by M. B. Lewis
Curt turned back to Kadie. She could tell he didn’t like Duke being around. He was jealous—that much was obvious. Spending the day with the pilot hurt his feelings, but she did it for Brian. Surely, he would understand that.
“Curt, we only—”
“Stop,” he put his hand up, cutting her off. “We need to return to our rooms. The company says ISIS operatives have found our location. We can’t go anywhere without proper authorization.”
Kadie became worried. Brian’s safety was her primary concern. She ran her fingers through her little brother’s hair. He looked angry. No doubt, he didn’t like the way Curt spoke to her. Duke, however, had a wide grin. She hoped he wouldn’t say anything, and her mind struggled for a way to stop him.
“Who in the world do you get your information from?” Duke said. “That is ridiculous. Stay in our rooms? Are you nuts? This hotel lobby is more secure than your CEO’s boardroom.” Duke rested his hands on his hips. “But I don’t work for you, so, I think I’ll come and go as I please.”
Curt stared daggers at Duke. She worried the two men would start to fight.
“You don’t work for me,” Curt said, “but she works for GDI. And I’m responsible for her. So, when the company tells me it’s too dangerous to leave her room, it’s too dangerous.”
She sensed Duke’s confrontation wasn’t going to end, and she reached out and touched his arm. “Duke, it’s all right. Brian and I are kind of tired. We’re going to call it a night.”
Duke started to respond when their eyes locked. His emerald-green eyes embraced hers with a longing she had never experienced before. If it were possible for two near-strangers to have a conversation by merely looking at each other, they did. The tension melted from his face, and his disposition changed. “Fine,” he said.
Curt, smug after getting his way, gestured toward the elevators. “Well, let’s go.”
The trio walked to the elevators behind Curt. Kadie didn’t like the way he spoke to her; it gave her mixed feelings. They stopped on the third floor and went to their rooms. Duke and Kadie’s rooms were at the end of the hallway opposite each other. Curt sat in a chair in the middle of the hallway by the elevator.
Kadie opened her door and let Brian inside. Across the hall, Duke stared at Curt sitting near the elevator.
“Thank you, Duke. I-I had a nice time today.”
“I’m glad.” He looked back at her and smiled. “Me too. Make sure Brian gets some rest. He seems a little tired.”
“I will.” She started to say more. She wanted to say more. She just didn’t know what. “Good night.” Closing the door, she locked it behind her. Setting her purse on the credenza, she went to her bedroom and grabbed her go-bag. And as Duke suggested, she reached in and pulled out Samuel’s USB.
Duke paced inside his room, furious at the GDI security man. This guy is a phony, he thought. Definitely not what he says he is. He went straight to the phone and called Kadie’s room.
“Hello.”
“Kadie, I apologize for how I acted in the lobby.” He paused and thought she might not know who this was. “It’s Duke. I’m sorry about our little run-in with Curt. The tension was obvious. I just didn’t like the way he talked to you.”
“Duke, thank you for that. Curt is looking out for us. I guess as I reflect on the situation, I can see him being worried. We didn’t tell anyone we were leaving, and we were gone for hours.”
“You don’t think the fact you left with me had him upset?” The question came off kind of cocky, which he didn’t mean.
“No, no. Well, yes. I’m sure it did. But he shouldn’t worry—it wasn’t a date.”
Duke pulled the receiver from his ear and stared at it. “Right, it wasn’t a date,” he said. “Hey, did you forget about the USB drive?”
“No, I’ve got it in my hand.”
“Okay, I’m coming over.”
There was a pause on the other end. “I don’t think Curt will let you do that.”
She’s right, he thought. “I’ll figure something out. See you in a few minutes.”
Duke hung up and cracked the door open and peeked down the hallway. Curt lounged in the chair and chatted on his cellphone. Shutting the door, Duke darted out to his balcony. The small area had two tiny metal chairs and a table, the same set-up that was on every balcony in this hotel. Looking over the railing, he estimated it was at least a twenty-foot drop to the ground.
Darkness had settled over Tel Aviv, and there didn’t appear to be any activity on the street below them. The moon and stars were hidden by a blanket of thick clouds high in the stratosphere. A low cloud deck would have reflected the city lights like a night-lite reflecting off a bedroom ceiling. Palm trees next to the road blocked the view of his position. Luck was on his side tonight.
Duke studied the hotel’s exterior walls and locations of each room, estimating where her room was on the other side. There was nothing from his balcony that continued around the building, but the second-floor rooms did. A tiny ledge ran the circumference of the building. It was small, but it might work. He decided he could do it as long as no one came outside.
He looked across at the wrought iron rails that encased the balconies, then tugged on his. The rail appeared sturdy enough to hold his weight. The brick that covered the second and third floors was textured and uneven, so he would have something to hold on to—he hoped.
I’m a pilot. I’m not afraid of heights. I’m afraid of falling.
The fall wouldn’t kill him, but it would likely break a few bones.
Duke climbed the rail and lowered himself to the balcony below. His heart pounded, the danger at the forefront of his consciousness. He put some weight on the rail and tested it. Sweat slid down his face. Balancing himself with the fingertips of his right hand on the wall, he let go of his balcony. His body hugged the brick all the way down, until he stepped onto the second-floor balcony below his room.
After a glance through the glass, the room appeared to be empty. Better to be lucky than good, he thought. He slipped over the iron rail and gradually set his weight on the small ledge. The uneven ledge seemed sturdy enough.
Well, here we go.
Duke balanced himself on the ledge and scooted to his right to the curved portion of the building. He was immediately above the front entrance. With no one outside, he slipped past until he reached the corner.
Duke peered over the railing and into the room. It also appeared empty. He hopped the rail and moved to the other side. When he peeked around the corner, he realized the building wasn’t symmetrical. Kadie’s room was another twelve or so feet further. It seemed far. And the longer he looked, the farther it seemed. It was then that he recognized another complication.
While this side of the building didn’t face a road, it didn’t have the palm trees that blocked his movements like the other side did. The odds of someone noticing him increased exponentially.
So much for luck. It was a good idea while it lasted.
He checked back toward his balcony. Any possible retreat to his room was gone. A couple had just walked out on the balcony of the room next to his on the third floor. Neither of them noticed him yet, but if they did, hotel security would be on him in seconds, and he’d be arrested. Curt would love that.
Duke climbed the rail and cautiously stepped onto the ledge. The sidewalk below was empty for now, and he shuffled toward the middle. Below, the lights from the lobby illuminated the ground but cast a subtle shadow on the upper floors. He continued his shuffle, sliding his foot across the ledge. The stress of his actions began to overcome him. Tension overtook his body, and the ledge felt smaller and smaller.
Sweat stung his eyes now, the heat compounding his nervousness. His sweaty palms made it harder to cling to the wall.
Luckily, this side contained two windows, and he used the shutters to keep his balance.
Below him on the street, headlights from a vehicle appeared around a curve and stopped in the street below. Duke froze. He tri
ed to blend in, but the reality was, he was visible if someone focused their eyes upward. Moving slowly was the only way he could make it undetected. He was in the shadows, but he was confident he would be seen if he moved too fast.
His hand slipped on the grip because of the moisture, and he wiped them on his pants. This was a dumb idea, he thought. Next time, I’ll just walk across the hall.
Twelve feet below he heard voices—Arabic voices. He froze. For two long minutes, he stood there, pressed against the wall, praying no one saw him. Afraid to move; afraid to so much as wipe his hands on his pants. He listened, each shallow breath a prayer that he would get through this. And soon, his prayers were answered. The voices stopped, and the vehicle moved on. Guests of the hotel most likely. Duke glanced over his shoulder as best he could, then started to shuffle along the ledge again.
A few minutes later, he reached the balcony on the second floor that sat below Kadie and Brian’s room. He hopped over the rail and breathed a sigh of relief. The hard part was over. Or was it? Duke gasped as the balcony lights suddenly turned on.
17
Duke moved fast. He didn’t have time to pray, but he had no doubt God was aware of his intentions.
He climbed on top of the iron rail that surrounded the balcony and grabbed the floor above. His feet scampered up the wall until they found the shutters for the doorway. Using that to support his weight, he hauled himself up the iron rail on Kadie’s balcony and pulled himself up and over the rail. His left knee smacked the rail hard as he flipped himself on the balcony.
Landing with a thud, he grunted loudly. His feet knocked over the two metal chairs and table. The chairs impacted the cement floor with an irritating echo; the table, fortunately, stayed put. Making noise was the least of his concerns at this point. Survival was his goal. Pain radiated through his knee, but he didn’t think there was any damage.
Duke heard the balcony door open from the room next door to Kadie’s. By the time he stood and dusted himself off, an older man wearing a sweater-vest and driver’s cap stepped out and looked in his direction. Duke’s breath came in large gasps, and he nodded at the man.
“Evening,” Duke said, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
“Shalom,” the old man replied.
“Shalom. I-uh, I got locked outside.”
The older man nodded and sat in his chair. Duke walked up to the glass. Inside the room, Brian watched television. Kadie was nowhere in sight, but he couldn’t imagine she left the room—not with Curt sitting in the hall. She must be in one of the other rooms. Before Duke could knock on the glass, Brian saw him and jumped up.
“Duke!” He bolted from the couch and ran to the sliding glass door. Brian unlocked it and let Duke inside. Before he entered, Kadie dashed into the room. The puzzled look on her face when she saw him on the balcony was priceless. She glanced at the door as if to wonder how he came through the room without her noticing.
Duke slipped inside and fist-bumped Brian.
“How did you get here?” Brian asked.
“I walked.”
“Wow—that is cool.”
Kadie blushed now as she realized the extent he had gone to reach her room undetected. “That was a little dramatic, don’t you think?”
Duke shrugged. “Your boyfriend is monitoring the hallway. Seemed like the only option to help you search that USB drive.”
“I’ve been looking at it. So far, nothing.” Kadie turned and went to her bedroom. “And he’s not my boyfriend,” she said over her shoulder as she disappeared through the doorway.
Duke grinned as she left. That’s good news, he thought. Moments later, she returned with her laptop.
“You can search with me.” She smiled at him.
The two sat at the table near the kitchenette, and Kadie moved the day-old copy of The Jerusalem Post to the side. Brian brought Duke a bottle of water and joined them for a few minutes until he deemed their project too boring and focused on the television. They searched for the next hour and came up with nothing.
“That seems to be everything on the thumb drive,” Kadie said.
“Yeah.”
“Should we go back through the documents? Maybe he has something embedded in there somewhere. Maybe a hyperlink within one of the documents, or something like that.”
Duke shook his head. “No, I think we need to work smarter, not harder.” He paused. “Where’s Samuel’s cellphone?”
Kadie went back to her bedroom to retrieve Samuel’s iPhone. “I tried to open it earlier. Can’t crack the password.”
“May I?”
She handed him the phone. Duke pulled up the password screen and punched in a series of numbers and pushed the volume buttons at specific points. In a few moments, the phone came to life.
“How’d you do that?” The wonder in her voice was unmistakable.
“Just a little trick one of the IT guys taught me downrange. The spec ops guys use it to open phones in the field when they capture ISIS fighters.”
“Isn’t that illegal?”
“You want to turn me in?” Duke opened the recent call list on Samuel’s phone. The last two calls were on the day of his murder. The final call was to Kadie, just like she said. The other was made an hour earlier.
“I recognize this number,” Duke said. “At least where it’s from.”
“Where?” Kadie closed in.
“Here. Well, not here, but Jerusalem.”
Kadie memorized the country code and prefix. It was a quick check against the phone book in the room, and she confirmed it.
“Should we call?” Duke said.
Kadie bit her bottom lip and nodded.
Duke glanced at his watch. It was 8:30 in the evening. He hit the call button and pressed “speaker” as the phone rang. On the third ring, a firm voice answered
“Hello, Samuel. Did you find out anything?”
Duke looked at Kadie and gave her the phone.
“Hello, who is this?” she said.
There was a pause on the other end. “This is Isaac Abelman. Who is this, and why do you have Samuel’s phone?”
“I’m sorry to disturb you, Mister Abelman. My name is Kadie Jenkins. I’m a friend of Samuel’s.”
“Very well. Is he around? He was supposed to call me back.”
Kadie closed her eyes for a moment. “I’m sorry, Mister Abelman, but Samuel is dead.”
18
Kadie waited patiently for a response. Any response. Finally, Isaac spoke.
“When you say Samuel is dead, do you mean he was murdered?”
Kadie jerked her head toward Duke. His eyes were as wide as hers. How could he know? she mouthed silently. Duke shrugged his shoulders.
“Yes, I’m sorry. It was members of ISIS.”
“ISIS, how convenient.” Isaac’s statement was short and possessed a subtle sense of disbelief.
“Sir, I’m sorry. The reason I’m calling is you were the last person Samuel spoke to before he was murdered. I was curious about what you two might have talked about.”
Isaac paused on the other end. “I last talked to Samuel while he was in Egypt. Where are you calling from?”
“We’re in Tel Aviv.”
“Meet me tomorrow at the Israeli Museum in Jerusalem. Noon.”
“Israeli Museum at noon. How will I know—”
The line went dead. Kadie focused on Duke, who grimaced.
“He didn’t want to talk on the phone,” he said.
“Obviously.” She set Samuel’s phone on the table. “Care to go to a museum tomorrow?”
Duke smiled. He had a friendly smile, she thought. It seemed to knock away his gruffness and made him much more relatable. “Sure. I’ll arrange for transportation.” He stood from the table. “You know what’s at the Israeli Museum, don’t you?”
She nodded and smiled also. “Brian, would you like to go to a museum tomorrow?”
He looked over at her, less than thrilled. “Okay.”
“It’s where t
hey keep the Dead Sea Scrolls,” she said.
Brian’s head swung toward her. “Really?” he said. “Yes—let’s go! Is Duke going?”
“You bet I am,” Duke said.
“Awesome. Dead Sea Scrolls.” Brian’s excitement subsided as quickly as it rose, and he returned to the television.
Duke turned to Kadie. “I need a favor. I need to return to my room, and I’d prefer not to go the route I took to get here. Can you peek outside and check if your boyfriend is still sitting out there, guarding your door? I may need to call the front desk and have them run interference.”
Kadie snickered. “He’s not my boyfriend. But, yes, I’ll check.” She hurried to the door and cracked it open. When she peeked around the edge, Curt leaned the back two legs of the chair against the wall near the elevators. She closed the door, sauntered back to the phone, and dialed.
“Hello, I’m on the third floor, and there’s a man who is loitering in the hallway. He’s been there for over an hour, sitting in a chair. I’m afraid to go to the elevator.”
“Yes, ma’am. We’ll send security there right away.”
“Thank you so much,” Kadie said. She hung up and turned to Duke.
“You’re good,” he said.
Kadie beamed. She could be creative and sneaky when she needed to be. “Thank you.”
They chatted for a few minutes about their plan for tomorrow until they heard voices down the hallway. Kadie poked her head out the door to find two rather large security men with firearms escorting Curt toward the elevators. She motioned to Duke, who walked unassumingly across the hall, swiped his key, and entered his room. He turned and waved before he shut the door.
Closing the door, she gathered Samuel’s USB drive and phone and took them back to her bedroom. She looked at the clothes she had, contemplating what to wear tomorrow when her cell phone rang. I wonder who . . .
Once back at the kitchenette, she answered her phone.
“Hello, Kadie. How are you doing?”
“Fine, Patricia. What can I do for you?” Kadie was only slightly surprised to hear Patricia Hasting’s voice. Their teams were still scheduled to meet up in Istanbul sometime in the next few days.