Desert Escape

By David Hardham

Whilst investigating a new diamond discovery in Southern Libya, Jack Murray is thrust into the role of rescuer as 12 young kidnapped western girls held in an Arabian Harem are rescued. Their escape takes them across the wastelands of Southern Libya and Niger into the oil rich country of Nigeria. Pursued relentlessly by the Arab Sheikh's guards, Jack and the girls keep one step as before encountering an uprising in the oil city of Port Harcourt in Southern Nigeria.

Desperate to get the girls back to the safety of England and to reunite them with their families, Jack aids the leader of the uprising before they can continue. An encounter with his old foe Johannes Brochen reveals a hidden secret behind the bomb blast in Antwerp that brings a surprise legal case.

• Language: English
• Publisher: David Hardham
• Release date: Jun 27, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301018840

David Hardham

David Hardham was born and raised in Melbourne and has worked in the IT industry all his working life including stints in London, Singapore and South Africa. He has travelled extensively, both within Australia as well as many European and Asian countries. In his early twenties, David crossed the entire African continent by road from North to South.

Book preview

PART I

RESCUER

Chapter 1

I have sat here for the past hour listening to you two waffle on about the virtues of mining in North Africa, how it provides employment for the local population, a golden opportunity that should not be passed up and so on. Now cut the crap and tell me the real reason why you want offload this diamond prospect or I am out of here.

Jack had had enough of the sales bullshit that the two senior Clampett Oil & Gas executives had been spinning him and he was now certain that the lure of this ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity to acquire a highly regarded prospect in the trouble torn North African country was a complete waste of his time. As he rose from his chair in the spacious boardroom of the oil giant’s London office, he peered out the window to see the gloomy grey skies and drizzling rain that epitomised the English capital’s start to a new summer and wondered why on earth he had made the long trip from Australia. Just then, the door opened and in walked the CEO of the multinational company.

"Please sit down Jack. I do apologise for beating around the bush to use one of your phrases. What I am about to tell you is highly confidential but I know I can trust you and that it will not go outside these walls. Let me explain. With the turmoil of the past six months in North Africa, we have been reviewing our operations in the region and this has come to a head with the increased rebel activity in Libya. But first, some background. We have been exploring and producing oil all over the African continent including North Africa for many years now and until recently, our exploration program was continuing. The Libyan ‘Mining and Exploration Revolutionary Committee’ as they are quaintly named require us to utilise local resources for any discoveries made with excessive penalties for not doing so. In addition, there are penalties for not even taking any commercial find to production, regardless of the political situation and danger to workers. Some years ago, when drilling a potential new oil find in the south of Libya, we hit a strange rock formation just below the surface. Closer examination indicated a rich kimberlite pipe of diamond carrying ore. We are an oil and gas company, not a diamond miner so we have been looking for ways to offload this lease without incurring the penalties."

"With the recent upheavals in Tunisia, Egypt and now Libya, we are extremely uncomfortable with the new regimes that are likely to take control. Although we have withdrawn all ex-pats and closed our office in Tripoli for the time being, there are still a small number of local employees there. I won’t bore you with all the details, suffice to say that to exit Libya totally, as is, would cause a massive hit to our bottom line, mainly because of the penalties that we would incur on the diamond mine that is yet to come to production. The area where this is located, despite having an air force base and a significant military presence, is not one of Gaddafi’s strongholds and he has been using this ‘carrot’ to appease some of the unrest and to try and maintain his tenuous hold on the country. The best solution for us would be to sell the lease to someone who could turn it into a producing mine. With your mines in the Australian outback and in the Congo, you have the expertise to get a mine operational in harsh conditions, which is why we have come to you with this offer."

Jack said nothing, digesting all that Peter Washer had said. After a long silence with the three faces staring at him, Jack finally spoke.

I have the following conditions. First, I will need to inspect the site myself. Second. I will need complete access to all drilling results and analysis of the findings. Third, I will require access to your port facilities in Tripoli. And lastly, once I have completed my appraisal of the site and the analysis of the drill results and I am satisfied that it is feasible to mine, I will give you one US dollar for the lease.

But that is outrageous, it is worth many tens if not hundreds of millions one of the senior executives started to say before Jack cut him off.

And it will more than likely cost you many billions if you don’t go ahead with mining it. The chances of you being able to find someone to take over the lease are very slim, especially in the current climate of uncertainty in the country. The way I see it, I would be doing you a huge favour in taking over the lease.

Your reputation as a shrewd businessman and miner is warranted a smiling Peter interjected before either of his two executives could speak. Agreed, one dollar US it is.

Provided the analysis and site visit stack up and I have port access at concessional rates replied Jack.

Agreed confirmed Peter.

Chapter 2

Back in his hotel room, Jack’s mind was racing. He was mentally processing all the things he needed to do. He had already booked a flight to Tripoli leaving in two days, managing to get a direct flight with British Midland that would land him in Tripoli late in the afternoon. Using information provided to him by the Clampett executives, he had made contact with their local representative in Tripoli who would meet him at the airport and take him to a hotel that he would book for the night. Kaiser, as he was known, was organising a business entry permit rather than a tourist visa as this overcame the need for a guide and using the oil giant’s bargaining power, the permit could be obtained within 24 hours. A company ID card was required to enable the details to be attached to the permit request and this was hastily arranged and Jack had his ID and computer access card before he left the meeting with Clampett.

Jack had also requested Kaiser to look into a rental vehicle to take them south into the desert to the prospective mine site. Rather than a standard passenger 4WD, Jack wanted a larger vehicle with carrying capacity for tubs as he wanted to return with a wide range of samples. He also requested long range fuel tanks and spare jerry cans of fuel as well as camp beds, cooking facilities, food and water for two weeks, a couple of shovels and picks for digging, a number of low impact rock blasting explosive packs, ten 20 litre plastic tubs for the samples and anything else that Kaiser could think of. Being unfamiliar with the desert townships and the availability of supplies, compounded by potential rebel or even government troop activity, he wanted to be able to make the out and back journey without having the need to restock, especially fuel. Although he anticipated that the entire road trip would only take three or four days, Jack wanted to be prepared for any potential delays.

He was extremely unprepared for this journey and he knew it. Still, by his reckoning, he would be back in London within the week, leaving the ore samples with Kaiser to have analysed using the same consulting company that had been used for the initial assessment following its discovery. That, coupled with his own experience in taking samples and judgement of the surrounding areas, he was confident he would have sufficient data to determine if the mine would be economical. If nothing else, he told himself; this little adventure had managed to drag him out of the stupor that had engulfed him for the past 18 months since the death of Viv.

As he ate dinner alone at a nearby restaurant, he reflected back on the last few years. He was devastated by the loss of his partner, confidant and true best friend, killed by a terrorist bomb blast in Antwerp. Whilst he had managed to continue overseeing the running of the company, Bamboo Mining, it was in reality, run by the managers at each of the two mining sites, the first in the rugged, hot outback of the North West of Australia, the second in the tropical eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Africa. He was lethargic and had lost all drive and enthusiasm and had become extremely grumpy and disinterested in the day to day business of the company, something that was unimaginable before the explosion.

Several days earlier, Jack had received a phone call from the head of exploration of the multinational Clampett Oil & Gas, a company he had undertaken work with several years ago as an IT consultant. Initially implementing a refinery management system in the Asia Pacific region and then performing an upgrade for the Singapore complex, he had kept a close association with the oil giant over the years.

There was something in the tone of the conservation of that phone call that pique’s Jack’s interest, he couldn’t quite place it, but he was suddenly alert and demanding more information. At the insistence of Richard, the exploration chief, Jack quickly organised a trip to London to meet with him. Jack had utilised the long flight time from Australia to the UK to read up on Libya and Clampett’s operation there, noting that due to the unrest, they had decided to pull out all their expats currently working in the country, leaving only a skeleton local staff. Libya was the third country along the North African coastline, following Tunisia and Egypt, where the long term dictatorship had, or was, crumbling. Having seen his fair share of uprisings and turmoil, Jack wasn’t overly keen to be heading into another battle zone, but there was certainly something that got him motivated. Besides, he needed a jolt to get him off his lazy backside and get his life moving again and this may be just the thing.

Having another day to kill before his flight to Tripoli, Jack filled in the time with a little sightseeing of London. Although he had made many trips to the ‘old dart’, he never tired of the place and always enjoyed wandering the streets, back alleys and shopping strips, admiring the old buildings and gracious inner city mansions, especially around the Mayfair area where, as a youthful lad in his twenties on his first overseas trip and working in nearby Oxford Street, he spent many a lunchtime meandering the narrow streets. He purchased some light summer clothes from Marks and Sparks as he had left home with no suitable hot climate clothing, he wasn’t really expecting to be heading to the desert when he left Australia. He also bought a couple of maps of North Africa including a Michelin map that was a must for all who travelled in the vast continent.

Returning to his hotel, he received an email from Kaiser advising that his Business Entry Permit had come through and that he would meet Jack at the airport in Tripoli. He had also found some suitable transport, perhaps a little different to what Jack may have had in mind but in essence covered the requirements that Jack had given him. He promised to elaborate later and would take Jack directly to see the vehicle once he landed.

Before heading to bed for the night, Jack plugged his Satellite Phone into the electricity socket to ensure it was fully charged. He took this with him everywhere he went, it had saved his life along with others in the Congo and he wasn’t taking any chances. Being unsure what the landline and mobile phone coverage was like outside of the main cities, not just in Africa, but anywhere in the world, this SatPhone would act as his lifeline should he ever need it.

The near four hour flight went uneventful but all through it, Jack had a strange feeling as if he had a premonition that something unusual was about to unfold. Clearing immigration and customs proved similarly uneventful and before he knew it, Jack was in the car with Kaiser. Following brief introductions, his inquisitive nature took over and asked Kaiser how he got his name.

My mother was a mix of Italian, German and Egyptian heritage and my father was a mix of German and Libyan extraction. They had a torrid love affair that produced me and despite my official name of Ahmed, with so much German in me, not that you would notice as I look more Arabic than anything else, I was given the nickname of Kaiser in my school days and it has stuck with me ever since. Not that I mind, makes a talking point and women seem to love the story he said with huge grin. I managed a few years of schooling in England which helped with that language. I also speak French, Italian, German as well as Arabic Kaiser said with pride.

I am impressed replied Jack. Now show me your driving skills.

With that, Kaiser headed off at breakneck speed, weaving in and out of traffic with seemingly no fear or care. The maniacal speed was equal to any Jack had encountered and that covered the suicidal Asian countries. Jack was relieved that after a short journey, they came to a screeching halt outside what appeared to be a bus depot that was located just to the south of the capital. Following Kaiser into the yard, Jack was a little perplexed but said nothing as they threaded their way past seemingly endless rows of buses of all sizes before stopping next to a white Mercedes mini-bus.

What do you think? grinned Kaiser.

Well, it’s a little different to what I was expecting, but tell me about it.

A sixteen seater, five litre diesel engine that is in excellent condition, dual rear wheels, side storage compartments, has a high and low ratio gearbox, helpful when travelling through sandy areas and the best bit, has extra large fuel tanks with a range of roughly 3000 kilometres. Sure, it has a few dents in a couple of panels, but you didn’t ask for mint condition body work.

Sounds promising, Jack commented, pleasantly surprised and amazed at the in-depth knowledge Kaiser had of the vehicle and at the same time, suitably impressed. What else should I know about it and how much?"

It will cost nothing. It is actually owned by Clampett and has been used for transporting workers to various exploration sites around the country. That is why it already has the long range fuel tanks and twin ratio gearbox. We had it specially configured for our use some years ago. We simply store it in this depot when not in use and have it serviced here, so it is in A1 mechanical condition.

It is a little different to what I was expecting, but nonetheless, it does seem to fit the bill. Is it ready to go?

The tanks will be filled overnight and the equipment you wanted including the considerable food and drinks supplies will be loaded and packed ready to go by first light. I took the liberty of acquiring a gas lamp and an extra gas bottle as well as a box of glow sticks; you never know when they may be needed.

I am impressed.

I will tell the depot manager to ensure that it is ready for the morning, I suggest a 6am start as it is 800km to Sabha and who knows what we may encounter in the way of military checks with all the unrest that is going on at the moment.

Sounds good to me, now tell me, where am I staying the night?

I have booked you into a hotel not far from here. It is relatively quiet; most of the rebel activity is along the coastline so I thought it wise to keep away from there. Pity really as there is a number of excellent hotels overlooking the Mediterranean, perhaps another time.

Kaiser dropped Jack off at the hotel. After checking in, Jack went to his room that was pleasant enough, no view to speak of, but that was the least of his concerns. After firing up his laptop and checking emails, he headed back downstairs to the adjacent restaurant and bar area. Deciding against any alcohol, he consumed his dinner alone and in quiet surroundings. The lack of guests in the hotel was noticeable and equally noticeable were the armed militia that wandered in and out of the hotel reception area on a regular basis.

Chapter 3

The hours dragged by as Jack and Kaiser took turns in driving. As promised, Kaiser had arrived at the hotel right on 6am. Less than an hour later they had departed from the bus depot with all the supplies securely stowed. Kaiser had shown Jack the hidden compartment next to the rear wheel arch on the passenger side. The compartment had two doors, one accessible from within the external side luggage bin that when equipment was loaded would make it near impossible to detect, the other from inside the bus underneath a seat that concealed it from general view. This is where Kaiser had the explosive packs and the glow sticks stored as well as a large hunting knife for any emergency. These were away from prying eyes; a gas lamp was okay but questions may be asked as to why they were carrying glow sticks and explosives. After reporting to the police at a local compound to provide details of their journey, a requirement before any business travel could be undertaken, they headed south. Most towns they passed through required them to halt and show their passport to the armed soldiers, followed by a quick inspection of the bus. Jack was grateful to have Kaiser along as being a citizen of the country he was able to quickly overcome any obstacles. As an employee of the multi-national oil company, he was also able to dispel any notion of ‘payments’ the soldiers routinely requested from those who travelled along this road.

Stopping only to change driving duties and a short break for lunch, they made good progress despite the constant road blocks. There was not much in the way of scenery to break the desolate landscape of mainly scrubby bushes dotted amidst the sand. The aircon worked overtime to provide relief from the searing heat. It was late afternoon before they reached the outskirts of Sabha and made their way directly to the hotel where Kaiser had made reservations for them. One thing Jack noticed was the number of armed soldiers along the city streets and this was even more acute at major intersections and outside significant buildings such as banks and public offices.

After they had checked in, they registered with the local police that they had safely arrived; something that Jack and even Kaiser doubted was ever recorded back in Tripoli. That may occur if someone was shot, killed or abducted, but the majority of journeys presumably went unchecked. In fading daylight, Kaiser took Jack on a quick visitor’s tour of the surrounding areas indicating some key buildings and locations. A sizable city of over 130,000 residents, Sabha was also a major military area with