Free The Council of Ten by Jon Land

Elliana knew many men had perished from his hand. One did not get to be Mossad chief and remain there without first proving himself in the field.
    “You look tired,” Isser said, pulling back.
    “It was a long trip.”
    “The fatigue I see has little to do with the trip. Come, let’s sit.”
    He beckoned to a pair of chairs set against a side wall of the room safely away from the window. Men in Isser’s position learned fast to avoid windows. The room itself was simply furnished. A pair of desks, assorted chairs, two computer terminals presently switched off—just the necessities.
    Isser spoke as soon as they were both seated. “You’ve been irregular with filing of reports.”
    “It’s been difficult,” Ellie told him. “I’ve been undercover much of the time, watched constantly. Going to a drop point would have proven too dangerous.”
    He hesitated. “You know why I called you here, don’t you?”
    “I … suspect.”
    “I must recall you, Ellie,” he said with regret in his voice. “Your current operation can no longer be sanctioned.”
    “But why?”
    “Because we have seen no results, no evidence that merits continuation.”
    “We had an agreement, Isser.”
    “Yes, five years ago I gave you permission to do whatever was necessary to find the murderers of your husband. And now five years of time and wasted expense have yielded nothing.”
    “Not five years, Isser. The first four I worked on this only off and on. Just during the past year have I devoted myself fully, and at last I’m getting close. I’m certain of it this time.”
    “Ellie—”
    “No, wait, just listen. I’ve met with people. There’s finally evidence of stirring. I have a meet set up in Prague that—
    “Ellie,” Isser broke in patiently, “you are one of our finest field agents and certainly our most valuable woman. Your exploits are legend at the academy. No one is more respected for outstanding work in the field. We can no longer afford to spare you on such a wild goose chase. You are needed far more elsewhere. Israel’s very existence is at stake. Qaddaffi has lost what little mind he once possessed. The peace process has broken down, leading Jordan and Syria closer together. We need your expertise at work on projects more directly related to state security.”
    “Precisely why you should allow me to remain on my present assignment. The Council of Ten poses a greater threat to state security than any of those posed by the crumbling peace process.”
    “The Council of Ten,” Isser muttered. “Five years of pursuit and all you have gained is the shadowy title that you started with.”
    “More than just a title, also an aim. Global hegemony, Isser. That’s what the Council’s after and they won’t stop until they’ve got it. David must have found out about them. That’s why they killed him.”
    Isser’s eyes scolded her. “Time tends to make the memory selective, Ellie. David had just resigned from the cabinet to save face. He was not a man with many friends, within Israel or without. The list of suspects, well …” Isser finished his remarks with a shrug.
    “But his papers mention the Council.”
    “In a code only you have been able to break.”
    “Based on an ancient language from the time of Alexander. The Council was Alexander’s concept, a manifest plan to conquer the world and divide it into ten separate regions, each ruled by a district governor. All together they would determine policy under Alexander as a council of ten.”
    Isser shook his head slowly. “Five years of field work and all you can give me is a history lesson.”
    Ellie had never felt more helpless. How could she convince Isser that the Council of Ten had been reborn in the modern day, that her husband David had caught on to them and been killed in a fiery plane crash as a result? She had no proof. In truth, years of pursuit had gained only leads that went nowhere and connections that were severed at every turn. David had