A dining room featured a large oak table for eight in the center while Persian carpets lay on the hardwood floors. Abstract art, possibly Fernand Leger and Piet Mondrian, lined the walls and a spectacular ruby and glass Tiffany chandelier hung from the ceiling that Robinson imagined must have weighed a half-ton or more. A cook was busy preparing lamb torly with okra, rice and potatoes and a raspberry basbousa for dessert.
They wound their way to the front of the house to a stone-tiled patio with dark-green parasols that overlooked the Dead Sea. A servant brought a bottle of Le Petit Cheval 2001 and the pair sat sipping from long stem wine glasses.
They sat for a few minutes, time enough for Robinson to reflect upon the man he had traveled across the globe for this chat. He came from a merchant family that wholesaled in household items throughout western Israel. As a young man he attended the renowned Hebrew University of Jerusalem where such notables as Albert Einstein and Sigmund Freud had attended. After earning three degrees he assisted in the family business and became involved in politics during the Six-Day War and rose to popularity within the Jewish community as an organizer. When the athletes were massacred at the 1972 Olympics he formed the Wrath of God that sought out the perpetrators and had them executed although he denied any such involvement until two decades later. He was married for twenty-seven years and his wife was murdered by a Palestinian bombing in a restaurant in Jerusalem. He lived alone with three servants. His sons and daughters visited often and his grandchildren were the focus of his personal life.
He took on the problems of his associates and anyone who knew him came to like him as he was charming, humble and incisive. Although he had never met Robinson’s mother and father he asked, “Are your parents in good health?”
“Both are getting up in years and are in a state of decline. My mother has Alzheimer’s and it will be several years that I will be able to enjoy her company. My father seems well enough however resists my efforts to get a check-up.”
“Men are that way. Women worry about their health and men not so much. I think we accept death as many of us are so close to it. Women are fearful as they are not so much in control of their lives.”
“I imagine that you are right.”
“The Jewish people do not wish to die, however are willing to do what they must for the sake of the children. We remember our parents who gave their lives for us and we inherit the responsibility that they did not die in vain. We have done well, however we are threatened with each passing crisis in the Middle East. It is unfortunate that we could not pick up our entire country and move it to the other side of the globe. You are fortunate to live on the other side of the ocean where the threat is reduced by distance. Imagine that your country was here and how you would feel about Iran today.”
“That would place a different perspective on it, would it not?”
“You tell me what you would want in such a circumstance.”
“That does get one to thinking doesn’t it? I would want friends to support me and be willing to express it to the world. I would want a strong military and understanding from the world community that I may need to defend myself in a way that may not be so pleasant to watch.”
“I think you understand my son. Our little chat is over,” he laughed and patted Robinson on the shoulder. “I am joking, but you really understand the essence of it. Unfortunately the Western World does not have such a grasp on the situation here.”
“I must admit you are right. We do not teach the history of your people as much as we could and most are very much ignorant… caught up in their own lives. I suspect that many of our politicians do not understand the relationship between our countries. Of course the president and the Cabinet have a firm grasp.”
After dinner they sat on the patio while the sun touched the horizon and enjoyed hashanah and mint tea while they discussed the issues of the day, the relationship between the two countries and anything that came to mind.
Hazari smoked a leisurely cheroot and watched the smoke drift from the patio in the evening breeze. “My country is going to focus upon alternate ways to deal with the Iranians. We plan to use weapons of a smaller nature. How shall I say it? Espionage, psychological warfare, anything that will bring down our mutual enemy.”
“You are wise to think of new ways of doing things. The enemy is devious and is using such tactics all the time.”
“We are going to bring modern warfare into the world in a way you cannot imagine. Atomic weapons, super carriers, missiles and such all have their place, but the war will be won by shaping the minds of the world while rendering the enemy impotent.”
“That may be an excellent idea however pulling it off will be another matter.”
“And you can help us in that endeavor.”
“That is why I am here today — to offer assistance.”
“You have a criminal locked in ADX Florence.”
“I am not familiar—” Robinson sensed the preconceived direction the conversation was taking and paid close attention.
“It is your most secure prison and normally your most dangerous violent criminals are kept there. You have one that is the most dangerous man on the planet locked up there.”
Robinson was mystified. Where was he going with this?
“He is dangerous whenever he has a computer in his hands. He is kept locked in his cell twenty-four seven. If he were to get out for even a moment and get his hands on a computer the results would be devastating.”
“Why would you —?”
“Let me explain what he has done and you will understand.” He took a deep puff and inhaled the sweet fragrance of the smoke. “He broke into VISA, American Express, and MasterCard data bases and stole over one-hundred-million accounts, then sold them to organized crime all over the world. And that is just the beginning, he broke into the Pentagon database and that is what brought down the Feds, CIA, and DSS upon him. Fortunately they captured him before he sold the Pentagon files. He was in the middle of an international auction when they broke it up.”
“I should have heard about this.”
“Everyone should have but they kept it hush hush. The damage ran into the billions and the financial world is still reeling. They incorporated it into the ‘Banking Crisis’ where it became lost in the morass of numbers. Your country, China, Russia, and the EU printed up the paper and wrote it off as a bad experience.”
Robinson was stunned. How in the world did he not know? It had to be “Top Secret” and only the president knew anything — and he wasn’t telling. He suddenly felt betrayed. If anyone was close to the president it was himself and he could have kept it quiet. In the end it was the president’s decision and not to divulge this to a single person as it could turn the financial world upside down.
“Which brings us to ask for a favor — we want him.”
“My God! What in the world do you have in mind?”
“Imagine that his talents were channeled a bit differently….”
The light began to shine. “Yes, I think I see. Iran’s nuclear program—”
“We would watch his every move and have the best in the world at his side at every moment, always ready to pull the plug if he went out of control. After all he is a criminal.”
“Tell me more.”
“I could tell you my friend, but then I would have to kill you,” he laughed. “It is a joke. I always wanted to say that line.” Harazi finished the smoke and tapped the ashes in an opalescent ashtray. He pulled a slip of paper from his pocket and handed it to Robinson. “His name is here. It will take the president’s order to have this done. He knows what this means. It is to unleash a power greater than any WMD. Tell him we understand the danger involved and guarantee he will not escape or get out of control.”