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THE CALIPHATE
an online short story..
When a terrorist group establishes an Islamic republic in Canada, two friends are forced to confront their own loyalties---and each other
Part 6
* * *
Neither Phil nor Marty spoke on the ride back. When they reached the airport, Marty removed the handcuffs and Phil departed without another word.
After Phil had gone, Ali harangued Marty about properly training his own subordinates.
“Phil will probably be thrown out of the Islamic Guard. Today’s outburst was inexcusable.”
“I can’t defend what he did.”
“Why didn’t you train him more thoroughly Marty? Why didn’t you teach him right from wrong?”
“Phil has his own ideas about right and wrong. He’s very stubborn. I’m sorry.”
“You are very lucky that I like you, Marty. Many Harb members would have shot both of you on the spot!”
“I know, Ali. I know.”
“Phil is going to face a disciplinary hearing. I heard everything that he said. That kind of talk cannot be tolerated. Especially from someone wearing an Islamic Guard uniform.”
“Ali, what Phil did today was completely wrong. We agree. But he’s a good man if we can turn him around. Like a lot of Canadians, he’s having trouble adjusting to the new reality. The Islamic Republic represents a pretty radical change for us, you know.”
“But it is the right path for you to take.”
“Yes, yes,” Marty said. “Of course it is. And Phil will be a tremendous asset to Harb as soon as he realizes this. In building the new Canada, Phil is worth more to you alive than dead.”
“I hope you can convince me of that, Marty.
“Ali, I’ll talk to him. And you’ll see a change in Phil’s attitude.”
The clock on the dashboard of Marty’s car read 11:53 p.m. Marty parked his car outside Phil’s apartment building and killed the ignition. Marty had visited Phil once before and he had no trouble picking out the windows that belonged to Phil. The lights were on in his apartment and the shades were drawn.
So Phil had not yet gone to bed. That was good. The two of them needed to talk, and it had to be tonight. Neither of them could afford another episode like the one that had occurred today.
It would be difficult to patch things up between the two of them, and even more difficult to change Phil’s way of thinking. But Marty had to succeed. Phil’s life—not to mention his own—was at stake.
Marty wondered as he slammed his car door shut: What if Phil attacks me? Should I take my gun?
No, that would be a bad idea. The best course of action was to adopt a conciliatory posture, and explain why he had not told Phil in advance about the execution of the Donovans. He had held back in order to save Phil’s life. He had tried to prevent a fatal conflict between Phil and the Harb members. Then when Phil had flown into a rage at the Donovans farm, he had handcuffed his friend in order to save his life again. It was as simple as that.
Marty passed through the unlocked entrance door of Phil’s apartment building. Phil’s apartment was on the second floor.
Marty knocked twice and waited.
When Phil opened the door, he stared at Marty for a few seconds before speaking.
“Marty.”
“Phil, listen. I know it’s late but we have to talk.”
“It will have to wait until tomorrow.”
“It can’t wait, Phil.”
Without waiting for a reply, Marty shoved his way past Phil and into the apartment.
“Marty, what the hell are you doing? You can’t just barge in here. I told you we would talk tomorrow.”
“No, Phil. Tonight. Ali is very angry and—”
Marty paused and surveyed the mess in Phil’s apartment: drawers were open, clothes were strewn about the floor, and there were three cardboard boxes in the living room.
“You’re running, aren’t you?” Marty asked. “You’re planning to leave Ontario.”
“What I’m doing is my business. Leave now and no one will ever know you were here.”
“Listen to me, Phil. You’ll never make it. They’ve got the area sealed off. Don’t you know about the helicopter patrols? They’ll cut you down with a machine gun. Or worse yet—you’ll be captured. And what do you think will happen to you then?”
Phil reached behind his back and withdrew a semiautomatic pistol from his belt.
“Marty, you shouldn’t have come here. I didn’t want it to happen like this.”
Phil pointed the gun at Marty. Once again, the two of them were entering new territory. A friend did not point a gun at you.
“Phil, this—this is insane.”
“No, Marty. Collaborating with Harb and murdering the Donovans was insane.”
“Don’t you see? We had no choice but to go along. Harb was going to execute the Donovans one way or another. You couldn’t have saved them. If I hadn’t stopped you, Ali would have had you killed and then killed the Donovans too.”
“Marty, sometimes saving your own neck isn’t the most important consideration. There are some things you shouldn’t be a party to, no matter what.”
“You don’t get it, do you Phil? Have you read the news recently? There were Harb uprisings in London and Paris last week. It’s Toronto and Amsterdam all over again. Ali tells me that they’ve got a lot of sleepers in New York and Los Angeles too. The United States is going to be next.”
“So you think they’re going to take over the world, huh?”
“I don’t know, Phil. I really don’t. What I can tell you is this: They believe in their value system, as warped as it is. And they’re willing to fight for it. They’re not ashamed of who they are. That’s their advantage.”
“And what does that say about us, Marty? Are we ashamed of who we are? Are we willing to stand up for our values? Or are we going to roll over and tell ourselves that an Islamic society is just the next phase of our history?”
Marty shrugged.
“This is an interesting philosophical discussion, but not the one we need to be having tonight. I want you to think about what you’re doing. Please put that gun down.”
“Marty, get into the closet.” Phil raised the gun until it was level with Marty’s forehead. “Get into the closet or I’ll shoot you. I swear I will.”
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