by Rose Fox
Abigail was the first to notice the Korean woman. She stopped in front of her and let out a “pssst”. Modang stopped short. She looked at Abigail in complete surprise. Abigail raised her hand and asked the figure a gestured ‘question’.
“Why do you want to kill me?” She illustrated the word ‘kill’ by running her finger across her throat. She stood waiting for an answer.
Modang spread out her ungloved hands and shrugged as if to say “what choice do I have?’ or “I don’t know” and the two women stood facing one another.
A tall, thin, male figure got out of the car that had driven behind Abigail. He was dressed in black and looked like a diver. A streetlight illuminated his face and slanted eyes.
At that very second, almost faster than the human eye could register, a cord with a shining star tied to its end was thrown by him and encircled Modang’s neck. With lightning speed he tightened the cord, pulling Modang up in the air like a weightless object tied to a collar. He pulled on the cord again and the remaining air in her lungs whistled out of the throat of the dead woman. The Korean in black bent down, unwound the cord from the Modang’s neck, hurried into the seat of the driver, who had left the car seconds earlier. In a moment, the car reversed and disappeared as it sped down the road.
Abigail clung to the fence and stared at the small figure lying on the sidewalk. She was clutching her throat and Abigail felt the cold of her fingers. Another car stopped beside her and when Adam stood on her left, she glanced at him. Adam was also staring at the dead woman and at Abigail.
“Easy now, you’re trembling.” He said and put his arm round her shoulders.
Abigail pointed in the direction the vehicle of the black-clad murderer had disappeared and tried to say something, but not a sound came out of her throat.
“I understand,” he said as he pulled Abigail gently but firmly from the fence. He spoke to her quietly. “You have to disappear, you’ve only just begun and you dare not be interrogated or involved now.”
Abigail nodded to show she understood and pointed back to the car waiting in the middle of the street. She stumbled into the car and drove home.
* * *
Chapter Fifteen
The mission was to begin soon and the two judges met at Adam’s apartment. Adam spoke at length and Anton listened until he noticed his friend had grown silent.
He knew that Anton was setting out on such an assignment for the first time and understood his apprehension so he decided to change the atmosphere. Outside, darkness was falling when Adam rose and went to the kitchen and said out loud.
“I’m going to prepare an omelet and a small salad.”
“If you add a couple of slices of bread that’ll make a really good meal for both of us,” Anton interjected. “Here, I’m coming to help you.”
They spent the next hour preparing the meal and the subject of their assignment did not come up as they worked.
“Let’s leave the dishes in the sink, I’ll get to them later,” Adam said. He poured some golden wine for both of them and they sat down and relaxed as they sipped it slowly.
“Have you booked the flight?”
“Yes, my plan is that we meet the next day. Listen, we’re both flying to Russia separately. We’ll have a hotel, only for Sunday and we’ll meet the following day, perhaps at noon, on the outskirts of a forest.”
“Does the forest have a landmark? Forests in Russia are boundless.”
“No, there isn’t a landmark. All I know is that this time we will be couriers of important goods. I’ve been given a hint that it’s a special deal and I won’t be misleading you if I say the transaction involves governments.”
The expression on Anton’s face clearly showed how uneasy he was. He groaned quietly and Adam laughed.
“It looks a little like you’re having second thoughts,” Adam said and Anton stood facing the window, inhaling the fresh air noisily.
“Listen, we’ll make great partners: what with my experience and your command of Russian. Come; let’s make a day by day plan.”
The discussion and planning went on for hours and at midnight, Anton stretched his arms and yawned loudly.
“I can’t absorb another thing,” he said.
“I’m also not thinking clearly anymore, so let’s stop here. Tomorrow we’ll bring up new ideas and develop them.”
Adam stood up and went to the built-in bar. A pale light glowed behind the glass doors and he turned a knob that looked like a dial on a safe. He pulled out a plastic cylinder from behind the bottles. It had a paper sticker on it, similar to all the other wine bottles. He bent its upper section, pulled out a roll of banknotes and peeled off a few of them. Then he slipped the roll back in the bottle and replaced the upper section.
“This is for the next two days. There will be more, of course.” Adam whispered.
Anton was silent and Adam looked at him and wondered how to buck up his spirits. He, himself, was unaware of the extent of danger this assignment posed and, had he known, it was doubtful whether he would have allowed himself to be dragged into it, let alone involve his friend Anton, as well.
The following day, Adam checked into his flight alone, knowing that Anton was waiting for another plane. At their meetings they had been cautioned to pretend they had met by chance and decided to get together to explore the huge country.
He had packed his bag the day before. He had placed a few items of clothing on one side and on the other side he packed food supplies for a few days, two cans of sardines, a can of sweet corn, a pack of chewing gum, sweets and a small bottle of water. He slipped his toiletries and electric shaver between the clothes and, after a little thought, added a special penknife that had a tiny can opener, a spoon and a hard plastic razor blade that was incredibly sharp.
He kept his documents on his person and divided them between his wallet and the cloth pocket that he tied around his waist, and also dispersed some banknotes in both of them.
He boarded the plane in the morning and slept for almost the whole five-hour flight. When they served a meal, he woke up, ate a piece of bread, spread with cheese, and packed away the rest of the food to keep for later.
The plane landed in the early hours of the evening and when he exited the airport terminal it was very cold and he shivered. It was so cold that he had to stamp his feet just to feel them.
A ‘Lada’ drove very slowly towards him. The driver stopped the car beside him and opened the window. He was blond and when he smiled, he revealed the gold teeth of his lower jaw. Adam rested his bag on the ground and held out a note to the driver, who read it aloud and nodded his fair head and muttered, “yes, Yes, Sochi,” and got out of the car. He pulled the back door wide open, threw his bag onto the back seat and then got in and Adam sat beside the driver.
They drove in silence. He asked the driver the time by pointing to his watch and listened to the driver chatting in broken English that he had picked up from the tourists he drove. He explained that it was now 7:50 in Russia and Adam was surprised that it was still as light as day and there was no sign of the approaching sunset.
“How long will it take to get to Sochi?” Adam asked.
“Sochi, the Black Sea, near Krasnodar. Sochi, big city, many tourists, sports, skiing. Sochi good, there’s rain, lots and lots of water,” the driver continued his speech in broken English, demonstrating the movement of water by waving his arm.
Adam understood that he was referring to a river or a great deal of rain and, for the moment, it didn’t much interest him. Palm trees began to appear alongside the road, and the closer they came to the city, Adam recognized the enormous leaves of banana plants that grew more and more plentiful. They were driving on an excellent road, and many cars, mostly ‘Lada’, drove past them.
In the distance, they saw the shadow of mountains; the driver pointed to them and announced: “Caucasus Mountains”. A sharp and familiar smell grew stronger in the air, making Adam dizzy and he recognized the aroma of tea. Transparent steam
rose in the air above the gigantic fields which were flooded with murky water out of which thin yellow and green leaves arose.
After traveling for more than two hours they drew up to an impressive building. The lights around it lent it an atmosphere of luxury and splendor. A man in a black uniform appeared beside them and opened Adam’s door. He wore white gloves and his splendid uniform was adorned with large shiny metal buttons.
Adam got out of the car and the moment he stood under the covered portico to the building, the heavens opened up and heavy rain pelted down. He turned back and all he could see were huge streams of water that there had been no sign or hint of a minute earlier. He peered through the rain trying to see the car that had brought him to the place but could not see anything beyond the enormous screen of water. A shiver went through his spine and he stepped forward and pushed his way through the transparent carousel revolving door at the entrance.
He found himself inside a magnificent lobby. Everything about it exuded an aura of luxury and he felt detached from reality. Enormous crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceiling and blue crystals shed a bright, unworldly light. Luxurious sitting areas were illuminated by identical lamps on the walls.
Youths in black uniforms pushed wagons piled with luggage to the elevators and blonde girls attended to the needs of guests at the reception counters.
Apparently his arrival was expected because when he reached the counter, his name had already been keyed into the computer. The young receptionist beckoned to a bellboy, wearing a uniform with a row of brass buttons, to escort Adam to the room that had been booked for him and added a few words in Russian, to wish him a pleasant stay.
When the door to his room was opened, Adam tipped the bellboy after checking that the coin was marked with the number 10. The boy closed his fist around it and said “spasiba” which Adam knew meant ‘thank you’ in Russian.
A basket of fruit stood on a high dresser and was reflected in the mirror behind it. Adam went directly over and examined its contents. He was suspicious of everything and he looked for possible bugs and surveillance devices.
He took the pieces of fruit out of the basket one by one and set them down on the counter, looked behind the pair of lamps on the bedside tables, climbed up on a chair and checked out the light fitting that hung down from the ceiling. After that, he scanned all the electric wiring along the length and breadth of the walls. He rummaged in the waste bins in the bathroom and near the bedside tables. Everything was clean and although he found nothing, he was still uneasy and unable to relax.
Now he yawned widely, stretched his arms and his back and dropped into the gold and Bordeaux armchair that stood beside a heavy table. He was exhausted from the journey and sank into the comfort of the armchair.
Having relaxed his excessive caution, he recalled how once, only once, he had almost been caught. The event came to mind again and he enjoyed reliving it. It occurred on his first assignment for the ‘Mossad’ in 1967, which was a year of strength and expansion of his country. Adam, like the rest of his nation walked around in a euphoric state, smug and confident that nothing could go wrong.
He had been a soldier in military intelligence and was proud to be selected from among many candidates. He was warned that the mission was secret and dangerous, but the potential danger only increased his enthusiasm. He was young then, only twenty years old, and his future lay ahead of him.
He no longer remembered the details, but he knew that it involved some kind of arms’ deal. He had to cross the vastness of Russia, which was then called the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, but was the same country he was visiting now. At that time the USSR was at loggerheads with his country, Israel, and supported his nation’s enemies. Little Israel’s victory over her enemies had caused Russia diplomatic embarrassment.
Now he recalled that when he disembarked from the plane and stood in a long line of people he suddenly heard quick marching. Three soldiers in Russian military uniforms broke through the line of people and marched towards him. He winced when he remembered his thoughts during those seconds; an intense fear that he was about to be caught.
A revolver was discretely concealed on his person in his clothes and he guarded it like a treasured possession. He had been warned not to use it, unless his life was in real and imminent danger. Clearly, if he did use the revolver or if it was discovered, everything would be revealed and he was likely to be wiped out of the world of espionage.
He felt certain that the Russian soldiers marching towards him knew exactly what they were looking for. Guided by animal instinct, he took the firearm out of his shirt and pressed close to the person ahead of him in the line. He slipped the revolver into the man’s pocket and stepped back in order to put some distance between them. He moved back to stand two or three people away from him and managed all this in a few seconds.
The three soldiers reached him, grabbed his elbows and unceremoniously dragged him off into a room on the side. They shouted at him and signaled him to strip, opened his rucksack and roughly emptied its contents onto a table.
Adam stood in his shorts. Tall, muscular and slim, he looked like any normal person. There was no sign or indication that he was involved in anything other than what he had declared.
“I am a tourist. I have just completed my military service and came here on holiday before I start studying law.”
The soldiers were so frustrated by their fruitless search that they fiercely kicked his innocent brown rucksack. He didn’t understand what they were saying, but it was clear they were cursing and shouting obscenities at him. They knew that he also understood that he had outwitted them.
Those moments had been a good lesson for what followed in his service in the ‘Mossad’.
Adam fell asleep and spent the night in the armchair. When he awoke, his back hurt from sitting so long. He got up and rubbed his aching hips, then went into the luxurious bathroom and stared at the Jacuzzi, but did not for a moment consider filling it and soaking in its bubbling water. It was part of the caution he imposed on himself when he was on assignment. He always made the effort not to put himself in a position that might hamper his ability to respond immediately, like languishing in a bath. He showered his body the way he liked to, in lukewarm water, soaping himself for a long time and deeply inhaling the fresh aroma.
When he got out of the bathroom, the phone rang. He picked up the receiver and listened. Someone spoke in Russian. He didn’t understand a word so he hung up. It rang again immediately and Adam picked up the phone, expecting to hear Russian but this time the voice spoke in fluent Hebrew.
“Adam, I’m here in the lobby, near the jewelry store. Come.”
Within two minutes, Adam stood in the magnificent lobby, but kept some distance from the display window of the jewelry store. He glanced around. There was no one standing there.
Adam continued keeping his distance, taking care not to approach the display window, where the meeting was to take place. Beside the counter, he saw a familiar dark young man, hurried to him and embraced him warmly. It was Sharif. His protégé had come a long way. Sharif laughed and freed himself from Adam’s embrace, hinting to him to leave the lobby with him and go outside into the fresh air.
The streets and trees were wet and small rivulets of rainwater flowed everywhere. The rain appeared to have stopped only a few minutes earlier. The sun shone on everything and sparkled in the drops that were everywhere. Here, outside the lobby, Sharif put out his hand to shake Adam’s but Adam embraced him and drew him close.
“Are you joining me, Sharif?” Adam asked.
“No, I’m only here to make the introductions and deliver your vehicles.”
“And, then what?”
“Home,” Sharif answered and added: “Believe me;I don’t understand why I travelled all the way here or what you’re doing here.”
Adam was silent and mused that if Sharif knew something, he was hiding the fact very well. Suddenly he grew angry with himself for not trusting S
harif, either. He suspected everyone, but he decided to carry on playing the game.
“I was given a vacation. Don’t I deserve one?” he said and patted Sharif’s shoulder.
“Sure you do. Where and how are you planning to travel?” he asked and carried on without waiting for an answer.
“Adam, I’ll tell you why I’m asking. It’s because the vehicles we brought on the plane are two huge motorcycles. By the way, since when do you ride a motorcycle?" Adam looked at Sharif in amazement.
“Did you come here to make fun of me? A motorcycle? What are you talking about? I don’t even remember how to sit on a two-wheeler without falling off. Sharif, are you pulling my leg?”
“Not at all, come, we’re getting close to the motorcycles now,” he said. “The hotel parking lot is at the end of the road.”
After walking along the wet street for another two minutes they reached a bend in the road and there, in front of them, lay the paved hotel parking lot that was full of vehicles. In the second row, there were two huge glistening motorcycles with large transparent windshields mounted on their handlebars. Sharif put out his hand to Adam, shook his warmly, and added:
“I have to return. I would love to stay with you but I’ve been told that my flight leaves at noon and it’s already…” he glanced at his wristwatch and then turned Adam’s hand to reveal his wristwatch and said,
“My watch is set to Israel time. There’s no point in adjusting it because I’ll be back home today.”
“Come on, Sharif, can’t you delay for a half hour to have a drink with me in the lobby? Believe me, you won’t miss a thing, come on.”
“I can’t, Adam, they told me explicitly not to spend time with you and, you know that I always obey.”
He patted Adam’s shoulder and walked away. From time to time, he glanced back and waved goodbye. Before he disappeared round the bend in the road, Sharif turned round and, with both hands on his lips, blew Adam a kiss and stretched his hands out in his direction. Tears welled up in Adam’s eyes as the young man disappeared around the bend in the road.