Meghan heard the vehicle door slam despite the ambient noise in the alley. She pointed to another dress in the shop window and examined the street’s reflection in the glass.
‘There,’ Beth elbow-nudged her. ‘That SUV-like vehicle, behind that cab. You can see a head. That dude is the one who got out, looked at us casually and is now checking his phone.’
The elder twin nodded. She adjusted her Ray-Ban and finger-swiped along the right stem. The bottom of her lenses lit up with a clear view of the rear.
Each of the operatives’ shades had miniature lenses drilled into the stems that projected the back view onto the dark lenses. They turned the goggles into counter-surveillance gear.
‘He’s in uniform,’ she announced. ‘Military. Could be Fathi. Too far to make out. Let’s get out of this alley.’
‘Five minutes away,’ Zeb, a clipped voice in their earpieces.
‘See anyone else?’ Beth asked, as they walked up the alley, their right hands casually resting on top of their bags, ready for a quick draw.
‘No,’ Meghan huffed in frustration. ‘That cab driver, that dude in white shirt at that tea stall, they could be Fathi’s men, but then there are many others like that, idling away.’
‘Armor?’ Bwana demanded.
‘Yeah. Underneath our clothing.’
‘Leave some alive for us,’ he growled.
‘You need to hustle for that.’
‘We are here,’ Nassour called Fathi as their driver parked their ride right at the entrance to the alley. Mostofi’s two bodyguards climbed out from the back and stood alert, as angry honks sounded and irate voices were raised at the blocking of traffic.
The sight of the Quds officers was sufficient, however, for the protests to die.
‘Can you see them?’ Mostofi craned his neck to get a better view through the windshield.
‘I …’ Nassour’s eyes swiveled as he scanned the pavement, the passing vehicles. ‘THERE!’ he clutched his boss’s arm and pointed at two women who were strolling up the alley, towards them. ‘That height, the way they walk, it’s them!’
‘Take them down.’ His commander ordered.
‘Arrest them,’ Nassour relayed to Fathi.
The Quds operative straightened. He turned to look at the departing women. Spoke in his mic.
‘Capture them.’
Two men stepped out of a store and faced the approaching twins. Both of them in civvies, their right hands beneath the front of their shirts.
Twenty meters away. Watchful, their eyes on the twins.
‘See them?’ Beth asked.
‘I can hardly miss them,’ Meghan snorted. ‘That cab driver across the street, he’s one of them too. The tea drinker as well. I can see a few more men in my lenses. And Fathi, he’s showing himself to us.’
‘They’ll be armed.’
‘Yeah. You know what to do.’
One moment they were a couple of shoppers, walking up the alley as if they had no care in the world.
The next, they had exploded into action.