Abigail – The Avenging Agent: The agent appears again (37 page)

“Wait a minute, it’s not that simple,”
Mussa warned, “we know that the ‘Fortress’ is an enormous arsenal.  An attack
like this requires organization and planning that will also include an attack
from above.”

“An airstrike?” Pepack inquired.  “True,
the ‘Fortress’ is a problem because of its structure and a hard fight awaits
us. I suggest we bring in significant ground troops for reinforcement.”

“Good idea, and I leave that to you.  I
will recruit the men and Mahmoud will handle the matter of weapons and the
logistics of suitable transportation.”

During the night, the reinforcements
were drafted, vehicles and arms were arranged and they split up to attack at
both points, coordinating and integrating with the airstrike.

Meanwhile, the three escapees from the
‘Nest’ watched the fire that enveloped and was consuming the building and the
trees.

“That’s it, we’ve seen enough. Let’s get
away from here and go to the ‘Fortress’”, Robin urged.

A building that looked like an ancient
castle stood on a cul de sac.  Two circular turrets rose on both its sides and
reminded Abigail of the twin minarets beside the blue gate of the “Sheikh Lutf”
Mosque, near the Tabriz Bazaar. There were narrow slits in the wall, at unequal
distances from one another and Robin knew that behind each small opening like
that, sat an armed scout, scanning the surroundings.  He dispatched a single
beam and in response, two flashes of light returned from the slits.  Robin
moved forward on this sign, went round the yard of the estate, ensuring that
the two of them were following him.

Muna kept a constant distance behind him
and signaled Abigail to slow down and leave some space between them.  Once
inside the yard, she took bigger strides towards a building that looked like a
warehouse and was the first structure in a long row of houses.

At this early hour, the sun was not yet
hot and the atmosphere was magical and inviting.  The scent of blossoms hung in
the air and the scene was so pastoral.  To their left was an orchard, planted
in straight lines and the morning breeze rustled the silvery leaves and cast an
aura of calm all around.

Robin turned right, where a chain of
hills and rocks gradually became high conifer forested mountains.  The ground
beneath their feet was cultivated in straight plowed furrows that stretched to
the horizon.

A flash of light burst out of one of the
structures.  It looked like a ray of sunlight bouncing back after hitting a
mirror.  Robin directed his steps in that direction and in the seconds that
followed, he disappeared inside it and the two women entered after him. 
Abigail’s leg bothered her and she felt the tickling sensation of blood
trickling down her calf, but she clenched her jaw and limped determinedly after
Dr. Muna.  As they were about to enter the building, she glanced round, as was
her habit, to check out the yard and see if there was anyone behind them.

The room was shadowed in darkness and by
the time her eyes became accustomed to it, Karma was already standing beside
her and she stared at him in amazement.  She meant to ask him what he was doing
there and where he had disappeared to, but the explosion drowned out her words. 
As of on cue, heavy fire opened, explosions thundered and gunshots rattled
around.  Karma pushed Abigail down on the floor, leaned over her, pulling an
object out of his pocket as he yelled to her:

“Naima, from the window!”

Abigail was stretched out on her back
and when he yelled, she dragged herself backward as if she was swimming
backstroke.  When her head touched the wall, she looked upwards – to the
window, and saw eyes staring at her and a barrel of a gun directed at her.  However,
even before the man managed to aim his rifle at her or get her in his sights,
she lifted both her legs and caught his neck in a stranglehold, like a vice.
She pulled him forward and screamed in pain.  The man was dragged into the room. 
His head dropped and hit the hard floor and he was dead even before he
collapsed on it.

Karma pulled her arm, couldn’t even find
the time to express his amazement at her fast response.  As they ran, Abigail glanced
at the dead man, saw his camouflage uniform and recognized it as that of the
Iranian army.  She shouted to Karma, trying to be heard over the noise of
gunfire.

“Hey, he’s a soldier!  What’s going on
here, is the Iranian army attacking us?!”

Karma ran to a grove of trees, crouching
to dodge the threat of gunfire and disappeared among the branches and shrubs. 
When a plane was heard overhead, Karma lay down on the ground and signaled to
Abigail to do the same just as the air assault on them began.

Gunfire Machine guns, like barking, were
heard overhead and hit the trees, sprayed branches and dirt everywhere and
created a hellish pandemonium.  Gunfire echoed, explosions from the houses
joined the bombing from the airstrike and the sky grew so heated that it was
difficult to breathe.

Karma, got up, coughed and wiped his
tearing eyes.  The two made their way forward crouching, realizing that they
had been caught in a well–planned military attack.  Panting wildly, they
stopped under a  broad tree and Karma embraced Abigail and whispered in her
ear:

“Oh, now I am convinced that Allah loves
you, too.”

Abigail stared at his blackened smoke-streaked
face in surprise, hearing him whisper in her ear:

“I heard the explosion in the “Nest” and
went crazy.  I was sure that…oh, it’s incredible how you survived this
morning.”

The tree beside them rocked from the
blast and she screamed:

“Let’s get away from here,” but his
voice got lost in the noise.

It wasn’t the opportune moment to tell
her that when he left Dr. Muna’s house today and darkness still reigned, he
noticed the vehicles and cars that surrounded the area.  Before he fled from there,
he saw a group of soldiers entering the house and did not know that the whole
area had been closed as a result of the hunt for Abigail. He also could not
have known that the execution of the plan to destroy the “Nest” and the
“Fortress” was now in full swing.

They ran and darted between the trees. 
Karma stopped suddenly and hugged Abigail, speaking excitedly into her hair.

“I heard shots and saw fire coming from
the doctor’s house and fled, and I didn’t even manage to mourn for you.”

He stared at her, almost weeping,

“I can’t believe that you’re standing
here, alive and well.”

Just then, a tremendous explosion was
heard and they both rolled down on the ground.

“Wait,” Abigail cried out, “the doctor
and Robin were left in the ‘Fortress,'” and she heard him shout:

“But if we go back to them, we will have
no chance of escaping again!”

The thunderous explosion that cut his remarks
now actually validated them.  An enormous mushroom cloud rose up in the sky and
Karma pointed to the black smoke and shouted something about the arsenal that
remained there.  As he spoke, a huge ball of fire lifted up over the building,
followed by a chain of explosions that came in spurts. Karma covered his ears
and the back of his neck and Abigail followed his lead but, even so, the sounds
of the explosions penetrated her ears.  The whistle of the passing bullets was
like a melody and Karma said:

“It seems they blew up the last building
because that’s where our arsenal was.”

“Arsenal?!”

“Those idiots exploded there together
with the whole arsenal we had there.”

“Did you say ‘we had’?  Karma, what else
don’t I know?”

Afterward, explosions began that
reminded her of corn popping before it becomes popcorn and she heard him
respond:

“Yes, they were ours.”

*
* *

“Listen, San, I am debating whether to
intervene or allow nature to take its course,” Barak began and San regarded him
with his one eye and kept silent.  He knew and understood who he was referring to
and he was also grappling with the same issue.

“Please note,  she has still not
reported back about the purchase of her house in Azerbaijan and the only
information we get, comes from her operator,”  San added.  “We’re also
concerned with another matter and I’m referring to her personal relationship
with the ‘Noodle,' as the rumors go.”

“Ever since she planted the virus in the
tunnel, our Lucy has been trying to disconnect.  She even ignores the messages
we transmit.”

“Wait, don’t take it personally, she’s
not cutting herself off from you or from me.  Michael reports she’s having
difficulties.”

“What happened?”

“She still hasn’t recovered from her severe
injury in the tunnel.  Michael reported her last minute escape when the Iranian
army destroyed the opposition of the ‘Mojahedin.'  Do you remember that story?”

“Yes, I heard about the ‘Nest’ and the ‘Fortress.' 
What does it have to do with our agent?”

This meeting was taking place in an
apartment in South Tel Aviv on Hakishon Street.  The two were waiting for three
other ‘Mossad’ men they had called in on only two hours’ notice.

San sighed.

“I think we have to direct Michael to get
her operating again.”

“But he is the ‘Noodle’s’ operator, not
hers.”

“Right, but the man is already familiar
with the details, so…”

“That’s just the reason we should enlist
another agent, someone, who will be able to separate her from ‘Noodle.'” Barak
said.

“Why separate them?  Why do you care if
they are together?  Besides which, I think it is probably too late.”  After a
second, he added:  “The rumors persist that they plan to marry,” and Barak
threw him an angry glance.

If San had tried to understand why this irritated
Barak so much, it is doubtful whether he would have received a coherent reply. 
Barak, himself, had not yet recognized the extent to which Abigail now pervaded
his thoughts, his soul, and his mind.  The last thing he would admit to was
that he was head over heels in love with the beautiful agent.

“I know Lucy like I know myself,” Barak
raised his voice.  “I cannot believe that Lucy knows about his wife and
daughters in America, or…” here he paused.

“Or-what”?

“Or, he got divorced during the time he
spent with his family.”

“Impossible! How could he divorce his
wife?  He married her according to Sharia laws.”

“But it’s inconceivable that Lucy would
be prepared to play second fiddle.  She’s not the type, who would agree to be
the second wife of a married man.”

“The fact of the matter is!” San replied
and saw Barak’s enraged eyes.  He was almost beside himself when he said:

“San, she knows precisely what she’s
worth and a woman like her would never agree to be anyone’s second wife!”

“Hey, hello, cool it!  I feel as though
you’re insulted on her behalf.”  He said and lowered his voice to almost a
whisper: “Lower your expectations of her.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Take a deep breath, pull yourself together and
think again.  Who, better than you, knows how important it is to separate
emotions and work?  He said, and stopped speaking when a knock on the door was
heard.

Michael had landed at ‘Ben Gurion’
airport at Lod only that morning and already there, received the call to this
meeting.  Now, he began grumbling the moment he set eyes on them. 

“What happened?  What’s so urgent? 
Don’t you know that haste only helps the devil’s work?  Besides which, it is
hot today, really fiery hot.”

“Is that so?  Tell us about it.”

“How would you know?  You both sit here
all day in an air-conditioned room with your feet up, enjoying life as you look
on with three eyes between the two of you.”

“Then try and raise our morale.  What’s
on your mind?”

“Effendi Khaidar.”

“Who?”

He’s the ‘Noodle’s’ brother-in-law –
Effendi Khaidar.”

“And how is he supposed to improve our
mood?”

“He’s the problem.  If you get rid of
him – you’ll have solved a big problem, and not just a big problem, but an
enormous one.”

“What’s the basis for your conclusion?”

“We’ll start at the beginning,” he began
and sat down.  “Wait, is there nothing here to wet one’s throat?  Is this how
you welcome guests?  My brain is dehydrating.” He announced.

Barak hurried to the kitchen and shouted
from there:

“Michael, keep talking, I hear you from
here!”

“Good, so listen.  He was seen at the
‘Imam’s Mosque’ while Lucy was carrying out her assignment in the tunnel.  He
was identified at the destruction of the ‘Fortress’ and the ‘Nest’, and I
assume that he is preparing a big attack against our agents in Teheran.”

“Then your assumption is incorrect,” San
continued, “because had he wanted to attack them, he would have done so ages
ago. and with success.”

“Okay, then how do you explain this?” 
Michael remarked and placed two pages down on the table.  One of the pages was
crumpled, almost torn, and he called out:

“Tara rum!  Here’s the surprise,
gentlemen!”

Barak returned with glasses and a jug of
water and poured a glass full.  He saw how San was trying to straighten out the
crumpled page and Michael laughed.

“First of all, Barak, you’re drinking my
water and secondly, leave the creased page and look at the other one because
it’s the key to the message I deciphered.”

“Hey, how did you get hold of it?” 
Barak demanded and handed Michael the empty glass.

“You don’t ask questions like that, but
if you have asked, then you should know that the idiots used it and after they
finished, crumpled it up and threw it on the floor.”

“Is that so?! Let’s see what they wrote.”

San read:

“Finish with the farm, Turban will
perform in an illusory ceremony and place the clock in the Rover.”

“Wait, I love riddles,” Barak declared,
“so let’s try and understand something.  Since there are no farms in Iran, then
possibly is a codeword for something else.”

“Hmmm…let’s leave this ‘farm’ for the
moment,’ San muttered, “who wears a turban and what ceremony is he going to
perform?”

Barak tapped his fingers on his lips and
mumbled:

“Misleading ceremony, misleading
ceremony, Rover.”

“I only know about deceptive marriages,”
San remarked and immediately announced.

“Gentlemen, our couple is preparing to
marry in an ‘illusory marriage’ with the blessing of a clergyman wearing a
turban! Ah, what do you think?”

“What’s a ‘deceptive marriage’?” Michael
inquired.

“It’s a bluff marriage. Disposable after
use.”

“Dispose of what?”

“The bride, of course,” and Michael’s
mouth dropped open in surprise.

“Hey, the bride is Lucy.  How do you
throw such a bride away?  Something doesn’t smell right here.”

“Precisely!” Barak declared: “No, that’s
not the solution.  Can you believe that anyone can marry a bride like our Naima
in a “use and throw away” marriage?”

San continued speaking, ignoring the
remarks of the other two.

“If I understand this correctly, then
the clergyman will transfer something during his ceremony.”

“I have further proof that supports my
analysis,” Michael announced and lay a tiny square on the table.

“Before you try and guess – these are
pictures from your Kurd’s traveling camera and I found a surprise there.”

When the gallery of pictures was opened,
we found landscape views of forested hills and mountains.  In one of them, two
bearded Iranians could be seen.  San enlarged the photograph and declared:

“They are Mustafa and Rulam.  What are
they doing among the trees?”

“Remind me.  Who are they?”

“They are significant figures in the
Revolutionary Guards.”

“Really?  So how do you explain their presence
in the field?”

“I can’t.  People like them don’t do
surveillance work.”

“That’s correct.  By the way, what was
our Kurd up to, there?”

“He was on his way to an assignment and he
caught them with his camera, using his remote control.”

“Which assignment?”

Michael sighed.

“Come on, really.  Are you asking me? 
After all, you know, it was the car-swapping assignment,” he said.  They stared
at him and he explained:

“That gives me food for thought with regard
to the ‘Rover’ that appears on our page.”

“I’m also thinking along those lines. 
According to the riddle, someone is apparently going to plant a timed explosive
device in a ‘Rover’.  Get that.”

Suddenly San grasped something Michael
had said earlier.

“What assignment were you talking about
before?  I don’t know anything about a car swap.  Can you tell me what you were
talking about?”

Michael looked at him, dumbfounded.  He
was convinced that Karma was there, serving the organization and his mouth
dropped open in surprise.

*
* *