24 Friend of Israel

At dawn, the four men moved stealthily, shadows sliding among the rubble and the indomitable underbrush at the edges of the citadel. The sky, tinted with a pale violet-gray, was just beginning to lighten, casting an uncertain light upon the stone walls that defined the enclosure. A dense, humid air, imbued with the scent of wet earth, foreshadowed a suffocating day.

They paused by a low wall, crouched like predators on the prowl. The lieutenant unfolded a crumpled map and traced possible routes with his finger, silently reviewing them.

—According to the map, this is the great house of Tauride—he murmured without looking up.

—Tauride is the capital of the area, isn't it, lieutenant?—the sergeant whispered, struggling to contain the anxiety that tightened his voice.

—Yes, but we are at the governor's residence, not in the capital—replied the officer. —All these buildings you see behind the wall are part of his fortress.

The ensuing silence grew heavy. The shadows of the leaves cast unsettling shapes upon white walls, whose windows faintly reflected the first light of day. A late bat crossed the air with a dry and hurried flap of wings.

—It's been four days since we neutralized the facility—continued the sergeant, after a moment's hesitation—. I don’t understand why our forces haven't arrived on the island yet.

The lieutenant exhaled a sigh and ran a hand over his weather-beaten face.

—I don't either—he admitted. —The plan went perfectly, except for the small detail that we couldn't escape as we had planned. And now the local soldiers are combing the area. We've barely escaped a couple of times, but I think, for now, they haven't detected us. With a bit of luck, they'll relax the guard and we can leave; but it will be very difficult to do so without help. We have no provisions, and who knows why our intelligence is delaying the assault. It's time to contact our ally.

—Is he here, lieutenant? Do you think he will help us?

—I hope so. The truth is, I’m not sure; I only know that he is one of the governors of the country, and there are about ten of them. But... from the maps and the data he gave us, I would bet my life that he is one of the three closest to the facility we destroyed; more than that: I’m sure he must be the governor of Tauride. Just look at the map: almost everything it contains is from this area; besides, the facility was there. We are taking a gamble.

The wind rustled the treetops with a long and slow whisper. None of the men spoke. Only their contained breaths and the distant sound of the morning breeze filled the space between them. Finally, one of the soldiers broke the silence.

—Would you recognize him if you saw him? At least is he aware of our presence?

The lieutenant shook his head, not taking his eyes off the nearest mansion.

—I’ve never seen him. His exact identity is completely secret, although I have a partial profile of him: age, build, appearance... that should be enough. I was expressly forbidden to contact him to avoid compromising his situation or putting him in evidence—he paused, sharpening his gaze—. But there is no other way out of this. I don’t think he knew anything about our incursion, but given its repercussions on the country's security and considering that they are looking for us, it’s safe to say he knows we are here.

The sergeant swallowed hard and adjusted the strap of his backpack, as if its weight had suddenly become intolerable.

—Then, there is no turning back.

The lieutenant managed a tense smile.

—There never was.

They searched for a suitable point to jump the wall. Finally, they decided on a stretch flanked by trees with thick foliage, whose shadow cast a veil over the stone, concealing that small portion of the fence from the curious gazes of the sentinels. It wasn't easy to climb with bare hands; the stone was rough and treacherous. But when the youngest managed to climb over and jump to the other side, things became simpler; with the help of ropes, the others followed, sliding with the caution of shadows.

Dawn found them already inside the compound. They took refuge in a dense thicket, motionless like predators lurking. The air smelled of wet earth and freshly lit firewood; all around, life awakened with the discreet bustle of a small city beginning its day. They, on the other hand, remained in sepulchral silence.

The lieutenant reviewed his plan once more.

—We can't all move. We need to locate our contact and ask for help.

The youngest of the group stepped forward a little, tension vibrating in every muscle.

—Lieutenant, I volunteer for the mission.

The officer offered a half-smile, more of pride than mockery.

—Thank you, David. But only I have the data to find him and know it's him. I will go.

He turned to the sergeant, lowering his voice even further.

—You will stay here, completely silent. We will try to communicate by radio every two hours, on the dot. If in twenty-four hours I don’t contact you, it means something has gone wrong. In that case, you will take command and return as you can. Maybe our reinforcements will arrive soon, but until then, the decisions will be yours.

The sergeant held his gaze firmly.

—No, lieutenant. Everything will go well. Our man will lend us a hand.

The lieutenant nodded with a slight inclination of his head. He hoped so too.

They checked that their watches were synchronized. Then, with one last glance at his men, the officer slipped into the underbrush. His advance was meticulous, a stealthy crawl through the tall grass, stopping only to readjust his position or merge better with the landscape. The three soldiers held their breath as they watched him advance. A blink later, he had vanished.

The forest, indifferent, once again filled with murmurs.

The day had begun at the great house. The servants moved with the precision of a ballet, setting the table for breakfast, although at that hour he was still peacefully sleeping in his bed, immersed in tranquil dreams surrounded by his slaves. The entrance porch was a hive of activity: they were preparing breakfast for the same five diners who had shared dinner the night before.

The lieutenant soon located the main building, the undisputed residence of the region's governor. His advance was meticulous, moving from hiding place to hiding place, alert to armed patrols. To his surprise, there seemed to be no close surveillance near the center of power, a serious oversight, he thought with some astonishment.

He was so close that he could smell the spicy aroma of tea, the sweetness of freshly baked bread. He didn't know how events would unfold... But by the number of plates laid out, it was clear that the governor would not be having breakfast alone. Another inconvenience.

After weighing his options, he stealthily climbed a leafy acacia, from whose top he could oversee the porch and the table with a privileged view. There he remained motionless, patient, until the diners made their appearance.

He adjusted his binoculars and studied them carefully. Five figures shared the breakfast table. He counted them mentally, observing their gestures, their interactions with each other, and with the servants. The contact had to be one of them.

He immediately ruled out number two and number five. Number one also didn’t fit; she was a woman. His instinct told him that the key lay with number three. Yes. For sure.

He waited patiently for them to finish their breakfast and disperse. Fortune smiled on him: number three retreated into the building.

The servants hurried to clear the table; within minutes, there was no trace of breakfast left. Seeing the way clear, the lieutenant slowly descended from his refuge, and at the opportune moment, slipped into the mansion.

Everything went smoothly. Number three was absorbed in reading a newspaper. He just had to be bold. He spoke to him in English.

—Sir, I need help! I belong to the Israeli command that received your maps and instructions to dismantle the interference! You have to help us get off the island as soon as possible.

His interlocutor immediately understood that his only option was to cooperate with him; he was indeed the contact the soldier was searching for. He shook off his surprise and reacted.

—Follow me, quickly!

He guided him through empty rooms, delving into the maze of chambers. Finally, they reached a small dark cellar that seemed to have not been used for some time.

—Are you alone? Are there no more soldiers with you?

—I have three men waiting outside; we urgently need food and drink, and then to secure safe passage to the coast and a small boat. That will suffice.

—I’ll bring you something. I will need what remains of the day to organize your exit and that of your group, but I think it won't be difficult. Don't even think about moving from here.

A little while later, he provided water and food to last a day and a blanket for him to lie on. He insisted that he not leave the room until the next day when he would come for him, and left like a soul possessed.

Safe in his new hiding place, he had to wait an hour and a half to communicate with the rest of his command. A few minutes before the exact time, the officer pulled out his radio, a rudimentary but reliable device designed specifically for this mission. Its metal casing reflected the dim light coming through a small window, and the telescopic antenna captured the signal with astonishing precision despite its limited range and lack of microchips. It operated with an ingenious manual battery system: a crank that, when turned, generated the energy needed for transmission. It was a stubborn gadget, but it fulfilled its purpose and was undetectable.

He looked at his analog watch. The hand was nearing the agreed time. It was time.

—Sergeant, do you read me?

A moment of static. Then, the clear and calm voice of the sergeant broke the silence of the frequency.

—We're here, lieutenant. All quiet. How are things going?

The officer exhaled with relief.

—I have contacted our man in this country. He’s a big shot, always surrounded by people, but I approached him in a moment of solitude, and he has managed to slip away to help me. I’m safe, hidden in a secure corner of the main mansion.

—How did you find him, sir? Is he willing to help us?

—I almost made a mistake. People here dress in a peculiar way. But the description was precise, and I knew to recognize him in time. This man will find a way for us to leave and will provide us with some provisions. I’ll notify you as soon as we have the green light to leave; but the bad news is that it won’t be before tomorrow.

—Understood, lieutenant. We will hold our position until further notice.

The officer swallowed hard. Another day his three men would have to spend in a hole. He knew the team was at their limit: hunger, thirst, tension building in every muscle. But there was no alternative.

—I know you are exhausted, but I promise you this will end soon.

The sergeant chuckled softly on the other end of the line.

—Don't worry, sir. We will hold on. Knowing we will leave soon makes waiting more bearable.

—Stay alert to the radio. Over and out.

—Over and out, lieutenant.

The officer closed his eyes for a moment, listening to the sound of the wind among the palm trees. No one appeared that day; he fell asleep. When he awoke, night was advancing over Ketirandia with its mantle of stars. The island held secrets, and he was about to uncover one of the most dangerous.