Jerusalem
One day after Assassinations
Ten days to Announcement
Zeb was still with Carmel and Dalia, going through the names on the list, getting the kidon’s assessment of the operators, when the latter rose and turned on the TV in the living room.
The press conference came on screen.
The two kidon watched in silence while Zeb observed their reaction. Initially, the women were astonished.
‘If they can stop the hostilities for good…’ Dalia breathed.
‘We can quit,’ Carmel laughed. ‘Leave Mossad. Start a new life.’ She grabbed her partner’s hand and kissed it. Her face darkened in a blush when she felt his gaze.
‘We are—’
‘Of no interest to me. I mean your relationship…’ he gestured vaguely. I am sure Meghan or Beth could have articulated that better.
Dalia laughed, kissed her girlfriend on the cheek and disappeared into the kitchen.
Carmel looked at him speculatively and pointed toward the TV.
‘That puts pressure on you.’
Zeb knew what she meant.
I was planning on surveilling each kidon. Interviewing them as well. With this announcement, I won’t have time for all that.
‘This meeting, who I am—’
‘It never happened.’ Dalia returned, bearing a tray with drinks on it. ‘We don’t know who you are. Of course, we have heard about Epstein, but we don’t know what he looks like.’
Washington DC
President Bill Morgan muted the TV and turned to his visitors. Clare, composed as ever, was seated on a couch.
‘You knew about this, sir?’ the woman next to her asked.
‘Yeah.’ The president couldn’t help grinning at Alice Monash, who was almost trembling in excitement. ‘Yago called me before the conference. Asked my views on what he and Baruti were planning to announce. I approved it.’
‘That’s why you wanted me here, instead of flying directly to Jerusalem.’
‘Correct. I want you to help both leaders in any way you can. The United States is firmly behind them.’
‘The hard-liners in the Middle East—they will not like this,’ Clare observed.
‘They won’t,’ the president agreed. ‘But right now, they don’t know what Cantor and Baruti are working on.’
‘Those killers are still at large. Alice’s presence … she could be a target.’
‘I am aware of that. Which is why we support, but we work in the background for a change. Israel and Palestine are leading these efforts. There are many reasons for that, the main one being optics. The Israeli and Palestinian people should know it is their leaders who made this happen. Not the U.S. That will make it more acceptable.’
‘That doesn’t change the security threat to Alice.’
‘She will be less visible. That should help,’ the president replied. ‘The Israeli prime minister has promised a crack security detail to protect her. All vetted. I declined his offer. We will be sending our own team with Alice—’ He broke off and looked at her sharply. ‘Don’t you have someone there?’
‘Yes, sir. He’s working with Levin, to identify the killers.’
‘Who is it?’
‘Zeb, sir. You met him last year.’
‘I remember—’
‘Zeb?’ Alice’s head rose sharply. ‘Zeb Carter?’
‘Yes.’
‘Isn’t he the one who—’
‘Yes.’
‘Sir,’ Alice stood up. ‘I don’t need a security detail. I want Zeb. No one else.’
‘Alice, Zeb’s on a mission,’ Clare protested. ‘He can’t be distracted.’
‘Sir,’ the ambassador ignored her and addressed the president. ‘Him. No one else. Or I’m not going.’
‘Come on, Alice,’ the president remonstrated. ‘What he’s working on is of critical importance. He has to find those killers. You’ll be a distraction.’
‘From what I’ve heard of him, he can handle distractions. Sir, I am not going to Israel if Zeb isn’t protecting me.’
The president straightened and used the full force of his personality to get her to change her mind.
Alice Monash looked small in front of him. She was a mere five feet, six inches to his six-four frame.
She wasn’t cowed by his size or stern look. She returned his stare without flinching.
President Morgan faced a dilemma. Alice was critical to the Middle East peace process. She was accepted by all countries in the region, and her presence was crucial.
He also knew what was behind her insistence on Zeb. There was history.
‘Clare?’ he sighed in resignation when his ambassador didn’t back down.
‘I’ll ask Zeb,’ the Agency’s head replied.
‘Don’t ask him,’ Alice interjected fiercely. ‘Tell him.’
‘As if we don’t have enough problems,’ President Morgan threw his hands in the air. ‘Make it happen, Clare. And Alice, remember, work in the background!’
Ein Kerem
Navon Shiri turned off the TV and crossed his hands behind his head.
‘Ten days,’ he said.
‘I heard.’ Magal didn’t look up from his yoga pose. He was stretched down on the floor, face down, his legs bent over his body, his hands clasping them tight, pulling them, stretching and loosening his body.
‘Our handler hasn’t told us where they are.’
They. The remaining Palestinian negotiators.
‘It looks like Maryam and Farhan will be replaced. The talks will go on.’
Magal grunted with effort. Shiri wasn’t telling him anything that he hadn’t worked out himself.
‘Why don’t you stop griping and contact the handler? Ask him for instructions.’
His partner rose and went to his room. He returned with an encrypted laptop and logged into it.
He sent one line.
‘Who is next?’
Somewhere in the Middle East
The handler was at his screen when Shiri’s message arrived. He had watched the press conference and knew the implications. The killers didn’t have much time to carry out the next phase, which was to execute more people.
‘I don’t know where the remaining negotiators are,’ he spoke aloud in the silent room. ‘I will find out.’
He sent a reply to Shiri.
‘Be patient. Be prepared. Next targets are surviving Palestinians.’