Between the Grapevines

6. Sitta

Riyad's hearing caught the fast whoosh that cut through the sky before he heard it contact in the distance. When the ground shook beneath him and a loud blast rolled a powerful sound wave across what felt like the entire country, he realized that a rocket had fallen. Inside the third tent, he heard the imprisoned soldier stomp his feet against the ground and squeal in delight. Before he could thunder into the space and react to the infuriating man, Farhan appeared outside the second tent, his eyebrows lowered to draw a dangerous shadow over his features. Riyad, alongside Kader, and the others hurried down to the meeting they knew would be called.

After a long phone call and their own discussion, the contact of Farhan's palms on the table sent forth a flurry of previously organized sheets and broke the conversation that occurred within the privacy of the first tent. Kader flinched in surprise at the abrupt sound. Everyone fell silent to the voice of their leader who, when he found it necessary, demanded absolute respect and compliance. This moment seemed to be one of those.

"They have detained Salam Froukh for the past years and now they've bombed the home that houses his wife and children," Farhan spoke slowly, his eyes latched onto the carpet in front of him and seething with blazing hatred. "This matter is not up for discussion. Amer, ride out to the Eastern Camp and give them our permission to fire rockets in retaliation. If we stay silent, they will only attack the homes of more imprisoned men and only our women and children will suffer. We protect our people."

With a firm nod, Amer hurried out of the tent.

"Do we have the supplies to launch rockets right now?" Kader asked.

"Supplies?" Hamza turned to him, his features pinched as if he'd suddenly smelled something that disgusted all of his senses. "When a home has just fallen on innocent women and children? I hardly think these matters are important in this moment."

Kader nodded. "I know. I only-."

Farhan interrupted him as if he hadn't even heard the unusual point made by the boy who smelled strongly of hashish. Riyad had nudged him into silence because, perhaps if he spoke again, Farhan might realize he'd been out smoking. "Gear up. All of you."

"Are they making a military advancement?" Hamza asked.

"No. We are going to help in the efforts to pull his family from beneath the rubble, but I want you to take your weapons with you. Keep them hidden beneath your clothing and only expose them if Occupational Soldiers make an appearance at the sight. Other than that, you are only citizen bystanders coming to help, understand?"

With a firm nod, all of them moved to retrieve their smaller weapons. The rifles remained in their place on the wall because guns of such large sizes could never be hidden beneath casual clothing. Riyad tucked his blades beneath the base of his shirt and slid a gun against his back as an extra precaution. But Farhan stopped him on his way out.

"You and I will catch up with them. I need to discuss something with you," he murmured in the narrow space between them. Though Farhan normally had no issue discussing matters in front of Kader and Hamza, he still waited in silence until they had departed the privacy of the tent and left him with Riyad in solitude. "What of the girl?"

"The girl?" He repeated.

"Your wife."

"What of her?" Riyad asked.

Farhan stepped past him to retrieve his own weapons, speaking quietly into the tent around them but knowing rather well how easily their voices carried through the thick material that surrounded them. "Has she spoken at all? Or has her memory returned to her?" He clarified, scanning the table for the signature weapon he always carried that was not quite as long as a normal battle sword but longer than Riyad's daggers.