Jay watched Sammi jog down the front stairs and onto the driveway. He swept his hands across the Ferrari’s shiny red paint job. Rajji followed but in a more reserved manner. He was the negotiator. He knew Rajji couldn’t act excited like his brother and still demand a better deal from Ferrari. Antonio and Renee followed. Antonio appeared happy, but Renee seemed stressed. She glanced towards him from the driveway, but she wouldn’t say anything on the radio. It must be serious. Jay sensed she needed to talk but now wasn’t the time. It was time for the test drive.
“Okay, so here’s the plan,” Renee said to the brothers. “Ferrari requires a factory representative to be in the car at all times. Since you both want to drive, I’ll sit in the back. Antonio will ride with our associates. Please obey the speed limits and traffic regulations. I know you will want to test the power, but we don’t want you to get a ticket from your policia.”
“It is not a problem,” Sammi said. “The policia, as you say, know us very well. We sell them their patrol cars.”
“Very good, but please drive safely. We need to return the car to Beirut. Oh, one other thing. We want to take photos with you and the car. We will use it as part of your new dealer promotions. Is there a picturesque spot in your city? Perhaps by the ocean?”
“We can go to the Hippodrome,” Rajji said. “They are ancient Roman ruins. Very popular tourist location by the ocean.”
“Perfect,” Renee said. “It is late afternoon. The sunlight will be perfect by the time we arrive there.”
Rajji opened the passenger door and helped Renee get in the cramped back seat. Antonio handed the keys to Sammi and sat down in the passenger seat of the BMW. Benoit backed out of the driveway so Sammi could exit. Then followed the red sports car.
Jay waited to retrieve the microbots, then joined the procession.
Sammi weaved the Ferrari through the narrow streets of the Christian district. The deep sounds of the powerful engine echoing off the walls of the ancient stucco homes. When he reached the ocean, he turned left onto the wide two-lane boulevard wrapped around the peninsula. They zipped by the toney resort hotels, designer clothing stores, and western-style restaurants.
“We can stop at the Tyre lighthouse if you wish?” Sammi said. “Or we can show you our other dealerships?”
“Let’s keep driving,” Renee said. “Your city is lovely.”
“We opened our first Renault dealership ten years ago,” Sammi said. Now we own five dealerships and a chain of gas stations. The economy is strong without war. We hope peace continues so prosperity can thrive.”
“That depends on the Jews,” Rajji said, turning towards Renee. “They need to respect our borders.”
Jay heard a different tone in Rajji’s voice. The Afghans spoke the same way about outsiders. A chill ran down his spine.
“Well, I’m not sure what the Israelis will do,” Renee said. “I’m sure they want peace too.”
Jay had a feeling something was going to happen, and it wasn’t good.
“Benoit, stay close to the Ferrari,” Jay said. “And keep an eye out for chase cars. I’m going ahead to scout the Hippodrome.”
Sammi continued his tour of the city, pointing out local landmarks.
“Turn here, Sammi,” Rajji said. “Go by the tower.”
Sammi turned to Rajji and said, “Is that necessary?”
“It’s part of our history,” Rajji said. “She must know about our family tragedy.”
Now Renee felt tingles down her spine. Did Rajji know something about Renee? Was her cover blown?”
Sammi turned into the Muslim district down streets lined by apartment buildings. Many seemed new, built within the last ten years.
“Pull over here,” Rajji said. “My turn to drive.”
Renee looked behind her. She saw Benoit stop in the BMW. She wanted to get the iPad to him but didn’t know how to do it without Rajji witnessing the exchange.
“Renee, come here,” Rajji said. “See this building. It sits on the site of my mother’s home.”
“What happened?” Renee said.
“Israel bombs destroyed it in 2006. Killed my mother and four sisters the night before my sister’s wedding. We defended our homes, fighting the Israelis in the streets. Held them off for thirty days until they retreated. Then we rebuilt our city. The Italians, Americans, British came back. They loaned us money to rebuild, then built their stores and sold their clothes. Brought back their western ways. But did they care about how we felt? About the family, we lost?”
“I’m so sorry for your loss,” Renee said. “It must have been terrible.”
“Did you ever lose family?”
Renee remembered her friend, partner, and lover. Yashim was a handsome Mossad agent from Tel Aviv. They met at the university and went through military training together. He was tall and athletic. As a member of the Israeli volleyball team, he traveled around the world. Renee traveled with him to the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. It was the best two weeks of her life. Then the war broke out two years later. Hezbollah fired rockets into Northern Israel. The IDF fired back. A sergeant in the IDF, Yashim, led a squad into the village of Bint Jbeil. Ambushed by Hezbollah, he lost three soldiers in the first ten minutes of fighting. They fought bravely for three hours. When their ammunition ran out, they were overrun. Renee didn’t see Yashim’s body until Hezbollah returned it in a prisoner exchange at the end of the war.
As the memories returned, tears welled up in her eyes. She was grateful to be wearing oversized sunglasses to cover her tear-soaked cheeks.
“Not the way you did,” Renee said. “I was lucky to have a peaceful childhood in Italy.”
Rajji stared at her for a long moment.
Renee froze. Then, Rajji turned to walk back to the car, and Renee sighed in relief.
Jay parked the Land Rover across the street from the entrance to the Hippodrome.
“Guys, let’s stretch our legs and check out the ruins. Let me know if you see anybody suspicious.”
CJ and Madman exited the back seat and jogged across the street while Jay stepped out of the car and looked around. The neighborhood was quiet. He reached under the front seat to remove his handgun and place it in the holster under his arm. Then pulled on his light windbreaker and closed the door.
The Hippodrome, a small coliseum, dated back to Roman times. A small section of the stone stadium sat next to an oval track. It reminded Jay of the movie Spartacus. He imagined gladiators fighting to the death in front of cheering fans. The area was flat and open, without many places to hide. With only one way in and out, it looked easy to secure.
CJ and Madman returned from surveying the grounds. “All clear, Chief,” CJ said. “No signs of any trouble.”
“Good. I’ll be happy when we get out of here.”
“There’s a change in plans,” Antonio said on the radio. “Rajji is going to a different archeological site. The Egyptian port site. It’s about a kilometer from your location.”
“Shit,” Jay said. “Okay, we’ll meet you there.”
“Let’s go, guys. Change of plans.”
Rajji drove the Ferrari into the archeological site. He passed through the parking area then down a stone drive surrounded by ancient Roman foundations and pillars.
Renee scanned the area for tourists and visitors but didn’t see anybody. In fact, it was eerily quiet. Antonio stayed close behind in the BMW, but there was no sign of Jay.
Rajji parked the car in front of a line of ancient columns. In front of them was a spectacular view of the ocean.
“I thought this was a better location for a photo,” Rajji said. “Unfortunately, the Hippodrome has no water view.”
“It is beautiful,” Renee said. “Let’s get out and find the perfect angle. The sun is getting low in the sky. Antonio has my camera and tripod in the trunk of the BMW.”
Renee walked towards the BMW. When she saw Rajji was out of hearing distance, she whispered, “You need to get my iPad to Jay as soon as possible. Where is he?”
“He was scouting the Hippodrome. He’s on his way.”
“Tell him to hurry.”
Antonio helped Renee pull the camera equipment from the trunk.
“Benoit and Moses spread out and scan the area.”
Moses removed a compact Uzi submachine gun and hid it under his sports coat. Then, he handed a second gun to Benoit.
“Okay, let’s grab a few shots with you in front of the ruins,” Renee said. “Then we’ll take some shots with the ocean in the background.”
Sammi and Rajji stood in front of the Ferrari as Renee snapped photos. She peered through the lens, trying to find the best angle. When a cloud of dust rose near the historical site entrance, she thought Jay was coming in to join her.
Then she realized it wasn’t Jay. Instead, it was a flatbed tow truck leading four pickup trucks down the path. Jay’s Land Rover was nowhere in sight. Her heart almost stopped when she saw men standing in the back of the pickups holding rifles.
“What’s the matter?” Sammi said. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost?”
“Turn around,” Renee said.
Sammi looked at the trucks approaching, then turned to Rajji. “What have you done?”
Rajji said nothing. He waved to the lead truck, which pulled off to the side of the stone path. A flatbed truck pulled up and stopped behind the Ferrari. The four pickups stopped on both sides of the road.
A large man with a rotund stomach and white beard stepped out of the passenger door. Renee recognized him as Yaseer Benrazah, head of the Southern Lebanon Hezbollah party.
“Rajji, Sammi, it is so nice to see you,” Benrazah said. “You must introduce me to your beautiful friend.”
Renee smiled and approached Benrazah with an open hand. Antonio stood out from behind the BMW and joined her. The large man planted a kiss on her left cheek, her right cheek, then her left cheek again. Renee smelled cigar smoke and liquor on his breath. She smiled and returned the embrace.
“Renee Giovanni from Ferrari Motors,” she said. “This is my associate Antonio Borracci. It is a pleasure to meet you, sir.”
“You know who I am?” Benrazah said. “How do you know me?”
“Of course, I would know you are the Minister of Parliament for southern Lebanon. You have a reputation as a fair and honest politician. A rare find in the Middle East.”
“You are not afraid to speak your mind, Miss Giovanni. That is quite brave for a young woman. Now we must discuss your business arrangement.”
“Excuse me, sir, our business is with the Nasharif brothers. How are you involved?”
“I must approve any ventures requiring public infrastructure improvements. Building a new dealership requires these improvements. Right Rajji?”
“Yes, of course, Yaseer.”
“How much do you need to meet your requirements?” Renee said.
“About two hundred fifty-thousand American dollars,” Benrazah said. “That is the value of this gorgeous automobile. No?”
“He wants the car,” Renee whispered to Antonio, who shook his head.
“We can’t give him the car,” he said. “I mortgaged my house as collateral with the dealership in Beirut. My insurance company wouldn’t give me a binder.”
“Who could blame them,” Renee said. “We don’t have a choice. Twenty armed men are surrounding us. We’re in Hezbollah territory, for God’s sake.”
“I did bring a backup policy.”
“Who Jay and his two men? How are they going to get us out of this situation? We can’t shoot our way out of here, Antonio. They’ll kill us. We have to give him the car.”
“No, you need to tell him we can’t give him the car.”
Renee turned to Benrazah, “I’m sorry, Minister Benrazah, I do not have the authority to give you this car. But I can speak to my manager at the factory and see if we can make arrangements to build you a custom vehicle.”
“I’m afraid that will not work. I will take the car. You and your associates will stay as my guests while we investigate your true motives for coming to my city.”
Renee grabbed Antonio by the collar and pulled his head down so she could whisper in his ear, “We can’t let Hezbollah know who I worked for or take me hostage. I still know too many active agents in the field.”
“I’ll make sure that doesn’t happen,” Antonio replied.
“Come on, Antonio, let’s go,” Renee said as she walked toward the Ferrari. “We’re done here. Sammi, will you get my camera?”
Renee heard the sound of twenty men cocking their rifles.
She watched Sammi reach for the camera. Suddenly, the camera exploded. A fraction of a second later, the crack of a rifle shot rang out. Sammi fell to the ground covering his head. A return shot from Moses blew out the window of the flatbed truck.
The driver of the truck jumped to the ground. He raised his AK47 towards Renee. Benoit released a burst of automatic weapons fire from behind the BMW. The driver crumpled to the ground. Renee grabbed Sammi off the ground and dragged him behind the BMW. Then gunfire exploded around them—Antonio dove for cover behind the Ferrari as bullets tore into the sports car’s body.
Renee watched Rajji guide Benrazah to safety behind the tow truck. She ducked when bullets smashed into the raised trunk of the BMW, inches from her face.
“Give me a gun,” she said. “I want Rajji.”
“Do not kill him,” Sammi said. “He’s angry, but he’s a good man.”
“He double-crossed us, Sammi. He’s trying to kill us.”
“Not me. You and your men. Let me go, and I will convince him to release you.”
“No chance. You’re our insurance policy.”
“I’m not worth much. Rajji won’t care if I die. I’m not one of them.”
“What do you mean?” Renee said as she covered her head from shattering glass. The gunfire was deafening.
“I’m not in Hezbollah. I don’t believe in fighting. It’s bad for business.”
“What good are you?”
“I know a lot about Hezbollah. They meet at our house. I have recordings and videos. I will give them to you. You give them to your people, whoever they are.”
“Where are they? At the house?”
“No, they are digital files. I store them in a secret Lockbox folder online.”
Renee realized her pocketbook with her iPad and the video files were in the backseat of the Ferrari.
“Antonio, I need my pocketbook. Can you get it from the Ferrari?”
“Are you kidding? They’ll rip me to shreds.”
Moses handed his Uzi to Antonio. “Cover me,” he said.
Antonio sprayed bullets towards the Hezbollah fighters moving towards the car. When they ducked for cover, Moses crouched low and ran for the Ferrari. A curtain of bullets smashed the windshield. As black smoke poured out of the hood, Moses slid to a stop behind the car. When the gunfire stopped, he leaped into the backseat. A moment later, Moses emerged with Renee’s pocketbook. He rolled out of the backseat and sprinted back towards the BMW. When he was about twenty feet away, the Ferrari burst into flames knocking Moses to the ground right next to Renee. She grabbed his jacket and pulled it with all her strength. But the large man didn’t move.
“Antonio, Benoit, help me!” she yelled. She looked to see Antonio watching the Ferrari burn. He turned to her with tears in his eyes. “What will I tell my wife when they come to take our house?”
“Don’t worry about that now,” Renee said. “Help us!”
Benoit dropped his rifle and grabbed Moses under his arms. He pulled with all his strength, dragging the beefy Lithuanian to cover behind the car.
Renee saw Hezbollah fighters appear in front of the blackened remains of the sports car. They were closing in.
Renee grabbed Sammi around the neck. She pressed her handgun against his temple.
“What do you know about your niece Kathleen Amejian and Muhammed al-Mujadin?”
“Everything. I presided over their wedding.”
“We need to get you out of here in one piece.”
“That does not look possible,” Sammi said. “Rajji will call in reinforcements. They will kill you.”
“I have my own reinforcements, and it looks like they’re on their way now.”
Jay drove the black Land Rover down the ancient causeway. CJ and Madman hung out the back seat windows tearing up the fighters in the pickup trucks with their automatic weapons. By the time they reached the flatbed, flames, and smoke rose from both sides of the road. Benrazah pulled a rocket-propelled grenade launcher out of the side of the truck. But before he could load it, bullets ripped his body in half. The rocket shot out of the launcher over the roof of the Land Rover. It smashed into a Roman column, sending two-thousand-year-old rocks flying everywhere.
Jay stopped the Land Rover behind the flatbed and jumped out. Renee saw Rajji lift his rifle and point it at Jay. Unlike the other Hezbollah fighters who carried AK47s, he held an HK433. It was one of the world’s most advanced weapons. The laser finder danced on Jay’s forehead. Before he pulled the trigger, Renee pushed Sammi to the ground, then fired two rounds into the back of Rajji’s head.
Renee pulled Sammi up and ran up to the Land Rover. She pushed Sammi into the back seat. She turned to Jay and said, “What took you so long?”
“Somebody gave me wrong directions,” Jay said. “Anyways, it looked like you had things under control.”
Renee smiled as she pulled her iPad from her pocketbook and handed it to Jay. “Upload the files on the iPad as soon as you can. We need to get out of here before Hezbollah comes looking for us.”
“Renee, nice shooting back there.”
“Thanks. Now we’re even.”