Haled

An excerpt of the thriller THE DEATH SCIENCES.

Haled

The Death Sciences

An excerpt

 ‘Meet Haled,’ Abu-naeef said raising his hand and touching Haled's arm lightly, to stress his faith in him.  ‘Haled has served me as early as any other veteran in my group, since my first days as a group leader. No need to question his integrity or loyalty, I know him too well �" just as every other member of our group does. Now Haled says he witnessed a meeting between you and an Israeli agent in broad daylight last Friday. What have you got to say about that?’

The odds are against me! Samir realized it already, it wasn't just some kind of a test, they were passing him through; he could have believed in such a possibility, adapt such an illusion �" if that mocking hyena with his ugly face wasn't present there... He saw his face on the other side of the street, that mocking face �" I’ve a crucial dilemma to solve! He thought desperately.

‘I haven't met with an Israeli agent!’  He said at last, with much effort, forcing the words out of his mouth.

Haled broke out in a loud contemptuous laugh, that pierced Samir’s brain with such pain, that no other physical torment could have caused him. He was terribly humiliated and felt helpless and weak. He was ready to do anything, they didn’t have to torture him �" all they had to do, was to rid him off that ugly brute that was laughing in his face...      

‘I see.’ said Abu-naeef as soon as Haled's disgusting notes died out. ’You did meet someone on that day, besides Karim �" some friend of yours?’

Samir lifted his eyes to Abu-naeef's face. There’s still some hope… That rough peasant isn't a fool, he is a shrewd wild beast �" but if he isn't after my blood for some reasons I can't understand yet or know. There’s still some hope in persuading him that I’m innocent… ‘I was accosted by someone and got rid of him right away! He's a Jew I don't deny it, but he knew me and did identify me on that day �" it’s just a stroke of bad luck…’       

‘Bad luck indeed!!!’ Roared Abu-naeef laughing before Samir could end the sentence, while every one of them except him joined their chief in a fit of nervous laughter; astounding Samir in their eagerness, to fence him out �" to betray him... to cast him out of their midst.                

‘That's enough I say!!! Shouted Abu-naeef, and rising up he circled his desk �" and sat on its edge between it and Samir rather close to Samir and said: ‘that's quite intriguing that fairy tale of yours!’ He remarked and turning to Haled he asked: ‘what did he call him, Shaoul, didn't he?  We have some names of that origin, like Ibrahim or Moussa �" but Shaoul must be an innovation!’  

They are laughing again, bending forward holding their hips, having the best time of their life...!  Samir thought embittered and despaired.

 ‘All right spit it out! Abu-naeef said as soon as they all calmed down. ‘You're supposed to be bright, so let's have it straight �" and don't force us to mess up this nice place, with your blood, and the rest of the liquids of your body!’             ‘I'm a graduate of the Hebrew university and that Jew that identified me last Friday, studied with me for four long years.’

‘Well, that's quite reasonable.’ Abu-naeef remarked with earnestness that has almost beguiled him. ‘Why did he call you Shaoul, it isn't your name after all, you aren't a Jew though you do resemble one very much! Are you an Arab or a Jew, let's get that straight first of all!’               

‘I'm an Arab!’ Answered him Samir with restraint, he knew he had enough faults to provoke any of them, without raising his little finger �" a Jewish face, good looks, a brilliant mind, enough to make them hate him out of jealousy alone �" and he was in their hands…

‘What were you doing at their university, haven't we got universities of our own?’                          

 ‘I had a scholarship, and I couldn't study international law anywhere else.’

‘How could you get their scholarship, aren't you a Palestinian? Don't tell me you carried an identity card of theirs…?’

Are they that ignorant or is it just his line of interrogation? He wondered. Is it all they really know about me?  Are they pros or just a bunch of amateurs...? Samir thought before replying. ‘I did carry such an identity card, I’m a native of Sylowan, and my village was annexed to the juridical district of Jerusalem after the occupation.’

‘I see, it does seem reasonable enough.’ Abu-naeef noted again. ‘Now about that Jewish name, didn't that Jew know you're an Arab?’

‘He suggested that name, we shared a room near the university’s campus; in this name he introduced me to the landlady. They don't accept Arab tenants.’   

Although he was tied to his seat with Abu-naeef's broad frame towering menacingly above him �" Samir was beginning to believe in persuading his chief and the rest of the group members that were present there, of his innocence.

But Abu-naeef wasn't interested in his life story, or in his adventures at the university. ’What brought you to us? How did you join the organization?’ He demanded. 

‘I wasn't supposed to become a regular member of the organization, I'd an academic career to pursue, and then devout my life to our cause. Having graduated I planned to work and save some money... I wanted to carry on my studies for a second degree, abroad.  But I was asked to meet some senior member of the organization…’

‘Who asked you and who arranged it?’ Abu-naeef asked him interrupting him in mid sentence.

’ Valid, he was the head of my cell at the campus.’

‘Is he a Palestinian?’

‘Well ouhumm he's a native of Kalanswa.’

‘A native of the Zionist state,' Abu-naeef retorted.

‘But he's an Arab...!’ Protested Samir heatedly, opposing the barrage of incriminating insinuations

‘Just as you claim to be an Arab...!’ His chief answered him.

The beast is exposing its fangs! Samir thought alarmed. I'd better not comment on every of Abu-naeef's remarks, just answer his questions as calmly as possible.

‘How was that meeting fixed, how did you get to that senior member?’

‘I met him at the ‘Orient tavern’, a small restaurant in the Muslim district.’                                     

‘So you knew who he was then?’

‘No, he identified me and called me up.’

‘Did he, has he called you by some name?’

‘No, no, he summoned me with a sign, he stood up, extended his arms and called out twice welcome �" that was the sign to identify him.’

‘Aha, that's very interesting indeed!’ Remarked Abu-naeef amused turning his eyes from one member of his group to another, feigning approval.

‘And then what?’                   

‘We exchanged greetings as if I was a relative of his, had coffee and I went on, according to my instructions �" made a roundabout tour of some fifteen minutes, and met him again in an apartment.’  

‘I see, yes, go on!’                                         

‘I was asked to give him an oral report, and I did �" it dealt with my rector; and then due to some recent mishaps as I was to understand, he said I was chosen and asked to give my share to the organization. I was instructed to slay my rector the next morning.’

Abu-naeef cleared his throat loudly, slightly embarrassed. ‘So we were told... But how did you get to us that's what I'd like to know?’

‘Through Egypt…’

‘What, just a moment, how did you get to Egypt?’ Inquired Abu-naeef wth a hint of surprise.

’Ask him the senior member's name...’ whispered Kassem to his chief.

‘What name? Oh yes, you didn't tell us whom you have met!’ He said, turning back to Samir �" as if he were on the verge of some discovery.

‘I wasn't told his name and he didn't introduce himself.’

Silence ensued, while Abu-naeef was exchanging meaningful glances with his senior members.

’All right we'll turn back to it, in due time.’ He muttered at last. ’How were you sneaked out from that spot right after having slayed that Jew?’                     

‘A cab picked me up, I was told to reach a certain spot on foot and a cab with Israeli license plates, appeared and whisked me out of the area.’

‘Go on!’ Abu-naeef ordered him impatiently, with growing excitement.   

‘They were two of them, a driver and a young female, who was supposed to be my newly-wed wife... We were on our way to Tabba, to spend there our honeymoon �" that was our cover story. We left the cab at the border, and rode to the hotel with its minibus; well that's about it, our next stop was Cairo.’

‘How long did you stay at the hotel in Tabba?’

‘Just one week.’

‘Just one week! A whole cursed week!’ Abu-naeef echoed right after him, raising his voice angrily. ‘A whole week some two minutes ride off the Israeli border?’ He was now shouting at the top of his voice. Standing with brisk and sudden movement up he moved forward and bending down, leaning with his hands on Samir tied arms �" he went on shouting in his face: ’You bumped off a senile old man, a thorn in their eyes �" to pave your way into our organization... These aren't our ways... the man you met is a senior Mossad member or a Shabac member...  and that honeymoon ride is a stinking lie! You're a Jew spy!’

The next instant he was slapping Samir with both his hands, back and forth half a dozen times...! Standing up over Samir with a heaving chest, furious, mad with anger, a distorted face and bulging eyes �" he went on shouting: ‘Confess!!! Confess you're a Jew dog!!!’

‘I'M AN ARAB I SWEAR, I'M AN ARAB!’ Samir shouted back desperately, trying to rise and tear himself away from his seat.                     

‘Confess you're a Jew, ‘calb ibn el calb!!!’ (dog son of a dog!!!). He went on shouting and grabbing an iron wrought ashtray off the desk �" he hit Samir with it on top of his skull �" cracking it like an egg shell; and again he brought it flying into Samir's face, crashing in Samir's nose and hitting the upper left side of his face.

© Haim Kadman 1991 �" all rights reserved.

www.freado.com/book/16998/the-death-sciences       

Reviews

[MoriartyMesa]

A little Tom Clancy, but it jumped around a bit.

[Haim Kadman]

Thanks for the "generous" compliment.