by Bryan Murray
With mega-millions in sales prospects drifting past the booth every hour, the quick scanning and grading of each customer’s inquiry was something that the professional sales team at Winston had down to a fine art.
As each inquiry passed a certain level of interest and intensity, according to the professionals on the booth, all the data was then automatically transferred back to Doug Mulgrave and his staff back in Tullahoma for top-level follow-up, the future planning of customer visits if required and finally, the preparation of a detailed proposal. However, none of the above would take place until after the credentials of the potential customer clearly satisfied the criteria set down by the US Government for customers with whom Winston were allowed to do business!
It was pointless having the most desired armament on the planet, if those desires couldn’t be converted to approved, firm orders using good, old-fashioned American hustle!
* * *
Later that evening of the second day, Ben drove out of the hotel garage and into the suburbs towards the home of his friend and former colleague, Ravi Bernstein, the CEO of Isradrone. Inc.
Ben didn’t even notice the sedan following him with the Mossad agent at the wheel. He knew the area well and he eventually stopped outside an elegant house in the suburbs with a courtyard out front. He parked the car out at the curb and walked up and rang the bell. The door to the courtyard was quickly opened by one of Ravi’s security guards who recognized Ben and ushered him inside the compound.
Before entering, Ben looked back down the street, impressed to finally see the car of the Mossad agent pulling up at the curb. The lone occupant, Haim Jubari, dark hair in his late twenties, was already resigning himself to a boring evening of surveillance. He dialled the cellphone of his colleague Ephraim.
“Ephraim, this is Haim, where are you?”
Ephraim, also dark haired in his late twenties with a beard, answered quickly. “Still keeping an eye on the other American. Where are you?”
“I’m outside a house in the suburbs. My guy looks like he’s visiting them for dinner or something.”
“Very good, keep in touch, okay?” Ephraim went off the line.
* * *
Ben was delighted to see Ravi and his wife, Esther and be able to relax after the fast pace of the day at the show. They had known Ben and his wife for years, even before Ravi had married Esther and she was almost like a sister to the kindly Ben.
Ravi’s company also had a booth at the show, but their drones were only UAV’s and didn’t have the deadly firepower of the Death Dart. He and Ben were having a cocktail and Ravi, about Ben’s age and almost bald, was admiring the Winston Pavilion.
“Quite a display you had at the show, Ben. Did you design that as well, old friend?”
Ben nodded negatively. “No, I leave that to our marketing boys. Keeping the Death Dart in the forefront is a full time job in itself.”
“I can believe it,” Ravi replied. “It seemed like yours was the only booth at the show it was so busy!”
Ravi’s wife Esther was just walking in with a tray of appetizers and before Ben could comment, there was loud gunfire outside in the hallway near where they were sitting and suddenly, the door busted open and masked men came rushing in, automatic weapons in their hands. They killed Ravi and Esther instantly and as Ben stood up in shock, they dragged him forcibly out of the room!
In the hallway, Ben could see the bodies of Ravi’s bodyguards on the floor before he was dragged outside through the courtyard gate and into an SUV that screamed to a halt on the street outside. Everyone piled into the vehicle that accelerated away and out of sight. As they passed the Mossad vehicle at the curb, under the street light, Ben glanced out to see the driver’s side window was shattered and Haim was slumped at the wheel, the back of his head blown off!
* * *
Joseph was eating supper with his family when the phone rang. He answered it and it was Ephraim on the line.
“Yes, Ephraim?” Joseph inquired.
Ephraim sounded very upset. “I’m afraid it’s bad news, Agent Cohen.”
“What kind of bad news?”
“It’s about the man Ben Jacobs from the American company, sir.”
“What about him?” Joseph was now fully alert.
“He’s been taken by armed men, sir!”
“Oh, my goodness, what happened?”
Ephraim explained. “He was visiting the owner of the Isradrone Company, Ravi Bernstein and his wife, when gunmen, who we must assume were terrorists, busted in, killed the Bernstein couple and their two bodyguards and apparently took the man Jacobs with them!”
Joseph was thinking fast. “And what about Agent Jubari, wasn’t he assigned to keep an eye on the American?”
“Yes, sir,” Ephraim replied, a deeper sadness in his voice. “That’s the other bad news I’m afraid. We were staying in touch and when I called Haim back and there was no reply, I asked the office to go and check on him using his GPS location.”
Joseph was almost afraid to hear what came next. “And what happened?”
There was a sob in Ephraim’s voice as he discussed his best friend. “They found him dead in his car, a bullet to the head, sir! That was when they figured out what must have happened when they went into the house and found the bodies of the Bernstein family and their bodyguards with the man Jacobs missing!”
Joseph’s mind was in turmoil. “Very well, Ephraim, make sure they sanitize the scene, after they get the forensics and medical team in there fast to do the proper thing for Haim as well as the Bernsteins and their bodyguards. Keep me posted, I need to call America. Oh, and Ephraim, I know Haim was a close friend, I’m so sorry!”
“Thank you, sir.” Ephraim went off the line.
* * *
Joseph was in total shock. What on earth was going on? Terrorists right there in their own back yard. He was hoping against hope that since the terrorists had not killed Ben Jacobs outright, like the Bernsteins, this meant that he was still alive and the terrorists needed him for some reason.
It seemed that Jake had been right to try and protect the older Israeli and now he had to call Jake with the sad news, immediately after which he was already dreading having to make the call to Haim’s young wife with the sad news of her husband’s death.
CHAPTER 12
Back in Tullahoma, Jake, Sarah and Steve were having a late lunch in the elegant staff cafeteria in the corporate offices at Winston, when Jake’s phone rang.
“Hi, this is Jake?” he answered.
“Jake, this is Joseph, I’ve got some bad news!”
All of a sudden the hairs on the back of Jake’s neck were up to their old tricks. “What kind of bad news?” he asked.
Joseph chose his words carefully. “It looks like your client, Mr. Ben Jacobs has been taken from the home of his friends!”
“Oh, my God!” Jake was in shock and both Sarah and Steve were now listening to the conversation closely. “Taken? What happened, Joseph?”
“Apparently, he was visiting his old friends the Bernsteins for dinner. They are the owners of the Isradrone Company that Ben used to work for.”
“Yes, he said he was hoping to visit them while he was in town. What happened?”
“They were attacked by armed men who killed the Bernsteins and their two bodyguards and took Mr. Jacobs prisoner when they left!”
Jake was struggling to think straight. “And didn’t you have a guy watching him, Joseph?”
Joseph hesitated a moment. “That’s the other bad news, Jake. These same men also killed the man I had assigned to keep an eye on Mr. Jacobs with a bullet to the head! It certainly looks like a terrorist abduction to me!”
“I can’t believe this, I’m so sorry, Joseph,” Jake gasped. “And have you heard from the people responsible for this vicious attack?”
“Not a word, Jake, that’s what’s worrying me!”
Jake tried to calm the young agent down. “Okay, okay, Joseph, stay by the phone, I need to let
the people here at Winston know and please make sure your other security agent stays close with the other American, Mr. Fergamo.”
“Of course, Jake, I’ll await your call, bye.” Joseph went off the line.
Jake clicked off the phone and stared at Sarah and Steve in shock.
“What is it?” Sarah asked.
Jake shook his head in disbelief. “My God! It looks like terrorists grabbed Ben while he was visiting his friends for dinner!”
“You’re joking!” Sarah was incredulous.
“And what about the friends?” Steve inquired.
“Murdered by the terrorists, their staff as well and the bastards even killed the young Mossad agent assigned to keep an eye on Ben. Goddammit!”
“So, what do we do now?” Sarah asked.
“Well, first of all, I need to let Doug Mulgrave know,” he stood up to leave. “I’ll see you back at the office.” he left quickly and rushed up to the executive suite.
Doug’s secretary Janice had just returned from lunch as Jake arrived on their floor. She looked up and smiled. “Hi, Mr. Harrigan, can I help you?”
“Yes, please, I need to see Mr. Mulgrave urgently!”
She reached for the phone. “He just got back from lunch, hang on a second,” she spoke into the phone. “Mr. Harrigan to see you, sir?” she waited a second and turned to Jake. “Go right on in. Mr. Harrigan.”
“Thanks.” Jake rushed into the inner office where Mulgrave was sitting at his desk. The CEO looked up, his face changing when he saw Jake’s expression.
“Everything all right, Jake?” he asked.
“I’m afraid not, Doug,” Jake replied. “I’ve just had the Mossad on the line from Tel Aviv. Ben’s been taken by armed gunmen that they think could be terrorists!”
Mulgrave was in deep shock. “My God! What happened?”
“He was having dinner at the home of his friends and former colleagues at the drone company he used to work for, when the armed gunmen busted in, killed his friends and their bodyguards and took Ben with them. They even killed the Mossad agent who had been assigned to keep an eye on him!”
Mulgrave was already running his hand up and down his face, a myriad of thoughts and scenarios going through his mind. “So, what the hell do we do, Jake?” he asked.
Jake chose his words carefully. “Well, Doug, as you know I’m only here on the security audit, so it’s really not my call!”
Mulgrave looked at him beseechingly. “Yes, but what if it were, what would you suggest?” the man was clearly desperate.
Jake’s mind was working fast. “Well, Doug, I’d suggest that Sarah and I get on the next flight to Tel Aviv, leave Steve here to keep the audit going, then we could hook up with the Mossad, who must be pretty pissed that one of their men is dead, and see if we can pick up Ben’s trail and find out what these bastards want!”
Mulgrave’s mind was already made up. “Look, Jake, Stephen Parker says you’re the best at this kind of thing, so, I’d like to hire you both immediately for this new assignment. Please try and get Ben back. He’s a brilliant guy, close to retirement and there’s no way I want to think of him being held and maybe tortured in some damned terrorist camp!”
“I understand what you mean, Doug. So, if you can make sure we get no flak from Homeland Security for delaying the audit, I’ll get right on it.”
“Not a problem, Jake and thanks. I’ll get Janice to get you both on the next flight to Tel Aviv and we’ll book you in the same hotel as Roddy and the rest of the guys. I’ll also let Roddy know what’s going on.”
“Great, I’ve already told the Mossad to beef up their protection on him, so we’ll get back to the hotel and pack and we’ll call Janice later for the flight details.”
Mulgrave nodded sadly. ‘Please keep me informed, Jake at every single stage and keep Roddy in the loop as well.”
“No problem,” Jake replied. “I’ll also let the FBI, the CIA and the President know what’s going on. I’ll be in touch.” he left and Mulgrave sat down at his desk, totally deflated.
Many thoughts were going through his mind. Could Ben survive the stressful situation he was in? He knew he had a heart condition and that Ben had been told that he had what could be the onset of prostate cancer.
He also wondered how much of the top secret technology that Ben possessed concerning the Death Dart, could be tortured out of the older man.
Now, he was also concerned for the safety of Roddy. If the terrorists had the knowledge to know that Ben held the keys to the world’s most lethal combat drone technology in his brain, it didn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that Roddy would also be a major catch if they could get their hands on him, even if just to earn a huge ransom for his safe return.
He sat staring dolefully out of the window, wondering just how good this Jake Harrigan fellow and his partner really were!
* * *
Back in their assigned office, Jake quickly brought Sarah and Steve up to speed on all that just happened and the scope of their new assignment. Sarah was already thinking ahead. “So, Steve carries on here with the audit, stays as our contact man on site and we hook up with Joseph and the Mossad to try and pick up the trail on where they’ve taken Ben?”
“That’s about the size of it and how the heck are we supposed to do that?”
They looked at each other and suddenly, the same idea hit them as they exclaimed in unison. “The GPS microchip implant!”
Jake was already thinking aloud. “Correct, so we need to get the tracking device and take it with us so that we can activate it when we get there.”
“Exactly,” Sarah replied. “Let’s go and pack and hopefully Janice can get us on the evening flight into Tel Aviv.”
They all made their final plans before Jake and Sarah left.
* * *
Driving quickly back to the hotel, Jake was already on the phone to Joseph in Tel Aviv, confirming that they were coming over to help and Joseph was pleased to hear it. He agreed to meet them at the airport as soon as they arrived and Jake told him they would e-mail their flight details.
Lastly, as they were awaiting their tight connection from Nashville to Atlanta for the flight into Tel Aviv, Jake called the White House and asked to be connected to John Mulroney.
Within seconds Mulroney was on the line. “Yes, Jake, nice to hear from you, what’s going on?”
“Good to hear from you too, sir. I just wanted to let you know of an incident that has just gone down in Israel.”
“I’m listening?” Mulroney replied.
“As you’re probably aware, Sarah and I are currently doing a security audit at the Winston Aerospace plant in Tennessee, part of the President’s tightening up policy on tactical weapons security.”
“Yes, Jake, I’m familiar with the project, as a matter of fact I believe the President recommended your company to the CEO. So, what’s going on?”
“Well, sir, we’ve just heard from the Mossad that one of the top guys from Winston, who was in Tel Aviv for the International Air Show, has been taken by terrorists and he is a very valuable person to be in the wrong hands!”
“What is his discipline, Jake?” Mulroney was thinking clearly as usual.
“He’s the original design guy for the Death Dart combat drone, sir.”
“My God, now I see the problem. So, what’s happening?”
“Well, sir, the client has now hired Sarah and I to go and find the missing engineer Ben Jacobs and bring him back safely.”
Mulroney was in complete agreement. “Excellent idea, Jake, so when do you leave?”
“As a matter of fact, we’re at the airport now, sir.”
“Great, so keep the White House in the loop, Jake. I’ll let the President, the CIA and FBI know and if you need help when you get there, I’ll have the local CIA standing by.”
“Thank you, Mr. Mulroney, I’ll be in touch, bye.” Jake rang off and looked across at Sarah. “Well, now the President will know as well as the FBI and the CIA
and the latter will be standing by in case we need help when we get there.”
Sarah gave a grim smile. “You know what this reminds me of?”
“What?”
“All the travelling we did to and from Tel Aviv chasing those damned Neo-Nazis!”
“I agree, let’s just hope that this doesn’t get that crazy.”
If only he had known.
* * *
The morning had started very badly in the executive offices of Isradrone in Tel Aviv. When the news had been received of the murders of Ravi and Esther the night before, the scene was one of total shock and unbelievable grief.
Ishmael Levy, the Managing Director of Isradrone, was desperately trying to hold things together as the CNN headlines already had the world press sitting on their doorstep, looking for a statement, while his staff were still in tears at the sad news of the deaths of their friends and benefactors Ravi and his wife.
He had already spoken to his staff at the Air Show giving them the sad news and telling them that they should decline to comment if the press approached them on the booth.
Ishmael then held an emergency meeting with all the senior staff, so that they would all know that things would continue as usual. In the crowded Boardroom he addressed the group.
“Words can’t describe our grief at these heinous murders of our beloved founder and CEO and his dear wife, but we must not let this stop us from continuing the work started by Ravi. We will mourn their passing, bury them with dignity and continue to work diligently to help our customers in the fight against terrorism. We must ensure that this cowardly act will strengthen our resolve to continue to design and build bigger and better weapons of defense to continue to suppress terrorism around the world.”
He stood to indicate that the meeting was over and they all dispersed.
CHAPTER 13
In the old building in the village in the foothills close to the Iraqi border, where Ben was being held, he was in pain from the lacerations and bruises on his face and hands. He was also apprehensive about what would happen next. This was in the same village where Adila and her family lived further down the street.
