2012: A Night of Desolation

By S.F. Khan

2012: A Night of Desolation is a suspenseful thriller based on an unintended and accidental unearthing of a conspiracy occurring in Kabul, Afghanistan by an American soldier named Jason. The series of events brings the destinies of strangers together to get to the heart of an insidious stratagem. As Jason is

• Language: English
• Publisher: S.F. Khan
• Release date: Aug 14, 2020
• ISBN: 9781087905235

Book preview

Contents

Contents

Chapter One: Military Blues

Chapter Two: An Evening to Remember

Chapter Three: Beyond the Train Tracks

Chapter Four: Waking Nightmare

Chapter Five: Shaytaani Virani

Chapter Six: Ambush Evening

Chapter Seven: Jason’s Path

Chapter Eight: An Eventful Evening

Chapter Nine: Courage

Chapter Ten: Retribution

Acknowledgements

The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the desperate country, and have to console yourself with the bravery of minks and muskrats. A stereotyped but unconscious despair is concealed even under what are called the games and amusements of mankind. There is no play in them, for this comes after work. But it is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things Henry David Thoreau

Chapter One: Military Blues

As the phone’s alarm went off and its clock lit up, it displayed 8:00pm on a mundane Wednesday night in Aronsville, Virginia. Janet rushed through homework with the kids, getting dinner going and getting everyone off to bed so she could prepare for her video messenger date with her husband, Jason. Due to a military deployment in Kabul, Afghanistan, Jason was eight and a half hours ahead and time coordination was key.

It was late September 2012, and America had put all its focus on the upcoming presidential election. Afghanistan and, more specifically, the American soldiers there, were slowly fading from the country’s memory. While it was a polarizing build-up, there were passionate party supporters who were divided on every issue. Both conservatives and liberals had silenced the noise of what had been happening in Iraq and Afghanistan in anticipation of the election. Though America was divided in her politics, most had forgotten that she’d been at war for over a decade! It was on its way to becoming the longest-running war in American history. Military fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, sons and daughters had all either been mourning a loss or worrying about enduring one. There was no end in sight for the deployed servicemen and women. The future was uncertain and indefinite as the troops were shipwrecked in barren, mountainous terrain. The glory of war had eroded for the soldiers and now it was about staying alive long enough to make it back home.

Like other military husbands and wives, Janet remained concerned and waited anxiously for Jason’s return. She dozed off at night taking comfort from the thought that it was all winding down and should be over soon. Unlike other voters, Janet’s decision was based on one factor: which presidential candidate would bring her Jason home?

Jason had been back and forth between Iraq and Afghanistan and was currently on his third deployment. Fortunately for Janet, he was an engineer and so he rarely saw action on the frontlines. Still, although Jason kept out of harm’s way, there were occasional scares as Taliban insurgents breached the US campgrounds to wreak havoc.

Jason and Janet met serendipitously during their high school years. Jason had absentmindedly left his keys on the cashier’s counter at the neighborhood pharmacy and, as Janet walked through the aisles of the pharmacy in search of hair dye, she took notice. She peeked out from behind a shelf of instant sleeping aids to look at the cute guy who’d forgotten his keys. With her orange dye in hand, she grabbed the keys and charged out of the store in pursuit of Jason. As she set flight, she set off the anti-theft alarms at the store.

While Jason was lucky enough to get his keys back, Janet wasn’t so fortunate.

Hey! the security guard shouted. Stop!

Janet heard him, but her attention was elsewhere and so she didn’t process it until it was too late. She turned around just in time to see the security guard bearing down upon her, his considerable girth slowing him down but giving him momentum as he crashed into her and pinned her to the wall outside the store.

I don’t understand! Janet panted, her lungs heaving as she tried to refill them with oxygen. I didn’t mean–

You’re coming with me.

Jason had heard the commotion and noticed the alarms, and he turned to look at them just as the young woman was being dragged away.

Then he noticed his keys in her fist. That’s when he realized that he’d left his keys behind and that she’d tried to come to his rescue.

Wait! Jason shouted. She was just trying to help me!

The guard turned to look at him. There was mistrust in his eyes, and Jason didn’t blame him. He probably had to deal with shoplifters all the time. Otherwise, why had he been hired in the first place?

Look, Jason said. She has my keys. See? She’s my girlfriend.

Janet flashed an indecipherable glance at Tony and then held the keys up and jingled them so that the guard could see them.

Sorry, she said. No harm meant.

For a second, it looked as though the guard wanted to take things further. Then he shook his head at the two of them and said, Don’t do it again. And make sure you pay before you leave.

Janet and Jason watched his back as it retreated, and then they walked over to the counter together.

Don’t worry about it, Jason said, as Janet reached into her handbag for her purse. I’ll get this. It’s the least I can do.

Flattered by his kindness, she turned towards Jason and pressed her lips against his as they walked out of the exit. This kind of thing never happened to Jason.

Janet’s confidence intimidated Jason, but he built up the courage to say, "Was that a thank you, or does that