Dazzle The Complete Unabridged Trilogy (172 page)

'I was afraid it would come down to something like this.'
Schmarya sat back heavily. 'It will be very difficult. Very
difficult.'

'I cannot overemphasize how little time we have,' Najib
warned quietly. 'A week ago, Daliah was important to
Abdullah. He had plans for her. But since then, things have
changed markedly. Now that he's got this idea for a holy war,
I am afraid he'll soon find himself saddled with her—and have
no reason for keeping her alive any longer. Already she is a
liability to him.'

Schmarya sighed painfully. 'So speed is of the essence.
When is it not?' He frowned thoughtfully and then got briskly
down to business. 'What, exactly, other than manpower, do
we need for mounting a rescue attempt?'

'Weapons,' Najib said immediately. 'Under the circum
stances, preferably as few Israeli weapons as possible. The
rest is all in place. My yacht carries a helicopter, and I have had it moved into position off the coast of Oman. The palace
has an airstrip, and I have a large private jet. Also, there are two of Abdullah's top men inside the palace right now whom
we can depend on.'

He paused and added softly, 'We have already planned the
mission for tomorrow night.'

'Tomorrow!' Schmarya was shocked.

'Tomorrow.' Najib nodded. 'Except for the commandos,
everything is set to go. I have sketched plans of the palace
layout, and the two inside men will do what they must at the
appointed hour. You must understand, we have no choice.
The mission
must
be accomplished tomorrow, or never at all.
It is too late to change the timetable now.'

'It is crazy.' Schmarya rolled his eyes.

'Perhaps. But it is necessary.' Najib caught his look. 'Then
I can count on your help?' he asked.

'We'll see what we can do,' Schmarya grunted gruffly.
'I’l
l
get on it right away.'

'Two-forty-five a.m. solar time,' Najib warned. 'This is the
hour it must take place tomorrow. If you cannot round up the
men in time for that mission, there is nothing else I can do.'

'I understand,' the old man said, the deep lines of his face
settling into taut grim crevices. 'I only hope to God that my
contact understands it too.'

'In that case, we had better waste no more time.' Dani
looked at his watch and rose to his feet. 'I will call the airport
and see when the next flight leaves for Tel Aviv. The sooner
we get back, the sooner we may be able to arrange something.'

'There is no need to call the airlines,' Najib said. 'I have
taken the liberty of chartering a jet for you. Right now, it is
waiting at Nicosia International, and is prepared to take off the moment you board. The pilot has instructions to remain
in Tel Aviv until you give him further instructions. When you
have rounded up the men—and I am working on the assump
tion that you will—the jet will fly them all here. My own jet,
which we will be using for the escape attempt, will be at an
abandoned military airfield on the Karpas Peninsula. It is suit
ably deserted, and if there is time, we can perhaps hold a drill.
Your pilot knows where it is.'

Schmarya frowned. 'And the men's weapons? How will we
get them past Cyprian customs?'

'That has already been arranged.' Najib allowed himself a
slight smile, 'The authorities will look the other way.'

'But if your customs agent should come down sick, or be—'

Najib shook his head. 'It will not matter who is on duty. I
chose Cyprus specifically because of my relationship with the
Cypriot government. For some time now, they have been
negotiating with me to build a waste-processing plant, winer
ies, and an airport addition here.' He smiled wryly and his
voice was unconcerned. 'They will look the other way. I have spoken with someone at the highest level of the government,
and it was a condition I insisted upon before I agreed to their terms.' He smiled again. 'It seems they will have obtained the
buildings with less negotiating than they expected.'

Schmarya was impressed. 'You have apparently thought of
everything.'

Najib's brow furrowed. 'I only fear that there must be many
things I have overlooked.'

For the first time, Schmarya permitted himself a smile. He rose from his chair. 'I think we understand each other, Mr. al-
Ameer,' he said warmly. 'You are a man who cuts swiftly to
the heart of the matter. Who knows? Maybe—just maybe—
we stand a chance.' His voice became thick with emotion.
'Your grandfather must be very proud of you.'

Najib got to his feet and turned away quickly. 'My grand
father died last winter,' he said quietly. 'He had never been
quite the same since Abdullah took over the leadership of our
village. It was then, many years ago, that he began to die.
After that, he was but a living shell.'

'I am truly sorry,' Schmarya said. He stood there a moment,
silent, and then tears filled his eyes and his voice grew husky.
'There was a time when he and I were close friends.'

'I know,' Najib said softly. 'He spoke of you often.'

'It is a pity that our religious beliefs and politics pulled us apart. I owed him my life, you know.' Schmarya shook his
head. 'And now, it seems, Daliah may well owe you hers.'

The words stirred Najib. He shook his head. 'She will owe
me nothing, Mr. Boralevi. It is as I told you. I love her.' He
extended his hand. 'Thank you for coming to see me. I will be
anxiously awaiting word from you.'

The old man's grip was dry and firm. 'Let us only hope that
I can cut through red tape as swiftly as you.'

Najib turned to Dani and held out his hand, but Dani made
no move to shake it. After a moment Najib let it drop to his
side. 'I cannot expect you to like me, Mr. ben Yaacov,' he said,
seeing them to the door. 'I hope, however, that, given time,
we may perhaps become friends.'

He stood in the open doorway. 'A car is waiting for you
downstairs. You have my number. I will wait here for your
call.'

When they were out of earshot, he added softly in Hebrew,
'Shalom.
'

'You,' Schmarya said pointedly as the chauffered car pulled to a stop on the tarmac beside the chartered 737, 'have been
abnormally quiet.' He closed his mouth as the chauffeur came
around and held the rear door open. Waving away the solicitous hands and grunting, the old man ducked out on his own.
Dani emerged behind him, and together they climbed the
boarding steps. The sun was slipping down and the magenta-
and-orange sky painted the silver wings in a soft pastel glow.

'You look like a man for whom the world has come to an
end,' Schmarya said with a touch of asperity.

Dani glared at him. 'Hasn't it?'

Schmarya sighed. Dani had become like a simmering vol
cano. He'd spoken hardly a word during the entire ride from
Famagusta.

'I know it's too early to celebrate, Dani,' he said quietly,
'but you should be happy that Daliah at least stands a chance
now. Without Mr. al-Ameer, we would surely never see her
again. Did you give that any thought?'

'You've always had a soft spot for the al-Ameers, haven't
you?' Dani snapped savagely, and pushed his way past a
smiling stewardess into the plane.

Schmarya nodded apologetically at the woman and sighed
again. No matter what he said or did, Dani was in no mood to be cheered up. He could put his finger on the precise moment
something inside his son-in-law had snapped—the moment
Najib al-Ameer had announced his love for Daliah.

'Would he prefer the man wasn't in love with her, and
wouldn't help her?' he mumbled under his breath as he went
inside the plane and sank into the big leather armchair facing
Dani's. Despite himself, as he glanced around, he had to raise
his eyebrows in surprise. Someone had done a major overhaul
on the interior of the jet. This was nothing like a commercial
airliner. It was all high style: sleek, sparkling, and sophisti
cated.

Schmarya tightened his lips. It rankled that the one time in
his life he was surrounded by luxury, he couldn't even sit back and enjoy it. Opposite him, Dani had already strapped himself
in and was glowering out at the sunset.

The lithe stewardess approached, smile in place. 'We will
be taking off immediately. Shall I get you gentlemen a drink?'

Dani shook his head without removing his gaze from the
window.

The stewardess looked at Schmarya. 'And you, sir?'

Schmarya shook his head. 'Nothing, thank you.' As she
started to turn away, he cleared his throat. She glanced ques
tioningly over her shoulder. 'Tell me, miss. Is it possible to
make a telephone call from this plane?'

'Of course. The moment we are airborne, I will bring you a
telephone.' She smiled nicely. 'If you'll give me the number
now, I will be able to place the call without delay.'

Ten minutes later, as the coast of Cyprus was dropping
away below them, Schmarya listened to the strangely distorted
ringing tone. It sounded tinny and weak and far away.

'Ken,'
a voice answered curtly after the fourth ring. 'Yes.'

'My friend,' Schmarya said cautiously. 'What would you say
to a cup of coffee at the same place where we met last time?'

There was a long pause at the other end of the line. Finally
Chaim Golan spoke. 'So. It has come to that, has it?'

'I will tell you all about it. Could you make it in an hour and
a half?'

Golan grunted. 'Where are you? It sounds like the bottom
of a rubbish bin.'