tears.
    The General made another gesture to his men.
“Take him down, and clean him up! Put him back with the others! Now
go, go!” The men worked fast, dragging Archie Powell with them; his
face was the picture of despair.
    Amir let Tess go, went back to the table,
poured some wine in Tess’s glass and brought it to her. She
collapsed on a chair, took the glass and downed its contents. She
felt defeated, lost. Amir sat in his chair and lit a cigar. He
remained silent until Tess composed herself. He blew a circle of
smoke in the air.
    “Now, my dear, no more unpleasantness. Let’s
celebrate our coming together. You will soon get used to it and
even enjoy it. Now, if you would, please go to the apartments and
prepare to receive me.” With a quick hand gesture, the General rang
a small bell. Kejal appeared almost instantly. “The lady needs to
freshen up and change; see to it,” he commanded. The woman took
Tess by the hand, helped her get up from the chair, and gently put
her arm around her waist to guide her out of the room. Tess felt
like a helpless ghost.
    In the bedroom, the woman asked Tess to sit
on a sofa. She returned with a warm washcloth and washed her tears
away. “You must endure this. You must survive tonight. I will come
later, and help you.” Kejal heard the General approach and
disappeared like a whisper.
    Amir appeared wearing a magnificent robe, and
then sat on a plush chair, crossing his legs. “Morgan.” He paused.
“A masculine name, not at all suitable for you. We must find a name
that fits you.” Another pause; “Now, if you please, I would like
you to reveal yourself to me.