Covenant

64

JERUSALEM

This has got to be stopped.”

Ethan sat opposite Bill Griffiths on the veranda of his rented villa overlooking the city, trying to stave off his exhaustion.

“Why didn’t you tell me before that you were a journalist?” Griffiths asked.

“It was none of your business,” Ethan replied. “Now it is and I need your help.”

“I don’t know how to help,” Griffiths said, looking him up and down. “Look at the state of you — you’re dead on your feet. What the hell difference can you make?”

“You called me, Bill,” Ethan reminded him, “and I’ve just escaped Israeli custody to get here, so tell me what’s happened.”

Griffiths closed his eyes for a moment before speaking. “One of the guards at what may have been Lucy Morgan’s dig site, a MACE soldier, was killed by a Bedouin yesterday afternoon.” Ethan kept his expression neutral. “Turns out that when the soldier was autopsied, his buddies reported that the Bedouin had claimed he was searching for his son, an Ahmed Khan. The surgeon who autopsied the soldier recognized the name, as he’d autopsied this Ahmed just the day before.”

“So? He was supposedly found dead in the desert, drugs or drink or something.”

Griffiths shook his head. “Ahmed Khan worked for the university as a guide for some years. I met him several times. He didn’t take drugs and he didn’t drink.” Griffiths leaned forward on the table. “Point is, Ahmed’s body was poisoned with something like cyanide. It was in his lungs and nearly wiped out the surgeon who autopsied him.”

Ethan reached into his pocket. From within, he produced a specimen jar with a label stuck to the outside.

“Lucy Morgan excavated several bones for DNA analysis before returning to the field, and this is one of them. Another is in Chicago’s Field Museum. No matter where you or MACE take those remains, police forces will be able to genetically match it to these bones. There’ll be no place to hide and no way for you to extricate yourself from your involvement in what is now a crime.”

Griffiths slammed a balled fist down on the table.

“MACE directed us to that site three days ago! If there’s a crime that’s been committed, then go to them with your accusations!”

“Israel and the United States won’t see it that way,” Ethan said simply.

Griffiths shook his head.

“Why would MACE abduct her? They only needed the remains, not the scientist.”

“We don’t know, but she’s being held against her will and MACE has no reason to keep her alive. The question is, Bill, what are you going to do about it?”

Griffiths still refused to look at him and Ethan made full use of his discomfort.

“Think about it. You’ve told me that you were directed to the remains by MACE. Why the hell would they have found the site and excavated the remains without informing the authorities of what they’d found or Lucy’s absence? It’s your call, Bill. Are you really the sort of guy to profit from death?”

Griffiths sighed heavily.

“If I help you, what are you planning to do?”

Ethan grinned. “Go for a jaunt with some friends.”

“They’re onto him.”

The voice was distorted by digital scrambling devices fitted to Byron Stone’s SUV. Bright sunlight from the rising dawn beamed in shafts between buildings outside and flickered through the interior of the vehicle as it cruised through the narrow streets.

“When?” Stone asked.

“Half an hour ago, two MPD detectives. They’ve tracked down Sheviz’s connection to the pastor but they’re still fishing around for something usable.”

“Patterson’s a moron,” Stone spat into the phone, “another fundamentalist who’s climbed so far up God’s ass he can’t see where he’s going anymore. The police will work it all out eventually, and when they do Patterson’s pious little fantasy will collapse.”

“We need to break the link between DC and Israel before the Bureau gets involved,” the voice cautioned. “If Patterson is investigated, he’ll sing like a canary once they threaten him with a cell and I can’t hold them off forever.”

Stone considered this for a moment. Kelvin Patterson was one of the most outspoken conservatives in all of America, making the most outrageous statements while hiding behind a thin veneer of compassionate faith. But most all such men fell victims to their own bigotry and hypocrisy: homophobic pastors found to have indulged in gay relationships, anticorruption pastors arrested for embezzlement and fraud, countless others arrested for child molestation and other unspeakable crimes. Robbed of his power and his influence, Kelvin Patterson would become the man he had always been: weak, timid, and afraid.

“Then we must prepare for the worst,” Stone said.

“Understood,” the voice replied. “What about the detectives?”

Stone gripped the phone tighter.

“They must not make a connection between MACE and Sheviz,” he said firmly. “Find a weakness and exploit it. Keep them at bay until tomorrow and all will be done.”

“I’ll do what I can. What about the boy?”

“He’s as much of a liability as the pastor,” Stone growled. “Do whatever is required.”

Stone set the phone down, and looked up to see Spencer Malik watching him expectantly.

“What’s happening?” the soldier asked.

Stone settled himself into the plush leather seat, thinking for a moment before replying.

“Change of plan. It’s time to start clearing up this mess and get on with the business of looking after ourselves.”

Malik nodded, and the Texan turned his head to watch the sun rising over Jerusalem’s Old City.

“Are the surgeon and Lucy Morgan still in position?” he asked.

“They haven’t moved,” Malik confirmed.

“Good, then we bring this to a close right now. Organize your men and have them conduct a rescue operation. Ensure that Patterson’s imbecilic surgeon suffers an unfortunate accident while you’re there.”

“I’ll take care of that personally. What’s happening in Washington?”

“Patterson’s losing control of Senator Black, but I don’t give a damn now we have a chance to close the deal on the Valkyrie drones. What about Warner?”

“He’s escaped Israel’s custody. We can’t be sure, but my guess is that he’s going to try to rescue Lucy Morgan.”

“Not if we destroy everything first,” Stone growled. “Let Warner enter the area and then have your men engage him; send Cooper and Flint to lead the defense. I want no trace left. Have the remaining Valkyrie drone launched to cover the operation, then vaporize any evidence.”

Malik nodded and climbed out as Byron sat back in his seat and ran everything through his mind one more time. As long as Malik could ensure that every loose end was destroyed and every loose tongue permanently silenced, then there was no longer anything to fear.

A shame, Byron reflected, about Lucy Morgan.