by Erez Aharoni
Ofer got the hint very quickly. “I’m ready. Where are we going?” he asked as he raised himself up heavily.
“Someplace you’ve never been.”
Ofer saw the flash of a hand raised to strike him. He was still hurting and too slow to resist or try to avoid the blow. The gun struck his head forcefully, and as he lost consciousness he still managed to notice he was falling back onto the bed.
When he woke up, he found himself tied up on the floor of a vehicle. He could hear the engine and his aching body felt every bump in the road. I wouldn’t be surprised if this is a white Citroën Berlingo, he thought.
One kidnapper was driving and the other one was sitting above him. He could feel the kidnapper’s foot lying on his stomach and preventing him from moving. From time to time, as the car sped, his personal bodyguard pressed his foot on his stomach as if it were a gas pedal. Ofer groaned from the pain.
His hands were tied behind his back. His feet were tied to each other with cable ties. His eyes were covered with a dark cloth and his mouth was gagged with thick duct tape that was wrapped around his skull. He breathed heavily through his nose and tried to calm down. The pain from last night’s accident now seemed to be a distant happy memory. The stomach cramps and spells of dizziness were forgotten. He struggled for each and every breath he managed to take.
His two chaperones did not exchange a single word. He felt a terrible pain in his head. He shifted it a bit until he felt a huge bruise on its right side and remembered the gun that had struck his skull.
They drove on for an additional half hour. He was unsuccessful in his attempts to howl through the duct tape gag. He ceased his attempts to emit muffled sounds and concentrated on trying to breathe through his nose. He had enough spare time on his hands to try and figure out who these scary people were and what they could possibly want from him.
The last time he was threatened with a gun it was in the public restrooms next to the Carmel Market. The anonymous person who was left hanging there was searching for the “test tube.” What test tube? The two new hoodlums didn’t have Russian accents (at least the one who had spoken didn’t), but logic dictated that they were continuing the same mission. They might also want to avenge the death of their colleague.
He howled aloud through the duct tape. Phlegm rose up his throat. The nausea was back. His body was like a jumble of wounds and his nerves were shot.
“You sit quiet, we’ll be right there,” said the driver. Ofer already recognized his voice.
Indeed, they had arrived. The vehicle came to a halt then backed up.
The goons dragged Ofer between them. A vertical pressure on the crown of his head and the noise of an engine told him that they were going down in an elevator.
When they finally took the cloth off his eyes, he blinked for a few seconds. Only then did he realize he was in an enclosed and sealed room that looked like a bomb shelter. Its walls were white and bare; its lights were gleaming. There was no furniture other than a small table and a chair. They seated him on the floor. It was cold and damp. He remained tied up. The duct tape was removed from his mouth.
At least he could finally breathe freely. “Who are you? What do you want from me?” he asked.
He wasn’t awarded with an answer. The door was slammed shut and his kidnappers disappeared without saying farewell.
He remained by himself with his thoughts and all the spare time in the world.
This is not going to be any fun, he pointed out to himself.
Chapter 43
In his estimation, he had spent a few hours sitting in that exact same position.
Time passed. The hands behind his back threatened to break. He was dehydrated and famished. Ofer forced himself to ignore his physical pain and rumbling stomach and tried to assess his situation.
Were his kidnappers really looking for some sort of test tube? If they were, he had no idea what test tube it was. Who did it belong to and where was it located? And why was it so important? And what about Gali? He dreaded the thought that she might have been harmed. How could he warn her?
He returned to examine the room he was locked up in. It did not contain any instrument or protrusion that might allow him to somehow cut the cable ties that bound his hands and feet.
His bladder demanded his attention, and he could not hold it any longer. With no other choice, he stood up and peed in his pants. A wetness spread down his legs, accompanied by a sense of relief.
While he was standing there, pants dripping, the door opened. His two kidnappers came inside, wearing their ski masks. Black and gray. They dragged an additional person with them.
Ofer was numb with shock and terror.
It was Gali. Her hands and feet were tied and her eyes were covered. They took the blindfold off her eyes and the duct tape from her mouth. Her eyes widened when she saw Ofer in front of her. They were both silent.
“We’ll give you some time to do some thinking together and chat then we’ll come back to see if you know how to sing a duet. Got it?”
They nodded simultaneously.
Ofer felt a speck of comfort in his heart. If there was anyone he would like to be locked in a room with, it was Gali. His happiness was immediately wiped out when he began to wonder what was about to happen to them.
“What are you doing here?” asked Gali right after the door closed.
“What am I doing here? What are you doing here! I got here first.”
“Come on, Ofer. Do you think this is funny? How did you end up getting into trouble with the General Security Service as well?”
“What General Security Service? You think these two psychopaths are state employees?”
“Listen to me for a second. I know for a fact that they are.”
“How and why? What do we both have to do with them?”
“I told you yesterday, before you fell asleep… they are here to make me tell them who my source is and to stop all future activities of the association.”
“What are you talking about? I was sure they were looking at me for the same reason the man I hung in the public restrooms was.”
A light cloud passed across Gali’s face. Her eyes narrowed and she gave him a long stare. “Did they inject you with a drug or something?”
“I’m the one on drugs? You’re the one who sounds as if she’d just swallowed a basket of magic mushrooms. Suddenly the General Security Service is after me…”
“You don’t believe me?”
“I believe you… sort of… barely… it sounds completely delusional.”
“So don’t believe me. Continue to toy with your own delusions.”
They had been together for less than three minutes, and already they were fighting like a pair of roosters.
Gali leaned against the wall. Ofer hopped towards her, doing his best not to fall, until he was able to reach her. “I’m sorry, Gali. Let’s start over. We’re both in the same boat. We don’t have much time. They’ll be back any minute now, whoever they are.”
“You’re right. Let’s start over.”
“How did they catch you? Where have you been till now?”
“When I left the apartment this morning, they were waiting for me in the parking lot. There was no one else there. One of them asked me if I had battery cables then lunged at me and smothered me with a handkerchief drenched with something. When I woke up, I was locked up in a sealed room… then they covered my eyes, tied me up and brought me here. How did you end up here?”
“They broke into the apartment and picked me up like a laundry basket.”
“And what do they want from you?”
“I don’t know. The last one who tried to kill me was looking for some sort of test tube. Perhaps they’re after it too. Do you have any idea what this is all about?”
“Of course. It all makes sense now. I visited Viromedical,” she whispered. “I infiltrated their secret laboratory the night before last. They have a factory inside the factory there. I took a test tube from one of th
e refrigerators. I wanted to get proof of whatever’s going on there.”
“How do they know you have it?”
“They must have cameras there, and they saw me taking it from the refrigerator.”
“And why do they think I have it?”
“Because you’re with me.”
“So where’s the test tube? What does it contain?”
“An unidentified substance. I found it in a small refrigerator with uniquely labeled test tubes. I assumed it must be important. I had to find out what they are manufacturing there. It was labeled UUVAR1.”
“Say that name one more time.”
Gali repeated the letters.
“I know what it is. It’s a substance that was developed in experiments my father was conducting.”
“What does your father have to do with any of this?”
“My father worked in the factory before he died. I found documents in which he had written about experiments conducted for developing a substance with that exact name.”
“Now you’re starting to sound normal,” she said.
“Hold on, wait till you hear the whole story. I’m not so sure it’s normal.”
“Let’s try to make sense of it all. I’ll start and tell you what I know, and you’ll shut up then we’ll switch. Then we’ll see what we can do next.”
“Agreed,” said Ofer and became attentive.
“I found out that the Viromedical factory is not what your firm’s distinguished client thinks it to be. There’s a secret laboratory there that’s dedicated to preserving viruses that had been eradicated from the world. The state committed to destroying them but had secretly decided to preserve them. Part of the factory is really a secret branch of the Nes Tziona Biological Institute, a kind of safe that stores the deadliest viruses in the world, which means this factory is not only a source of toxic pollution as we had first thought it to be but much worse.”
“Ten years ago, my dad was onto the fact that there was problematic activity in the factory. I saw his letters. How were you able to discover all this?”
“I can’t reveal that. Certainly not to someone who works for the law firm that opposes us. When Mr. Yitzhak Brick finds out about what I’m telling you here, he’ll faint and finally realize he had almost invested all his money in a dubious venture. So briefly, that’s why the General Security Service wants to prevent this information from leaking to the media at any cost. This will embarrass the state, but I don’t see any other choice.”
“So why did they bring me here as well?”
“They followed me. Or maybe my friend Naomi opened her big mouth and told them she had given me the keys to her apartment. You fell victim to your own mistake, the mistake of choosing me as your savior.”
There was logic in her words. Ofer quickly considered everything that had happened to him.
“I began to tell you last night. I found Rodety dead in a hotel, that’s why I was arrested. After that, Natalia was murdered as well and wrapped in a carpet stolen from my apartment. Then Yoav and I took some tissue from my father’s grave, and Professor Zissou discovered the smallpox mutation and found out that it’s not contagious. Then Mansherov was wounded by the Russian burglar I later killed in the restroom. Then they tried to hurt me in the parking lot, and I called you. I’m trying to find out something completely different—to understand what happened to my father, to solve the mystery of his death and discover why they said he killed himself. I’m also trying to save myself because the incubation days are almost over.” Ofer’s words tumbled out in a hurry. The story sounded so disjointed. “I’m not sure you’re following everything,” Ofer mumbled.
“What incubation?” Gali asked.
“I’m carrying in my body the same deadly virus that was found in Rodety’s body. I drank the same poisoned whiskey. There’s no cure, and if one isn’t be found within two days, then I’m probably finished. And I mean, really finished.”
“How come you didn’t say anything while we were sleeping together?”
“It’s not contagious. Only if you drink it.”
She chuckled sadly. “I hope you’re right.”
A noise was heard from the outside. They both tensed and became quiet.
“We need to call for help,” Ofer whispered.
“But how?” asked Gali.
“They didn’t take my cell phone. Take it out of my pocket.”
“You’ve had a phone this whole time! Why didn’t you say something?” she snapped at him.
“It completely slipped my mind. I’ve been kind of busy here.”
Ofer hopped on two feet and stood behind her. She fumbled in the front pocket of his pants with her hands, which were tied behind her back, and managed to take it out.
“Why are you all wet?” Gali asked.
“I couldn’t help myself. Don’t be surprised if you can’t either. I’ve been here for a few good hours. Since morning. You can pee freely. Those are the rules here.”
“OK. Got it. What should I do now?”
“Now press the buttons. Slowly, with your fingers. Yes, just like that… zero is the smallest one. Now go up to the middle button on the second row. Press five… I’ll guide you. Feel for the little bumps. Yes, just like that. I’ll tell you what numbers to dial.”
He looked at the small screen and gave her specific instructions on how to move her fingers and press the digits. Yoav’s phone number appeared on the screen.
“Now hit the upper button on the left. Real slow.” He bent towards her hands and got his ear closer to the cell phone. There wasn’t any answer. “Hang up. Let’s start over.”
“Who did you call?”
“Yoav. Yoav Tzuri. Remember? He’s a medical student now.”
“Are you crazy? What will that nerd be able to do?” Gali was angry.
Ofer preferred not to answer. This wasn’t the right time for arguments. He gave her another number to call. Morris and Ijou were the only ones he could think of who would leave everything and come to his rescue.
After a great deal of effort, she finished dialing the number according to his instructions.
“Now hit the green button… good, the one you can feel on the left side with your thumb.”
She pressed the button. The phone was ringing and then Morris answered and yelled, “Hello… Hello…”
Noise was heard again from beyond the door. They were certain it was about to open and their kidnappers were going to come inside. Gali hurried and returned the cell phone to his pocket.
Ofer drew closer to her and stood in front of her. He knew he had to somehow distract the attention of the kidnappers. They mustn’t discover the phone. It was their only chance to get help. No one would come looking for them even if they remained in that place until the beginning of next week. Not a very good date for him… seeing as he might not live long enough to reach it.
He did the first thing that came to mind. He brought his lips to Gali’s mouth and gave her a long kiss.
Without warning, the door opened. The two kidnappers returned, wearing their ski masks as usual.
“Making out, huh?” asked the talker when he saw them glued to one another. “We’ll soon see how good you are at doing that.”
Chapter 44
“So you guys are from the General Security Service?” asked Ofer.
The talker turned to him and burst out laughing. His laughter sounded like the bellow of a bull in heat. “You like puzzles, huh? Yeah. Sure. We’re from the General Security Service.”
“You see?” Gali whispered in his ear before they were separated and seated on the floor facing each other and with their backs against the wall.
“Show us your IDs,” said Ofer out loud, trying to make eye contact with the silent one as well.
“IDs, huh? We didn’t have a chance to pass through the office today. We came straight from home to pick you and your cute girlfriend up. We didn’t even have a chance to punch the time clock yet.”
“So why are your
faces covered?” Ofer continued. He noticed that Gali grimaced when she heard his questions.
“So that an oversized ass such as you will have something to ask,” said the talker then raised his leg and kicked Ofer right in the chin.
Ofer’s lips began to bleed and one of his teeth was loosened.
“The show’s over,” the kidnapper continued.
To make sure Ofer understood, he bent and, while leaning slightly forward, slapped Ofer’s face as hard as he could. The loose tooth was now hanging by a thread. Ofer didn’t have a chance to recover before the kidnapper kicked his face again. Now the tooth separated for good from his gums. Ofer spat it out, dripping and covered with blood.
“What do you want from me?” asked Ofer, trying to remain lucid despite the pain.
“You know what we want. You’ve already been asked, but you enjoy being a wise guy. We asked your girlfriend, but apparently she’s made of the same material. We want to know where the test tube is.”
“What test tube?” asked Ofer.
The talker came to Ofer, raised him to his feet and pushed him against the wall. The quiet one hurried after him and began to punch Ofer’s entire body. He treated him like a punching bag, hitting him with both hands, left right, right left, with growing speed. Only his eyes could be seen through the holes in the ski mask. Ofer recognized madness in those eyes. Within seconds, he was lying on the floor again, twitching and groaning from pain.
“If you’re not going to talk, then maybe your girlfriend will,” said the talker. He went over to Gali and pulled her roughly from the floor. He leaned her against the bare wall and tore her shirt off.
Ofer could see, through the veil of tears that covered his eyes, how her chest was rising and falling.
“So what do you say, sweetheart? Do you have something to tell us or maybe you prefer to get the same treatment your boyfriend just received? Perhaps you enjoy making out with your hands tied?” He caressed her chest and tore her bra roughly, exposing her breasts. “This is just the beginning, the tease, as they say on television,” said the talker.
