Ziv and Eben sat in their nondescript brown Toyota Corolla on a side street on the South Side of Chicago, not far from U.S. Cellular Field. It was lined on both sides with parked cars and they blended in nicely. After they arrived in Chicago, Agent Callaghan contacted them with Malak Tucker’s location. Callaghan watched over her until they arrived. When they notified him they were in position, he drove away and returned to the hotel to sleep.
So far there had been no movement from Malak. She remained in the house as instructed. Ziv had no doubt she was nearly stir-crazy.
Eben was looking at his watch and making sure Ziv noticed. “It really is a stunning timepiece,” he said.
“As I have heard the first three hundred times you’ve said it,” Ziv groused. “It is not like it is a Rolex.”
“A Rolex is cliché,” Eben said. “Not everyone has an Omega Seamaster, personally presented to them by the president of the United States.”
“The president of the United States didn’t present it to you personally,” Ziv said. “It was handed to you by one of his flunkies.”
“Not a flunky, a U.S. Secret Service agent,” Eben reminded him.
“Yes, yes. Beautiful watch. You are so lucky. You are also making me nauseous. We are on a stakeout. I like my stakeouts to be quiet,” Ziv said. He flipped on the radio. The White Sox were playing a home game and off in the distance they could see the lights of U.S. Cellular Field, a bright and stunning beacon in the dark night.
“You are a fan of American baseball?” Eben asked, skeptical.
“I have come to appreciate it to a certain degree, though I am by no means an expert. I’ve found listening to baseball on the radio relaxes me and helps keep me focused,” Ziv said.
“You never cease to amaze me, Ziv. Who would have thought? We should be enemies. In the old days we would be trying to kill each other and now we are on the same side,” Eben said.
“Times change. People change. And I am on no other side but that of my daughter and granddaughter. Their safety is now all I care about. In fact …” The chirping of his phone interrupted him and he snapped it open. “Hello,” he said.
Ziv listened to the caller, asking a few pointed questions. Eben sat up in the passenger seat. When Ziv disconnected the call, Eben waited expectantly for the old man to speak.
“That was Dirk. The ghost cell took Q from his hotel tonight and kept him at the Firebrand Ranch. Dirk and the sheriff were able to retrieve him, with Angela’s help. Angela managed to escape a gunman who was holding her at the hotel. Now they are en route back to San Antonio with the sheriff. Dirk will be watching their tail.”
“Angela …” Eben unconsciously rubbed his jaw where Angela had loosened a few of his teeth with a well-timed and effective kick. “She is a remarkable young woman. You should be very proud. Shall we inform Malak of this news?”
Ziv thought a moment, then shook his head. “No. You are correct. Angela is much like her mother. And in some ways a great deal like her aunt Anmar. But if we tell Malak that Angela is in danger, neither you nor I or any power on earth will be able to keep her here. No. We wait until we know Angela is safe before we tell Malak. Otherwise …”
“Otherwise what?” Eben asked, but he knew the answer already.
“Otherwise the Leopard will go on the hunt.”
“You are right,” Eben said, making a show of looking at his watch. “Now is not the time.”
Ziv groaned and slumped in his seat.