Kill Them Wherever You Find Them (28 page)

"I have to say, this isn't the response I had
expected."

"Well, summer can be so long and with you
away it's just difficult to plan trips or anything. Our last major
vacation was the road trip back east to Boston, with stops along
the way to see sites of historic note. I think it would be good for
the children to experience the Holy Land itself."

Jeff didn't know what to expect but certainly
this excitement in Lynn came as a welcome relief.

"I'm glad, if not still just a little
surprised, that you feel this way. My work may actually take longer
than three months. I guess we'll cross that bridge if and when we
get to it."

"Well, that's good to know, I'll pack a few
more things. I don't like these long separations. If your work does
take longer than three months, surely there's an American school
that our children can attend?"

"I'm sure there must be but, if not, they
would have the choice to go to a regular school if one can be found
that teaches in English, or we could hire tutors."

"Honey, before I forget to let you know, the
Israeli government will be paying for all of our expenses,
including living quarters. They will make the arrangements for our
travel and a place to live."

"Seriously? I knew computer programming paid
well but what kind of program are you writing that has such
benefits?"

"Believe me, it's a very important program –
I wish I could tell you but . . ."

"I know, confidentiality agreements. It's
okay. I would never want you to divulge something that you
shouldn't. I have no doubt but that you will give them more than
their money's worth. I'm glad to see you're staying fit during
these long absences. I hate to think of you eating fast foods and
letting your health go."

"You know me, exercise is more enjoyable than
chocolate!"

"Well, just don't expect me to feel quite
that way."

"So honey, how do we break the news to the
kids?"

"I'll take care of that. I could tell over
the last couple of days that you were mustering the courage to ask
me something important. It's been very amusing really. I won't put
you through that again."

Lynn never ceased to amaze him. He knew he
could not reveal that he did more than work as a computer
programmer. Still, it was difficult to not be able to be candid
with her. Jeff also knew that the less they knew, the safer his
wife and children would be. In the end this is what ultimately
mattered. Jeff was certain that they would be much safer in Israel
where their movements could be more carefully planned and
safeguarded, than here in Colorado.

The following Sunday, Jeff was surprised to
see Moshe take a chair next to him after the Priesthood Meeting
ended – the last of the three worship services of the day for
Jeff.

"Shalom Jeff." Moshe spoke. "We received the
good news that your family will be joining us next week. This is
very good indeed. Kol hakavod." Moshe ended with the Hebrew phrase
for "good job."

"Moshe! What on earth are you doing here?"
Jeff was at once delighted, surprised, and a little suspicious.

"Well, I'm here to let you know we have to
step up the final phase of
The Project
. There are several
strong indicators that the terrorists are working feverishly to
advance their target date nearly a month earlier than originally
scheduled. We need to be three steps ahead of them."

"What do you need from me?"

"I need to have you return to Israel with me,
tonight."

"Tonight? Lynn and I are still working on
getting the family ready to leave. She's capable of seeing to the
preparations herself, but I was hoping to go with them. Rachael
suggested also that I tell Lynn what I really do, for my country as
well as now for yours. I thought I should do this before she starts
packing, having already eased her into the idea of going to Israel.
I could tell her without going into details."

"I'm sorry my friend, this just can't be
helped. I know it will be awkward and Lynn may feel as if she has
been duped into going to Israel if you tell of your real job
description after she arrives. I think it will be easier on her
there, once she is already in Israel. If she can't deal with what
you have to tell her, we will be fully prepared to maintain
security on your family here in Colorado, as we have to this point.
How and when, or even if you tell her is your call."

"My office is working to facilitate
everything for your family, including a nice flat in Jerusalem and
a little beach-front getaway in Tel Aviv. Schools have also been
taken care of. Brian has already been registered with a college
that has several majors available in the English language. Sami
will attend an American school in Jerusalem for her senior year of
high school. They will be fine; Lynn too. Even if they don't choose
to immerse into our society, they will still have contact with
plenty of English speakers as well as the Mormon community in
Jerusalem. Everything is ready and awaiting your family's
arrival."

"Thank you, Moshe. We received the airline
tickets Friday morning, along with pictures of both places. Lynn
and the children are very excited. I think it best to find a time
and place to break the news of the realities of my work before
leaving."

"As you wish. Our jet takes off tonight at
21:00 hours from Buckley Air Force Base. Please arrive fifteen
minutes earlier; you already have clearance at the security gate
and on the base itself. Here is your ID badge."

"L'hetraote." Until later, Moshe bid Jeff
farewell.

"L'hetraote, Moshe."

Taking his leave Moshe, who for the first
time since Jeff met him, wore a white shirt and tie and seemed to
blend in with the crowd and then melt from view altogether. On the
heels of Moshe's disappearing act Jeff walked to the back of the
meetinghouse to find his wife and later meet up with his children,
somewhere in the building with their own group of friends.

The "Primary Room" is the main room of the
building where young children were taught lessons from the
scriptures and learned to sing the children's songs of the
Latter-day Saints. Though different in some ways, Jeff likened
Primary to the Roman Catholic Catechism classes of his own
childhood.

Mrs. Kiever, an elderly woman who taught him
one year of Catechism as a child, was dear to his heart. Her love
for both her faith and the children she taught had a life-long
impact on him. Jeff attended the small class nearly every Saturday
of the third grade. Already hoping to become a Catholic Priest one
day, Mrs. Kiever's teachings inspired him.

He remembered once being in the little park
across the street from the parochial school, St. Patricia's, where
the weekly classes were taught for those not old enough yet to
attend that school. One of his parents would pick him up at the
park to return home. That particular day in the park Jeff found a
fallen bird nest with a few dead baby birds still in it. Mrs.
Kiever must have seen him and walked unsteadily across the street
to comfort the young boy. Her thin arms, now with aged and wrinkled
skin barely clinging to the bones, wrapped around him. Her words of
consolation, spoken in the quiet and unhurried manner acquired by
most who attained such advanced years, soothed and comforted
him.

While Jeff could no longer recall the words
she spoke, he would never forget their impact and would, over the
years, honor the memory of this sweet and unassuming woman. If Mrs.
Kiever didn't make it to heaven, Jeff knew he had no hope.

Lynn was the Primary teacher over the
ten-year-old children of the congregation. Jeff had taught the same
age group a few years back, and he knew how tough and demanding
they could be. There were times he compared it to the rigors of
boot camp, more than once thinking that boot camp was less
demanding! He loved that
calling
, the Mormon word used for
all teaching and local administrative positions.

Lynn really enjoyed her calling as a Primary
teacher, seeming to connect with the hearts and minds of her ten
year old students. Jeff knew she was going to really miss this.

The final prayer to close Primary was offered
by one of the children and then the classes were dismissed. A few
lingered to hear the joke that Brother Stauffenberg always had for
them. Once high fives and jokes had been dispensed the remaining
children dispersed to find their parents.

The drive home from the meetinghouse was
pleasant, especially with Lynn doing the driving. Jeff felt that he
was an excellent driver, even if nobody else shared this optimistic
self-assessment. It simply was a given that Lynn was the driver
when they were together.

Pulling into the driveway, Jeff causally
mentioned that he had to leave this evening to go back to Israel.
Lynn, accustomed to sudden schedule changes associated with his
job, took it in stride. Besides, pretty much everything was packed
and ready to go. Only the bare necessities that they required for
day-to-day living until their own time of departure remained
unpacked.

After an early dinner, Jeff suggested that he
and Lynn go for a drive. Reaching their destination, a park they
sometimes went to just to get away for a while, they got out of the
car, heading to their favorite bench under an aspen tree. Lynn,
sensing something more than merely a getaway was on his mind, sat
enjoying the beautiful view to give her husband time to verbalize
his thoughts.

"Regarding our temporary move to Israel,
there are a couple of more things that you should know. Things I
should have told you sooner, and now with me leaving tonight there
just is no good time or way . . ."

"Probably best, honey, to just spit it out
then."

"Right, well, I'm not exactly a computer
programmer."

"Really, Jeff, I never 100% believed that you
were. So, what do you do? Don't tell me assassin, a computer
programmer is more believable."

"Assassin is such a harsh word. Can we just
say that I'm a good guy who sometimes has to kill bad guys to get
the job done?"

Lynn laughed, waiting for the punch line of
the joke. When Jeff simply looked at her, almost pleading but also
with resolve, her laughter subsided, stopping altogether.

"So, all these years, all this time away from
your family . . ."

"It was a job, just like programming is a
job. I'm sorry I wasn't honest with you; until now I couldn't
be."

"What makes now any different?"

"My work for the State of Israel – part of it
known to our own government, though admittedly very little – has
become more complicated, due to recent events."

"Just come out with it."

"Our temporary trip to Israel is going to be
somewhat more extended."

Where the initial conversation about going to
Israel for a few months went so much better than Jeff could have
hoped, this confession and ensuing discussion quickly went from
awkward, to bad, to disastrous.

Lynn experienced different emotions within a
few short minutes: amusement, surprise, shock, finally ending with
anger. Getting up abruptly she tossed the car keys to Jeff telling
him to take her home. He did so without another word spoken between
them the entire tense trip back to their house.

Arriving home Jeff pulled into the driveway.
Lynn got out of the car, slamming the door with a ferocity Jeff had
never seen before though he had been on the receiving end of her
anger with him in the past. Storming into their house she slammed
that door closed too. Wisely, he remained in the car for a while.
His teenage children seeing the state their mom was in went quietly
to their rooms.

At length the time arrived for him to pack a
few things and take off for the airport. Thankfully Moshe was
sending somebody to pick him up. Lynn avoided him, knowing that if
she acknowledged his presence she might start throwing breakables
at him.

Jeff hoped that they could come to terms
before he had to leave, not knowing if he would see his family in
Israel soon, in Colorado months from now, or perhaps not ever
again.

Lynn never before reacted to anything as
strongly as this. It came as no surprise to him. Jeff acknowledged
to himself that he confronted her with two revelations she had not
expected: He had killed since his time at war in Iraq, and they
would likely be in Israel much longer than he had initially let on.
Yes, these two items were certainly more than just the standard
problems any couple would ever have to deal with.

Jeff heard Lynn quietly crying in the
basement office. He wanted to go downstairs and hold her, tell her
everything was going to be okay but he knew that might prove to be
a lie, another lie in a string of lies. He just couldn't bring
himself to face her again.

Before leaving he quietly knocked on the
bedroom doors of his children, hugging each of them in turn and
expressing his love for them. They mumbled something in return,
tension hanging heavily throughout the home.

A knock on the front door to the house
alerted Jeff to the arrival of his ride to the air force base.
Going down the stairs of the split level home, he picked up his two
suitcases and headed out the door, having left a note of apology
and love to his wife on the kitchen table.

Just as he was about to get in the waiting
car he heard Lynn shouting, "Wait, get back here, I'm not through
with you."

Heart sinking but knowing he had to go back
and take whatever verbal thrashing in store, Jeff went to the porch
where Lynn was standing. Realizing he was under pressure for time,
he didn't walk as slowly as he would have liked. Approaching the
small porch, Lynn stepped off and met him half way on the lawn.

Putting her arms around his waist she kissed
him and quietly said, "We're in this together. We'll figure a way
to work it all out. Just know that you own me in a big way. From
now until we die, then into the eternities, I expect you to always
give me my way on everything, is that perfectly understood
mister?"