The envoy

One more excerpt of my 10th book, 'An irretrievable step.'

'So you were very busy today I've heard.' Al Azam declared as he joined their table at dinner time at their hotel.

'Oh yes but we didn't learn much, and he has already flown back to the States I guess.' Ray remarked smiling.

'What did he tell you how did he persuade you to help him?'

'He said he needed a small entourage to impress His Excellency, and he assured us that he's on a political mission. He's American isn’t he?'

'Yes he's an American Ray like you. Do you know that the American ambassador's name is Ray too?' Al Azam asked him with a chuckle and raised his glass.

'How do you toast a drink in Italy, chin chin right? Well it's good your're carrying an Italian passport Ray, because the Americans are persona non grata nowadays in our country.'

'I see, that stranger said that he's an envoy, he must have been sent directly by the American state secretary I guess? Why wasn't the American ambassador used for these negotiations?'

'Their foreign secretary Dulles treats us as if we're retarded natives. He withdrew his offer of the financial aid for the construction of the Aswan dam, and now he regrets his previous decision and has sent this envoy of his, because he doesn't trust his ambassador to our country; and apart from it the American embassy and the rest of the West European embassies are shut down, because of the Canal crisis and the invasion. Anyway Dulles was sure that the Russians wouldn't be able to help us, when he realized how wrong he is he sent us this envoy of his, but it's too late and his envoy returned to him empty handed.'

'Yes he told us all about it, in general terms of course. I don't envy him to return to his boss empty handed.' Ray added with a short laugh turning towards Bianca that sat still without uttering a word.

'You haven't helped him voluntarily have you?'

'No of course not he paid each one of us two hundred fifty dollars.' Ray told him candidly, he knew that their meetings with Meredith were monitored, and to lie to Al Azam would be a stupid mistake.

'l'll have it,' Al Azam declared resolutely. 'It's the organization money.'

'Sure Abed,' Ray hastened to reply and pulled out his wallet. 'We've become rather popular after that trip with Mr. Meredith to the foreign office; we're going to meet several reporters tomorrow for a friendly chat.'

'Very well, you may tell them the little you and everyone else knows, but don't opine what's going to happen in the near future in our country, or about our relationship with either of the world's powers.' Al Azam said while stuffing the five one hundred dollar bills in his shirt pocket.

 Haim Kadman September 2013 �" all rights reserved.