Free Covenant by Dean Crawford Page B

could be concealed anywhere out there in the deserts.”
    “We do not have the manpower to search for her there,” Rok said.
    “What about the excavation site Lucy was working on? That could harbor some clues. Could we visit it?” Ethan suggested.
    Cutler was about to answer, but a gruff reply came from behind them.
    “That will not be possible.”
    Ethan turned in his seat to see a man with severely cropped brown hair, dressed in khaki combat fatigues and a dark-blue beret. Rok stood as the soldier strode into the room and stopped at the opposite end of the table.
    “This is Spencer Malik, head of security at Munitions for Advanced Combat Environments—MACE. He is responsible for security in the area where Lucy disappeared.”
    Malik nodded curtly but remained silent. Ethan glanced at Malik’s stubbled jaw and defensively folded arms. He looked more like a mercenary than a trained soldier.
    “Why can’t we go to Lucy’s dig site?” Ethan asked.
    Malik met Ethan’s gaze, the rest of his body remaining as still as though carved from rock.
    “The Israeli Air Force is conducting low-level flight training operations from Ramon Air Base in the Negev Desert. Dr. Morgan’s excavation site is within the training area near Masada, and off-limits to civilians.”
    “I thought that the area around Masada was used as a tourist destination?”
    Malik nodded. “The Masada complex lies outside of the practice range, which is concentrated in the canyons to the west, but sometimes the aircraft have to fly overhead at low level.”
    “Lucy found something before she disappeared,” Ethan pressed. “It could be relevant to the reason why she was abducted.”
    Malik shook his head.
    “Not until the exercise is over in three weeks’ time.”
    “The area could have been pulverized by Israeli bombs by then,” Ethan pointed out.
    “Such is the price,” Malik replied, “of living and working in a country oppressed by terrorism. We cannot delay our work over one missing foreigner who knew damned well that she shouldn’t have been there.”
    “What about Gaza?” Ethan insisted. “I have friends there. If you can arrange visas, then we could travel into the Strip and ask around for—”
    “That also will not be possible,” Malik cut in with an insincere smile. “Gaza is too dangerous and it would not be politically prudent for us to request a search within the territory.”
    Ethan turned to look at Rok, who shook his head.
    “We can’t allow you access to the Gazan territories without risking further abductions or political repercussions from their leadership. I’m sorry we can’t help you further.”
    Ethan felt a lance of anger pierce his guts.
    “You’re not helping, you’re hindering. Lucy’s been missing for over forty-eight hours and we’re running out of time for political niceties. If you’re right and her abductors are trying to affect the peace process, then Lucy only has twenty-four hours to live. Are you willing to act or not?”
    The air in the room suddenly felt thick and heavy. Rok set his glass down and stood up, peering at Rachel over the bridge of his nose.
    “We will continue to try to resolve this tragedy, but I must ask that for security’s sake you do not inform the media of your daughter’s disappearance.”
    Rachel appealed quickly to Ambassador Cutler as Shiloh Rok turned and left the room.
    “If anything is heard, you will let me know as soon as possible?”
    “Of course,” Cutler promised.
    Ethan watched as two young men in smart suits with cropped hair and a military bearing appeared in the doorway and Spencer Malik gestured to them.
    “Agents Cooper and Flint here will act as your escort. Obey them at all times. They are here to protect you.”
    With that, Malik turned and left the room.
    “Brilliant work,” Rachel snapped at Ethan.
    “We’re wasting our time,” Ethan said, gesturing to where Rok had been sitting. “He was never going to help us.”
    “How the hell do