Free Disappearance by Niv Kaplan Page A

using the old coast highway to reach Ben Gurion international airport.
    Traffic was light as he approached the permanent roadblock at the entrance to the airport.  This was his final but most difficult obstacle in completing his mission.  Though it served only as an initial filter in the everlasting combat against international terrorism, Arabs were often stopped and searched for no apparent reason.
    He moved slowly behind a Volkswagen van and he could see several cars being searched.   The activity didn't seem out of the ordinary but he grew nervous, his stomach tensing, his pulse pounding in his ears.   The Volkswagen was waved through.  Suliman eased the Volvo ahead and stopped under a suspicious glare from the military policeman who aimed a blinding searchlight in his face.   The policeman walked around, studying the car both inside and out then walked over to the driver's side and motioned for Suliman to roll down his window.   He poked his head in, the nozzle of his M-16 machine gun pointed carelessly in Suliman's direction.
    "Where are you off to?" the sentry asked.
    "Picking up relatives," Suliman answered in fluent Hebrew, not wanting to divulge that he was actually flying out.
    The nozzle seemed to be inching closer.
    "Where are they coming from?" The guard persisted.
    "London," Suliman replied without hesitation.
    The military policeman shrugged and backed off, seemingly satisfied. He went back to his post and waved Suliman along.
    He found the perfect parking spot at the corner of the lot, away from the main terminal and its beaming lights.  He took his bag, checked to make sure he had his tickets and passport then left the girl's hair pin and earring underneath the back seat spraying some of her perfume around before locking the car and disposing of the keys and perfume bottle in a nearby trash can.
    By midnight he was on an Air France Airbus destined for Paris.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER 5
     
    Captain Gabi Gadot was among the first to reach the scene.
    He was in the area, on his way back home to Haifa from the weekly regional briefing with his staff, when he received the urgent distress call over the police radio.   He responded instantly.  Turning on his flashing lights and sirens, he roared down to the gas station where he found a bewildered Mikki Dotan, sitting on the pavement by the service bay next to his car with Raffi, the gas station attendant, rambling on incoherently.
    More police cars and army vehicles arrived by the minute.  He went straight to work taking control, barking orders left and right, sealing the entire gas station off with yellow tape and police officers.  No one was to enter without his approval. Convinced things were under control he then pulled Mikki into his car and locked the doors.  Calmly and methodically he began to question the youth, trying to determine what had transpired and how to proceed.
    He learned that Mikki and his American companion, Karen Glass, had pulled into the Delek gas station at around five that evening and were met by Raffi, the station manager. Apparently, Mikki was out of cash and wanted to use the kibbutz gas credit to refuel the car.  Raffi objected pointing out that Kibbutz Geffen was late on its payments and that he was instructed to deny any further use of credit.  Mikki had asked to call his dad, Abe Dotan, the kibbutz's treasurer, to have him reassure Raffi that the bills will be paid. Raffi agreed and together they went into the station to use the phone.
    Karen had stayed in the car.
    It took some convincing before Raffi gave in and when they came out she was gone.  Mikki thought he heard a car pull up but  couldn't  be  sure,  being  too  involved  in  the  heated argument over the credit status to notice.
    The gas station had two service bays.   One could easily be seen from within the station through a large window; the other, where Mikki had parked, was concealed, off to the side. Mikki estimated they were