Orin picked up their drinks and led her to a table in the corner surrounded by palms. "How's this?" he asked with boyish charm.
"Cozy."
He slipped an arm behind her on the seatback and held out a pack of cigarettes. Natasha shook her head.
"Would you care to order something?
"I don't think so, but you go ahead."
"Is there nothing I can do for you?"
Here I go. She leaned close, letting her warm breath touch his ear. "Actually, there is something I think you could do very well."
His head popped back, and his eyes narrowed seductively. "Now, what could that be?"
Ugh, kind of scary...and nauseating.
She tried a silky voice. "If we went to your room, I'm sure we could think of something."
I can't believe I said that. Lord, this is truly disgusting.
His gaze traveled down Natasha's curvy shape. "There's nothing I'd like more, but we'll have to go to your room. Mine's a bit of a mess."
Keren's tiny voice sounded in her ear instantly. "Go ahead. I'll break into his room. You bring him here and knock him out. We'll be gone before he wakes."
"I love that idea," Natasha murmured, eyelashes fluttering.
A flicker of surprise crossed Orin's face before he smiled. "Good, let's go."
When she stood at his side, their eyes seemed level. Orin wasn't much taller than Natasha. His hand reached out to draw her possessively against his side as they walked to the elevator. She pushed the button for her floor and leaned against him, gazing into his eyes.
Somewhere to the side, lights flashed as the elevator doors slid shut. Cameras? What was that all about? Orin trailed a finger down her spine, and she jerked her attention to the job at hand.
He smiled. "Tell me about yourself. Obviously, you're American. What brings you to Tel Aviv?"
"Is my Hebrew that poor?"
"Not at all. Your accent. You hold onto words longer than an Israeli."
She couldn't help but smile. Even in Hebrew, her Texas drawl labeled her. "I'll have to work on that."
"I wouldn't. It's most attractive."
Remember, he's a job. Don't get personal. "Thank you."
What safe topic might she broach?
The elevator glided to a stop, and Orin moved to the side. "After you."
Natasha sauntered to her room and ran the key card across the lock. After they entered, she gestured to the menu. "Why don't you order while I change into something…nonexistent? I'll just write down what I want."
Orin's eyes widened with pleasure before looking at the menu. Natasha opened her purse and took out her silver pen. She held it toward him. After clicking it twice, a small dart hit the back of his neck. When he jerked up to look at her, his eyes were already glazing over.
"Night, night." Natasha blew him a kiss.
He slumped over the desk. After placing his head in a more natural position, Natasha grabbed the luggage.
"He's out. Are you in his room?"
"Yes," said Keren instantly. "I have the safe open. Go downstairs and get a cab."
"On my way. Hey, was his room a mess?" She strode to the empty elevator and punched the bottom floor.
"Nothing was out of place."
"I was afraid of that. He was suspicious." She grinned. "And now he's sleeping."
"I'm coming. I'll take the stairs down." Keren's breathless voice indicated she was already running.
The elevator door opened, and Natasha approached the concierge. "Could you get me a cab, please?"
He snapped his fingers and a bellboy jumped to take her bags. Natasha returned the room key, and Keren sidled up to her as she walked to the door.
"Nicely done," said Natasha, climbing into the cab.
It didn't matter if someone discovered their whereabouts, so Natasha gave the address of their apartment to the driver.
They pulled away from the curb. Without a word, Keren handed her the two stolen documents then leaned her head against the seat. Natasha smoothed the top sheet of paper. Nothing but a latitude location, precise down to the minutes. She moved it aside. The second held a message. "Acquire target, sight unseen."
Natasha sighed and closed her eyes. Surely it would make sense after they combined their information with that of the other agents.
In the lobby of their building, the men in their kidon greeted them with wolf whistles. Keren shared a look with Natasha, and they pirouetted in unison.
"I'm going with the women next time," declared 112 with a teasing leer.
Keren eyed the group as she and Natasha pulled up a couple of chairs. "Before we do anything else, Natasha wants to know everyone's name."
547 dipped his head. "Illie Rachamim."
Their gadget enthusiast, Agent 268, was equally brief. "Ranit Shani."
Agent 112 jumped up, gave a flamboyant bow then winked. "Gibor Goldvicht."
Keren held out her arm. "Gentlemen, Natasha Kelly."
One moment of sharing names, and Natasha felt bonded to them more than she had during all their weeks of training.
Illie brought out the documents the men had collected. "This is what we have: the longitude, the target, which is four of our trainers, and a blank sheet of paper. We assume you have latitude."
Keren nodded. "We also have orders. The targets must be neutralized with auxiliary imaging ammunition and we must not be identified. We'll need night vision scopes."
Ranit dragged a pack over and dropped it. "Our gear is in here. The heavy equipment is loaded in the jeep. We're ready to go after we verify the location of the targets."
He pulled out a grid map and made a mark. A long wadi in the Negev.
"Has everyone got synchronized watches?" Illie searched Natasha's and Keren's bare arms.
Keren nodded.
"But we need a moment to change," said Natasha, rising.
Gibor picked up a supply bag, and the other two men rose. "Meet you at the jeep."
Alone in her room, Natasha noticed the message she'd left for David on the table. It hadn't budged. She peeled off the black dress and replaced it with the khaki uniform from her closet. She'd barely begun pulling on the first heavy boot when that sick feeling returned in the pit of her stomach.
"Father, I don't know what's wrong, but obviously You do. Help me do everything You want. Make my paths straight. In Jesus' name."
She tugged on her other boot and went downstairs. Her kidon waited in the jeep, and Natasha climbed in the back.
Illie turned from the front seat. "Synchronize watches on my mark. 2175 hours."
Gibor once again sat in the driver's seat. He turned the jeep toward the highway that would take them into the Negev. "Does this make me our official designated driver?"
They had almost three hours to reach the desert, navigate a location in the dark, and capture four expertly trained operatives. Could they do it without getting caught?
One by one, each trainee related his version of obtaining the stolen documents. Natasha closed her eyes and listened while Keren told their story. Her narrative became more animated as she dramatized the dialogue between Orin and Natasha.
Natasha sat up. "Whoa. I asked to visit his room, and he asked to go to mine instead. The end."
Light-hearted laughter erupted in the vehicle.
Ranit, their gentle giant, laid a hand on Natasha's arm. "Our Mata Hari."
"She was quite impressive," said Keren.
They needed a drastic change of subject…and quick. "Why do you think they left a blank sheet of paper?"
Gibor waved a hand from the front. "I have no idea, but there was nothing else in that safe. I checked it very carefully. What do you think?"
"I don't know. I just don't think they do anything without a reason. Can I see it, please?"
"Sure."
Using a flashlight, Natasha checked every inch of the paper. Nothing. She stared out the window at the darkened road. They'd spent the entire morning scrutinizing blank sheets of paper.
Illie's head jerked around to meet her eyes. "Gibor, pull over. Has anyone got some test solution?"
"I brought everything." Ratin leaned over the seat to pull at the large bag in the rear. "Hold the flashlight."
Keren held the light while he dug in the bag. He slid out a kit and handed it to Natasha. The light switched to the piece of paper. With all eyes trained on her, Natasha carefully completed the process.
"It's definitely got writing on it. It's a different longitude!"
"Yep, that's our Mata Hari," said Ratin.
"You just saved us a considerable amount of useless work," said Illie. "You probably prevented us from getting caught also. They won't expect us to find that. Get going, Gibor."
They settled back in their seats. Keren faced Natasha and nodded her approval. "Very good."
Under cover of darkness, Natasha smiled to herself. Now they included her in their kidon because they wanted to, not because they had to. Silence settled over them as they used the jeep's satellite tracking system to project the coordinates. In approximately twenty-five minutes, they should arrive at their destination. Natasha closed her eyes again.
Five miles from the site, Illie spoke up. "Slow down, Gibor, in case they're watching for us. Everyone be alert and watch out your windows."
A mile away, Gibor stopped the jeep and turned off the headlights. "Ratin, hand me the night vision, please. We're at the wadi."
Ratin handed each of them night vision goggles. With goggles in place, Gibor resumed their slow pace. A half mile later, he stopped again, turning off the engine.
Illie turned around. "We'll have to proceed on foot. Affirm the reception in your ear piece. We don't want to be caught without communications. Let's split up to reconnoiter. Remember, they're adept at disappearing into the desert, especially at night. Most likely, they'll have a perimeter established around the coordinates. If you see anything, radio in. After we establish the whereabouts of each target, return to the jeep for logistics."
They climbed out and verified their gear to be in working order. Illie indicated the direction each should take. "Fan out."
The silvery sand was awash with the bright light of the moon. Not one cloud dimmed the wide expanse. Was that good or bad? Though the light would reflect off anything that moved so Natasha could identify a target, it would also pinpoint her.
The new coordinate from the blank sheet of paper placed their targets in the same wadi but a little more to the north.
Natasha followed the right flank. Little vegetation grew in the ditch, certainly not enough to conceal a person. From her training, she knew an experienced agent could disappear in a flat desert by digging out a crevice for the body and remaining prone for hours. She crept across the sand, scanning the horizon, until she was still a quarter mile away. Then she dropped to the ground and crawled. Every yard or so, she halted to stare at the stillness. An occasional lizard skittered across the desert floor, and a few insects droned. The desert teemed with night creatures, and Natasha hoped she didn't meet any.
Once again, she scanned the sand for any irregular prints. When the sudden swoop of a nighthawk jolted her nerves, she could have sworn she saw a momentary flash of two green eyes skyward. Only one thing caused green eyes to appear so suddenly--something had opened its eyes to the sky, causing them to glow green from the sudden bright light of the moon.
Natasha froze. She barely breathed. The flicker of green had occurred about 15 yards to her right. After studying the area, she felt certain someone hid there. She clicked her mike five times in rapid succession to indicate she was the one signaling, then once to indicate she'd found a target.
Illie acknowledged her immediately. "Natasha, you have identified a target. If this is correct, click once." Natasha clicked her mike once. "If possible, leave a night vision stain as marker to your sighting. Wait there until all targets are identified. Click once if you can do this."
She clicked once then watched from her position. She never saw the green eyes again, but there were other visible signs. Tiny cracks had formed in the sand each time the hidden agent breathed. Every few seconds, a minuscule avalanche of sand blew across the desert floor.
After ten minutes, Illie gave the "all return" signal. Natasha had to rejoin the others. How could she retreat along the path that brought her there without revealing her existence? If she hadn't already done so. She continued her crawl in a circuitous route. If she'd been identified, they wouldn't see her return to the jeep and wouldn't know she'd identified the target. She trained her eyes on the sand mound while she crawled, trusting peripheral vision to alert her to the presence of unpleasant creatures…such as scorpions. After what seemed a safe distance, she rose and walked back to the jeep. She was the last to return.
Gibor nodded in recognition of her approach. He stood outside the group, watching for a surprise attack from their instructors, while the others gathered over a grid map of the target area.
When Natasha reached them, Keren described the position of her sighting. "My bogie was at the target base camp, guarding the entrance to a tent. No other targets in sight, no fire, or light of any kind. The camp isn't in the wadi, but at the crest of the north side. The back of the tent sits against the cliff of the wadi, where there is a sharp drop-off. Approach is next to impossible from that side. The sand is too soft for climbing and any advance would bog down before reaching the tent. There appears to be no guard on that side."
Illie held a pen light over the map while Ratin marked the coordinates. "Would you say this correctly represents the locations you described, Keren?" asked Ratin.
"Yes, you can see how the wadi curves at that point. The bank is about eight feet high behind the tent. Too high to climb. We can't set stakes or ropes, and we can't lift each other over the edge. Because of the height of the wadi, you can't see the bogie from the side. But, there is absolutely no cover for a frontal attack."
Illie looked up from the map. "How did you get a visual on the bogie?"
"I walked way past the tent, until the wadi walls were not so steep, then used a night vision telescope. But, it's too far away to make a capture."
"What makes you think we can't lift each other over the edge?" asked Natasha.
All three heads twisted around to face Natasha as Keren answered. "I tried it. The sand has some hard clay, but for the most part, it's too soft to repel against. It comes down on your head in a shower. I also took an exact measurement of the height of that wall. It's eight feet, three inches. It would be better if it was straight up, but it's not. The side of the wadi has eroded like a slope. Even if someone stood on top of your shoulders, they couldn't reach a safe landing at the top, because the level area by the tent is approximately five and a half feet away. If you could manage to jump that far from a standing position, when you landed on the top, it would slide out from under you, and you'd fall back down."
"All right," said Illie, studying his watch. "That's bogie number one. We have an hour and forty-five minutes to complete the mission. It would save time if we could split up. Bogie number two is here." Illie stabbed a dot on the map, 200 yards west of the tent, and Ratin colored it in. Then he marked another spot, 200 yards north in front of the tent.
"What are the positions of the other bogies?"
"Number three is set up against an acacia grove," said Ratin. "From that position, he can see the front of the tent, but he can't see bogie two. You can tell there's a body shape, and you can see movement, but bogie three probably wouldn't be able to recognize any action directed from behind bogie two. Any other approach to the tent would be instantly observed."
Natasha pointed out the position of her bogie. "Right here. About 220 yards east of the tent. But this guy can't see the tent or the acacia bogie. He must have been placed farther away to relay our approach. He's completely buried in sand, and I didn't see him until a hawk startled him into looking up. I don't know if he saw me. I left a marker in the
sand pointing to his position."
"Hmm." Illie tapped a finger on the map. "Number four is the only bogie out of sight of the others. We'll save him 'til last. It appears the only way to capture the tent unseen is from behind, which is impossible. They chose their location well."
"Even if we obtained the objective before the bogie could be overcome, he'd radio for assistance from two and three," observed Ratin.
"That could work to our advantage," said Natasha. "I really think I could make that jump. Illie is the tallest. If he could boost me on his shoulders then we could do a sort of cheerleading move that would give me enough momentum to make it past that drop-off."
Illie nodded his head. Natasha had seen Illie squat weights. His legs were strong, exactly what she needed.
"Show me," he demanded.
"Ok, while I'm on your shoulders, raise your arms to support my hands. You bend your knees in a squat. Then rise as fast as you can, thrusting me upward with your hands to give me extra lift. Like throwing me through the air."
"Let's try it."
Everyone else moved back as Natasha climbed on his shoulders and took his hands. Illie dropped down. "Ready?"
"Ready."
He snapped up with so much thrust, Natasha went sailing into the air. Keren whistled, and Ratin clapped his hands. "That ought to do. Your distance is about twelve feet. And I'm sure your height was over the eight foot minimum."
Natasha stood and wiped the sand from her hands. "One more thing we should do before we climb the wadi. Do we have something that can reach the tent and silently cut out the back?"
Ratin nodded. "Only if you stand on someone's shoulders. But if you cut through the tent first, it would be easier to reach the bogie. You're likely to make a commotion when you land that hard."
Illie looked as if he'd come to a decision. "Keren, did you see the number two bogie on your reconnaissance of the wadi?"
"Yes. I can get close enough to watch number two. What have you got in mind?"
"If Keren watches number two, and Ratin watches number three, Natasha and I could come up from behind the tent and obtain an opening. Then I throw Natasha up. Ratin, do we have a stake and wire that would hold my weight? Natasha could drive a stake into the ground inside the tent, far enough from the edge to hold. I could pull myself up."
The Syrian (Natasha Kelly, Mossad Spy) Page 7
