Covenant

68

The brilliant sun blazing above the Old City had risen far enough to scorch the morning air, flaring up off the stone flags of the military compound as Rachel was led to where a small IDF convoy was preparing to leave.

Lieutenant General Aydan joined her from the other side of the compound.

“We’ve had a tip-off,” Aydan said.

“From whom?”

“We don’t know but it’s evidently somebody who knows a great deal about what MACE has been up to,” Aydan said. “Clearly an insider of some kind and they’re in the West Bank. They’ve told us that Lucy is being held in a warehouse in Wadi al-Joz. You mentioned to Shiloh that Mr. Warner found explosives in the MACE camp in the Negev?”

“They were taken from us,” Rachel said. “IEDs, he called them, encased in a sort of gel.”

“Triacetone triperoxide, or so we’ve been told by the informant,” General Aydan said. “It’s been used by terrorist organizations because it’s extremely difficult to detect, can be formed at room temperature, doesn’t contain nitrogen compounds, and has an explosive force eighty percent greater than TNT.”

“Can you find them?” Rachel asked.

“MACE has a Valkyrie drone that is equipped with infrared sensors,” Aydan said quickly. “Now we know where to look, we can seize the craft and use its abilities.”

“What if Lucy’s there? If her abductors have explosives, they could … use them!” Rachel stammered. “Do we know if she’s alive yet?”

“We don’t know anything yet,” Aydan said.

“Contact the informer,” Rachel said quickly. “Offer me as a trade for Lucy.”

General Aydan looked down at Rachel for a long moment, a new respect in his eyes.

“I won’t let it come to that. Let’s concentrate on finding Lucy.” Aydan gestured to a tall, lean-looking officer who joined them. “This is Lieutenant Jerah Ash. He will be leading your team and will protect you with his life.”

Rachel looked at the officer, who seemed quiet but confident, and the general looked at her seriously.

“Ma’am, where is Ethan Warner?”

“I don’t know,” she said quickly. “He hasn’t made contact since escaping from custody. I don’t know what he’s doing but if this tip-off is correct, then he was right about MACE.”

General Aydan turned to Lieutenant Ash.

“If what I’ve heard about this Warner is true, he’s probably attempting a rescue of his own. Tell your men to watch their fire.”

Aydan hurried away toward a waiting car near the compound entrance. Lieutenant Ash turned with Rachel and clambered up into the troop transporter, taking their seats alongside soldiers loaded down with weapons, radios, and body armor.

“Put this on,” Lieutenant Ash said to her, handing her a heavy blue body-armor kit. “Just in case.”

Rachel complied, and then the vehicles started their engines amid clouds of diesel fumes before pulling out of the compound and turning north toward the West Bank.