Richard House - The Kills

As the men climbed back into the cars, one of them looked for a long time at Amer Hassan.

‘He knows me,’ Hassan said. ‘That man knows who I am. Word will get back that I am working with the Americans.’

Kiprowski asked who would know that he was working here, and how that would matter. Amer said that there were many people who could not leave. His family were still in Baghdad, and if word got back to them there would be trouble.

‘What do they think you are doing?’

‘They think that I am finishing my studies in Damascus.’

Pakosta held up his gun and tracked the vehicle as it disappeared. He could solve the problem, he said. Hassan only had to give the word.

* * *

The next morning Cathy received a reply from Marianne Clark.

Dear Cathy,

It was very good to hear from you. I live in St. Louis, although I have family in Aurora and have spent some very happy times in Chicago. I don’t want to presume anything, but I was very pleased to hear from you as an earlier message had me a little confused. I am new to the internet, and much happier with the telephone if you should ever want to talk. It would be nice to talk and please do not hesitate if you should like to call me. It was a great comfort to hear from you and know that there are others in our situation.

Sincerely,

Marianne Clark

Cathy returned to the library after work and found messages from John Watts, brother of Paul, and Sara Morales, girlfriend of Mark Samuels.

Thnks for yr message. Write when u want, wld be interested in hearing more. Have pics from Camp Liberty to share & willing to set up a chatroom if u and others are interested.

JW

and

I haven’t heard from Mark since he moved from Amrah City, and hope that everything is all right with him. I don’t know if the messages are getting through, can you let me know? Have you heard anything?

Sara Morales

One day more and Cathy was surprised to see a whole number of messages, each copied to all of the recipients.

I’m angry, this isn’t what we were told … we were told that his wage would be $19.45 an hour, but the rate so far is far below at $11.25!!!!! Has anyone else experienced this?

Paul Pakosta

… same here, annual income indicated at a minimum of $87,000 to $95,000, starting wage at $21 an hour — so far, hasn’t come close. Plus travel deductions for the first seven months of $750 to $1,000. Why are they taking money out? I have copies of the original contract which says nothing about this?

Sara Watts

… and vaccination charges, shipping costs, this is not what he signed up for!!!!! This is not what was promised!!!!!

Paul Pakosta

… Mark’s first contract was with U-Tech who recruited him, but he was asked to sign another at the induction in Virginia, where he was told he was working for HOSCO, who charged us $7,000 for his transport to Iraq and for the seven days they kept him waiting in Dubai, which is paid with interest? Is this legal? I don’t think they started paying till he arrived in Iraq, which means those ten days in Austin were unpaid. It’s confusing. Can anyone get information on where he’s placed? All we’ve been told is that decisions are made ‘on the ground’. He was at ACSB. Where is this? Please advise.

Doug & Marsha Samuels

P.S. our neighbors have a family member who was in an accident in Iraq and he worked for HOSCO and he had to pay all of his medical?

Cathy wrote to John Watts and enquired about the chatroom and received an immediate reply inviting her to an online discussion board and suggesting a login time of 19:00. Once she completed the form she noticed a new icon at the bottom of the screen. When she clicked on it a message-box opened up.

JONNIEWATTS92:;) it’s cathy, right?

CATHYGUNNERS: Hello?

…

…

JONNIEWATTS92: i sent emails to everyone in the earlier email did that even make sense???

JONNIEWATTS92: you’ve not used messenger before?

JONNIEWATTS92: you have to hit the spacebar

…

…

JONNIEWATTS92: hit enter.

CATHYGUNNERS: OK, thanks. Sorry. Is this live?

JONNIEWATTS92: it’s real time, yup, happening now:)

CATHYGUNNERS: Can we speak with them at Camp Liberty?

JONNIEWATTS92: it’s 4am in iraq now — you can send an invite:) click on the red icon at the bottom that looks like a man with a hat — type in the email address and they get an invite

JONNIEWATTS92: you’ve not done this before?

CATHYGUNNERS: No

JONNIEWATTS92: seriously!?

[DSAMUELS has entered the chatroom]

CATHYGUNNERS: It’s all new

JONNIEWATTS92: it won’t take long — it’s not rocket science

DSAMUELS: This is Doug.

CATHYGUNNERS: Hi Doug

JONNIEWATTS92: hey

DSAMUELS: Sorry we’re late.

JONNIEWATTS92: s’ok — we’ve not really started.

DSAMUELS: My wife is here, Marsha, I’m typing, she’s dictating … Cathy, we were happy to hear from you. Did everyone get the same message?

JONNIEWATTS92: i sent the invite;)

CATHYGUNNERS: I don’t know where to start.

CATHYGUNNERS: I had all these questions.

JONNIEWATTS92: No worries;)

JONNIEWATTS92: we have time

DSAMUELS: Has anyone heard from Mark? Does anyone know how he is?

JONNIEWATTS92: i heard from my brother — he didn’t say anything was wrong.

JONNIEWATTS92: u said he was at ACSB … I think he’s at camp liberty now

DSAMUELS: He’s ok?

JONNIEWATTS92: paul didn’t say otherwise — tho he sounded bored.

JONNIEWATTS92: my brother sounded bored — said they weren’t up to much — out in the desert — just them and some scorpions —

DSAMUELS: Why are they there?

JONNIEWATTS92: the company picked them for the job

CATHYGUNNERS: I think that was my husband.

DSAMUELS: We don’t understand. What is the job?

CATHYGUNNERS: He was asked by the company director to pick a team.

DSAMUELS: By U-Tech?

CATHYGUNNERS: HOSCO.

DSAMUELS: Sorry? It doesn’t make sense?

DSAMUELS: … like everything else. But you’re sure he’s ok?

JONNIEWATTS92: my brother sent pictures. I have photos.

DSAMUELS: You’re sure he’s ok. We don’t understand why he hasn’t been in touch.

[you have three attachments WY8959001.JPEG: WY8959002.JPEG: WY8959003.JPEG]

…

…

…

DSAMUELS: Thank God.

DSAMUELS: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

DSAMUELS: This is the first we’ve seen him since he left. Thank you thankyouthank you. Tell your brother thank you.

JONNIEWATTS92: most welcome

DSAMUELS: How can we get a message to him?

DSAMUELS: Why is he there? When will he come back?

[Invitation from JONNIEWATTS92 to CATHYGUNNERS for a private chat]

JONNIEWATTS92: this makes me feel bad

CATHYGUNNERS: I know. I don’t understand why they don’t know anything?

JONNIEWATTS92: it’s weird —

JONNIEWATTS92: their son is in Iraq and he’s not contacted them — they can call anytime they want — that’s really really sad

CATHYGUNNERS: Do you know what’s going on?

JONNIEWATTS92: paul said that there was a real oddball — won’t talk to anyone, is kinda ocd, and another guy who’s gay — probably — suppressed — seriously — they’re stuck in the desert with some guy with ocd and a gay

CATHYGUNNERS: You can’t write that!!!

JONNIEWATTS92: no offence, but they’re in the desert with a guy who does tippy-tap sh*t who wants everything nice and tidy — that has to be a problem right?

JONNIEWATTS92: I work pt at borders my boss has ocd

CATHYGUNNERS: Seriously? What does he do?

JONNIEWATTS92: she chain smokes

JONNIEWATTS92: honest to god … she’s killing herself.

DSAMUELS: When will he come back?