The Solomon Scroll

CHAPTER 18

Lucas Monroe couldn't quite get used to his new office on the seventh floor. It was large and spacious, soundproofed and paneled in polished wood, almost the same size as the Director's. Lucas liked the quiet but he missed the socializing that took place on the lower floors. Now he was isolated behind secretaries and protocols. It went with the territory. It didn't mean he had to like it. Being important wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

All of a sudden his life was filled with changes. This promotion. The baby. Especially the baby. He was looking forward to the birth with mixed dread and anticipation. The only thing he was certain of was that the baby meant change. Stephanie was happy and that went a long way to balance his anxiety.

In some ways it had been easier when he was a field agent in Afghanistan and everyone was trying to kill him.

His intercom buzzed.

"Yes, Angela."

"The DCI is on line two."

"Thank you."

He touched the blinking button on his phone.

"Director."

"I've just received an inquiry from Tel Aviv," Hood said. "The Israelis want to find out what we know about the scroll that was x-rayed in France."

"That didn't take long," Lucas said.

"What do you think we should tell them?"

"If we tell them anything it should come through Harker," Lucas said. "She's the point on this. If there's anything involving the Israelis, she's the one to do it."

"You're still convinced that's the best course of action?"

"I am. Nothing has changed. This situation has the potential to turn into a political and media nightmare. We don't want to be in the middle of that if it happens. Harker has the protection of the president and she's been in hot spots before. You know what she's done, better than most."

"I just wanted to make sure you still felt the same way."

"Where did the request come from?"

"Mossad."

"If they're asking about the scroll, they know what's on it and are fishing to see if we know more. If I were the Israelis, I'd be thinking about mounting an operation to go after that tomb."

"They have to find it first," Hood said.

"Once they figure out where it's supposed to be, I don't think there's any way to stop them. The best we can hope for is to know what they're going to do and when they're going to do it. That way we can intervene if we need to."

"And how do you propose to find that out?"

"I think we should let Harker tell them what we know, which isn't much. All we really know is that the scroll says the Temple relics and Solomon's remains were taken south into what's now Saudi Arabia. It doesn't say anything more than that. There's nothing specific. Mossad will have translated the scroll so we won't be telling them anything new. If we cooperate with them now they might work with us later if it gets complicated."

"That's not necessarily true. Tel Aviv can be very stubborn."

"We have nothing to lose at this point. They're still our allies."

"Only when our interests coincide," Hood said.

"You can't expect them to be any different. Our two countries don't always want the same thing. At least we're agreed on one fundamental."

"What's that?"

"Anything that leads to a major war in the Middle East is bad news. I think we should pass the connection on to Harker and let her know she can tell them whatever she thinks is right."

"I don't think she would do anything else," Hood said. "If I've learned one thing about Elizabeth it's that you're not going to tell her how to think or what to do."

Lucas laughed. "That makes her a perfect match for the Israelis."