to prevent anyone from driving away with the car and its cargo.
No one did.
"Hamilton here," Brad growled as he picked up the telephone when Abbas’ call was announced.
"Hello Mr. Hamilton. This is Abbas. Have you made a decision on what we talked about?"
"We have not heard from the Director yet Mr. Abbas, but I am sure we will soon. How can I reach you when we do?"
Abbas was not surprised at the delay. They were not sure what he could do for them. He smiled. He was sure what their answer would be the next day.
"Like I said before, Mr. Hamilton, I am on the move and you cannot contact me. I will just have to call you every day until you make a decision."
"Can I expect a call from you tomorrow then?" Hamilton asked.
"Absolutely, Mr. Hamilton. Before I go though, I have something for you."
"What is it Mr. Abbas?"
"One block east of the Embassy, there is a parked black Mercedes. It’s not locked and the keys are in the ashtray. I suggest you don’t take long before you check the trunk. The car is hot, people are looking for it and before I hang up, a word of advice, get rid of that car as soon as you retrieve the item in the trunk. You don’t want anyone to associate you or the Embassy with it."
Before Hamilton could inquire about the contents of the trunk, Abbas had hung up.
Hamilton was not sure what to expect, he was not even sure why the Director was taking his time to respond. His was not to question though; he was a very junior agent. His was to say, "Yes sir" and "no sir."
When Hamilton briefed his chief about his conversation with Abbas, the decision was made to assemble a bomb detection team and check out the car.
It was nearly an hour after the telephone conversation when the CIA team, accompanied by some Marines, emerged from the Embassy. Abbas waited and watched.
Two bomb squad team members approached the vehicle first. They had some detection equipment and went through the vehicle very thoroughly. When they could not find any trace of explosives, they gave agent Hamilton the nod.
Hamilton approached the Mercedes and opened the door cautiously, as if he were expecting it to explode. When nothing happened, he reached inside, retrieved the keys then proceeded to the trunk and opened it just as carefully.
When Hamilton started unzipping the duffel bag, several men in his team were leaning forward to get a glimpse, and when they saw what was inside, as if on cue, they all jumped back a couple of feet and several of them started throwing up. Not Hamilton though. Even though he jumped back as far as the others, he was already looking around.
He saw him. He saw Abbas but before he could give anyone any instructions, Abbas was gone.
Abbas was a little unsettled. He expected the reaction he saw but he did not expect Hamilton to immediately start looking for him. The guy is good. Abbas knew that if Hamilton were given the orders to hunt him down, he wouldn’t stand a chance. He hoped his plan would work and the director would agree to grant him his wish. He could fool the Palestinians into believing him, after all he was the son of a hero, but he knew he couldn’t fool Hamilton so easily and, with the resources available to him, he also knew that it wouldn’t take long for Hamilton to wipe him out if he became suspicious.
That day was the first time Hamilton actually talked to Barrow. Barrow was a low level executive with the CIA at the time, but everything had to go through him.
"What can you tell me about this boy?" asked Barrow.
"All I can say, sir, is we have a chance to take him out of the picture and turn him. I really think we should seize the opportunity. This boy showed us how ruthless he can be."
"What do you think the Israelis will say?" Barrow asked again. "The two men he took out were their agents."
"I know sir. I don’t think that was the reason he did this. Somehow I believe it goes beyond that. This is personal, sir. If you give me the go ahead, I shall find out, and I believe the Israelis will be glad they won’t have to deal with him. Look how long it took them to remove his father. My gut feeling is this boy is a hundred times worse than his father and a lot smarter, sir. He must have really planned this in minute detail."
"Do you think you can turn him Brad," asked Barrow, using his forename for the first time?
"I believe so, sir. If you allow me, I will keep a close eye on him and if I see that he is not doing what he is supposed to, I will drop him myself."
"OK then, Brad. You have the go ahead. Do find out for me why he did this. Why the kids too."
The next morning, Abbas was put through to Hamilton as soon as he called. He was not kept waiting.
"Good morning Mr. Hamilton," Abbas said when he heard Brad announce his name.
"Good morning Mr. Abbas. We need to talk. Where would you like to meet?"
"How about I just walk over to the Embassy and talk there?"
"You are willing to trust us?"
"I watched you yesterday after you opened the trunk to the car Mr. Hamilton. I figured if you were instructed to take me out, it wouldn’t take you long and I would be on the run for what remains of my life. I understand there will be no place on earth safe for me.”
This guy is really smart, thought Hamilton. He was right, it wouldn’t take long before they or someone else would catch up with him and kill him, especially if they made it known what he had done.
"I’ll meet you at the door Mr. Abbas," Hamilton said. He hung up the phone and headed for the main door three floors below. By the time he got there, Abbas was waiting.
As Hamilton was leading him to the meeting room, Abbas noticed that everyone was looking at him. They had heard. They knew what he had done.
"Did you know the two men were Israeli agents?" Hamilton asked as soon as they walked into the conference room and closed the door.
"Yes I did," answered Abbas.
"Is that why you killed them?"
"No. One of them shot my father while the Israelis were interrogating him."
"Do you know which one?"
"It doesn’t matter. They were both traitors. I couldn’t tell which one."
"You mean you were there the whole time, asked Hamilton surprised? I was told by the Israelis that they looked for you, and searched the house several times."
"I know, and they came close a couple of times. When they destroyed the house, I was buried under the rubble. I was in that house for four days. Do you know how much reflection you can have in four days Mr. Hamilton?"
"Is that why you opted out, Mr. Abbas?"
"Please call me Abbas. I’m only seventeen years old."
"All right with me, Abbas. You call me Brad. I’m not much older than you myself. I am new at this,
