The Alexandria Link

Stephanie remembered what Green told her early Tuesday morning. “That’s why they bulldozed those villages. They were afraid. They didn’t want anything found. Nothing that might be associated with the Jewish Bible.”

“And it’s why they now want you dead,” Dixon said. “You’re interfering in their business. No chances are going to be taken.”

Stephanie stared out into the Space Hall. Rockets on display reached for the ceiling. Excited schoolchildren wove their way through the exhibits. She glared at Dixon. “Your government believes all this?”

“That’s why those three men were killed. It’s why Haddad was targeted.”

She pointed at Daley. “He’s not a friend of Israel. He’d want to use whatever he found to bring your government to its knees.”

Dixon laughed. “Stephanie, you’re losing it.”

“There’s no question that’s his motive.”

“You have no idea of my motives,” Daley said, his indignation rising. “I know you’re a liar.”

Daley stared back at her with uncertainty. He almost seemed confused, which surprised her, so she asked, “What’s really going on, Larry?”

“More than you can possibly realize.”

FIFTY-THREE

LISBON

8:45 PM

MALONE RETREATED INTO THE GIFT SHOP BUT KEPT HIS ATTENTION on the three armed men, who were advancing in trained movements across the lower gallery. Pros. Great.

He used one of the glass cases adjacent to the open door as a shield, Pam beside him, and continued to peer out into the cloister. McCollum was crouched behind the center table.

“They’re down and we’re up. Should buy us a few minutes. The church and galleries are big. It’ll take time to search. Those locked?” he asked McCollum, motioning to the other set of glass doors leading out of the shop.

“Afraid so. They lead down and out. So they must lock them as a precaution.”

He didn’t like their position. “We need to get out of here.”

“Cotton,” Pam said, and he turned his attention back out into the upper gallery. One of the men had emerged from the stairway leading down and started advancing toward the gift shop.

McCollum slipped up behind him and whispered, “Take her over to the register and get behind the counter.”

Anyone who could shoot two men in the head and then enjoy his breakfast warranted some respect. So he decided not to argue. He grasped Pam’s arm and led her to the far side of the counter.

He saw McCollum palm the knife.

The three glass display cases nestled beside one another with a gap between wide enough to accommodate McCollum. Darkness would shield him, at least until it was too late for his prey to react.

The armed man drew closer.

STEPHANIE WAS LOSING PATIENCE WITH LARRY DALEY. “WHAT do you mean more than I can possibly realize?”

“There are some within the administration who want to prove Haddad’s theory,” Daley said.

She recalled what Daley had said to Brent Green when he thought they were alone. “Including you.”

“That’s not true.”

She wasn’t buying it. “Get real, Larry. You’re only here because I have the dirt on you.”

Daley seemed unfazed. “Time for a reality check, Stephanie. Our media people will spin whatever you do into a tale of fabricated evidence by an out-of-control employee trying to save her job. Sure, there may be some embarrassment, questions from the press, but you don’t have enough to take me or anyone else down. I didn’t give a dime to anyone. And those lobbyists? It’s a swearing contest. A battle you’ll lose.”

“Maybe. But you’d be radioactive. Your career over.”

Daley shrugged. “Occupational hazard.”

Cassiopeia was studying the exhibit hall and Stephanie sensed she was anxious. So she said to Daley, “Get to the point.”

“The point,” Dixon said, “is that we want all this to go away. But somebody within your government won’t let it die.”

“That’s right. Him.” And she pointed at Daley.

Cassiopeia drifted toward the Lunar Module exhibit and the flurry of teenagers crowded around its base.

“Stephanie,” Daley said, “you blamed me for the Alexandria Link being leaked. But you don’t know your friends from your enemies. You hate this administration. You think the president is an idiot. But there are others who are far worse. Dangerous people.”

“No,” she said. “They’re all fanatics. Party loyalists who’ve shot off their mouths for years. Now they’re in a position to do something.”

“And for the moment, Israel is at the top of their agenda.”

“Skip the riddles, Larry. Tell me what you want me to know.”

“The vice president is behind this.”

Had she heard right? “Get real.”

“He’s co

What she was hearing rang contrary to what Brent Green had said, since the attorney general himself had taken the blame for the leak.

Cassiopeia returned.

“What is it?” Stephanie asked her.

“Finish this.”

“Problem?”

“Bad feeling.”

“Too much intrigue in your life,” Dixon said to Cassiopeia.

“Too much lying in yours.”

Stephanie faced Daley, her thoughts arguing. “I thought you said a few minutes ago that some in the administration want to prove Haddad’s theory. Now you say the vice president fed it to the Saudis. They’d want it to go away. Which is it?”

“Stephanie, what you took from my house would finish me. I work in the shadows. Always have. But somebody has to do it. Do you want to get me, or do you want who’s really behind all this?”

Not an answer to her question. “I want all of you.”

“That’s not possible. For once, would you listen? You can smack on a log all day long with a hatchet and you might cut through. But slam a wedge down its center and the thing splits every time.”

“You’re just trying to save your hide.”

“Tell her,” Daley said to Dixon.

“There’s a division in your government. You’re still our friend, but there are some who want to change that.”

Stephanie wasn’t impressed. “That’s always the case. Two sides to everything.”

“This is different,” Dixon said. “More is happening. And Malone is in Portugal.”

That grabbed her attention.

“The Mossad plans to deal with him there.”

Daley ran a hand through his hair. “Stephanie, two factions are at work. One Arab, one Jew. They both want the same thing and, for once, they want it for the same reason. The vice president is linked to the Arabs-”

An alarm echoed through the cavernous museum, then a flat voice a

Stephanie grabbed Daley.

“It’s not me,” he quickly said.

SABRE STOOD ROCK-STILL. HE NEEDED THE MAN WITH THE GUN to enter the gift shop.

He would.

He’d have to.

Sabre wondered where the other two had gone. His answer came with movement beyond the set of locked glass doors.

Interesting.

These three obviously knew the geography, and they also knew that the gift shop was their destination.

Had they seen the lights?

The two gunmen to his left tested the doors and found they were locked. The forms then backed away and fired at the glass.

No retorts. Just thumps. Like a hammer to a nail. Metal smacked into the glass, thudded, but did not shatter it.