Free Sandstorm by Alan L. Lee

be forced to give up his location. The two men exchanged a heart-felt hug. As a youngster, Yadin remembered the numerous occasions that Yosef Ezra had been a visitor in the family’s home, a dear friend of his father’s. It was Ezra his beloved mother had reached out to in a plea to protect him.
    “You look tired, Nathan,” Ezra said, a well-placed hand gently nudging him forward as they began to stroll.
    Yadin didn’t try to hide his discomfort. “Washington was draining.”
    “But successful,” Ezra confirmed. “The woman was resourceful, a credible threat to our success. You did well.”
    Ezra knew the words would comfort his former protégé. He had become a perfectionist, a man who took pride in getting results. This was not the same playful, joyous child he’d first encountered in the Yadin household, the apple of his father’s eye. Instead, the events that shaped his life had produced a calculating, meticulous, distrusting and all-too-deadly man. The perfect weapon for Mossad. At first, Ezra had his doubts. A near-fatal stab wound had forced Nathan to miss his father’s funeral. That alone would crush the spirit of any youngster who’d worshipped his father, let alone watched him die. When Ezra met him again years later at the request of his mother, Nathan had grown into quite the young man, possessing qualities that reminded Ezra of his father. But he was no longer fun-loving, that much was evident from the very beginning. He was distant and seemingly unconcerned about the danger he was in for killing two prominent Hamas members. Ezra had sat with him until the wee hours of the morning. There was something special about the young man. Ezra had presented him with three options. He could flee the country and start over elsewhere in the world. Or, like his father, he could join the Israeli defense forces and opt for a career there. His college studies had already given him exempt status from mandatory service in the military, but surely, it was much too dangerous to return to collegiate life. Nathan had accepted the third option. That was when it had been revealed to him that Ezra served as a high-ranking official for Mossad. No guarantees were given, but based on their lengthy conversation, Ezra had told Nathan he thought a rewarding career was there for the taking. In the long run, both had come to understand that the right choice was made.
    “The next and most important phase is progressing on time,” Ezra said now. “The shipment is in transit. Your studies are up to date?”
    Yadin chuckled. “Do you really want to hear a lecture on how enriched uranium can form the core of a nuclear bomb?”
    Ezra returned a smile. “Perhaps some other time.” He came to rest at a spot that offered an excellent view of the Seine and the brilliant lights of Paris across it. “As we draw closer, my concern is that we have never asked you to do anything of this magnitude. There are so many variables. Any one of which could fail.”
    “I trust you’ve done your homework as well, Yosef. The world is filled with danger, and the potential of this particular threat can no longer be ignored or accepted. While we strive for peace, we cannot let our guard down against the wolves howling at the gates.”
    “As you know, there will only be a shell of support available to you. Everything must fall into place.”
    “You’re the master planner.”
    “Even I am capable of overlooking something. We’ve launched this effort on so many fronts. There is support from the West, but not fully.”
    “Have faith, Yosef. You’ve dedicated years of planning to this operation. And was it not you who taught me to always expect the unexpected?”

 
    CHAPTER 13
    Alex was knocking back drinks like it was happy hour, but there was definitely nothing to celebrate. He had thought he’d be on his way to Chicago to see his parents, having said a final good-bye to Nora, dismissing her paranoia in the process. Instead, her mind was probably