“And he is in full agreement?”
“He is a pacifist who is naïve and believes that such a venture is warranted in promoting good will between the faiths. He sees this as an opportunity to show the world that the Muslim approach to religion is truly the path of goodness and peace.” Al-Ghazi walked to the Ark and placed a palm against its gold shell, his face a blend of yellow and gold within its glow. “I have set the parameters,” he went on dispassionately, “by telling him that if this was truly his goal, then he needs to display the Ark at a site for all to share with religious and political dignitaries in attendance.”
Al-Sherrod continued to remain silent as al-Ghazi stepped away from the Ark.
Al-Ghazi faced him. “This cleric doesn’t even know that I’m setting him up as the vehicle to achieve the means,” he said. “By offering the Ark to promote good will on his behalf, he is duty bound to adhere by my negotiations without the dignitaries knowing that I am the one calling the shots. The cleric is merely voicing my demands through his proxy.”
“And he is in compliance with this?”
Al-Ghazi nodded. “Unwittingly for him, yes. He is negotiating with the Zionist and Catholic factions as we speak. The terms are as follows: The Ark of the Covenant will be shared by all under mutual authority for the opening to be held at Vatican City, and then summarily thereafter transported to a neutral site, which we’re indicating to be Switzerland. He will receive the Ark by way of Jordan, so that it will not be traced back to us.”
“And these factions readily agreed for the viewing to be held at Vatican City?”
“Not by the Muslim and Jewish constituency, of course. But the supporting argument was that there were no neutral grounds in Israel for Muslims, and no neutral lands in the Arab states for Jews. Vatican City, however, provided neutrality for all religions without fear of retaliation.”
Al-Sherrod smiled, obviously impressed. “This cleric, he is esteemed, yes?”
“Very. He is known to be a gentle man of great faith unwilling to raise a hand in the name of jihad. Everybody knows this. But he will get the job done by my direction not knowing that he is partaking in jihad, nonetheless.”
They looked at the Ark, realizing that Sakharov’s demons were ready to be released.
“You know they will open the Ark and examine it to make sure there is nothing amiss,” said al-Sherrod.
“They will find nothing,” returned al-Ghazi. “The composite of the flat box is undetectable, as is the false bottom. Their dogs, their Geiger counters, their electromagnetic meters or biological detection systems will detect nothing until it’s too late.” For the first time al-Ghazi smiled.
Sakharov’s technology in its whole was the perfect killing machine.
And in his mind’s eye, he could see himself pump his fist in victory. Allahu Akbar!
When the set up of the Ark was completed, once the gears were set in motion, al-Ghazi chose his team wisely.
He had chosen a team of four; all committed to the service of Allah, all claiming to be equally at peace with surrendering their lives without further consideration. They had been warriors in past skirmishes — whether it was on the front lines during the Iranian war, or later finding service with al-Qaeda after freelance fighting. Either way, they were highly skilled in combat techniques.
In his setting of his satellite office which overlooked the dust-laden air of the busy Tehran streets, al-Ghazi briefed his team who sat wherever a seat was available.
“You are al-Qaeda,” he told them. It was the way he started every briefing, always reminding those as to who and what they were, soldiers of war. “You have been given a wonderful opportunity for martyrdom,” he said. “A wonderful opportunity.”
And then al-Ghazi assigned them their duties in explicit detail from their arrival in Vatican City to their final moment of their lives. Sayyid, the most experienced in computer technology, was assigned to be the trigger man to initiate the program that stimulated the bots. The other three would act as buffers keeping anyone from getting close.
They would go in silently, set up a station where the frequency from Sayyid’s could be engaged, and set the nanobots alight. All he needed was thirty seconds.
Thirty… seconds.
Should security attempt to stop them, then they would come up against the buffers.
Reaching into the drawer of his desk, al-Ghazi removed a brand new laptop and slid it across the desk toward Sayyid. “There’s a program embedded in that computer as an encrypted cipher,” he told him. “It’s encrypted to ensure that the data on board will not be appropriated from outside sources, should you be compromised. You will commit to memory a series of commands that will enable you to decipher and initiate the process. On the final command a series of speakers within the flat box will set off sound waves that will stimulate the bots. Only you will have this information, Sayyid, and no one else. Not even your team.” He fell back into his seat, looking casual. “Do you have any questions?”
“None, al-Ghazi.” Sayyid took the laptop and ran his fingertips over the smooth cover, a seemingly loving caress.
“Then Allah will favor you all and Paradise will be yours,” he said. And then: “Allahu Akbar!”
In unison from his team: “Allahu Akbar!”
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
Father Auciello slid the dossier of Imam Qusim Abul, a Muslim leader who was respected and revered by the Islamic community.
Pope Pius opened the folder. The picture that stared back at him was an aged man who could have been anywhere from his early seventies to late eighties, given the deep-set wrinkles that lined his face, the vestiges of hard living. His beard was long, tapered and fashioned from minute loops of curly hair.
“Qusim Abul,” said Auciello. “He’s a respected leader of the Islamic faith who just happens to be in the alleged possession of the Ark of the Covenant. But he’s not saying how he came into its possession. But that he’s amenable to sharing in its glory with all faiths as a promotion of goodwill.”
Bonasero mulled this over as he stared at the photo. Carefully, he placed the photo down on the desktop. “He has no explanation at all?”
“None that he’s willing to offer,” he returned. “He’s obviously deflecting. But he’s standing firm about the Ark being shared by all at the moment of its opening.”
“Can he be trusted?”
“Absolutely,” he said. “He’s a true imam who is frustrated with extremists and abhors violence or anything regarding a jihad.”
Bonasero nodded. “True Muslims are pacifists,” he said. “Violence is not even a consideration with them.”
“He’s reached out to all political and religious leaders for a Summit to be held at Vatican City,” said Auciello.
“Which raises suspicions,” returned Bonasero. “But he is a respected imam.”
“He’s claiming valid points as to why it should be held here.”
“Namely?”
“He’s wants to maintain a safe haven for Jews and Muslims,” he answered. “His points are that there are no real sites of neutrality in any of the Arab or Israeli states since prejudices continue to run high, and guarantees for safety cannot be assured. Right now the Vatican appears to be the likeliest location where multiple denominations can gather in relative safety. For this to happen, however, the imam is requesting that the Ark be placed at a neutral site at the conclusion of the Summit, so that everybody can share in its wealth without one religion maintaining dominion over the relic. Right now Switzerland is being bandied about as the state of neutrality.”