Everyone rested and got some sleep. I brewed some tea, and we all sat together, drinking tea and having some small snacks.
(Rauf)
- What are we going to do about the plan?
(Me)
- We're not going to jump in blindly. Süleyman will act like he needs help and block the convoy's path.
(Rauf)
- What if they just run him over? Ömer, think carefully. This plan is dangerous. If they don't stop, it'll end in disaster. We need to come up with something else.
(Me)
- Like what, Rauf?
(Rauf)
- They're coming in a single convoy, right?
(Me)
- Yes!
(Rauf)
- Alright then, here's the new plan.
We will all set up an ambush, but first, we need to block the road. They will have to get out of their vehicle to clear the path. If they're outnumbered, we'll attack. There are usually three of them. If that's the case, we'll take them hostage. We need to be very careful no matter what. Be prepared.
We gathered whatever we could—scrap tires, wooden planks, anything—to block the road. As the vehicle approached, the tension rose. Rauf threw a Molotov cocktail he had prepared. The vehicle came to a stop. But instead of three, five people got out and took cover. As soon as they did, we opened fire. Two of their tires were blown out.
Our ammo was limited, but we still had four more Molotovs. Rauf threw another one toward the other side of the vehicle. They returned fire from behind the car. I ran out of bullets and took cover. I grabbed one of the Molotovs that Rauf had prepared and threw it. Flames spread everywhere. Two of them broke into a run while the others provided cover fire. We were only three, but we had scared them quite a bit. One more of them ran away. That left only two behind.
Rauf called out to them:
- Surrender! We don't want to hurt you!
I burst into laughter. We had just thrown three Molotov cocktails at them!
(Rauf)
- Why are you laughing?
(Me)
- You said we don't want to hurt them, but we nearly burned them alive.
(Rauf)
- Did anything happen to them?
(Me)
- No.
(Rauf)
- Then what's the problem?
(Me)
- What was our goal again?
(Rauf)
- Finding out where Süleyman's brother is. But if we hadn't used what we had, they would've fought back harder, and we would've gotten nothing.
(Rauf)
- They'll surrender soon enough…
- Drop your weapons and surrender! We don't want to hurt you!
There was silence. They were out of bullets.
(Raider)
- We're out of ammo! We surrender! Don't shoot!
(Rauf)
- Weapons first!
They threw their weapons far away and slowly stepped forward. We tied their hands. Süleyman was furious. He pressed a gun to one of their heads.
(Süleyman)
- Where is my brother?
(Raider)
- I don't know.
Süleyman cocked the gun, ready to fire.
(Raider)
- Wait! Wait! Don't shoot!
(Süleyman)
- Are you going to talk? I don't think you'd prefer to die.
(Raider)
- I don't know exactly where they're keeping him. I've never even seen him or met him. But there's a camp where they hold prisoners. Someone in the gang knows, but he's one of their key figures. I don't know where he is right now, but he usually moves around in large groups and kidnaps people for fun. If he struggles to capture them, he just kills them. I don't know where he is right now, but he usually roams at night. He wears a long leather coat and leather gloves. He doesn't use guns much—he prefers a knife.
(Me)
- Alright. Thanks.
(Raider)
- Let me go now. I talked.
(Rauf)
- You're our guest for a while.
(Raider)
- What?! You said you wouldn't hurt us!
(Me)
- Did we hurt you? You're just a guest. And besides, we need both of you. Even if we let you go, they won't let you live.
(Raider)
- True… So what now?
(Rauf)
- If you behave and don't try to be a hero, you'll live. Otherwise, you'll say goodbye to this world. Or… if you want, you can join us. But not yet. First, you have to prove yourselves. You have to help us.
(Raider)
- Fine…
Nightfall came, and we tied up our captives' legs as well. We sat down to think about our next move. Süleyman, lost in thought, was undoubtedly thinking about his sister.