“We wait until nightfall. The team will deploy around the warehouse, out of sight,” he says. “I understand you have a subdermal implant for communicating with your superiors in Washington?”
My, my, nothing’s sacred in the intelligence community. “That’s right,” I say.
“We will have your people configure the transmissions so the team can hear you. I’ve already spoken to your colonel about this. That way, you can call the shots should you be required to lead the assault team into the building.”
“That’s mighty accommodating of you.”
Someone provides kosher turkey sandwiches for us, and we spend a few hours in the captain’s Lexus. We talk about the security situation in his country and the different plans of attack for combating terrorism. Mid-evening I take the opportunity to grab two hours of sleep. When I wake I find it’s just after ten o’clock. In the meantime, Carly St. John has provided me with the warehouse blueprints via my OPSAT. I now have a complete map of the building, showing entrances and exits, corridors, and rooms. I’m itching to get going, but I decide to wait two more hours, hoping to catch them in their pajamas. Finally, at midnight, I tell the captain it’s time to move.
“You know they’re probably setting a trap for you,” the captain says.
I shrug. “Trap, Shmap. Let’s go.”
“You ready?”
“Absolutely.”
He gives the order and we move out in separate unmarked civilian cars toward the site. A minute later we arrive at a crossroad. The captain points to the new road and says, “It’s that way about a mile. We’ll get out here and go the rest of the way on foot.”
The drivers park the cars behind various empty buildings, and we proceed to hike through undeveloped terrain off-road. There’s not a lot of trees and natural cover here. Israel is an arid country and it’s hot and dry at this time of year. For a Mediterranean destination, I’ve never found Israel to be particularly pretty. I guess it is if you like sand and rocks. The land is fertile enough, although I can’t imagine why it was once considered the “Promised Land.”
I separate from the Shin Bet as we get closer to the warehouse. I want to make the first approach on my own.
“Mr. Fisher?” It’s the captain’s voice in my ear. “Do you read me?”
“Loud and clear,” I say, pressing the implant.
“There are three cars parked in the back of the warehouse, under a tarp. A Ferrari, a Jaguar, and a Chevy Cavalier.”
“Then there’s probably not too many men inside.”
“That’s what I’m thinking, too.”
I can now see the warehouse, but I’m well hidden behind some rocks, fifty feet away. I know the Shin Bet have surrounded the building, but I see no signs of them. These guys are good.
The building looks as if it hasn’t seen a human being in thirty years. It consists of a large space that takes up most of the structure. From Carly’s blueprints I understand there’s a second floor with a window. This second floor is more of a “loft” that hangs over a third of the first floor space with a stand-alone staircase connecting the two. Along two sides of the building are corridors with rooms—old offices, I imagine.
“How do you want to handle it?” the captain asks.
“I’m going to find a way in, probably from the second floor. Stand down until I give the order. Then storm the place with everything you’ve got. Until I find Sarah and make sure she’s all right, I don’t want them to have any indication that you’re out here.”
“Understood,” he replies.
I emerge from my hiding place but stick to the shadows. There are no lights on around the building so that’s a plus. The first thing I do is a quick recon around the warehouse. The front door is a rusty steel job with faded paint and lettering. The few windows are painted over. In the back I find the three cars covered by a tarp and another steel door. Up high I see another window, one that’s not painted over. That’s my target.
I take my cigar holder and rope and fashion a grappling hook. I sling the thing around and toss it, catching it onto the roof on the first try. I give it a tug and then climb up the side of the building. When I reach the window I peer inside.
I see the loft; it’s full of junk and extends maybe thirty feet. A lone lantern burns on the floor next to an empty bedroll. I can’t discern anything beyond the edge of the loft, mainly because of the junk piles. The main thing is that no one is there. Good. I wrap the rope around my waist so I can use both hands as I hang by the window. I draw my Five-seveN, flip on the T.A.K. laser microphone with my thumb, and point the barrel at the glass. The square in the center of the camera screen doesn’t turn red—it’s not picking up any sound. Excellent. I switch off the T.A.K. and holster the pistol, then try to raise the window. It doesn’t budge. The decades-old paint has hardened, but the window itself doesn’t appear to be locked. I draw my combat knife and chisel away on the window edges, finally getting to where I can stick the blade through the slits. I sheath the knife and try the window again. This time it moves a little. I rearrange myself so I can put my weight into the very center of the top windowsill and push it up with a forceful thrust. The window gives way and slides open, a bit too noisily for my comfort. But it’s enough for me to snake through. I unwrap the rope from my waist and go through the window, feet first.
Once I’m inside, I carefully move to the edge of the loft and look down. It’s a wide-open, empty warehouse except for a lot of junk stacked along the sides of the room—mostly old appliances like refrigerators and stoves. I see a couple of doors leading to other parts of the building.
There’s no one around.
A set of unsupported wooden stairs leads down from the loft. I start to take them, but they creak loudly. Instead I leap off the steps and land on all fours with a quiet thud. One single noise is better than a series of horrible creaks.
I focus on the door I know leads to a series of rooms in a corridor. Once again I take the Five-seveN and flip on the T.A.K. I aim it at the door and this time the screen turns red. Somebody is talking behind the door. I creep to the wall, flatten myself, and listen.
The voices are muffled, but they’re speaking in Russian, that much I can tell. I consider storming through the door and blasting the hell out of them, but before I can act, I hear footsteps approaching.
The door swings open, hiding me behind it. Two men emerge and walk toward the middle of the warehouse. They’ve got AK-47s around their shoulders.
“Turn on the lights, Yuri,” one says in Russian. “I can’t see a fucking thing.”
The one called Yuri walks toward the front of the building. Shit. They’re going to hit the lights and here I am standing behind the door. So what do I do? I slip around the door without being seen and go into the corridor, just as the lights come on.
The corridor is well lit, but there’s no one else here. I see three rooms. The doors to two rooms are open, probably the Russians’ quarters—I see cots and signs of day-today living. One door is closed. I flip on the thermal vision in my goggles and see an indication that there’s a warm body lying horizontally inside the room. Could it be Sarah? I decide to give it a try.
The door is locked, of course. With one ear trained to the open door at the end of the corridor—I can hear the Russians talking in the warehouse—I carefully take my lock picks and try them. After three attempts, I have it open.
Sarah is inside, lying on a cot.
40
“
SARAH
!” I whisper. She looks up, startled. Her eyes widen when she sees me. Of course, I look like an alien from outer space in my uniform and goggles. I raise the goggles so she can see my face.
“It’s me,” I say.
“Dad!” She lunges and grabs hold of me as if I’m the last man on earth.
“Shhh!” I whisper. “You’ve got to be quiet. I’m gonna get you out of here.”
“Oh, Dad, I knew you’d come!” She starts to cry and I stroke her dark hair.
“Are you all right? Did they hurt you?”
“A little. I’m . . . I’m a little weak.”
“Can you walk?”
“I’ll try.”
She gets to her feet, but I can see she’s very unsteady. I’ll have to carry her. I let her lean against the wall as I peer out the door to the corridor. It’s still clear.
“Honey, wait here, I’ll be back for you,” I say.
“Don’t leave me!” She almost panics.
“Sarah, the bad guys are right in there. I have to take care of them first. I promise I’ll be back for you.”
She takes a deep breath and wipes her face. “Okay.”
“That’s my girl. Don’t make a sound.”
I leave and close the door behind me, unlocked. I take the Five-seveN, attach the suppressor, and shoot out the two overhead lights in the corridor. I’m plunged into darkness, so I lower my goggles and turn on the night vision.
I peer through the door to the warehouse and see that the two Russians have stepped outside through the front. The place is empty. I quickly enter the space, drop to one knee, and aim the Five-seveN at the work lights. I shoot out all six of them. Now the only illumination in the place comes from the open front door, and it’s not much.
I run and find the steps leading to the loft. I quickly ascend the stairs and make it to the second floor just as the two men return. I quietly swing the SC-20K off my shoulder and ready it.
“Hey, did you turn off the lights?” one of them asks the other.
“No.” I see the one called Yuri go back to the light switches and flick them. “What the hell?”
“Did we lose power?”
“I . . . I don’t think so. Vlad, quickly!” They start for the front door, picking up on the possibility that I may have arrived earlier than expected. I rise, aim the rifle at the door and prepare to pick them off—when I feel the muzzle of a gun at the back of my head.
“Don’t move!” shouts a voice. “Drop the weapon! Yuri! Vlad! I have him!”
The two Russians stop and look to the loft. “Eli? Is that you?”
“Yes. Drop it!” I let the rifle fall. “Raise your hands!” I do so.
Eli. Eli Horowitz, the one who betrayed my daughter. He’s standing behind me with a gun to my head. The nearby lantern casts a dim glow over us, and now the Russians can surely see me.
“Bring him down!” one of them shouts.
“Get moving,” Horowitz says. “To the stairs.”
I slowly walk toward the stairs as Horowitz follows, the gun in one hand and the lantern in the other. A bright light flicks on below. Apparently one of the Russians found a floodlight that isn’t connected to the main work lights switch. Now the room is dimly illuminated.
“You’re early, Mr. Fisher!” the one called Yuri says. “We had a surprise party prepared for you, but it’s not ready yet.”
“Yeah, come back in the morning,” Vlad says, laughing.
When I’m at the top of the steps, I abruptly step back into Horowitz, grab his gun arm, easily pull the weapon out of his hand, and then throw his body over my shoulder onto the stairs. He lands in the middle, on his back, and the entire staircase collapses from age and his weight. Horowitz yelps in pain as he falls to the floor amidst the debris.
Before I can do much besides leap for cover, both Russians let loose with their AK-47s. The bullets rattle everything in the loft as I crouch behind an old stove.
“Mr. Fisher?” I hear Captain Weiss in my ear. “What’s happening?”
“Bring in the men, Captain!” I order, pressing my implant. “I’m up in the loft, there’s three of them on the ground floor!”
More bullets whiz at me as I dart from behind the stove. I feel the heat of a round snapping at my right boot, too close for comfort. I make it to a more strategic position behind a large refrigerator, though, and take a moment to catch my breath. I turn off the night vision and see that the two Russians have taken cover behind the appliances on opposite sides of the floor. Shit, they’ll be able to pick off the Shin Bet as they come through the door.
“Captain!” I say. “Don’t come through the front do—”
But it’s too late. The front door bursts open and three men rush inside. The two Russians are surprised but have the presence of mind to draw their fire toward the intruders. The three Shin Bet are hit and fall to the floor.
I reach into the Osprey and pull out two smoke grenades. I activate them to explode on contact and then throw them into the middle of the space. They burst loudly, quickly enveloping the room with thick, black smoke.
The Russians below me fire blindly into the middle of the room and up in my direction. I take the risk of jumping off the loft, landing hard on the floor. I hear windows breaking in other parts of the building—probably in the back rooms—as more men penetrate the hideout by other means. I run for cover as the Russians continue to fire in all directions. There are shouts and bursts of gunfire in the back of the building—were there other kidnappers inside? In the cover of the smoke I rush across the floor and return to the dark corridor. I burst into Sarah’s room and find her lying by the cot. I pick her up in my arms and carry her out. When I reach the warehouse again, more Shin Bet have entered and taken cover, shooting in the direction of the hidden Russians. The noise is intense, and I feel my daughter shaking against me. I can’t go that way, so I run through the corridor to the back door of the building. More Shin Bet have broken it down and are rushing inside. I let them through, and then Sarah and I leave the building, out into the fresh air. I run a good thirty yards from the warehouse before I stop and place her on the ground.
“Sarah, honey, talk to me!”
“Dad!” She isn’t letting go.
I raise my goggles and finally get a good look at her. She has some bruises on her arms and around her face.
“What did those bastards do to you?”
“They hurt me with pliers,” she sobs. “I didn’t want to give them your secret number, but I couldn’t take it, Dad. I couldn’t take it.”