AZIZ FELT HE’D failed, which indeed he had. Yet he gave no sign. He stood before Fahd, stolid as ever, awaiting the strongman’s wrath.
It did not come. Perversely, Fahd seemed quite satisfied with the situation.
“So,” he said, “we are all set. The man who was causing so much trouble has left Paris, and has no reason to come back. When we arrive the day after tomorrow, no one will be there to bother us. You will be on high alert, of course, but I do not expect any trouble. The men in our party are wonderful camouflage. We will seem like any other members of the convention.”
Fahd looked at Aziz for approval and reassurance. Of course, he got none. He knew he wouldn’t, but every now and then he couldn’t help looking anyway.
Fahd scooped up the phone and barked, “Joram!”
The little computer technician poked his head in the door. “Sir?”
“Joram, I need you in this chair. Why are you not in this chair?”
“Sir, you told me to go. You were meeting with the general and you did not want me present.”
“Well, I am not meeting him now, am I? Do you have my itinerary for Paris, as I requested?”
“Yes, sir.” Joram sat at the computer and began typing.
“What are you doing?”
“Calling it up.”
“I don’t want to stand here reading over your shoulder. Print it out for me.”
“Yes, sir.” Joram did so, and handed it to him. “Our reservation is for you, Aziz, Dr. Habib, Dr. Chaim, and Dr. Badim. You’re all registered for the conference, and you paid extra for the special panel: Rarest of the Rare. The three doctors have airline tickets. You and Aziz will be traveling by private plane.”
“Where are the airline tickets?”
“I will print out the reservations. The boarding passes I can print out twenty-four hours before the flight.”
“Can they get their own boarding passes at the airport?”
“Yes.”
“Good. I suppose even doctors can figure out how to do that.”
“They’ve been given instructions and a travel itinerary. They understand that you will brief them on what you want them to do.”
“Oh, they understand that, do they?”
“They have been told.”
“Then I suppose I have to do it.”
Joram felt like somehow he had done something wrong. “Do you want me to do it for you?” he offered as a conciliatory gesture.
“You wouldn’t know what to say. No, get them in here.”
“Do you want them all at once?”
“Three scientists? I’d never keep them straight. One at a time, please.”
Joram sat down and started making calls.