“You only know they’re in Israel!” Mamoud roared, his voice bouncing off the walls like thunder in a raging storm.
Sharouf took a deep breath. “There is only one reason they would have gone to Israel, sir. We know where they are headed. They will go to the tomb first, most likely. When they are done there, they will visit the archeologist’s apartment to search for clues.”
“And how do you know for certain?”
“It is the only thing that makes sense.”
Mamoud’s temper eased a little as he considered what Sharouf was saying.
The guard continued. “The only explanation is that, somehow, Nehem was able to contact them. We know that he sent an email to his American friend. Their escape and subsequent trip to Israel could only mean they are attempting to find Dr. Ben Asher.”
Another thought occurred to Mamoud as his man was talking. “Is there any chance we could be implicated?”
“None. And we made sure there was nothing left in the doctor’s apartment. I personally oversaw the search. All we could find was the tablet. Nothing else.”
Mamoud nodded, but there was still a look of concern on his face. He stood still for a moment. A finger involuntarily scratched his beard on the right cheek. Then he ran both hands through his black hair, leaving them hanging on the back of his neck for a second as he sighed.
He let his hands down and walked over to a window that was nearly the size of the entire wall. It looked out onto the blue waters of the Persian Gulf, where turquoise turned to deep navy, speckled with intermittent whitecaps. A single puffy cloud hung in the otherwise perfectly clear blue sky.
Wyatt was like the cloud, lingering around, ruining what should have been a perfect plan. If the cloud was permitted to stick around, others could join it, and before he knew it, Mamoud would have a storm on his hands.
He spun around and faced Sharouf, who had turned and watched his boss as he paced to the other side of the room.
“Do you still have any operatives in Jerusalem?”
Sharouf nodded. His lips barely parted in a knowing grin. “I have two stationed ten minutes away from Ben Asher’s apartment. They’re on standby.”
“Call them. Have them pay the doctor’s residence a visit. Make sure Wyatt and his friend don’t get out alive this time.”
Sharouf nodded and retrieved the phone from his pocket. He tapped the screen a few times and then put the device to his ear. After the second ring, he heard a voice on the other line. His orders were swift and direct. “Eliminate them both,” he said, finishing the details of the command.
He ended the call and slid the phone back in his pocket. “They will take care of it. Both of them are highly trained. They used to work for Pakistani Special Forces. After today, you won’t have to worry about the two Americans anymore.”
“Good.” Mamoud said and turned back to gaze out at the azure sea. While he had confidence in his right-hand man, that certainty was starting to wane. First, the mistake in Atlanta, and now he had two men Mamoud has never met carrying out orders in a faraway land.
He’d read the dossier on Wyatt and Schultz. Wyatt was a highly decorated former government agent. He’d worked for the United States Department of Justice, but some of his exploits had been hard to uncover. With Wyatt, it seemed there was more than met the eye. The report claimed that he was retired from government operations, and had worked with his friend, Tommy Schultz, at the International Archaeological Agency as a transport and logistics security agent. The title sounded made up, but there were rumors that the man was extremely dangerous, and usually armed.
Schultz, too, was no pushover. Information on him had been easier to come by but was somewhat disconcerting. While he was not as expertly trained in the deadly arts, several reports indicated he could handle his own if pushed into a fight. Schultz’s IAA organization was well known all over the world, and he had personally been responsible for the recovery of some of the most priceless artifacts in history.
He stared out into the bright sunlight for a few more moments before spinning around and facing Sharouf. “Up the timeline for our preparations.”
Sharouf seemed puzzled by the odd change of plans, and by the vagueness of the order. “How soon do you want them ready?”
“The cells should be ready to begin operations when you give the command.”
The bodyguard’s face contorted into a frown. “What if the archaeologist doesn’t produce what you’re looking for? Will we still move ahead according to plan?”
Mamoud considered the question for a moment before he answered. “We have spent too much money and time planning this. The moment has come for the West to pay for its insolence. We were told by the great prophet that the infidels must convert or be destroyed. They have chosen the latter. And we will be the tip of the sword that brings their destruction.”
8
Karem and the two Americans left the tomb and made their way back to the car. Five minutes later, they arrived at an apartment Nehem had rented for the duration of his research, however long that was going to take. The exterior looked like every other building in the area. Sean was always surprised at the almost Communist appearance of many buildings in the Middle East. It was especially surprising in Israel, considering the enormous amount of money that flowed into the country from tech startups, as well as research and development companies.
One app startup had recently been purchased by Internet giant Google for the hefty price tag of $1.3 billion dollars. Even after it was bought out, Google decided to leave the startup’s headquarters in Israel, which kept hundreds of people employed and the money still rolling in.
The bland-gray sides of the building soaked in the warm rays of the morning sun as Sean and Tommy followed Karem through the parking lot and up a flight of stairs to the second floor. Once there, they continued forward until reaching a door on their left.
Karem had visited Nehem at his temporary residence on several occasions. He took a keen interest in what was going on with his research, and when the archaeologist had uncovered the strange tablet, his interest had only grown stronger. Karem seemed somewhat despondent as they approached the apartment door. He’d become friends with Nehem years ago, and the two had worked on many projects together. Now, it was a friendship that Tommy and Sean were grateful for, and one that seemed to cause Karem a great deal of concern.
When the three reached the door, they saw no evidence of a break-in. The doorknob was still intact, and there were no signs of forced entry. Sean put his hand on the doorknob and turned it. The metal twisted easily, and the door swung open.
Inside, it was a disaster area. Papers were scattered about on the floor, and the sofa and chairs were sliced open, their cotton innards strewn about chaotically.
“Someone has definitely been here,” Tommy stated the obvious.
Karem and Sean both looked at him with a no crap expression.
“What was your first clue?” Sean teased.
“Hilarious,” Tommy said. He walked through the opening and into the trashed apartment.
The refrigerator had been left open, and a puddle of water had collected at its base. The pantry door was open, too, as were several of the cabinets. A seat cushion was on its side next to a television that had been knocked onto the floor.
“They really left no stone unturned,” Sean commented. “Whoever came through here was extremely thorough.”
“Should we not call the police?” Karem asked with growing concern in his voice. “We should report this, yes?”