Chosen (25 page)

D
espite exhortations from Ridge, Khalil, and Sam to quit while she was ahead, Alexana pushed forward with the dig, feeling enthralled by every inch of cavern the team unearthed. Nothing equaled the discovery of the column inscription, but over the following two weeks, the grand entryway became easier to visualize with each stone that was removed from the site.

They had cleared the rubble entirely away from both the Double Gate and Triple Gate stairways—seventy meters apart—as well as from the caverns that connected them. Their work was nearly complete. Alexana stood with Sam just inside the Double Gate, under two pairs of domes that were made of stone and ornately carved with unique floral designs and geometric motifs.

She pointed, her face alight in wonder, and explained the significance of the discovery to Ridge as Steve filmed. “The unique decoration you see above us is a fine example of how Herodian craftsmen adapted Roman decorative styles while conforming to Jewish law, which forbade the representation of human or animal figures.

“Outside, the gate was probably pretty plain—there is no evidence of ornate lintels or a frieze—but that made it all the more spectacular for pilgrims as they entered. This,” she gestured upward
again, “was a sign of the grandeur that awaited them in the Temple above.”

Outside the Haram, an entirely new problem gained momentum. As word of the column inscription sped around the world, thousands of Christian pilgrims flooded the city, eager to be among the first to witness such a holy sight. Their presence put both Jew and Muslim on the defensive. Suddenly a new segment of Jerusalem society clamored to lay claim to the Temple Mount.

Within hours, PLO demonstrators had returned, waving Palestinian flags that prior to the peace agreement had been banned. Christians thronged together, singing and shouting demands for entry to Solomon’s Stables. Many were ill and believed that one look at the inscription might bring them healing. Jews, worried that Christians might thwart their own agenda for the Temple Mount, also demonstrated, demanding that the Mount be given back to them.

Israeli and Palestinian soldiers managed to beat the crowds back and finally even caused them to disperse. But when Alexana climbed the long ramp at the end of the day, her team was tensely waiting for her in a half circle. Quietly, Steve filmed the event like a documentary. But Sana did not see him or even Ridge. She was concentrating on her brother. And his face said it all.

“We’re quitting?” she asked quietly, fighting to keep accusation from her voice.

“Yes, Sana.” Sam spoke with regret, but also with conviction. “It’s time. It might even be too late. We need to get out, let things settle down, and allow Eban and al Azeh to figure out how they’ll manage
this new aspect of the Haram. Our discovery has made things much more complicated.”

“Complicated, but wonderful.”

“Yes! Yes! You know we’re all delighted with the find. But we have weeks of journaling, mapping, cataloguing to do. Let’s end the digging. Gain some time to get the protests and anger under control. We’ll finish the paperwork and get out.”

“But if we—”

Ridge interrupted her with a single gesture. He motioned toward a tiny monitor on some recording equipment beside him. “I think you’ve been down below so much you’ve missed the heat of the crowds.” He pressed the Play button and studied her face as she watched.

Even on a tiny five-inch-square screen, Alexana could see evidence of the anger and frustration that had arisen once again among the people. Steve had caught shot after shot of closeups, bringing the message home.

“Twelve were rushed to the hospital today,” Sam said quietly. “There will be more tomorrow. And more the next day. If you don’t call it quits, al Azeh and Eban will. It would be better if the order came from you.”

Alexana wanted to nod in agreement but stopped herself.
There is too much to see … If we could just gain a few more feet in either direction …

“I’ll think about it,” she said in dismissal. She looked around defensively. “I will! Give me at least two more days,” she said, her tone pleading. “Just two more. We’ve not even been in for the two months we planned on. It’s only been six weeks!”

She looked around at the faces of her team members, some pensive, some stricken. Only Jerome seemed to have no visible opinion. She focused on him as she struggled to regain control. “Haidar, tell the digging team that their work is done in two days. Ridge, I trust you can make it public knowledge? That should help alleviate tensions.” She did not wait for his response. “Sam, our paperwork will be done within three weeks.” She raised her head, daring any of them to defy her authority.

“I hope you know what you’re doing, Alexana,” Sam said, shaking his head. “I have a very bad feeling about this.”

Sam paced, feeling edgy from a lack of sleep and his sister’s decision to move on. He was further irritated that she still had not arrived. He had given Abu Khadim the go-ahead to start their teams without her and thought longingly of the bed he had dragged himself from early that morning.

An hour later Alexana still had not arrived. When Ridge entered the courtyard on the excavation side of the El Aksa Mosque, Sam hurried over to him. “She’s not with you?” he demanded without preamble.

Ridge looked flustered. “No. She’s not here yet?”

The two men stared at each other, fighting a growing fear. Sam looked around and spotted the Mossad chief. He ran toward him with Ridge at his heels.

The man narrowed his eyes as the big, blond man rushed toward him. Automatically the Mossad chief reached for his side arm.

“Call your men!” Sam demanded.

“What?”

“Call them! The men with Dr. Roarke! Call them!” Ridge yelled.

Seeing the genuine fear in the men’s eyes, the soldier pulled out his cellular phone. Dialing a number from memory, he waited. No one answered.

Ridge closed his eyes and prayed under his breath, “Dear God. Please, God. No. Please be with Alexana. Please let her be safe.”

He opened his eyes, swallowed hard, and leveled his gaze at the soldier. “Call your men outside the house.”

The man nodded once, hit an automatic dial button, and waited.

Again, there was no answer.

The safe house had been discovered.

To Ridge, the events that followed flashed past like a series of fast-forward and slow-motion video shots. Sam called an immediate stop to the dig and oversaw the crew’s exit under heavy guard. Within minutes, Mossad agents stormed the safe house and found the guards dead. Alexana was gone.

Wanting to be where he could be reached the fastest, Ridge accompanied Steve to CNN’s Middle East headquarters. While he waited for Sam to arrive to discuss their next move, Ridge helped his partner edit and file their report, working in a stupor.

A call from a local source interrupted his vigil an hour later. Approximately seventy men—heavily armed and apparently backed by Hamas—had stormed the Temple Mount and seized control from the more moderate Muslims. They blocked any further access to Jews or Christians. Even Muslim worship in the holy mosques was temporarily banned. Jewish faithful dared not approach the Wailing Wall for fear of being shot by snipers high above.

“Ridge, come on!” Steve yelled from across the room. “We’re gonna get scooped! Come on!”

Ridge managed to jog over to him, his feet feeling like lead. “I think you had better team up with someone else for this one, Steve. My mind is on Alexana. Sam’s coming any minute. I can’t think straight, let alone report accurately.”

“Come on!” Steve insisted. “It’s after midnight! By the time I get someone out of bed, the story will be over. Over, man!”

Years of professional training kicked in, sending a new wave of adrenaline through Ridge’s body. The ever-present threat of getting scooped sent his legs into motion when his heart begged him to stay put.

“All right, man!” Steve praised. “Don’t worry. They’ll know where to find you if word comes in about Alexana.”

Ridge stopped at the receptionist’s desk and glowered at the young woman in consternation. “Tell Samuel Roarke where I am. And I don’t care what it takes; if word about Alexana Roarke comes in, get me a message right away. Call me, page me, run there yourself if you have to! Got it?”

“Ridge, leave her alone! Come on!” Steve pleaded.

“Got it?” Ridge shouted, ignoring the cameraman.

“Got it,” the receptionist managed weakly.

Shehab ignored her soft moan and cursed the bright full moon that rose high above. This was not the ideal night to storm the Haram, but they’d had little choice. He kicked the unconscious woman before him, cloaked in the same black cloth worn by all his men. She had pushed them to this.

He had not wanted to disobey Khalil, but their leader had
proven to have no backbone when it came to the Roarkes. In order to save the Haram, the pride of all faithful Palestinians, Shehab knew he had to act. Fortunately, his work over the last months had provided him with a solid, if small, army of men willing to defect from Hamas and act for the good of them all.

It had been surprisingly easy to take the woman. Two of his men had been lost in the kidnapping, but none of the Mossad slime were left to tell who had taken her. No one would find her. Shehab allowed himself a tight-lipped smile. Control felt good. This was where Allah wanted him. He was certain of it.

The woman moaned again, and Shehab reached down to yank off the hood that covered her face. She winced as he took several thick locks of hair with it.

Raising her head slowly, she sat up and looked at the east side of the El Aksa Mosque. “Why am I here?” she dared to ask.

But Shehab jammed the butt of his rifle into her shoulder, breaking her clavicle and sending her back into blessed unconsciousness.

B
y morning every available employee was at CNN headquarters, reporting on events at the Haram. All phone lines were busy. The fax machines spewed urgent messages. Computers buzzed. Keyboards clicked. People seemed to be climbing all over each other, in places sitting three to a desk.

Ridge and Steve made their way through the throng to file their latest report. From across the melee, Jack shouted and waved them into his office. They closed the door behind them, thankful to be able to shut out the greatest portion of the noise.

“Tell me what you’ve got in a hundred words or less,” Jack demanded.

“We’ve basically got the beginnings of World War III on our hands over this, Jack,” Ridge began, his voice heavy with weariness.
Alexana. Dear God, please be with her. Alexana, where are you?

“Ridge! McIntyre! Stay with me! This is a lousy time for a nap! Tell me
exactly
what’s going on!”

Ridge squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them wide, willing himself to concentrate.

“Two days ago, Dr. Alexana Roarke’s team discussed ending active digging and moving forward only on the paperwork. Their thought was that it might help appease the masses outside and bring
some measure of calm to Jerusalem. But Alexana wanted to go on. Just two more days, she said. We aired a clip, telling the world that the end of the excavation was at least near. I had hoped …” His voice trailed off.

Could that clip have sealed her fate? They had shown her disagreeing with the team, urging them on for a while longer. Could her disappearance be Ridge’s fault? He felt queasy.

His boss swore as Ridge again drifted off into his own thoughts. “McIntyre!
McIntyre!
”

“That’s it, Steve,” Ridge mumbled. “We made a mistake airing that footage yesterday. We didn’t help Alexana. We set her up. The bad guys heard all about it and decided they couldn’t trust her any longer.”

“Hamas?” Steve asked.

“That wouldn’t make sense. I saw Khalil not too long ago. I think it might be my old contact Shehab with some renegade, fanatical troops he mustered up.”

“More maniacal than normal Hamas?” Jack asked.

“Afraid so, boss,” Steve said.

Ridge covered his face with his hands and thought about Sam. His expression of pure panic the night before had unnerved Ridge all the more. His head pounded, and his eyes swam before him. He took a deep breath and continued. “We’re looking at major consequences,” he said. “So far, the prime minister has received threats of repercussions from Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon. If Israeli troops storm the Haram and take it back, there will certainly be some sort of international response.”

“What if they send in Palestinian troops? Wouldn’t Chairman Arafat agree to the wisdom of that?”

“We’ve been trying to reach his office all day. Hopefully, that will be the answer to this chaos.”

Shehab directed the soldiers to spread out and guard the entire section of the Haram south of the Dome of the Rock. He could not hope to protect the second, beautiful jewel of a mosque with his limited resources. Besides, with the houses that physically bordered the Haram’s northwestern side, there were too many opportunities for ambush. He needed to position himself beyond the long, clear sections that could not be taken without a suicidal rush. By waiting at the southern end, his men could pick off anyone who dared to attack. It was at this location that the holy mosque was in the gravest danger.

He dragged Alexana along the ramp down to the bottom of the dig site. Although she was conscious once again, she was unable to see as they descended into darkness. She followed her captor helplessly, too weak to protest. Two men carrying lanterns followed. As they reached bottom, another hurried over to a jackhammer.

Shehab dumped Alexana at the base of the steps. She gave a fleeting thought to the beggar who had once walked there.
Dear God, be with me. Hear me …

“Dr. Roarke!” Shehab shouted back to the limp woman on the ground. His voice echoed in the cavernous stables. “You made a grave mistake by coming here and desecrating the holy mosque’s foundations.”