Fire in a Haystack: A Thrilling Novel

by Erez Aharoni

  The man who crossed the room and stood in the center was wearing the uniform of a security guard. Dark pants and a light shirt adorned with the symbols of the security company on the chest and shoulder. He wore a black baseball cap. His hand steadily held the smoking gun at the height of his shoulder.

  Morris raised his hands. Ofer’s hands were still tied behind his back.

  “Get your handsh up as well or I’ll shoot,” ordered the security guard.

  This time, there was no room for doubt. One couldn’t possibly mistake the unique voice and the graying chin tuft.

  “Mr. Fliegelman?” said Ofer with a whisper. “It’s me, Ofer Angel, your student.”

  For a moment, it seemed Ofer’s words did not register, and Fliegelman’s gun hand began to twitch nervously, but all at once, a glimmer of memory lit up his face and he smiled.

  “Yes, of course I remember. How did you get in here? And who’s this hoodlum you’ve got with you? What are you doing here? What’s with all the cowboy games?” He holstered his gun and went to Ofer.

  Morris took advantage of the opportunity, lowered his hands and was about to attack. Ofer signaled for him to calm down.

  “Why are your hands tied? Who tied you up? The one I shot?” Fliegelman asked when he noticed Ofer wasn’t shaking the hand he had extended to him.

  Ofer crouched on his knees. A gurgling sound rose up from his throat.

  “Don’t move or I’ll puncture you with bullet holes,” Fliegelman ordered Morris.

  Ofer lay on the floor, twisting with pain. Morris and Fliegelman looked at him with concern. Fliegelman stooped beside him. He touched his forehead, which was feverish and dripping sweat. “What happened to you?” Fliegelman asked gently. “Should I call an ambulance for you?”

  Ofer didn’t have a chance to answer. Another man was coming down the stairs. He was also holding a gun, and on the wrist of his extended hand was a gold watch.

  Chapter 47

  The man who had stepped into the basement was skinny, tall and impressive, dressed with care and clean shaven. He was wearing a light shirt and dark pants. A brimmed hat was on his head and white hair sprouted from beneath it. His lips were thin and his nose sharp. His hand was steady and his voice cracked from too many cigarettes.

  The large, black gun in his pale hand didn’t seem natural for a man of his appearance.

  “I suggest no one moves, unless he wants to learn the effects of a nine millimeter bullet from up close,” said the stranger who had entered the basement unnoticed.

  “Hello, Dr. Friedman,” said Fliegelman, happiness and wonder mixed in his voice.

  “Hello to you too,” said Friedman quietly. He looked around him and saw the curly-haired kidnapper lying motionless at the other end of the cellar. A puddle of blood had spread beneath his body. A twitch passed through his lips and chin.

  Morris raised his hands again. Question marks appeared on his face. That wasn’t his plan when he had decided to come and help his “honorable” friend. He had already counted three guns in the small cellar, and none of them were his. It didn’t seem like a safe place to be.

  Ofer managed to raise himself up slowly. His skin was almost transparent. His face was distorted with pain. His hands were still tied behind his back.

  “What happened here? Who shot this man?” asked Dr. Friedman.

  Fliegelman turned pale. “It was me, sir. I heard a shot. I ran from my guard station to this abandoned building. It’s right inside our factory and I was very worried… Then I thought I heard more gunshots. They had a real duel here. I had to stop them, otherwise more blood would have been shed.” The stress made his speech even more difficult to understand.

  “Got it. You did well. And who are these two bandits?”

  “I don’t know. I didn’t have a chance to find out.” It was apparent that Fliegelman was upset by the factory manager’s visit.

  “Well, as it happens, I do know who they are… and I’ll do what that person lying over there should have done long ago.” He walked towards Ofer and said, “You, it’s time you gave us a straight answer. Where’s the test tube?”

  “What test tube?”

  “Don’t be a wiseass, young man. We’ve had it up to here with you.”

  “Why is everyone looking for that test tube? What’s so special about it?” Ofer asked innocently. The painful physical sensations he felt did not prevent him from trying to buy some extra time.

  Friedman’s face became tense and serious. “Don’t ask unnecessary questions. Too many lives depend on what it contains, and you need to give it to me right away.”

  Ofer looked around him. Curly lay on the cellar floor, perhaps already dead. Fliegelman, his high school teacher, was just standing motionless, filled with shame. Morris stood next to him with his hands raised in the air. He himself still had his hands tied. And in the middle of them all stood Dr. Friedman who, based on the respect Fliegelman was showing him, must be the manager of the Viromedical factory. All that interested him was the mysterious test tube whose location Ofer was supposed to know.

  “I have no idea where it is.”

  “Listen to me carefully, young man. Your lawyer girlfriend infiltrated the factory and stole the test tube. One of you two has it, or knows where it is. You are not going to get out of here without having this matter solved. Is that clear?” Friedman snapped at him, annoyed and angry.

  Ofer’s feet failed him. He felt very dizzy. He knew he was about to throw up any moment. “I need to throw up,” he whispered. Cloudy liquid sprayed from his mouth, and he leaned towards the floor.

  “Such theatrics will do you no good. Give me the test tube, or vomiting will be the last thing you’ll ever do.” Friedman approached Ofer and brought the gun up next to his head.

  Ofer and Morris froze. They had played all their cards, Ofer thought, doing his best to regain control over his body. Everything swirled around him. Where is Gali? What am I doing here? What do they want from me? Is time running out? The virus is devastating me… the end is so near and I’m so tired… and sick… and hungry…

  Chapter 48

  Gali felt her hands becoming numb as the blood ceased to flow to them. Her ankles turned blue from the tightened knots. After Ofer and his kidnapper had left, the quiet one had moved her from the small room to a larger space that looked like an abandoned apartment. He wrapped duct tape around her mouth again.

  He’s planning to continue to abuse me. He doesn’t want anyone to hear my screams, thought Gali. Panic overwhelmed her. Try to figure out what to do. Don’t lose hope. Concentrate. Forget about memories and yearning. Concentrate. I can’t even ask him to go to the restroom. I can’t hold it any longer.

  Breathing through her nose was difficult. The quiet one, still wearing his ski mask, sat facing her behind a simple Formica desk, playing solitaire on the computer in front of him. It seemed that he wasn’t really touched by her miserable state. His shirt was sweaty and reeking, and terrible odors rose to her nose. She tried to move her shoulders from time to time, to get the blood flowing in them again.

  Suddenly, the door smashed open, detached from its hinges and flew into the apartment with a deafening crash. At the entrance stood a huge man with a threatening face. He wore a white undershirt and shorts. An anchor tattoo was proudly displayed on his shoulder.

  Through her shock, Gali puzzled over the riddle of who the stranger was, and whether he was for or against her.

  The kidnapper was paralyzed by the surprising entrance as well. The giant took three long strides all the way to the desk. He tossed away the gun that lay orphaned on the table, tore with a single motion of his hand the ski mask from the quiet one’s head and with his other hand shoved a large dinner plate in his face. From the force of the blow, the kidnapper flew back in his chair and turned over. The giant wasn’t about to let go of him. He moved the table with both hands and sat on the man, crushing him with the full weight of his body.

  Gali couldn’t see what was happenin
g behind the desk but heard the sound of bones being crushed.

  After quite some time, the giant rose to his feet. A wide smile of contentment was smeared on his face. “You Gali?” he asked.

  She nodded.

  The giant went to her. He lifted the kidnapper’s shirt over her head with a single motion then used a utility knife to cut the thin ropes that tightly bound her hands and feet. With great precision, he then cut the duct tape and released her mouth. She took a deep breath through her mouth. Seeing no other choice, she hurried to wear the sweaty shirt again.

  “Who are you?” asked Gali.

  “I’m Ijou.”

  “Ijou who? Why are you here?” she asked hesitantly.

  “Morris sent me here to pick you up. You come with me.”

  “Who is Morris?”

  “Morris is a friend of Ofer.”

  A sense of relief immediately enveloped her. “Where is Ofer? What happened to him?”

  “You ask too many questions,” said Ijou. “You come with me and Ofer will tell you everything.”

  Gali glanced beyond the desk. The silent one was lying there, his torso exposed. His hair was bright and close-cropped. His lips were clenched, and a long wound ran through his forehead. It appeared fresh. His neck and chest were covered with blood. His face was smeared with a brownish concoction and he was unconscious.

  Ijou picked up the kidnapper’s gun off the floor and stepped towards the door.

  “Hold on,” said Gali, “we can’t just leave him like that.”

  She took the ropes that had just come off her and with skillful and nimble hands tied the silent one’s hands and feet. She wrapped the remainder of the rope around the legs of the table.

  Ijou looked at her with curious eyes but said nothing.

  “That’s it,” Gali summarized, “now we can get going. If he ever wants to get out of here, he’ll need to crawl with that table on his back.”

  Ijou smiled. “He won’t be moving for a long, long time,” he said.

  “It sure looks like it… come on, let’s see what’s going on with Ofer.” She immediately reconsidered and went to the corner of the room, where her phone was lying on the floor. “Where are we? Do you know the address here?” she asked Ijou.

  “Yes. 21 Ordnance Corps, basement floor, Rishon LeZion.”

  She waited on the line for a long time. Just when she was about to hang up, she finally heard the voice of the receptionist. “Hello, police.”

  “An armed burglar just entered my apartment in 21 Ordnance Corps, Rishon LeZion, basement apartment,” Gali reported in a cool and collected voice. “I managed to subdue him and tie him up. Send an ambulance, urgently. I’ll leave the door open.”

  She hung up the phone and got out of the apartment with Ijou by her side.

  Chapter 49

  Ijou raced up the road in Morris’ BMW. He treated the traffic signs as if they were nothing more than decorations. Gali was paralyzed with fear but didn’t say a word. Her concern for Ofer’s fate was too strong.

  “Where are we going?” she asked.

  “To Yavne.”

  “You know where exactly?”

  “You’ll see for yourself.”

  Gali realized keeping quiet was the preferred option. As the vehicle entered the industrial area, she noticed the Viromedical factory signs.

  Ijou led her towards the large building next to the factory’s fence. Gali remembered the slanting roof and the intimidating graffiti monsters on the walls well. He signaled with his finger for her to keep quiet. They rounded three sides of the building. The fourth side was impossible to get at because it was flush up against the factory’s fence. They discovered that the building had two entrances. Ijou picked the main one. It was completely dark. It took quite some time for their eyes to adjust to the darkness.

  “You don’t leave my hand,” whispered Ijou in Gali’s ear. She obeyed and held his large hand. They went down to the cellar together. It was empty. They advanced slowly. The length of the subterranean corridors surprised them. They felt their way in the darkness carefully.

  Gali was shivering, either from fear or from the chill air of the corridors or maybe both. The kidnapper’s thin and foul-smelling shirt didn’t do much to keep her warm.

  Suspicion overcame her. What am I doing here with this man? What are his intentions? Perhaps this is all a trap? Why doesn’t he explain to me where we are going and what we’re looking for here, underground? And where is Ofer? What are they doing to him? Perhaps we’re too late?

  Ijou advanced with a slow but steady pace. His huge hand tightly held hers, and Gali had no choice but to rely on her savior. He felt the walls with his hand, sensing a door from time to time. He opened every door and stared into the darkness behind it at length. Gali remained behind him, quiet and scared. At the end of the long corridor, he decided to turn right.

  From far off, they could see a faint light projecting from beneath one of the doors. She tried to stop him and ask what he intended to do, but he simply pulled her after him and placed his other hand on her mouth.

  With no other choice, she stepped after him towards the light.

  Chapter 50

  The door flew open and Ijou burst in right after it.

  With his giant’s stride, he only needed to take two steps to reach Dr. Friedman from the threshold of the cellar door. In his hand, he held the gun he had taken from the kidnapper. It looked like a lost toy in his oversized paw. He touched the gun to Friedman’s head, below the brimmed hat, and said, “Ijou says don’t move.”

  Morris finally lowered his hands and breathed a sigh of relief. Only now could one see that a girl was hiding behind Ijou’s broad back, her hand resting in his.

  “Ijou says no one moves and everyone is doing what Ijou asks them to do,” he said again, and from the tone of his voice, it was obvious he meant it. He let go of Gali’s hand and took the gun Dr. Friedman was holding without encountering any resistance and slid it into his pants pocket.

  “Gali,” Ofer emitted a weak cry of joy when he saw her safe and sound. Her hands and feet were untied, and he immediately recognized she was wearing the silent one’s shirt. She looked unharmed, and Ofer felt a great sense of relief.

  “What’s going on here?” asked Gali when she recognized Dr. Aryeh Friedman.

  He gave her a grim look, and the blood drained from his face in anger.

  She hurried to add, “Dr. Friedman, I told you we would meet again.”

  “Who is Dr. Friedman?” asked Ofer.

  “Allow me to introduce myself,” said Dr. Friedman before anyone could say anything else. He spoke slowly and monotonously. “I’m Dr. Aryeh Friedman. I’m formally the one in charge of this place. This site you have all decided to gather in is a building which belongs to our factory, and entry to it is prohibited without my strict authorization. You are all trespassers and lawbreakers. Entering this place is an inexcusable violation of national security regulations.” He turned to Fliegelman and said, “Go on, guard. Make use of your privileges and your weapon, collect all the other weapons and arrest these people. I’ll call for backup from security in the mean—”

  “Josh, don’t listen to him,” Gali barged into his words. “Dr. Friedman is the outlaw who should be arrested, not us.”

  “Don’t you dare defy me.” Friedman had not lost his polished linguistic abilities. “This slippery lawyer is the thief. She’s the criminal.”

  “You’re the criminal. You are running a factory that manufactures toxic materials and stores deadly viruses in an illegal way.” Gali’s face had reddened and she shouted with a hoarse voice.

  “Young lady, I urge you to reconsider your position. The orangutan that watches over you will do you no good. The police are on their way. The General Security Service is also after you, and you will be incarcerated and placed under lock and key, just as you deserve to be.”

  Fliegelman’s face was frozen with shock. He moved his hand slowly towards the holster of his gun. He
didn’t have a clear idea about what he should do.

  Ijou was alert enough to recognize the guard’s intentions, he lunged forward to prevent Fliegelman from reaching his gun. He nearly slid on the floor but steadied himself and struck Fliegelman’s head with the butt of his gun. Fliegelman collapsed and lay sprawled on the floor. A huge blue bruise appeared on his forehead. Blood flowed on his cheek, trickling from the fresh wound.

  “What have you done?” Gali was horrified. “Why… why?”

  Dr. Friedman did not move an inch. Ijou looked confused. Morris and Gali went to Fliegelman and tried to wake him up. Ofer approached him as well with a heavy heart, his hands still tied behind his back. I knew this clumsy bear couldn’t be trusted, he said to himself.

  None of them noticed the newcomer who had stepped into the cellar. He was dressed in a light warm up suit. The shiny lines of the Adidas logo were sketched across his arms and legs.

  Small wonder he was holding a gun in his hand; apparently that was the admission ticket to the cellar.

  Chapter 51

  “Mr. Brick…” Ofer mumbled, stunned when he recognized the unexpected visitor.

  Yitzhak Brick stepped into the center of the basement. His straight hair was brushed back carefully, not allowing even a single hair to stray. His face was serious and expressionless. He did not react to Ofer’s recognition and hurried to give instructions.

  Following his first instruction, Ijou dropped his gun and allowed it to fall to the floor. Brick searched him quickly and discovered Friedman’s gun in his pocket. He put one weapon in his pocket and tucked the other in his waistband.

  Ofer tried to say something, but Brick silenced him and ordered him to sit with Gali next to one of the walls. Morris and Ijou he ordered to sit on the other end of the cellar, with their faces against the wall. Then he went to the inert body of the curly-haired kidnapper, bent next to him and checked his pulse, still pointing the gun at the others, keeping them in his sight. It was impossible to tell from his expression whether or not he had found signs of life in the body of the person lying at his feet. He straightened up and passed next to the unconscious Fliegelman. Judging by the look he gave him, it appeared that Brick found his state of deep unconsciousness to be satisfying.