The water was flowing gently. All of the children held their breaths, afraid that the flowing of water would suddenly become louder and alert the Al Qaeda guards outside.
The five gasoline-drenched kids covered their mouths, their large yet bright eyes revealed a surprised look. They allowed the cold water to wash over their bodies and that thick layer of gasoline on their bodies. The gas that had made them so afraid seemed to lessen each time they scrub their shirts.
Ye Jian once again stuck herself to the door. She knocked with gentle yet rhythmic force. After receiving a reply, she immediately muttered: “I suggest we execute Plan B. Leave the orphanage and take care of them on the plane.”
“You’re preparing to pour the gasoline away?” V8’s eyebrows raised slightly. He immediately guessed the reason why Ye Jian suggested Plan B. With a staunch expression between his brows, he lowered his voice to the maximum and questioned: “We do not have enough time. We have to fulfill every one of Pabell’s demands before 10 p.m. Three hours have almost passed since the last phone call. Ye Jian, the time we have left isn’t much.”
With a smile on her face, Ye Jian realized that having a comrade like this outside makes things effortless. No matter what she wanted to do, they’ll be able to guess it. “I’ll dispose of all the gasoline and turn this ‘dangerous’ room into the safest place. This way, we wouldn’t have to worry that a stray bullet would hit the barrels and cause an explosion. My second suggestion is that before Pabell leaves, we should release the first batch of…”
Before she managed to finish the word ‘hostages,’ T6, who was standing guard this time, knocked on the door with his gun. Ye Jian didn’t dawdle, and she returned to the children’s’ side with agile movements.
Petty immediately warned the kids in Urdu, “Someone’s coming.”
These were kids who had survived the flames of war; they were susceptible to the sense of danger. Petty’s warning made everyone lower their heads, and they hugged their knees to make it seem like they were sound asleep.
The five gasoline-drenched children squatted in a corner, while Ye Jian gently moved the water pipe back to its original position. Everything return to calmness.
The door didn’t open; the people on patrol were making rounds to make sure nothing was out of the ordinary. After realizing nothing much had happened, they left behind some instructions and went on their way.
“K7, patrol unit coming. Three tangoes, stay wary.” V8 maintained contact with K7. He was reporting his current situation so that K7, and their other brothers-in-arms who came here as reinforcements, could be prepared.
K7, who had already located the staff members of the orphanage, heard it. He mumbled towards the other figures in the darkness. “Hide.” Before the patrolling Al Qaeda terrorists had arrived, every one of them seemed like owls that were stalking around in the dark. They had all hidden in the blink of an eye.
Pabell no longer held control over the whole orphanage. With the infiltration of Chinese soldiers, at the very least, they’ll turn the guards from former Al Qaeda members… to fully-disguised soldiers from China.
Ye Jian did not know what the exact amount of hostages being taken was, but when she heard the footsteps were gaining distance, she immediately helped the two other kids still doused in gasoline to wash it off.
“I’ve only erased the smell of gasoline from them. The danger still hasn’t been settled. We have to move the gasoline barrels away.” Ye Jian muttered towards Petty, who could detect the feelings of joy in the darkness: “If a bullet hit the gasoline barrels, it’ll still cause an explosion. The best way is to make it, so the gasoline in the barrels isn’t around us.”
Leaving this place was not an easy task. After gaining a smile with great difficulty, Petty caught her words, and now sorrow was climbing back into her eyes. “What should we do? The oil barrels are too big… how are we going to move them outside?”
