“I’m helping a friend, yes.”
“What is the name of the organization?”
He knew I was lying. There was no doubt about it from the way he was talking to me and the questions he was asking me. But I didn’t know what to say or how to get out of the situation. I certainly couldn’t tell him I was there to help a private security team get employees out of a rebel-enclosed area; that would sound crazy.
My silence drew out over a longer than usual period and the man motioned for the woman to leave the room. I didn’t know what he was going to ask me next and I didn’t want to say anything that the customs people would latch on to as a reason to put me in prison.
“Miss, there are no non-profit groups allowed in Syria right now except the Red Crescent. This nice woman called me because she believes you are being sold into the sex trafficking world. Did a man pay for your flight here? Did he promise you love or companionship?”
I instantly burst into laughter.
After all I had been through with my ordeal in America, it wasn’t until I arrived in Syria that someone warned me about sex trafficking. No, I wasn’t being trafficked into Syria, but I sure had been tricked into in when I left my home and went to America. Why hadn’t a nice man like Timothy Anders showed up at the airport in Miami to warn me of the possibilities then? Why was it only in a war torn area like Syria that they actually noticed the red flags of me traveling alone, without luggage, etc.? It was comical and tragic, all at the same time.
“I’m sorry, Timothy. I don’t mean to be disrespectful. I was tricked into going to the United States by a man like that. I know the warning signs. I’m not being tricked into coming here.”
“Then, why are you here?” he asked with concern on his face.
“Can they hear us?” I asked as I looked at the window.
“No, there are no recording devices in here.”
“My partner works for a security firm that is trying to get some families out of here. I’m new to the company and it’s my first assignment. I wasn’t prepared when I arrived. But I know where I’m going, and I’ll be fine.”
He looked very skeptically at me as the information slowly set in. He was a good guy, who obviously was only trying to help prevent women from being sold into sex slavery. It was noble of him to have tried to protect me, and I appreciated that.
“So, you promise that you weren’t told to tell me that? You know girls have told me a lot of stories for why they were here, but never that they were coming to rescue people,” he said calmly.
“Yes, it’s the truth. I’ll only be here a couple of days and I’m meeting up with my guys as soon as I leave here. I’m trained at this. I know what I’m doing, despite getting held up here.” I rolled my eyes and looked around the room. “The guys won’t let me live this down when they hear about it.”
“Let me get you a scarf for your head. Do you know where you’re going? I could drop you off. It would be safer than trying to travel alone.”
“I’m going to the Resolve Oil, Incorporated building. You certainly could give me a ride; that would be great.”
His eyes got big when he heard the name of the building where I wanted to go. He knew I was telling the truth about being there to rescue people when he heard that building. I saw fear in his face.
“Those families have been hiding very well for the last few weeks. I don’t even think the rebels know they are still there,” Timothy said. “I’ll drop you off at night a block away. I can get word to them that you are arriving. How many men do you have with you? Will you be able to get them all out?”
“You know the families?” I asked in surprise.
“Yes, one of my co-workers has been sneaking in food and water to them, and we were trying to figure a way to get them out. The rebels will kidnap them at the first chance they get, purely for the ransom that the company would pay.”
“How are they still hidden?”
“The barracks has a hidden wall that is behind one of the bunks. It is a small room, but they are spending nights in there. During the day, they are out in the rest of the barracks and only hide when they hear rebels in the neighborhood.”
“Thank you for taking me,” I said.
I was grateful for his help and the information he had given. The problem was that I still needed to get a hold of Nate to let him know I was there. I had no idea how far along he was in his rescue attempt and I wanted to give him the information I had. But it was looking like I would have to just wait for him at the office building and then help once he arrived.
“How are you going to get everyone out?” Timothy asked. “There are over fifty people.”
The shock on my face was evident. When Nate and I had been talking, it sounded like they expected twenty people, not fifty. The number was large and it was going to make it much more difficult to get everyone out at the same time.
“More than we had expected,” I said calmly. “But we will get them out.”
“Here’s my card; if there is anything I can help with, please call me. The line is as secure as it gets around here.”
“Great, thank you. I just might have to do that. What time will we leave?”