“Of course. I was a lot younger then, but as soon as I met them I knew that they were different, special. No one knew what to make of them. I used to follow them around like a puppy, when they were around, that was. They often left for weeks at a time.”
“Where did they go?”
“Nobody knew, and we were instructed not to ask. But I learned later it was to various parts of the country to continue their training.”
“Who was training them? I thought Ellery was in Washington.”
“He was. They had no contact with him. He couldn’t let on he knew where Anya and the girls were. He kept to his story. But Anya was still with them and knew what was going on. She and Ellery had prepared for the possibility of lost contact, and they had agreed to keep up the girls’ training in secret. She coordinated her training with the Israeli military and the Mossad.”
“But why would they want to help?”
“Not out of charity, surely. They saw what Sharc saw. The potential. Anya cut a deal with them.”
“So, nothing really changed,” I said. “They simply went from Sharc’s Organization to an Israeli one.”
“Yes, but with big differences. It was more of a business arrangement, contracts. They’d be free to come and go, but certain negotiable services were expected of them. Anya was smart and a tough negotiator. She wasn’t about to sign the girls’ lives away.”
“So how do you fit into all this?”
By now we had arrived at the rocky point. Climbing over the stones we saw that around the corner was another stretch of beautiful, white sandy beach. It looked as deserted as our side except for two small sets of bungalows. About forty yards off four people sat on the beach sipping beer, presumably waiting for the sunset. Zeeva and I took a seat on a flat boulder and looked out over the shimmering water where ribbons of pink and red and blue were already wrapping up the horizon.
“So,” I asked again, “how did you go from puppy dog to man-eating wolf?”
“It didn’t happen overnight. A year or so passed before the girls took any notice of me as anyone other than a spunky tomboy that worshipped the ground they walked on. Slowly, they integrated into the kibbutz and were accepted like members. On kibbutz, your work ethic was everything. The girls understood this, and whenever they were there they joined in and worked as hard as anyone, maybe harder, to prove their worthiness and sincerity. They never spoke of what they did outside the kibbutz, but they didn’t have to. We all knew they were special.”
“How?”
“Even though they were just in their early teens, they carried themselves like grown ups and were at ease in every situation. They seemed to know everything too. For instance, one day some guys were horsing around in the cotton fields when one of them fell off a tractor and broke his leg. Johanna immediately took control of the situation. She reset his leg on the spot and patched up some nasty wounds. When equipment in the factory failed, sometimes no one could fix it but Melody. The girls were always doing stuff like that. Noriko pretty much set up the entire computer system for the kibbutz by herself. For such young girls they were just too capable. When we had sporting events on the kibbutz, not even the guys back from the army could beat them in track and field events.”
“So they were popular?”
“Sure, after people got used to them.”
“With the guys too?”
“They didn’t mess with any of the boys that way, much to the boys’ chagrin, no doubt.”
“Why not?”
“In those days the kibbutz was a very small world. Kiss a boy at night behind a tree and the next day ten people will comment on how deep his tongue was down your throat. Also, they weren’t Jewish, and the elders wouldn’t have looked kindly on the three hot shiksas coming in and stealing their boys away.”
“But the girls took you under their wing. How did you swing that?”
“I knew that they were involved in some way with soldiering, but in a special way. And that to me seemed very cool. But if I wanted to do what they did, I knew I had to be more like them. So, by myself, without telling anyone, I started training. I didn’t know what to do exactly so I just sort of mimicked the girls.”
“How do you mean?”
“For instance, they were each really intelligent and well read. I didn’t know what literature and history and philosophy had to do with soldiering, but if they knew all that stuff, I figured that I had better start learning it too. The kibbutz had a decent library and I was in there every day. I discovered two things in there. One, that I enjoyed such subjects. And two, that when I was focused, I had an excellent memory.”
“What else?”
“They were athletic. That made sense. A good soldier ought to be in good shape. I worked out every day. I didn’t know what I was doing at first, but I read some books, talked to guys who were in the army to learn what they did, and gradually I put together a good workout, incorporating weight-training, calisthenics, running, swimming…
“I learned other stuff too. Practical things. A kibbutz is a fully-functioning village. It has everything you’d find in a small town: plumbers, electricians, mechanics, construction workers. You name it and someone on the kibbutz could do it. I worked everywhere and sought out all of our experts, more or less apprenticing myself to them.”
“And no one knew what you were up to?”
“No, they thought I was just a tomboy. A little odd, maybe, but I never made a big deal out of what I was doing.”
“Why didn’t you want anyone to know your plans?”
Zeeva shrugged. “I guess because Noriko and the others never talked about themselves, so why should I? I thought that was part of it. Don’t talk. Don’t explain. Just do.”
“Kibbutz life sounds really cool,” I said, envious.
“It has changed a lot since those days, but yeah, it was a great place to grow up. It wasn’t perfect—nowhere is—but, yeah, I loved it. For me, it had everything I needed. It was a small world, tiny, but surprisingly varied. The members came from all over the place, and each brought with him or her something unique to contribute. I had open spaces, clean air, the sea in front, the mountains behind.”
“I’d love to visit you there someday.”
“Maybe someday you will.”
“Don’t say it unless you mean it, Zeeva. I hate that.”
She fixed her azure eyes on mine and said sternly, “I always mean what I say, okay?”
“Okay…thanks. So tell me more about your training.”
“Why are you so interested in that?”
“Because not long ago I tried a similar thing and ended up in the hospital with my loins in a sling.”
Zeeva chuckled. “I heard…Kojac-sac.”
“Not anymore, thank you and shut up.”
“So you gave up.”
“Let’s say I was discouraged.”
“You’re impatient, Guy. Everything worthy takes time. One year, five years, ten—what difference does it make if the aim is a worthy one? It’s not the goal that makes you, it’s the getting there. I’m still not where I hope to be.”
“And where’s that?”
“I’d rather not talk about it. It’s a personal place.”
“I think I know.”
“You do, do you?” Zeeva said.
“Maybe.”
“Let’s hear it then, smarty-pants.”
I said, “It’s where Aidos is.”
A Sporting Chance
Zeeva nodded. “…Somewhere near there, yeah.”
“How do you think she got to where she is? She didn’t have all that training you and the others had.”
“I don’t know. Something she went through years ago back in the mountains of Pinecrest, I think. She won’t tell me. She says it has nothing to do with my own path. She tells me we need only be genuine. Genuine in heart, mind, and deed, then the path rolls out before us.”
“And you believe such mystical gibberish?”
“Mystical gibberish,
no, but there is definitely something different about Aidos. I’ve felt it, and I know what she’s capable of.”
I said, “Max seems to be somewhere close to that place where Aidos hangs out.”
“And you see, his way is quite different than hers, but there is that same genuineness; that same integrity of mind, body, and spirit.”
“Do you think it has anything to do with them both having been in those Pinecrest mountains?”
“I don’t know what went on there, though I’m sure she was his catalyst. But that takes nothing away from Max. The choices, sacrifices, and struggles were all his own. Max was clearly exceptional. He still is.”
“Don’t you think there is some sadness about him, though?”
“I wouldn’t call it sadness, no. But his life hasn’t been easy. He’s had to give up a lot. He lost his family, his community, his girlfriend, his dream of playing ball, even his country. As you know, he’s supposed to be dead.”
“Yeah, well, I guess death isn’t such an easy answer after all. And he never complains?”
“No. Just like Aidos.”
“He’s got to wonder if it was all worth it. I mean, what has he gained? Nothing. He’s always on the run with no place to call home. He can’t see his family or the girl he loved. What’s he got?”
“You’d have to ask him.”
By now the sun had dropped behind the horizon. We sat silently and watched as the pastel-colored clouds merged with the darkness, setting the stage for the sky’s next show, the starry heavens. Already a few stars had begun to emerge. Zeeva reached for her daypack and started digging around inside of it. In doing so I caught a glimpse of the butt of a gun.
“I thought you said we were safe here.”
“I believe we are.”
“Then what’s with the gun?”
She pulled the black and chrome colored gun out and held it in her open hand. She smiled. “A girl can never be too cautious. I call her Artemis, after the Greek goddess of the hunt, the watcher of streets and harbors. Others call her a Sig Sauer P220.” She twirled it once, ejected the clip, shoved it back in again, turned and aimed it with both hands at some guy who had left the group on the beach to take a whiz. “With her I can circumcise a man at twenty paces…bang.”
I frowned and crossed my legs.
“I never leave home without her.” She pulled back the gun and put it back in her bag. Then she added, “I gave one just like it to Doreen.”
“Really? I didn’t know that. What for?”
“A graduation present.”
“A little early weren’t you?”
“Not from college. From Zeeva’s special firearms training course, and as a token of my friendship.”
“Why did Doreen think she needed a gun?”
“She didn’t, but I could tell she got a kick out of it, so I gave her one. She can do with it as she likes.”
“You have a strange way of showing you care, Zeeva.”
“You think?”
“So, come on, tell me, how did you go from tomboy to Wyatt Earp? Something you did must have caught the girls’ eyes for them to adopt you into their gang.”
“The kibbutz had a sports day. One of the events was an obstacle course. You know, hurdles, tunnels, tires to stomp through, a wall to climb, a puddle to jump over, stuff like that, and then a twenty meter dash to the finish. I entered. I beat Melody.”
“Was she pissed?”
“Not yet.” She grinned. “Not until I beat her next in a judo match. That really got to her.”
“Where did you learn judo?”
“One of the men on the kibbutz had been a French judo champion before he emigrated to Israel and joined our kibbutz. He also taught me French. I learned things from everyone.
“Anyway,” she continued, “I got Melody’s attention and the others’ too, and started hanging out with them. They were hesitant to open up to me, but I won their trust and swore that I would never reveal anything they ever told or showed me. The breadth of their knowledge and the degree of their skills amazed me. Lucky for me I was a fast learner and a good athlete myself. I worked day and night playing catch-up.”
“Didn’t the rest of the kibbutz notice something was up?”
“Probably, but no one said anything, and I was too happy to care. I did my work. I excelled at school. I contributed to the kibbutz in every way I could. What could they say?”
“How long did this go on?” I asked.
“Until it was time for me to enter the army as all men and women must. But I didn’t go where the others went. The girls having been impressed by my skills brought me to the attention of their superiors. I met with them and it was decided that I would join and work with the three of them. Israeli intelligence liked the idea of having one of their own in the group.”
“And you’ve been doing operations for them ever since?”
“That’s right.”
“Cool. Can I ask what kind of operations? Or would you have to kill me if you told me?”
Zeeva smiled sweetly and answered, “I could never kill you, Guy.” And then she added, “Someone else would do it.”
“Right,” I said. “Gotcha.”
Zeeva stood up on the rock and said, “Let’s go back. The others are probably wanting to eat dinner.”
I glance up at her and nodded. Half of my nod was in agreement, and the other half was in approval of the look I had of Zeeva’s shapely legs. My eyeballs were glued on the white string of her bikini bottom, visible through the slit in her wrap.
“Having fun?” she purred.
“I’m having something, yeah. But if I told you, you might have someone kill me.”
Zeeva laughed and offered me her hand. I took it and she yanked me to my feet. She flicked on her flashlight to point the way and gave me a shove to get me going. We hopped back onto the sand from our stony perches and started strolling back.
“Thanks by the way,” I said. “You didn’t have to tell me all that stuff, but you did and I appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome.”
“But you conspicuously left out something. Where was Anya during all of this?”
Zeeva kept walking; each wordless step a warning that I was overstepping the bounds of her generosity.
“Zeeva…? Something? Anything?”
Her eyes straight ahead, she said, “Anya left the kibbutz sometime near the end of the first year. We never saw her again.”
“Why not? Where did she go?”
Zeeva put her arm around my shoulder. She wasn’t going to tell me, and I decided not to push it. Instead, I sighed and took in the tropical night and drew pleasure from her touch. I knew she was hiding something terrible. But Zeeva didn’t have to tell me. I knew what it was, but I was only half-right.
A Classy Act
Back at the bungalows the group sat around bamboo tables, and in front of them were bowls of tom yam soup, the catch of the day, a number of different Thai dishes, and cold beer.
Everyone looked in good spirits. I noticed that Noriko, Johanna, and Melody all had bags hanging from the backs of their chairs. No doubt, like Zeeva, they were packing more than their wallets and sun tan lotion in them. I imagined that between the four of those girls they could hold off a full-scale invasion.
The food continued to come a few dishes at a time—hot, spicy, and delicious. A breeze off the ocean kept the temperature down and the mosquitoes away. Three beers into the night, a full stomach, six pretty faces to look at, uninterrupted playful banter, a shimmering night sky, and all was right with the world.
I got a kick out of Doreen who did everything in her power to keep her infatuation with Max from becoming obvious. Max, the big dope, seemed oblivious to her intentions. For a guy who could hear a twig snap at a hundred yards or spot a caterpillar crawling on a branch ten feet up, he sure was dense when it came to women. But, I supposed, that was part of his charm. Heck, if I were a girl, I’d have fallen for the guy.
The eight of
us spent three blissful days and nights on Ko Lanta. For three days it was beachcombing, hiking, swimming, snorkeling, gorgeous sunsets, delicious food, star-spangled nights, and good fun with the most intriguing people I knew I would ever meet in my life. I didn’t want to spoil the occasion by asking questions that no one was going to answer anyway. I seriously doubted such days would ever come my way again. It was a depressing thought, but knowing that there would be plenty of time later to delve into the dumps of my inevitable despondency, I dismissed the thought for the time being and just enjoyed the ride.
Watching how Noriko, Johanna, Melody, and Zeeva got along was like watching my own playful sisters back home. I nearly forgot that they were highly trained commandos and assassins who could kick the crap out of men twice their size.
Noriko and Johanna were as close as any natural sisters. Both were sensible, reserved, soft-spoken, and seemed never to tire of one another’s company. Whenever I saw them together, I was stunned by the eye-catching contrast of their classical Asian and Nordic beauty: the dark-eyed, raven-haired Noriko; the cerulean-eyed, blonde-haired Johanna—yin and yang, ebony and ivory, a full moon on a cloudless night, pearls and black silk. Mother Nature, I thought, I high-five you on your genetic genius.
I enjoyed listening to Noriko and Johanna converse about philosophy, both Western and Eastern. They seemed to believe that everything they observed—in nature and in events—contained some moral lesson or insight. The universe they inhabited was not made up of meaningless matter clashing and colliding to a mechanical beat of whim and chaos. Nope, according to Noriko and Johanna, the universe was alive, and it was moral, meaningful, and infinitely mysterious.
Melody was unquestionably the group’s spark plug. Her spunky, thrill-loving, trigger-happy nature was a constant source of endearment to Noriko and Johanna. I often saw them exchange fond looks of amusement as they listened to Melody launch into one of her scoffing tirades aimed at human folly.
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