Free YazminaLion Are by Lizzie Lynn Lee Page B

passport was issued by the British embassy.”
    “He must be traveling with a fake passport,” said Daneem quickly.
    The director looked uncertain. “If he is, we would have caught this sooner at the gate. He must have an excellent forgery.”
    “I wouldn’t be surprised,” said the captain.
    Up ahead, the body of the SAA airplane came into view. The hatch was open and a long ladder was connected to the hardtop. Several ground personnel were crowded around the ladder, waiting for them.
    Fatah and the others got out of the vehicle, and one of the ground personnel approached the director. He produced a passenger manifest for the SAA flight. The director went through it carefully then turned to Fatah. “Michael Sutton is on board. Seat 16A, economy class.”
    The two security specialists and their administrator immediately climbed the ladder into the plane. Daneem and the captain followed. Fatah boarded behind the director.
    Inside the plane, the passengers were restless. Some of them complained to the aircrew, and the rest were more interested in seeing what was going on. The captain and the security specialists located the suspect.
    The captain compared the person of interest with the document he had. “Are you Michael Sutton?” he asked in heavily accented English.
    The man looked flustered. “Yes, I am. What’s going on?”
    “Could you step aside, please?”
    “What the hell is this all about?”
    “Please, step aside and present your documentation.” The captain’s voice rose a notch.
    The man named Michael Sutton obeyed gingerly.
    Daneem scowled and turned to Fatah. “Layssa howa. It’s not him . ”
    “No, he’s not Mr. Rarh,” Fatah parroted.
    He checked his watch. Two-thirty PM. He smiled in secret. They wouldn’t find Arcan Rarh and Yazmina here. The two of them were in Al-Maktoum airport, on a private charter. Fatah had facilitated the rental of a new Dassault Falcon private jet to the Rarh party. Judging by the time, they’d have taken off about ten minutes ago.
    Fatah turned around and glanced outside the windows. Godspeed, Sister. I could only do this much. I hope you’ll be happy with your new life.
    Farewell.
    For now.
     

Chapter Ten
     
     
    Yazmina nervously walked behind Sarah and Caly in the passenger terminal in Al-Maktoum airport, wheeling her suitcase. They were all dressed in blue stewardess uniforms from a nondescript airline. Yazmina was particularly anxious that someone would recognize her and catch her red-handed. Everyone had convinced her everything would be all right as long as she didn’t break character. Her hair felt weird—she’d never cut it this short. It was a tradition that a female member of the family would only cut her hair after she got married. They’d only trim it every so often to keep their tresses healthy.
    However, she liked her new look, and the color too, even though it was just a temporary hair dye. Jennifer had completed her makeover with a pair of gray lenses, provocative makeup and skin-lightening body paint, transforming her into someone she barely recognized. She couldn’t believe what she saw.
    I’m… beautiful.
    Arcan had stared at her with such a look when they were separated earlier, it made her proud. She was giddy the whole time they drove to the airport. For the first time in her life, she felt like a true woman. She didn’t need to hide anything beneath a hijab.
    “Suzanne,” said Caly. “You’re falling behind.”
    “Suzanne” was Yazmina’s cover name. All the documentation she had on her now said her name was Suzanne Chastain, a freelance flight attendant from Paris, France. And at present, “Suzanne Chastain” was hired to accompany a group of wealthy businessmen on a flight to London.
    “ Pardon, j'arrive . Sorry, I’m coming, Yazmina said. Besides English, she was also fluent in French, making her cover even more convincing.
    Caly smiled. “You okay?”
    Yazmina bit her lip. “I’m nervous.”
    “You’ll be