Covenant A Novel

JERUSALEM


This has got to be stopped.”

Ethan sat opposite Bill Griffiths on the veranda of his rented villa overlooking the city, trying to stave off his exhaustion.

“Why didn’t you tell me before that you were a journalist?” Griffiths asked.

“It was none of your business,” Ethan replied. “Now it is and I need your help.”

“I don’t know how to help,” Griffiths said, looking him up and down. “Look at the state of you—you’re dead on your feet. What the hell difference can you make?”

“You called me, Bill,” Ethan reminded him, “and I’ve just escaped Israeli custody to get here, so tell me what’s happened.”

Griffiths closed his eyes for a moment before speaking. “One of the guards at what may have been Lucy Morgan’s dig site, a MACE soldier, was killed by a Bedouin yesterday afternoon.” Ethan kept his expression neutral. “Turns out that when the soldier was autopsied, his buddies reported that the Bedouin had claimed he was searching for his son, an Ahmed Khan. The surgeon who autopsied the soldier recognized the name, as he’d autopsied this Ahmed just the day before.”

“So? He was supposedly found dead in the desert, drugs or drink or something.”

Griffiths shook his head. “Ahmed Khan worked for the university as a guide for some years. I met him several times. He didn’t take drugs and he didn’t drink.” Griffiths leaned forward on the table. “Point is, Ahmed’s body was poisoned with something like cyanide. It was in his lungs and nearly wiped out the surgeon who autopsied him.”

Ethan reached into his pocket. From within, he produced a specimen jar with a label stuck to the outside.

“Lucy Morgan excavated several bones for DNA analysis before returning to the field, and this is one of them. Another is in Chicago’s Field Museum. No matter where you or MACE take those remains, police forces will be able to genetically match it to these bones. There’ll be no place to hide and no way for you to extricate yourself from your involvement in what is now a crime.”

Griffiths slammed a balled fist down on the table.

“MACE directed us to that site three days ago! If there’s a crime that’s been committed, then go to them with your accusations!”

“Israel and the United States won’t see it that way,” Ethan said simply.

Griffiths shook his head.

“Why would MACE abduct her? They only needed the remains, not the scientist.”

“We don’t know, but she’s being held against her will and MACE has no reason to keep her alive. The question is, Bill, what are you going to do about it?”

Griffiths still refused to look at him and Ethan made full use of his discomfort.

“Think about it. You’ve told me that you were directed to the remains by MACE. Why the hell would they have found the site and excavated the remains without informing the authorities of what they’d found or Lucy’s absence? It’s your call, Bill. Are you really the sort of guy to profit from death?”

Griffiths sighed heavily.

“If I help you, what are you planning to do?”

Ethan grinned. “Go for a jaunt with some friends.”

RECHAVIA

JERUSALEM


“They’re onto him.”

The voice was distorted by digital scrambling devices fitted to Byron Stone’s SUV. Bright sunlight from the rising dawn beamed in shafts between buildings outside and flickered through the interior of the vehicle as it cruised through the narrow streets.

“When?” Stone asked.

“Half an hour ago, two MPD detectives. They’ve tracked down Sheviz’s connection to the pastor but they’re still fishing around for something usable.”

“Patterson’s a moron,” Stone spat into the phone, “another fundamentalist who’s climbed so far up God’s ass he can’t see where he’s going anymore. The police will work it all out eventually, and when they do Patterson’s pious little fantasy will collapse.”

“We need to break the link between DC and Israel before the Bureau gets involved,” the voice cautioned. “If Patterson is investigated, he’ll sing like a canary once they threaten him with a cell and I can’t hold them off forever.”

Stone considered this for a moment. Kelvin Patterson was one of the most outspoken conservatives in all of America, making the most outrageous statements while hiding behind a thin veneer of compassionate faith. But most all such men fell victims to their own bigotry and hypocrisy: homophobic pastors found to have indulged in gay relationships, anticorruption pastors arrested for embezzlement and fraud, countless others arrested for child molestation and other unspeakable crimes. Robbed of his power and his influence, Kelvin Patterson would become the man he had always been: weak, timid, and afraid.

“Then we must prepare for the worst,” Stone said.

“Understood,” the voice replied. “What about the detectives?”

Stone gripped the phone tighter.

“They must not make a connection between MACE and Sheviz,” he said firmly. “Find a weakness and exploit it. Keep them at bay until tomorrow and all will be done.”

“I’ll do what I can. What about the boy?”

“He’s as much of a liability as the pastor,” Stone growled. “Do whatever is required.”

Stone set the phone down, and looked up to see Spencer Malik watching him expectantly.

“What’s happening?” the soldier asked.

Stone settled himself into the plush leather seat, thinking for a moment before replying.

“Change of plan. It’s time to start clearing up this mess and get on with the business of looking after ourselves.”

Malik nodded, and the Texan turned his head to watch the sun rising over Jerusalem’s Old City.

“Are the surgeon and Lucy Morgan still in position?” he asked.

“They haven’t moved,” Malik confirmed.

“Good, then we bring this to a close right now. Organize your men and have them conduct a rescue operation. Ensure that Patterson’s imbecilic surgeon suffers an unfortunate accident while you’re there.”

“I’ll take care of that personally. What’s happening in Washington?”

“Patterson’s losing control of Senator Black, but I don’t give a damn now we have a chance to close the deal on the Valkyrie drones. What about Warner?”

“He’s escaped Israel’s custody. We can’t be sure, but my guess is that he’s going to try to rescue Lucy Morgan.”

“Not if we destroy everything first,” Stone growled. “Let Warner enter the area and then have your men engage him; send Cooper and Flint to lead the defense. I want no trace left. Have the remaining Valkyrie drone launched to cover the operation, then vaporize any evidence.”

Malik nodded and climbed out as Byron sat back in his seat and ran everything through his mind one more time. As long as Malik could ensure that every loose end was destroyed and every loose tongue permanently silenced, then there was no longer anything to fear.

A shame, Byron reflected, about Lucy Morgan.





FIRST DISTRICT STATION

M STREET SW, WASHINGTON DC


Lopez stood outside the door of Captain Powell’s office and hesitated, her knuckles touching the cheap wood. She could hear the captain talking on his phone and it gave her a moment to reconsider.

Tyrell was going too far, she couldn’t deny that. There were political channels to consider, etiquette to ensure a senator’s compliance with any investigation. Tyrell’s crusade would get Lopez far deeper into the shit than she was prepared to accept, and though she’d struggled with the decision for two hours, it was time to make a stand.

Warring against her determination to avoid a catastrophic black mark against her name was a sense of loyalty to Tyrell. It felt as though she was ratting on a classmate, a stool pigeon butt kissing her way into—

“Are you coming in or are you going to stand there all goddamn day?”

Powell was off the telephone. Lopez opened the door and stepped into his office.

“What is it?” Powell demanded, surrounded by teetering mounds of paperwork.

Lopez took a deep breath.

“Tyrell is headed for Senator Isaiah Black’s offices in the District. He’s looking for help to link a pastor named Kelvin Patterson to the homicides at Potomac Gardens yesterday.”

Lopez expected Powell to spontaneously combust in fury. Instead, the captain leveled her with a somber expression.

“When did he leave?”

“A couple of hours ago, but he doesn’t have an appointment.”

Powell set his pen down.

“Let me take care of it,” he said. “I’ll head down there and have the Capitol Police pick him up before the damned fool can do any more damage.”

A weight lifted from Lopez’s shoulders at the same time as an unfamiliar self-loathing churned deep inside her.

“Tyrell wanted me to run a few checks on some of the leads we were chasing. I’m going to head down to see Larry Pitt and try to figure out what Casey Jeffs might have to do with all of—”

“You’ll do no such thing,” Powell growled, standing up behind his desk and leaning forward with his balled fists resting knuckle-down before him. “You’ve wasted enough time on this.”

“It ain’t right to leave it.”

“It’s not right,” Powell agreed, “but it’s necessary. Tyrell’s crusade’s getting in the way of the department’s work. You’ve done the right thing, Lopez. I don’t want to see your name dragged down with Lucas Tyrell’s charades.”

“He’s onto something,” Lopez said.

“Yes, he is,” Powell admitted, “but we’ve been here before. The guy can’t investigate anything without thinking it’s the work of a secret cabal of nymphomaniac vampire zombies.” Lopez shot him a curious look. “You know what I mean.”

She sighed.

“I’ve worked with him for three years and he’s never been wrong about anything. Sure, he gets big ideas about small fry but what’s the deal with that anyhow? There’s too much about this case that doesn’t fit without the players being somehow connected, and I can’t see the sense in letting it all go just ’cause Tyrell’s going off the range.”

“Off the range?” Powell repeated. “Walking into the Capitol and laying into a senator? Tyrell can’t walk around here thinking he’s DC’s fat-assed answer to Jack Bauer.”

“All the same,” she said, “I think we should keep playing his hand here and see what comes up.”

“And if you come up with nothing?” Powell challenged.

“Then all we’ll have wasted is my unpaid overtime and the world will be safe again.”

Powell sighed, grabbing his jacket and folding it over his arm.

“Just sit back from it for a couple of days then look at it afresh. Christ’s sake, Lopez, your shift ended four hours ago. Take a break, okay?”

“But the links,” Lopez said. “Maybe there’s something else behind all of this and we can—”

“The district attorney isn’t going to start handing out warrants on something as slim as correlating but obscure medical procedures. Look at what happened in Peru, people being murdered for body fat that was sold in Europe for cosmetic surgery purposes. At the same time there’s a black market for spare body parts in Asia and India, but nobody’s suggesting the two are connected.”

“Is anyone suggesting that the two are legal?”

Powell shot her a severe look over his shoulder as he turned and strode from the office.

“Go home. That’s an order, Lopez.”





WADI AL-JOZ

WEST BANK, PALESTINE

AUGUST 26


Ethan sat in silence as Bill Griffiths parked his car near the entrance to a narrow street and glanced in his rearview mirror before climbing out. Ethan followed him to the corner of the street and peered along its length.

At the opposite end of the street stood a warehouse nestled against a small grove of acacia trees that rustled gently in the morning breeze. Outside, two MACE operatives stood in their distinctive black suits and sunglasses.

“That’ll be the one then,” Ethan said quietly.

“It’s one of six buildings used by MACE to store equipment. We were ordered to bring the remains here to be packaged for shipment.” Griffiths looked about nervously. “There could be more of them. Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“It’s the only idea I’ve got left.”

“Fantastic.”

The sound of a car engine behind them caused Ethan to turn in time to see Aaron Luckov’s jeep pull up nearby. The towering Israeli climbed out and Ethan and Griffiths joined him.

“You bring everything we need?” Ethan asked him.

Aaron grinned beneath his beard, leading them to the rear of the jeep and yanking off a canvas cover. Inside lay several weapons, including a sawed-off shotgun, pistols, and two flash-bang grenades. Luckov picked up the sawed-off.

“Gentlemen, meet my good friend, Old Painless.”

Griffiths balked.

“Jesus Christ, who the hell do you think you are? Steve McQueen?”

Ethan grabbed a pistol, checking the mechanism.

“MACE is serious,” he replied evenly. “No sense in handing them the advantage.”

Griffiths looked at the pistol handed to him by Luckov.

“I’m not a soldier,” he said quietly.

“Neither am I,” Luckov replied. “Let’s get this over with.”


Rafael sat silently with his back to the wall of an alley, watching as the three men lifted their weapons from the back of the truck. Griffiths, Warner, and the big Israeli strode off toward a series of low warehouses opposite an apartment block near where Rafael sat.

He looked up at the building, at the vantage points offered by a number of the higher apartments, and settled in to wait. It would, he was sure, not be long before his quarry would arrive, especially now that the fool American was launching his own attack. Now, at last, he was fully prepared.

Quietly, Rafael pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number.





IDF NORTHERN COMMAND (PATZAN)

NEVE YAAKOV, JERUSALEM


General Benjamin Aydan sat in silence for a long moment before speaking.

“He escaped custody?”

The two Knesset Guard soldiers before him nodded, one of them speaking in clipped tones.

“He had help, at least one and probably two vehicles. We lost sight of them after he damaged our vehicle to prevent any pursuit. We were assured that he was considered low risk, sir, and unlikely to cause problems.”

General Aydan rubbed his temples wearily.

“That would not appear to be the case now, gentlemen, wouldn’t you agree?”

The two guards remained silent as General Aydan considered the case of the man before him. A former journalist, he had lost his fiancée to an insurgent abduction in Gaza. Now, he was back in Israel supporting a similarly bereaved American, Rachel Morgan, an individual for whom Aydan held considerable sympathy.

He was about to pick up his phone when it rang loudly, startling him.

“Aydan.”

“Sir, we’ve just received a call from an anonymous source revealing the whereabouts of Dr. Lucy Morgan.”

Aydan blinked in surprise.

“Veracity?”

“Likely to be genuine, sir. We’ve been unable to trace the cell from which the call was made, but it was from within two hundred meters of the alleged abductee. Sir, the problem is that it’s a privately held compound of Munitions for Advanced Combat Environments, and guarded by their private security forces.”

General Aydan felt his jaw tightening.

“Gather an assault team immediately. Privately held or not, if Dr. Morgan is there, we’re going in to find her, understood?”





The brilliant sun blazing above the Old City had risen far enough to scorch the morning air, flaring up off the stone flags of the military compound as Rachel was led to where a small IDF convoy was preparing to leave.

Lieutenant General Aydan joined her from the other side of the compound.

“We’ve had a tip-off,” Aydan said.

“From whom?”

“We don’t know but it’s evidently somebody who knows a great deal about what MACE has been up to,” Aydan said. “Clearly an insider of some kind and they’re in the West Bank. They’ve told us that Lucy is being held in a warehouse in Wadi al-Joz. You mentioned to Shiloh that Mr. Warner found explosives in the MACE camp in the Negev?”

“They were taken from us,” Rachel said. “IEDs, he called them, encased in a sort of gel.”

“Triacetone triperoxide, or so we’ve been told by the informant,” General Aydan said. “It’s been used by terrorist organizations because it’s extremely difficult to detect, can be formed at room temperature, doesn’t contain nitrogen compounds, and has an explosive force eighty percent greater than TNT.”

“Can you find them?” Rachel asked.

“MACE has a Valkyrie drone that is equipped with infrared sensors,” Aydan said quickly. “Now we know where to look, we can seize the craft and use its abilities.”

“What if Lucy’s there? If her abductors have explosives, they could … use them!” Rachel stammered. “Do we know if she’s alive yet?”

“We don’t know anything yet,” Aydan said.

“Contact the informer,” Rachel said quickly. “Offer me as a trade for Lucy.”

General Aydan looked down at Rachel for a long moment, a new respect in his eyes.

“I won’t let it come to that. Let’s concentrate on finding Lucy.” Aydan gestured to a tall, lean-looking officer who joined them. “This is Lieutenant Jerah Ash. He will be leading your team and will protect you with his life.”

Rachel looked at the officer, who seemed quiet but confident, and the general looked at her seriously.

“Ma’am, where is Ethan Warner?”

“I don’t know,” she said quickly. “He hasn’t made contact since escaping from custody. I don’t know what he’s doing but if this tip-off is correct, then he was right about MACE.”

General Aydan turned to Lieutenant Ash.

“If what I’ve heard about this Warner is true, he’s probably attempting a rescue of his own. Tell your men to watch their fire.”

Aydan hurried away toward a waiting car near the compound entrance. Lieutenant Ash turned with Rachel and clambered up into the troop transporter, taking their seats alongside soldiers loaded down with weapons, radios, and body armor.

“Put this on,” Lieutenant Ash said to her, handing her a heavy blue body-armor kit. “Just in case.”

Rachel complied, and then the vehicles started their engines amid clouds of diesel fumes before pulling out of the compound and turning north toward the West Bank.