Scene 4

The Peshmerga camp upstage right. Papa, Ari and Malak are with the rest of their unit. Officer Aziz is addressing the men.

Officer Aziz: Good evening. Thank you for appearing so promptly at this late hour. Our sources inform us they know the location where private Mazin is located along with other captured young women. Our mission is a tough one. We have many young hostages held at gunpoint by men who are willing to die for their twisted, extreme ideology. We want to avoid even a single civilian casualty. If we charge in there, no doubt they'll kill the hostages first and then turn on us. We need to be strategic here. I'm open to suggestions.

Papa: We could lure them out. Find where they store their ammo, set it on fire. Blow up their trucks. If we can distract those repulsive beasts, we might stand a chance and so could the girls.
Officer Aziz: Good thinking Fadhil. (To a soldier standing by his side) Assad, work out the details and report back to me. (Assad salutes and exits the stage.) The rest of you, check your weapons and ammunition. And if you're the praying sort, do so!

The soldiers begin polishing their guns, checking ammo etc.

Malak: I'm on it, sir!

Officer Aziz: I'm gonna get a couple hours of rest before we head out. You men should do the same.

Officer Aziz crosses to the soldiers doing inventory and talks silently with them in the background then he exits.

Ari: (to Malak) I'm not gonna be able to sleep at all. All I can think about is holding Layla and making sure no one ever hurts her again.
Malak: Grace is tough. Knowing her, she hasn't given up trying to escape.

Papa: With that mouth she has on her, I worry she'll get her into even worse trouble.

Ari: (disgusted) Worse trouble? What could be worse than sex slavery? How degrading.

Papa: (concerned) How do you really feel about it Ari?

Ari: I feel... (breaks down) I feel like I wanna get Layla out of there, marry her and take care of her the rest of my life.

Papa: What if she's been... compromised?

Ari: I don't care! Nothing could ever change the way I feel about Layla.

Papa: I like the sound of that.
Ari: You do?

Papa: Yes, son I do. I would be very proud to have you for a son in law.

Ari: Even if I'm not from the same tribe?
Papa: We're all from the same tribe.

Malak: What about me and Grace?

Papa: You I'm not so sure about...

Malak: (hurt a little) Why not?

Papa: Envy is hard to pin down. She's not the marrying type.

Malak: Then I'll be her friend until she is, for as long as it takes...

Papa: (pats him on the back) Alright son... I hope it doesn't take too long. I'd be honored to have you as a son in law as well. I'm gonna get some rest.

Ari: Me too.

Malak: I'll be there in a minute.

All the Peshmerga begin heading to their tents offstage. Malak is alone.

Song: "Malak's Prayer" (Track 19)

Malak sings:
Oh Lord God Almighty, do you hear me when I pray?
Oh Lord God Almighty, you seem so far away.
Have mercy on this sinner; have mercy on this saint,
You call me by each name, what am I today?
Yeshua I need you, where have you gone?
You're always the same so it must be me, it must be me.
Oh Lord God Almighty, you hear me when I pray,
Oh Lord God Almighty, you're never far away.
Have mercy on us sinners; have mercy on us saints.
Deliver us from evil; save Layla and Grace.
Oh Lord God Almighty, you hear me when I pray...
End of Song

Lights out. End of scene 4.