Disappearance (50 page)

A peculiar relationship had initially developed between them. Hasson treated her correctly and allowed her a room of her own but as time went by and the weeks stretched into months and the months to years, with no release in sight, she became more and
more bitter towards him.

She ceased pestering about her release and began arranging her captivity as best she could. She missed her mother the most, worried how that fragile woman was taking the loss, wondering if she had lasted at all.  The separation became physically painful as she recalled their last phone conversation on the eve of her eighteenth birthday, so long ago.  Her father had remained an indifferent figure though in a bizarre way she missed him too.   She missed her sister terribly and she sometimes thought of Mikki and of the juvenile but genuine affections that had been cut short.

She was twenty-one now having celebrated her last three birthdays alone in her room, marking the event by creating an imaginary get together complete with little symbolic attributes of the people she loved but mostly wishing for the her next birthday to be celebrated at home with all of them physically present.

Stepping out of the shower, she dried herself vigorously shivering from the frosty air filtering through the wood, then lunged into the room, wrapped in her towel, slipping naked under the covers where she quickly put on her gray training suit.

Resting her head back on the pillows she shut her eyes and for the next half hour, loosened her body from the exertion of exercise and shower.  It was a type of meditation she developed focusing attention on her body limb by limb.  She dozed in semi-consciousness for a while then went out searching for breakfast which would mostly consist of a bowl of whatever cereal there was available, drowned in milk, and a single cup of coffee.

Pete was lingering around the stairs as she peered from her room to make certain one of them was around.  She despised him the most.  Walker had been dozing off that morning when she came down the stairs to witness the confrontation and Hasson had reprimanded him in her presence warning her not to go wandering downstairs on her own.

Last to join the detail, Pete had been there for more than two years and was the only one in the group who made her feel uneasy.  Rarely did she walk by without him looking her over as if she was some kind of sex toy he was planning to use.  He was a large man with an unkempt beard, a beer belly, and bad breath from heavy smoking.  He had walked into her room one day finding her after a tough workout, naked and covered with sweat.  The look in his eyes as she slowly went for her towel, her bare body exposed to his stare, terrified her and it seemed he was a fraction away from inflicting abuse.

"Keep it off," he had growled, his voice low, as she began to wrap herself in the towel.  Frightened, she obeyed and gasped in horror as he went for his fly.  Certain he was ready to attack
her, she kept her gaze on the floor, praying he would not lose control.  The seconds seemed to stretch to eternity as he stood there consuming her naked body with a groggy stare. Then, as he reluctantly backed away, he shot her a satisfied glance, turned and stepped out of the room, leaving her trembling.

She never spoke a word of it to Hasson, thinking it would not be of much use.  But since then she made a point of keeping extremely alert before and after she showered, when she was at her most vulnerable.

She constantly lived in fear, avoiding trouble by staying acutely tuned to the moods of her abductors and though she no longer felt so acutely threatened, there were times she deemed proper to conform rather than suffer further consequences.  The episode with Pete had been one of those times and though it had been the exception to the rule, it left significant warning and labeled the way she acted around him.

She walked by him without as much as a glance, knowing he would stop her if she was not permitted to leave her room. Skipping down the stairs toward the kitchen she noticed Hasson was in the foyer quietly talking on the phone.   She could tell he was troubled.  Her relationship with him was one of ambivalence.  Her abductor on the one hand, he was also her protector within their realm.  He had been the one setting the rules and procedures for her imprisonment and keeping everyone in line with proper treatment of her.  His men knew and respected his minutiae, keeping within the accepted degrees of freedom, giving her the space she needed inside their madness.

To this day she did not know why she was being held prisoner.

Initially she figured it an act of terror, quite common in that part of the world, and that she just happened to be in the way and would soon be swapped for a captured hijacker or someone valuable.  Her ordeal in the Middle East lasted nearly five months but that had merely been the inception.  In the States her captivity simply took on a different form but no less painful, the predominant downside being lack of hope.  Since she did not understand what she was being incarcerated for, she had no way of even speculating how it could end. That left her at the mercy of Hasson who, aside from the two times he had erroneously informed her she was being set free, did not exhibit any inclination to disclose the reasons for her captivity.

He gave her a guarded look as she passed on her way to the kitchen with Pete in close pursuit.  She washed a bowl clean in the sink, filling it with Corn Flakes then drowning it in milk, same as she used to do with Lisa before going to school.  She then washed one of the china cups, poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down to feast, treating Pete as clear air.

She preferred Walker being there, he being the nicest of the bunch.  It was Walker who had pleaded with Hasson to let her keep the horse at the ranch they had stayed in, and if there was ever a time she considered escaping, that horse would have been the star accomplice, only they never allowed her near the animal without a close escort.

Not allowed in the living room, the nerve center of operations where the gang normally hung around glued to the tube which was off limits to her as well, she skipped back up to her room and her books.

Lately she had begun a small diary, putting some of her thoughts on paper.  She took it out and began writing, describing the morning's events, giving her own interpretations to the standoff at the front door.  She wrote as if she was writing to her mother not knowing if she will ever get to watch her read it.

"...
Christmas and Hanukah are just around the corner and I guess I'll be celebrating them alone once again.  I light all eight candles for Hanukah and I decorate my bed on Christmas Day.  It's lonely here, Mom, it has been for a long time.  I just pray they let me see you before next Christmas comes around
.”

CHAPTER 49

The phone ringing at two in the morning did not wake Stana up. He was awake.

He and the fraulein had been to a Brahms concert,
then went for a nightcap at a local brasserie before ending up in his bed for another stimulating session of passion, as he liked to put it.

Never having been married, Fraulein Muller had been the closest thing he ever had to a commitment.  They were in the midst of after-play when the nagging ring forced Stana to slip from within her grasp and roll over to pick up the phone.

"Karl, it's Ed," said the familiar voice without apologizing for the imprudent hour.  "There's trouble. We need to talk.”

"So talk Edgar. I'm listening," Stana said irritably, straightening up against the pillow and reaching out a hand to caress the fraulein's back.

"It looks like Glass broke.  The Feds picked up Kumar for questioning and it seems he talked then went to see Hasson.”

The hand on the fraulein’s back froze and she turned sensing the mood change.

"I'm listening," Stana said icily, already envisioning possible scenarios.

"Hasson just called me.  Kumar informed him the Feds want to negotiate a deal for the girl's release."

"What do they know?"

"Not sure.  Only what I heard from Hasson and he was pretty vague himself.”

"Tell me exactly what he said.”

"Said Glass gave them Kumar and the location of the house…"

"But Glass does not know the location of this house!" Stana interrupted.

Fraulein Muller perked up and there was a silent pause on the other end before Langone went on.

"They ambushed Kumar at his hotel and took him in for questioning, then released him without filing charges.  He went straight to Hasson.”

"Why did he not call us?" Stana queried.

"I've been wondering about that myself," Langone said. "Do you know where he is now?"

"Not in his room, I can tell you that much. So far, I can't find him anywhere.”

"What about Glass. Do you know where he is?"

"I… I didn't bother to check.”

"What does Hasson think?"

"He wants to negotiate a deal.”

"Is he mad?"  Stana exclaimed, shooting up in bed, letting the covers slip off his body.

"Says if we give her up they'll let us alone.”

"Utter nonsense.  Nobody will let us get away with anything, primarily because of what was done to those two executives.”

Fraulein Muller began caressing his taut stomach removing the sheets, exposing his manhood.

Langone was once again silent on the other end.  

"I don't think Hasson is aware of those assassinations," he finally said, thoughtfully.

"And why should he be if Kumar never told him," Stana complained.

The fraulein had by now grasped him in her hand and was attempting to stroke him erect, caressing his testicles for added effect.

"If he thinks he can strike up a deal, he's crazy," Stana continued moving his buttocks in an attempt to shake free.

"And what about the project?
Do we just give it up as well?"

Again there was a pause.  "It all makes sense now," he heard Langone say dispiritedly.

The fraulein was now licking him with her tongue, crawling over him like a lizard.

The backhand slap hit her square on the cheek then his knee jerked her aside, sending her sprawling on her back.  She put a hand to her face in shock, turning to face him, her white naked frame curled up in pain.  Then their eyes locked and she quickly retreated to the bathroom.

"What makes sense, Edgar? Is there something I don't know?" Stana asked, his eyes following the fraulein's withdrawal.

"Yeah, Karl, there is," Langone admitted wearily.  "I had Bradley in here yesterday chewin' my ass about that Vitcon guy threatening Matlock to give up the deal.  I tried to have Kumar look into it but I guess it must've been too late.”

"Vitcon? What's he got to…?"

"They're on to us, Karl," Langone said in a belligerent voice. "Somebody broke and now they're out to get us.  Vitcon is part of a setup.  He scares Matlock into breaking ties with us threatening to unleash Customs after him with a list of export violations.  Meanwhile Glass talks and Kumar gets trapped by the Feds. Now you tell me what this all means!"

"Why didn't you call me yesterday Edgar?"  Stana insisted.

"What difference does that make anymore, Karl?  For God's sake, let’s deal with what we have here.”

"It makes a hell of a difference, Edgar, because it makes you the number one accomplice.”

"Is that what you think?  You son-of-a-bitch…"

"Swear all you want, but you have the most to gain and nothing to lose.  You invested nothing and you can still make money selling the damn missiles for Matlock in the States.”

"It could be true Karl, but it ain't, and if I'd wanted you cut out of the deal I'd have gone about it a whole different way. Now either you stick to our pact and trust me as your friend or we part ways right here and now.”

Now it was Stana's turn to pause.  Silently berating himself he heard the shower being turned off.  He did not really think it was Langone who had turned but the American should have been aware of the danger and should have been the one to eliminate it.

"Sorry, Edgar, I was out of line," he said rigidly, swinging his feet to the carpet and turning his back to the bathroom.  "But we can't afford to hand over the girl.”

"It may be out of our hands," Langone remarked.  "If Hasson wants to deal we may not be able to stop him.”

"Can you still sway Matlock?"

"I've got until today.   Bradley's still in New York waiting to hear from me.”

"Stall him.   Make up something but give me some time.”

"What have you got in mind, Karl?"

"The weak link must be Kumar," Stana said resolutely. "The Feds got him hinging on the girl and he's selling us out.  That's why he never called. He most likely got offered a state witness deal then went over to recruit Hasson.”

"What about Glass?"

"Glass might have given them Kumar but he did not give them the house.  He had no way of knowing about it and neither did you.  The only ones who knew about it were Kumar and
myself.  We purchased it as a fallback and Kumar had needed my personal consent to use it.  He had called about the Cascade setup being jeopardized and I authorized the use of the house.  He tried to resolve his mess but failed; now he's scrambling to save his own skin.”

"What are you going to do, Karl?"

"Give me an extra day and I'll have Schultz take care of them all," Stana said watching the fraulein head out the door.

-------

Mikki found the two engrossed in conversation, a collection of paper coffee cups set aside on their lobby table.   He had driven all night and was gratified to find them waiting and alert at such hour.

"Don't you people ever sleep?" he said flashing a weary smile as the two turned in surprise.

"Mikki!" they said in unison, Lisa getting up for a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Hi, Sarah," Mikki said in Hebrew as he slumped down on a vacant chair, "haven't seen you in a while.”

Sarah extended her hand, taking his and squeezing it lightly.

"We were starting to worry about you," she said in English.

"Yeah, Mikki," Lisa pitched in, "how long does it take to get here from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania?"

"Quite a while if they make you go through Philadelphia for questioning.”

"Who did that?"

"The FBI!
  Those damned agents couldn't catch the guy so they made me go with them to their office in Philadelphia and kept me there 'till one in the morning.”

"What for?"

"Wanted more details, more descriptions, more of everything I guess…"

"Incompetents," Lisa said with contempt.  "They never do anything right.  Want some coffee Mikki?  There's some at the next door deli.”

"I'd love some, Lisa.”

"Let me get it," she said getting up, gathering loose coins off the table. "Want some more, Sarah?"

"Love some Lisa, thanks.”

"How's she holding up?"   Mikki asked, returning to Hebrew, watching Lisa exit the hotel lobby.

"Now that Karen's within reach, extremely on edge," Sarah said then briefly described the latest developments.

"Yossi's been on the phone with Israel all day.  Agent Wilkins and he met with Kumar again.  Yossi says they have some demands. 
Nothing that can't be handled but it'll take another day to secure.”

"That's a damned eternity," Mikki fretted.  "Why not get Nadav pushing this?"

"Yossi said to leave him out of it.  He's still military and he can't get openly involved, plus he can't do much, not with the kind of people Yossi's dealing with.”

"Who's he dealing with?"

"He went straight to the top; got them to back the deal; now Hasson wants it in writing.”

Looking at Sarah with tired eyes, Mikki shook his head and sighed.

"Heard anything from Eitan? How's he doing?"

"All's quiet so far but he's worried.  There are a couple of agents with him but he thinks there are a lot more hanging around there.
Says they're all anxious to storm the place.”

"That's all we need…"

Lisa was making her way back with a carton tray stacked with three cups of steaming coffee.  Through the large glass windows behind her, a grayish dawn was just beginning to light up the deserted New York streets.

"Shoot, it's freezing out there," Lisa said as she sat down, distributing the coffee with packets of sugar and cream.  "I don't know how people live in this kind of weather."

"You should be used to this by now," Mikki said, realizing the irony too late.

"You are tired my boy," Lisa said affectionately. "Drink up, it'll keep you going.”

"I think I will," Mikki said grinning at her, pouring three packets of sugar in his cup and stirring vigorously.

"Sarah
fill you in on all the latest?"

Mikki nodded gulping his coffee. 

"She did and I think this extra day is a disaster.”

"So do we but what can we do?"

"There is
n’
t much we can do to push the bureaucrats in Israel. They can drag this thing out forever if they feel like it.”

"Agent Wilkins will only be able to hold those hot head agents of hers for so long," Sarah added.

Lisa's expression became troubled.  "Why would they want to jeopardize everything now that we're so close?"

"They have this policy never to concede to terrorist demands so as not to encourage more terrorism," Mikki explained, mockingly clarifying the official stand.  "It's a farce but they all like to use it.  Makes them feel more in control.  Truth is, if you're aiming to keep
hostages alive, it's far more effective to negotiate a deal than use force, but when both sides stick to their principles, somehow or another they end up in a duel.”

"Sounds encouraging, Mikki," Sarah said ironically, seeing Lisa on the verge of tears.

"But this here is different," Mikki went on, pleading his case, "and we need to try and explain this because if we play our cards right it should be in both sides’ best interests to negotiate a deal.”

"Explain to whom, Mikki?" Sarah inquired.  "They all know this. That was our original premise.  We explicitly stipulated they were not to alert anyone and give us enough time to arrange the deal.  They were to keep it out of the press at all cost and finally they, along with Yossi, were to do the negotiating.  Lisa heard Agent Wilkins address her crew.  They know what this is all about yet they still don't endorse patience.”

"It's their ego," Lisa remarked.  "Who are we telling them what to do? I bet they can't stand that.”

"I bet you're right," Mikki said. "Yossi better get those assurances quick.”

"Let's think positive here, guys," Sarah said. "We've come all this way, it's bound to go right.”

"And what if it doesn't?" Lisa said.  "What if something goes wrong and I never get to see Karen just because some hot head federal agent can't keep his…”

She burst into tears laying her forehead on the table suppressing the sobbing with her hands, her body trembling.

Sarah and Mikki exchanged glances but remained uncomfortably idle waiting for the emotion to subside.  The change in Lisa was quite evident, Mikki thought.  No longer the level headed person who had been exuberantly working by his side, she was now quite nervous and distraught, prone to unforeseen bursts of emotion.  Sarah told him about Lisa's reaction to the encounter in the interrogation room and now he could see it for himself.

"She took it quite hard,"  Sarah had said when Lisa was out getting the coffee, "not because of her own safety being suddenly threatened, but because it made her realize what her sister must have had to deal with all these years.”