The next morning, after an early breakfast, Yehoshua drove Emma and Eitan to Tel Aviv. Emma sat up front in the passenger seat, while Eitan lay down in the back with a pounding migraine, courtesy of the previous night’s beers. However, after a double shot of espresso from the gas station followed by an hour and a half of sleep sprawled out in the backseat, Eitan’s headache was reduced from a migraine to a dull ache.
Inside the headquarters of the General Security Service in central Tel Aviv, the staff was mobilized on high alert. They were responding to new and significant threats emanating from the Palestinian sector. While everyone in Israel was pleased with the influx of Jews from Ukraine, this sentiment was not shared in the Palestinian territories. Their fury at seeing Europeans given free access and citizenship to what they considered their rightful land put them over the edge. Chatter of terror threats was emanating from many of the usual sources monitored by Israeli intelligence.
Eitan was pleased when he saw Yehoshua take the Ramat Aviv exit towards one of Northern Tel Aviv’s most upscale neighborhoods, and the location of Tel Aviv University. As Yehoshua turned onto Einstein Boulevard past the mammoth Ramat Aviv mall, he realized they would be driving by the dorm building he lived in during his college year studying abroad at Tel Aviv University. Gradually he drove by the old tennis courts, his old breakfast spot, and even the dusty old barbershop he used to go to with his friends. They were all still there. Eitan always loved being back in Ramat Aviv.
Yehoshua pulled his car into a parking lot behind a dorm building and gave a card to the attendant, who then waived him through. Moments later, Eitan and Emma followed Yehoshua down the street, through a guard gate, and onto the main campus. They were headed towards the world-renowned and recently renovated Diaspora Museum. Unbeknownst to Emma and Eitan, one of Yehoshua’s colleagues was trailing them from behind while another was stationed in a van parked across the street. Emma and Eitan were oblivious to their trackers. Walking around the museum to the right, Yehoshua led the couple down a few stairs and into a two-story building where Eitan once took a course in contemporary Jewish living.
Walking past a dining hall that was preparing to welcome the rush of the lunch crowd, Yehoshua opened the door to a classroom. Inside, two men were already sitting with their respective cups of coffee. One of them was a powerful looking, stocky, grey-haired man drinking a cup of coffee. The other was his bodyguard.
“Emma and Eitan, I am pleased to introduce you to Avi Davidi, my boss and my friend,” Yehoshua said warmly.
As they both said shalom to the man in front of them, Yehoshua motioned for everyone to take a seat at the table. “Avi, please meet Emma and Rabbi Eitan Groh.”
Avi had a big smile and gave off a friendly, easygoing vibe. There were many terrorists in the West Bank, however, who found him much less amenable. Fortunately, Emma and Eitan were given a glimpse not of his warrior persona but rather that of a paternal figure who cared deeply about their safety.
“Shalom, Eitan and Emma. I am so glad you are here. We have a lot of information to share with you,” Avi said.
Avi opened the discussion by sharing how much he had liked Noam. He said how committed he was to ensuring that no one else in the room would fall victim to Ukrainian revenge. He then addressed Eitan and Emma. “I am very sorry to have summoned you from the kibbutz down to Tel Aviv. I would like to have come to see you up there, but because of some other security concerns right now, I cannot be too far away from our headquarters. You must understand, we never discuss these matters on the phone or communicate them digitally. I can assure you though, everywhere you go my people are watching you and protecting you. Yehoshua will have you back to the kibbutz soon, although I know there is one more place we would like you to see in Tel Aviv before you head back north. Also, I wanted to meet you personally and thank you for all you have done for our people. I know how hard it is to make such sacrifices.”
“We appreciate that very much,” Eitan said, trying to hide the anxiety in his voice. Avi nodded and continued. “Let me tell you a little bit more of what we know about Noam’s murder and about the documents he received from his Greek counterpart. The good news is that, thanks to our Greek sources, we now know what the Ukrainians are planning for their next move. The bad news is they were quite clever and acted very expediently. Because of it, they slipped one by us.”
“What do you mean they ‘slipped one by’ you?” Eitan asked, his voice shaking.
“During the airlifts, they were able to disguise two of their agents as Jews fleeing from Ukraine. I was there on the ground during the airlift. Our people did everything they could to verify the identities of everyone who boarded the planes, but somehow, they got two people past us.”
Emma spoke up, her voice wavering with fear, “So there are two Ukrainian killers here now who are coming to kill us?” she asked incredulously.
“We are not going to let that happen,” Yehoshua answered confidently.
Avi concurred. “We are now looking into and verifying every single Ukrainian who was on the airlifts. Trust me, we are very good at this, and we will track them down and eliminate them. I am certain we will find them soon. To be honest, I am much more concerned about these agents giving up on finding you and attacking the new Ukrainian immigrants.”
“Excuse me?” Eitan said.
Avi anticipated their surprise and answered immediately. “The Ukrainians were aware that finding targets in Israel would be very difficult. They tracked down Noam in Europe, but Israel is different. The Ukrainians know that we will never let their agents find you, or Yehoshua or Eli, in Israel.”
Avi did not like to share information with anyone, but he felt that after all they had experienced, they deserved to know what the Ukrainians were planning. According to the file, the Ukrainian agents inserted into Israel during the airlifts had a backup plan. If they couldn’t find Yehoshua, Emma, or Eitan, then they would attack elsewhere in Israel. In Kiev, there was a great sense of satisfaction in knowing that Noam had been eliminated, but they did not want to leave Israel empty-handed. Intelligence gathered by the Greeks indicated that influence from Ulyanna Kovalenko was driving their thirst for revenge. To that end, Avi explained that they had good reason to believe that the Ukrainian immigrants themselves were now targets. Israeli internal security had very quietly already boosted security at absorption centers and apartment buildings where many of the immigrants were offered homes. They were also keeping an eye on bars that are frequented by the new olim, especially during evening football matches. That’s when the big crowds gather.
Emma and Eitan were trying their best to remain strong. They asked several more questions. Most of them pertained to their personal security. Avi answered each one with honesty and patience. Then they asked about the Ukrainian Jews in Israel, and perhaps what they could do to help the situation.
“We know this is very troubling, and you are not used to being in this type of situation. I would like you to remain on the kibbutz for a while until we figure this out. My people will seal the kibbutz and guarantee that no strangers set foot anywhere near you,” Avi said as reassuringly as he could. This wasn’t the first time he’d had to have a hard conversation with people whose lives had been threatened, and he’d developed a pretty good sense for reading people’s emotions when they were frightened.
“Please be assured that everything that can be done to protect the Ukrainian Jews is being done. You must trust us to do our jobs,” Avi answered.
Eitan could feel Emma squeeze her hand under the table. He knew she was scared, just like he was. But in front of Israelis who put their lives on the line every day, he was trying not to show it. Still, they’d grown up with this. They were military men. They were used to it. To he and Emma, being the target of international killers was a wholly new experience. Though they felt safe, it was still jarring to hear these developments unfold.
“Thank you, Avi. We appreciate your help, and we know you are doing everything you can to protect us,” Eitan said.
With a warm smile, Avi reached towards Eitan and handed him his card with his personal mobile number.
“Call me anytime. I am always here to help you,” he said.
Avi shook Emma’s and Eitan’s hands and thanked them once again. Then he strode off, leaving the shaken couple in Yehoshua’s comforting hands. Nobody said a word, but when Eitan glanced at Yehoshua, he was met with a reassuring nod meant to signal that everything was going to be ok.
Emma was about to say something, but Yehoshua was able to beat her to the punch.
“Listen, before we head back to the kibbutz, we have one more stop to make.”
“What? Where do we need to go?” Emma asked.
“Well, it’s a surprise, but it is guaranteed to put you in a much better mood.”
“That’s not going to be so easy,” Eitan interjected.
“Trust me, you’ll see. Come on, let’s go,” Yehoshua said, putting his arms around Emma and Eitan. “You’re going to love this. I promise.”