“No one,” he said quietly, “no one should dare suggest I am not a faithful warrior. I have failed in my mission, and for that I am ashamed, but if anyone dares to say I am not still Allah’s faithful servant, I swear to his holy name that I will kill that man where he stands.” His eyes slowly swept the room, their fierce burn spitting dread at the gathering.

But there were those in the tribunal who saw this as a potential opportunity to establish their dominance over the formidable Shahim Al Khazar. Among them, two clerics considered speaking up and one of them finally drummed up the courage to confront the bound warrior. It was not that great an act of bravery given the circumstances, or so the cleric thought. Shahim stood in the center of the large concrete floor, bared to the chest, his face dirty, his arms tightly clasped behind his back by thick rope and the grip of two burly guards.

Cleric Bin Amar stepped up to the bound Shahim. It had been Cleric Amar’s brother that had ordered the attack on the prime minister’s complex all those months ago. Shahim’s unexpected success had brought the swift execution of the cleric who had ordered such a foolhardy attempt. For the brother of the man who had attempted the power-grab, Cleric Bin Amar, had also seen his political clout falter noticeably since the day Shahim had managed the impossible. This and the death of his brother had left him hungry for revenge, and this opportunity was simply too good to pass up.

“You say to me that anyone that accuses you of weakness will die where they stand.” said Cleric Bin Amar, posturing for the crowd, “Well I say to you that I do not fear death in God’s name. Unlike you I would not sell my faith to you or the Americans for my freedom.”

Shahim stared at the man and allowed fury to glow darkly on his strong features. As the room followed the cleric’s ‘brave’ speech, Shahim’s hands began to apply a discreet pressure to his bonds. As his powerful muscles started to apply their smooth, massive tension, Shahim felt the rope start to split, clearly unable to contain the machine might of the warrior. But the unwise cleric was not alone in his misguided showboating. Another ambitious sect leader, Barakahto Wa-Alahd, was not about to be upstaged. It had been he who had called this tribunal, and it would be he who garnered the fame for bringing down the notorious Butcher of Islamabad.