It was all gone now, the help upon which he"d been able to draw. The East Bloc intelligence services had turned on their revolutionary comrades like cur dogs. The Czechs and Hungarians had literally sold sold information on them to the West! The East Germans had given it away in the name of Greater German cooperation and brotherhood. East Germany-the German Democratic Republic-no longer existed. Now it was a mere appendage to capitalist Germany. And the Russians ... Whatever indirect support they"d ever had from the Soviets was gone, possibly forever. With the demise of socialism in Europe, their sources within various government inst.i.tutions had been rolled up, turned double agent, or simply stopped delivering, having lost their faith in a socialist future. At a stroke, the best and most useful weapon of the European revolutionary fighters had disappeared. information on them to the West! The East Germans had given it away in the name of Greater German cooperation and brotherhood. East Germany-the German Democratic Republic-no longer existed. Now it was a mere appendage to capitalist Germany. And the Russians ... Whatever indirect support they"d ever had from the Soviets was gone, possibly forever. With the demise of socialism in Europe, their sources within various government inst.i.tutions had been rolled up, turned double agent, or simply stopped delivering, having lost their faith in a socialist future. At a stroke, the best and most useful weapon of the European revolutionary fighters had disappeared.
Fortunately, it was different here, different for Qati. The Israelis were as foolish as they were vicious. The one constant thing in the world, both Bock and Qati knew, was the inability of the Jews to make any kind of meaningful political initiative. Formidable as they were at the business of war, they had always been hopelessly inept at the business of peace. Added to that was their ability to dictate policy to their own masters as though they didn"t want peace at all. Bock was not a student of world history, but he doubted that there was any precedent for such behavior as this. The ongoing revolt of both indigenous Israeli Arabs and Palestinian captives in the occupied territories was a bleeding sore on the soul of Israel. Once able to infiltrate Arab groups at will, Israeli police and domestic intelligence agencies were gradually being shut out, as popular support for this rebellion became more and more fixed in the minds of their enemies. At least Qati had an ongoing operation to command. Bock envied him that, however bad the tactical situation might be. Another perverse advantage for Qati was the efficiency of his enemy. Israeli intelligence had waged its shadow war against the Arab freedom fighters for two generations now. Over that time the foolish ones had died by the guns of Mossad officers. Those still alive, like Qati, were the survivors, the strong, clever, dedicated products of a Darwinian selection process.
"How are you dealing with informers?" Bock asked.
"We found one last week," Qati answered with a cruel smile. "He identified his case officer before he died. Now we have him under surveillance."
Bock nodded. Once the Israeli officer would merely have been a.s.sa.s.sinated, but Qati had learned. By watching him- very carefully and only intermittently-they might identify other infiltrators.
"And the Russians?" This question got a strong reaction.
"The pigs! They give us nothing of value. We are on our own. It has always been so." Qati"s face showed what had today been rare animation. It came, then went, and the Arab"s face lapsed back into enveloping fatigue.
"You seem tired, my friend."
"It has been a long day. For you also, I think."
Bock allowed himself a yawn and a stretch. "Until tomorrow?"
Qati rose with a nod, guiding his visitor to his room. Bock took his hand before retiring. They"d known each other for almost twenty years. Qati returned to the living room, and walked outside. His security people were in place and alert. Qati spoke with them briefly, as always, because loyalty resulted from attention to the needs of one"s people. Then he too went to bed. He paused for evening prayers, of course. It troubled him vaguely that his friend Gunther was an unbeliever. Brave, clever, dedicated though he was, he had no faith, and Qati did not understand how any man could carry on without that.
Carry on? Does he carry on at all? Qati asked himself as he lay down. His aching legs and arms at last knew rest, and though the pain in them didn"t end, at least it changed. Bock was finished, wasn"t he? Better for him if Petra had died at the hands of GSG-9. They must have wanted to kill her, those German commandos, but the rumor was that they"d found her with a babe suckling on each breast, and you could not be a man and kill such a picture as that. Qati himself, for all his hatred for Israelis, could not do that. It would be an offense at G.o.d Himself. Petra, he thought, smiling in the dark. He"d taken her once, when Gunther had been away. She"d been lonely, and he"d been hot-blooded from a successful operation in Lebanon, the killing of an Israeli adviser to the Christian militia, and so they"d shared their revolutionary fervor for two blazing hours. Qati asked himself as he lay down. His aching legs and arms at last knew rest, and though the pain in them didn"t end, at least it changed. Bock was finished, wasn"t he? Better for him if Petra had died at the hands of GSG-9. They must have wanted to kill her, those German commandos, but the rumor was that they"d found her with a babe suckling on each breast, and you could not be a man and kill such a picture as that. Qati himself, for all his hatred for Israelis, could not do that. It would be an offense at G.o.d Himself. Petra, he thought, smiling in the dark. He"d taken her once, when Gunther had been away. She"d been lonely, and he"d been hot-blooded from a successful operation in Lebanon, the killing of an Israeli adviser to the Christian militia, and so they"d shared their revolutionary fervor for two blazing hours.
Does Gunther know? Did Petra tell him?
Perhaps she did. It wouldn"t matter. Bock was not that sort of man, not like an Arab for whom it would have been a blood insult. Europeans were so casual about such things. It was a curiosity to Qati that they should be that way, but there were many curiosities in life. Bock was a true friend. Of that he was sure. The flame burned in Gunther"s soul as truly and brightly as it did in his own. It was sad that events in Europe had made life so hard on his friend. His woman caged. His children stolen. The very thought of it chilled Qati"s blood. It was foolish of them to have brought children into the world. Qati had never married, and enjoyed the company of women rarely enough. In Lebanon ten years earlier, all those European girls, some in their teens even. He remembered with a quiet smile. Things no Arab girl would ever learn to do. So hot-blooded they"d been, wanting to show how dedicated they were. He knew that they had used him as surely as he"d used them. But Qati had been younger then, with a young man"s pa.s.sions.
Those pa.s.sions were gone. He wondered if they would ever return. He hoped they would. He hoped mainly that he"d recover well enough that he"d have the energy for more than one thing. Treatment was going well, the doctor said. He was tolerating it much better than most. If he always felt tired, if the crippling bouts of nausea came from time to time, he mustn"t be discouraged. That was normal-no, the normal way of things was not even so "good" as this. There was real hope, the doctor a.s.sured him on every visit. It wasn"t merely the things any doctor would say to encourage his patient, the doctor had told him last week. He was truly doing well. He had a good chance. The important thing, Qati knew, was that he had something still to live for. He had purpose. That, he was sure, was the thing keeping him alive.
"What"s the score?"
"Just carry on," Dr. Cabot replied over the secure satellite link. "Charlie had a ma.s.sive stroke at his desk." A pause. "Maybe the best thing that could have happened to the poor b.a.s.t.a.r.d."
"Liz Elliot taking over?"
"That"s right."
Ryan compressed his lips into a tight grimace, as though he"d just taken some particularly foul medicine. He checked his watch. Cabot had arisen early to make the call and give the instructions. He and his boss were not exactly friends, but the importance of this mission had overcome that. Maybe it would be the same with E.E., Ryan told himself.
"Okay, boss. I take off in ninety minutes, and we deliver our pitches simultaneously, as per the plan."
"Good luck, Jack."
"Thank you, Director." Ryan punched the Off b.u.t.ton on the secure phone console. He walked out of the communications room and back to his room. His bag was already packed. All he had to do was knot his tie. The coat went over his shoulder. It was too hot here for that, and hotter still where he was going. He"d have to wear a coat there. It was expected, one of those curious rules of formal behavior that demanded the maximum discomfort to attain the proper degree of decorum. Ryan lifted his bag and left the room.
"Synchronize our watches?" Adler was waiting outside and chuckled.
"Hey, Scott, that isn"t my idea!"
"It does make sense ... kinda."
"I suppose. Well, I got an airplane to catch."
"Can"t take off without you," Adler pointed out.
"One advantage to government service, isn"t it?" Ryan looked up and down the corridor. It was empty, though he wondered if the Israelis had managed to bug it. If so, the Muzak might interfere with their bugs. "What do you think?"
"Even money."
"That good?"
"Yeah," Adler said with a grin. "This is the one, Jack. It was a good idea you had."
"Not just mine. I"ll never get any credit for it anyway. n.o.body" ll ever know."
"We"ll know. Let"s get to work."
"Let me know how they react. Good luck, man."
"I think mazeltov mazeltov is the proper expression." Adler took Ryan"s hand. "Good flight." is the proper expression." Adler took Ryan"s hand. "Good flight."
The emba.s.sy limo took Ryan directly to the aircraft, whose engines were already turning. It had priority clearance to taxi, and was airborne in less than five minutes from the time he boarded. The VC-20B headed south, down the dagger-shape that was Israel, then east over the Gulf of Aqaba and into Saudi airs.p.a.ce.
As was his custom, Ryan stared out the window. His mind went over what he was supposed to do, but that had been rehea.r.s.ed for over a week, and his brain could do that quietly while Ryan stared. The air was clear, the sky virtually cloudless as they flew over what was to all appearances a barren waste-land of sand and rock. What color there was came from stunted bushes too small to pick out individually, and had the general effect of an unshaven face. Jack knew that much of Israel looked exactly the same, as did the Sinai, where all those tank battles had been fought, and he found himself wondering why men chose to die for land like this. But they had, for almost as long as man had existed on the planet. Man"s first organized wars had been fought here, and they hadn"t stopped. At least not yet.
Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, is roughly in the center of that country, which is as large as all of America east of the Mississippi. The executive aircraft made a relatively fast descent, allowed by the modest amount of air traffic here, and the air was agreeably smooth as the pilot brought the aircraft low into the Riyadh International. In another few minutes the Gulfstream taxied toward the cargo terminal, and the attendant opened the forward door.
After two hours" exposure to air conditioning, Jack felt as though he"d stepped into a blast furnace. The shade temperature was over 110, and there was no shade. Worse, the sun reflected off the pavement, as though from a mirror, so intensely that Ryan"s face stung from it. There to greet him was the deputy chief of mission at the emba.s.sy, and the usual security people. In a moment, he was sweating inside yet another emba.s.sy limo.
"Good flight?" the DCM asked.
"Not bad. Everything ready here?"
"Yes, sir."
It was nice to be called "sir," Jack thought. "Well, let"s get on with it."
"My instructions are to accompany you as far as the door."
"That"s right."
"You might be interested to know that we haven"t had any press inquiries. D.C. has kept this one pretty quiet."
"That"ll change in about five hours."
Riyadh was a clean city, though quite different from Western metropolises. The contrast with Israeli towns was remarkable. Nearly everything was new. Only two hours away, but that was by air. This place had never been the crossroads Palestine had been. The ancient trading routes had given the brutal heat of Arabia a wide berth, and though the coastal fishing and trading towns had known prosperity for millennia, the nomadic people of the interior had lived a stark existence, held together only by their Islamic faith, which was in turn anch.o.r.ed by the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Two things had changed that. The British in the First World War had used this area as a diversion against Ottoman Turkey, drawing their forces here and away from sites which might have been of greater utility to their allies in Germany and Austria-Hungary. Then, in the 1930s, oil had been discovered. Oil in quant.i.ties so vast as to make Texas an apostrophe. With that, first the Arab world had changed, and then the whole world had soon followed.
From the first, the relationship between the Saudis and the West had been delicate. The Saudis were still a curious mixture of the primitive and the sophisticated. Some people on this peninsula were but a single generation from nomadic life that was little different from that of the wanderers of the Bronze Age. At the same time there was an admirable tradition of Koranic scholarship, a code that was harsh but scrupulously fair, and remarkably similar to the Talmudic traditions of Judaism. In a brief span of time these people had become accustomed to wealth beyond count or meaning. Viewed as comic wastrels by the "sophisticated" West, they were merely the newest entry in a long line of nouveau riche nations of which America had been a recent part. A nouveau riche himself, Ryan smiled at some of the buildings in sympathy. People with "old" money-earned by b.u.mptious ancestors whose rough manners had long since been conveniently forgotten-were always uncomfortable around those who had made, not inherited, their comforts. As it was with individuals, so it was with nations. The Saudis and their Arab brethren were still learning how to be a nation, much less a rich and influential one, but the process was an exciting one for them and their friends. They"d had some easy lessons, and some very hard ones, most recently with their neighbors to the north. For the most part they had learned well, and now Ryan hoped that the next step would be as easily made. A nation achieves greatness by helping others to make peace, not by demonstrating prowess at war or commerce. To learn that, it had taken America from the time of Washington to the time of Theodore Roosevelt, whose n.o.bel Peace Prize adorned the wall in the White House room that still bore his name. It took us almost a hundred twenty years, Jack thought as the car turned and slowed. Teddy got the Prize for arbitrating some little p.i.s.s-ant border dispute, and we"re asking these folks to help us settle the most dangerous flashpoint in the civilized world after merely fifty years of effective nationhood. What reason do we have to look down on these people? It took us almost a hundred twenty years, Jack thought as the car turned and slowed. Teddy got the Prize for arbitrating some little p.i.s.s-ant border dispute, and we"re asking these folks to help us settle the most dangerous flashpoint in the civilized world after merely fifty years of effective nationhood. What reason do we have to look down on these people?
There is a ch.o.r.eography to occasions of state as delicate and as adamant as any ballet. The car-it used to be a carriage-arrives. The door is opened by a functionary-who used to be called a footman. The Official waits in dignified solitude while the Visitor alights from the car. The Visitor nods to the footman if he"s polite, and Ryan was. Another, more senior, functionary first greets the Visitor, then conducts him to the Official. On both sides of the entryway are the official guards, who were in this case uniformed, armed soldiers. Photographers had been left out, for obvious reasons. Such affairs would be more comfortable in temperatures under a hundred degrees, but at least here there was shade from a canopy, as Ryan was conducted to his Official.
"Welcome to my country, Dr. Ryan." Prince Ali bin Sheik extended a firm hand to Jack.
"Thank you, Your Highness."
"Would you follow me?"
"Gladly, sir." Before I melt. Before I melt.
Ali led Jack and the DCM inside, where they parted ways. The building was a palace-Riyadh had quite a few palaces, since there were so many royal princes-but Ryan thought "working palace" might have been a more accurate term. It was smaller than the British counterparts Ryan had visited, and cleaner, Jack saw somewhat to his surprise. Probably because of the cleaner and dryer air of the region, which contrasted to the damp, sooty atmosphere of London. It was also air conditioned. The inside temperature could not have been far above eighty-five, which somehow seemed comfortable to Ryan. The Prince was dressed in flowing robes with a head-dress held atop his head by a pair of circular-whats? Ryan wondered. He ought to have gotten briefed on that, Jack thought too late. Alden was supposed to have done this anyway. Charlie knew this area far better than he did, and-but Charlie Alden was dead, and Jack was carrying the ball.
Ali bin Sheik was referred to at State and CIA as a Prince-Without-Portfolio. Taller, thinner, and younger than Ryan, he advised the King of Saudi Arabia on foreign affairs and intelligence matters. Probably the Saudi intelligence service-Brit-ish-trained-reported to him, but that was not as clear as it should have been, doubtless another legacy of the Brits, who took their secrecy far more seriously than Americans. Though the file on Ali was a thick one, it mainly dealt with his background. Educated at Cambridge, he"d become an Army officer, and continued his professional studies at Leavenworth and Carlisle Barracks in the United States. At Carlisle he"d been the youngest man in his cla.s.s-a colonel at twenty-seven-to be a royal prince was career-enhancing-and finished third in a group whose top ten graduates had each gone on to command a division or equivalent post. The Army General who"d briefed Ryan on Ali remembered his cla.s.smate fondly as a young man of no mean intellectual gifts and superb command potential. Ali had played a major role in persuading the King to accept American aid during the Iraqi war. He was regarded as a serious player quick to make decisions and quicker still to express displeasure at having his time wasted, despite his courtly manners.
The Prince"s office was easily identified by the two officers at the double doors. A third man opened them, bowing to both as they pa.s.sed.
"I"ve heard much about you," Ali said casually.
"All good, I trust," Ryan replied, trying to be at ease.
Ali turned with an impish smile. "We have some mutual friends in Britain, Sir John. Do you keep current with your small-arms skills?"
"I really don"t have the time, sir."
Ali waved Jack to a chair. "For some things one should make time."
Both sat, and things became formal. A servant appeared with a silver tray, and poured coffee for both men before withdrawing.
"I sincerely regret the news on Dr. Alden. For so fine a man to be brought down so foolishly ... May G.o.d have mercy on his soul. At the same time, I have looked forward to meeting you for some time, Dr. Ryan."
Jack sipped at his coffee. It was thick, bitter, and hideously strong.
"Thank you, Your Highness. Thank you also for agreeing to see me in the place of a more senior official."
"The most effective efforts at diplomacy often begin informally. So how may I be of service?" Ali smiled and leaned back in his chair. The fingers of his left hand toyed with his beard. His eyes were as dark as flint, and though they seemed to gaze casually at his visitor, the atmosphere in the room was now businesslike. And that, Ryan saw, was fast enough.
"My country wishes to explore a means of-that is, the rough outline of a plan with which to alleviate tensions in this area."
"With Israel, of course. Adler, I presume, is delivering the same proposal to the Israelis at this moment?"
"Correct, Your Highness."
"That is dramatic," the Prince observed with an amused smile. "Do go on."
Jack began his pitch: "Sir, our foremost consideration in this matter must be the physical security of the State of Israel. Before either of us was born, America and other countries stood by and did very little to prevent the extermination of six million Jews. The guilt attending that infamy lies heavy on my country."
Ali nodded gravely before speaking. "I have never understood that. Perhaps you might have done better, but the strategic decisions made during the war by Roosevelt and Churchill were made in good faith. The issue with the shipload of Jews that n.o.body wanted prior to the outbreak of war, of course, is another issue entirely. I find it very strange indeed that your country did not grant asylum to those poor people. Fundamentally, however, no one saw what was coming, not the Jews, nor the Gentiles, and by the time it became clear what was happening, Hitler had physical control of Europe, and no direct intervention on your part was possible. Your leaders decided at that time that the best way to end the slaughter was to win the war as expeditiously as possible. That was logical. They might have made a political issue of the ongoing Endlosung, Endlosung, I believe the term was, but they decided that it would be ineffective from a practical point of view. That, in retrospect, was probably incorrect, but the decision was not made in malice." Ali paused to let his history lesson sink in for a moment. "In any case, we understand and conditionally accept the reasons behind your national goal to preserve the State of Israel. Our acceptance, as I am sure you will understand, is conditional upon your recognition of other people"s rights. This part of the world is not composed of Jews and savages." I believe the term was, but they decided that it would be ineffective from a practical point of view. That, in retrospect, was probably incorrect, but the decision was not made in malice." Ali paused to let his history lesson sink in for a moment. "In any case, we understand and conditionally accept the reasons behind your national goal to preserve the State of Israel. Our acceptance, as I am sure you will understand, is conditional upon your recognition of other people"s rights. This part of the world is not composed of Jews and savages."
"And that, sir, is the basis of our proposal," Ryan replied. "If we can find a formula that recognizes those other rights, will you accept a plan in which America is the guarantor of Israeli security?" Jack didn"t have time to hold his breath for the reply.
"Of course. Have we not made that clear? Who else but America can guarantee the peace? If you must put troops in Israel to make them feel secure, if you must execute a treaty to formalize your guarantee, those are things we can accept, but but what of Arab rights?" what of Arab rights?"
"What is your view of how we should address those rights?" Jack asked.
Prince Ali was stunned by the question. Was not Ryan"s mission to present the American plan? He almost lapsed into anger, but Ali was too clever for that. It wasn"t a trap he saw. It was a fundamental change in American policy.
"Dr. Ryan, you asked that question for a reason, but it was a rhetorical question nonetheless. I believe the answer to that question is yours to make."
The answer took three minutes.
Ali shook his head sadly. "That, Dr. Ryan, is something we would probably find acceptable, but the Israelis will never agree to it even though we might-more precisely, they would reject it for the very reason that we would accept it. They should agree to it, of course, but they will not."
"Is it acceptable to your government, sir?"
"I must, of course, present it to others, but I think our response would be favorable."
"Any objections at all?"
The Prince paused to finish his coffee. He stared over Ryan"s head toward something on the far wall. "We could offer several modifications, none of them really substantive to the central thesis of your scheme. Actually, I think the negotiations on those minor issues would be easily and quickly accomplished, since they are not matters of consequence to the other interested parties."
"And who would be your choice for the Muslim representative?"
Ali leaned forward. "That is simple. Anyone could tell you. The Imam of the Al-Aqusa Mosque is a distinguished scholar and linguist. His name is Ahmed bin Yussif. Ahmed is con-suited by scholars throughout Islam for his opinions on matters of theology. Sunni, Shi"a, all defer to him on selected issues. He is even a Palestinian by birth."
"That easy?" Ryan closed his eyes and let out a breath. He"d guessed right on that one. Yussif was not exactly a political moderate, and had called for the expulsion of Israel from the West Bank. But he had also denounced terrorism per se on theological grounds. He wasn"t quite perfect, but if the Muslims could live with him, he was perfect enough.
"You are very confident, Dr. Ryan." Ali shook his head. "Too confident. I grant you that your plan is fairer than anything I or my government expected, but it will never happen." Ali paused again and fixed Ryan with his eyes. "Now I must ask myself if this was ever a serious proposal, or merely something to give the appearance of fairness."
"Your Highness, President Fowler addresses the United Nations General a.s.sembly next Thursday. He will present this very plan then, live and in color. I am authorized to extend your government an invitation to the Vatican to negotiate the treaty formally."
The Prince was sufficiently surprised by that that he lapsed into an Americanism: "Do you really think you can bring this off?"
"Your Highness, we"re going to give it one h.e.l.l of a try."
Ali rose and walked to his desk. There he lifted a phone, pushed a b.u.t.ton and spoke rapidly and, to Ryan, incomprehensibly. Jack had a sudden, giddy moment of whimsy. The Arabic language, as with the Hebrew, went from right to left instead of left to right, and Ryan wondered how one"s brain dealt with that.
Son of a b.i.t.c.h, Jack thought to himself. Jack thought to himself. This just might work! This just might work!
Ali replaced the phone and turned to his visitor. "I think it is time for us to see His Majesty."
"That fast?"
"One advantage to our form of government is that when one government minister wishes access to another, it is merely a matter of calling a cousin or an uncle. We are a family business. I trust that your President is a man of his word."
"The UN speech is already written. I"ve seen it. He expects to take heat from the Israeli lobby at home. He"s ready for that."