The Englishman glowered back at him, folding his arms. ‘Don’t remember shaking on it.’
‘Eddie,’ said Nina reluctantly. ‘He’s right, we need him. And we can’t afford to waste time — Cross and the Fishers might be halfway to their targets already.’
‘Don’t I even get to punch him in the face?’ Eddie asked, clenching one hand into a fist. Dalton twitched.
‘As much as I’d like that, no. Not this time.’
‘Next time, then,’ he muttered, before nodding to the politician. ‘Okay, we’ll put in a word for you. Won’t be the one I’m thinking of right now, though.’
‘You’ve got your deal,’ Nina told Dalton. ‘Now it’s your turn. What’s Cross’s plan?’
Dalton took a couple of heavy breaths before answering, aware that whatever agreements were in place, he was still linking himself to the cult leader’s plot. ‘All right,’ he said at last. ‘Simeon and Anna Fisher are going to take the statues to Mecca, and to the Vatican in Rome.’
‘As opposed to the Vatican in Hogfoot, Arkansas?’ Nina said scathingly. ‘Yeah, I know where it is.’
‘Mecca. And Rome.’ Shalit turned from side to side as if looking towards each of the two cities. ‘I would not describe either as a close friend to Israel — though one is far less friendly than the other. I am sure you can guess which. But it is not in Israel’s current interests that it is destroyed. We have enough enemies without arousing a billion and a half angry Muslims against us. And they would rise against us, even if we had nothing to do with it.’ Another edged smile at Eddie. ‘Those with no reason to hate us will still take any reason to fight us.’
‘They’re going to release the gas there?’ Nina asked.
‘Obviously,’ Dalton snapped. ‘On the flight over, Cross kept saying how the timing was perfect. The Hajj is on in Mecca right now, so there are Christ knows how many Muslims there on pilgrimage, and the Pope has an audience in St Peter’s Square tomorrow, which will also have thousands, tens of thousands of people watching. That was what he wanted: maximum victims, maximum impact.’
‘It’s also what you wanted,’ Eddie said, disgusted. ‘Typical fucking politician. You’re already trying to distance yourself from it!’
‘So that was how the two of you planned to set off a religious war?’ asked Nina. ‘Attack Mecca and the Vatican, let it come out that American evangelical Christians were responsible, and watch the fireworks while you set up Fortress America?’
Eddie shook his head, speaking before the politician could issue another denial of his direct involvement. ‘That’s what I get for missing Sunday school. I never read the bit of the Bible where Jesus says that mass murder is brilliant. Oh, wait, that’s because it doesn’t fucking exist!’
‘You’re not Christians any more than Jim Jones and his crazies were,’ Nina told Dalton.
‘Don’t lump me in with those loons,’ he replied. ‘I had nothing to do with Cross’s followers. They joined him because they wanted him to bring about the end of the world.’
‘Which he did, for them.’
‘Yes, he did. And don’t forget that you’re a part of it too,’ Dalton went on, jabbing an accusatory finger at her. ‘You found the angels for him.’
Nina gawped in sheer disbelief at his attempt to swing the blame back on to her. ‘Only because Eddie and I were kidnapped, on your orders! Jesus!’
Shalit held up a placatory hand. ‘Dr Wilde, we have the information. The question now is: how shall we act upon it?’
‘We’ve got to stop ’em, obviously,’ said Eddie.
‘Yeah,’ agreed Nina, turning to Shalit. ‘You need to contact the authorities in Rome and Mecca, tell them to watch for Simeon and Anna.’
The Israeli spymaster smiled mockingly. ‘I am sure the Saudis will be happy to obey the Mossad.’ Even Dalton smirked.
‘Okay, then contact the UN and get them to talk to the Saudis!’ she pressed on, annoyed. ‘Call Oswald Seretse in New York.’
‘You’ve probably got his number,’ said Eddie, with a sly glance at Jared. ‘Someone once told me Mossad has everyone’s number.’ The younger man grinned.
‘I am sure we have,’ replied Shalit. ‘I shall make the call.’
‘What about the find?’ Nina asked. ‘The Temple of God, and the Ark of the Covenant — they need to be secured.’
‘They will be,’ he assured her. ‘I have already arranged for troops to guard the site until our archaeologists can reach it. And I shall also notify the IHA, of course. Such a discovery is of global importance, after all. Now, Dr Wilde, Mr Chase, if you will come with me?’
The couple followed him to the door. Dalton started after them, but Shalit held up a hand. ‘Mr President, stay here, please.’
Dalton was affronted. ‘This is a diplomatic matter; I should be involved—’
‘I am being diplomatic when I say that you should stay here. For your own safety.’ There was an unmistakable hint of threat behind his politeness. ‘I have already spoken to officials from your State Department. They have requested that you be returned to the United States as soon as possible, on the orders of the White House.’
‘What?’ said the politician, startled.
‘I guess President Cole wants to discuss your immunity deal,’ Nina suggested, smiling coldly.
‘Best of luck with that,’ added Eddie. ‘Jared, will you be okay?’
The young Israeli glanced dismissively at his injury. ‘It’ll take more than this to keep me down, alter kocker. I’ll be back.’
The Englishman grinned. ‘Glad to hear it. See you later, kid. And you, Mr President.’ The Israeli gave the couple a cheery wave as they departed with Shalit, leaving the sputtering Dalton behind.
Shalit commandeered what had been Colonel Brik’s office to call Seretse in New York. Once through, Nina explained what they had found in the desert, and what had happened afterwards. ‘I see,’ said the Gambian diplomat, speaking slowly and carefully, as if trying to process what he had just heard. ‘I shall of course immediately contact the Saudi and Italian ambassadors to the UN, and the Vatican’s permanent observer. But the Fishers could be in Italy and Saudi Arabia already — a private flight there from Israel would not take long.’
‘I know, I know,’ Nina replied wearily. ‘Have the investigators in Antigua got any CCTV footage of Anna or Simeon they could send to the police and security forces?’
‘Not yet, I am afraid,’ said Seretse. ‘Teams from the CDC and USAMRICD have entered the Mission to check the contamination levels, but their most recent report said the computers have been either wiped or encrypted.’
‘Might have known,’ Eddie complained. ‘Bloody spooks, they’re all paranoid. We’ll give you descriptions so you can put together e-fits, then.’
‘Digital facial reconstructions are not as useful as photographs,’ said Shalit with a small shake of the head. ‘The Mossad has run tests; even top agents failed forty per cent of the time to recognise a suspect when trying to identify them from an e-fit alone. That number is much higher with ordinary law enforcement personnel.’
‘So what do you suggest?’ Nina said with exasperation. ‘We’ve got to try to stop them!’
‘There is something you can do,’ said Seretse. ‘If you go to the Vatican and Mecca in person, you will be able to confirm any possible sightings of the Fishers. I know it is a long shot, but we must try. Will you go?’