The Encounter

The death sciences – an except I shouldn't have asked him that question, whether or not he knew Carlos, but except that small slip of tongue it was a very good and pleasant day! Samir thought on his way to his scheduled meeting with Karim. He became so furious all of a sudden – how strange? "Carlos who?" He asked me spitting it out with such anger! And that wasn't the end of it. "That famous scarecrow?” He called him mockingly. “The invention of the CIA and the Zionists...! Blown up of all proportions to belittle our heroic deeds! Any fool can turn out miracles, by facing unarmed civilians with automatic weapons!’ Such a reaction that foolish question of mine has created, and I’d almost had a second unpleasant foolish one. Luckily enough I kept my mouth shut and didn't retort. For haven't we ourselves faced unarmed people just as that ‘scarecrow’ did. He could guess what Karim's answer would have been, if he'd opened his trap, and he would have been right. For they fought for their freedom – while that ‘scarecrow’ was a mere opportunist! Anyway his main problem is about to be solved, with that bizarre compromise, which he reached with Karim – for he didn't and couldn't have anything else, there was no other choice in fact. It’s worth trying, if I’ll succeed or if I’ll fail, I won't return to Abu-naeef – that's sure enough! They might send me to Cuba for all I care... And I did receive my first salary, some twelve hundred pounds in a folded envelope – sneaked under the table... Well, I nearly messed up everything yesterday, thank god Karim cooled down as fast as he had heated up! Samir thought much relieved. The time was two twenty one, nine minutes left, and he needed a minute or two at the most to get there. As he was strolling leisurely on the wide pavement, making his way between the few passers-by, right out of the blue he heard a familiar voice calling out a name: ‘Shaoul!!!’ He panicked, as if he had his worst nightmare turned into reality, so frightened was he… He wasn't able to attach that familiar voice to a face. He couldn't even recall whose voice was it...! Hurrying his pace he tried to get away, as fast as he could – without daring to turn round and have a look, to identify the source of his sudden anxieties… ‘Shaoul!!!’ Once more he heard it, much closer this time, resounding, echoing in his brain a thousand times. Another second passed and a hand was laid on his shoulder, He could feel the man's hot breath on his neck. ‘What's the matter with you, are you deaf?’ Said the familiar voice in Hebrew. It was Ghill, his ex room mate... Pale and utterly shocked Samir turned to him without a single word – he was simply petrified. ‘Aren't you glad to see me, you fool!’ He barked at him in Hebrew. ‘Cut it out!’ He managed to order his old friend in English. ‘Let's find ourselves a quiet corner...’ He added and led the way, to the nearest doorway in sight. ’Listen, of course I'm glad to see you, but lets speak in English and you know very well why…’ ‘But I'm the one who should be scared of speaking Hebrew.’ Protested Ghill with ado, pushing Samir's shoulder slightly backwards. ‘Sure, but speaking it I'm as vulnerable as you are, no terrorist will spare me... Listen...!’ He urged his old friend again. ‘I'm terribly short on time, I've got a very important business appointment with a Pakistani partner, and you might have wrecked our deal, if you happened to meet me in his presence… Again I must stress how sorry I'm, but I'm leaving London right after that meeting, and he's seeing me to the airport.’ He went on without letting Ghill to interrupt him. ‘Leave me your phone number and I'll call you – as soon as I'll get back to my office.’ ‘I'm with the Israeli embassy.’ ‘Fine, I'll call you there! Give me five minutes will you, just imagine him seeing us together! As he turned to go, he heard Ghill calling after him: ‘Old Harpaz died…’ Samir stopped abruptly and turned back to face him. ‘Really? My god, had a stroke or something?’

‘Was murdered!’ ‘What a blow! What a terrible blow! Sorry but I must be off, I'll call you tonight...! He promised without looking back. Raising his eyes off his wristwatch, moving fast on the broad pavement, he saw a face watching his. A typical oriental face of a dark complexion ugly and distorted with hatred; a face he had never seen before, but he wasn't going to forget it easily either. Some mad man... He told himself, trying to drive away the bad omen from his thoughts – which that ugly horrid face, on the other side of the road represented. I’m a blessed young man, a lucky one... Nothing would harm me, no evil eye – nothing!!! He kept encouraging himself, spitting right in front of him as he walked, three successive times – just in case… I’ve managed to get away from Ghill right in time! God how close it was...! He recalled encouraging himself once more, and I’ve got two minutes to spare yet and that ugly face won't frighten me either! Looking over his shoulder to see whether Ghill isn't in his wake, he rushed towards his meeting place with Karim. Near the first news-stand he saw him waiting, hidden almost at its side – holding a folded paper in one hand, screening the passing crowd. He was an impressive figure of a man, attired with much taste; a grey suit and a matching light blue tie, over a white shirt – which made a fine and delicate contrast with his dark features; and although he was of an average height, his lithe body and fine cloths made him rather conspicuous. A fact that didn't fit a man of his profession. That anyhow was the little Samir had learned and known, without his well-dressed instructor's lessons. As he saw Samir coming towards him, Karim raised his free hand to the lower part of his face, covering a faint smile with his palm. As Samir drew near he raised the same hand, touched his forehead slightly, and sending it forth, shook Samir's hand warmly. ‘Let's go!’ He said and led the way to the underground's stairs right away. While they were descending the escalator, Karim turned to him and asked: ‘How do you like London?’ ‘Eh, well I like London, why, it’s a fantastic city.’ He answered cautiously, not knowing what's on his associate's mind’ ‘Keep away from cheap brothels and whores, if you need a woman don't spare your money, summon a call girl to your hotel room. Do it during the daytime hours, late mornings early afternoons – and don't ever stick to one of them, keep changing them!’ ‘Quite a sermon! He should have saved it for Friday’s prayers… Samir thought rather amused. But Karim was moving fast now and he had to hasten after him. As soon as they reached the first floor, he turned abruptly to their right and entered running into the nearest tunnel; and as they emerged on the platform he turned abruptly to their left and stopped... very close to the tunnel they just have left. Out of breath leaning back on the tunnel's wall, Karim was watching the opposite platform beyond the rails. As if he were expecting someone to appear over there. The fact he didn't participate in any such exercises, or hadn’t had any physical training of any kind for a long time was quite obvious. He needed a rest of some five long minutes, before he resumed their lesson. ‘Well, one might quicken his pace or even break into a run, on one’s way to the platform; for nobody likes to miss his train – or waste his time, right? Now after having reached the platform, we can step aside as we did. If checking surveillance is our aim, we might elaborate the procedure, by turning on our heels back through the same tunnel – as if we had missed our platform by some foolish mistake; and in our ‘confusion’ we don't return through the exit tunnel, but push our way through and against the oncoming crowd of passengers. It’s a bit rude and unpleasant I must admit. But it’s fruitful with immediate results. If you spotted a face on the other end of the city, and you spot that face again in the tunnel, well then, that's one of the gang, which sits on your tail..! You'll have to get rid of him! And being in the underground assures you almost always, that getting rid of one of

them is getting rid of the whole pack – if you're lucky enough...’ He added laughing. ‘The mental stress in our profession is a heavy burden. It takes some time to realize it.’ He remarked thoughtfully, coughing slightly and clearing his throat. ‘Thus a good sense of humor, is one a way to tackle that problem. But just watch any veteran's features, see how furrowed their features are, and you'll understand it. Any questions?’ He asked Samir, yawning, as if he was exhausted already. ‘If our aim was to shake surveillance, we should pick the nearest exit tunnel, and leave the platform right away; get back and go up or down a floor, choose the right tunnel. You can hear the coming train, board it and leave them behind you.’ ‘You don't expect me to run ceaselessly till I'll find a ready train to board it?’ Karim chuckled amused. ‘If you reach the second platform fast enough, you may wait there for the next train – and you'll board it before he finds out where he’s lost you. It’s a fact that had been tested!’ ‘There must be circumstances in which one can't shake off surveillance at all – am I wrong or…?’ Samir realized he shouldn't have asked that certain question, but it sneaked out of his mouth somehow. However, Karim didn't seem to be bothered. ’It might happen only on extreme emergency cases, when the pursuers consider the case as a very important one; when four or five groups are engaged together in a combined operation – which starts with a siege on the subject's lodgings and blocking every possible route of escape. But it shouldn't worry you.’ ‘You mean nobody would fret over someone like me?’ ‘Exactly!’ ‘But if it were you and there was not any way of getting rid of them – what would you do?’ Samir Persisted stubbornly. ‘In such cases which are very rare indeed, the individual is warned beforehand by his operator. He has to maintain a low-profile activity, which means the postponement of all clandestine activities until further instructions.’ To Samir's surprise Karim seemed rather satisfied, he took a deep breath of air – and turning to samir he smiled. ‘You made me wipe my brow! I haven't had such a hard day for ages! Let's board the coming train and resume our lesson there.’