Pandora's grave

“Do that, director. If your men are still in Iran by tomorrow night, I’ll send in a Pave Low. Not until then. Good-bye.”

7:27 P.M. Eastern Time

CIA Headquarters

Langley, Virginia

David Lay hung up the phone, sighing heavily. He had held out hope until the last moment. Now Harry’s team was stranded, on their way to an extraction zone, to wait for help that wasn’t coming anytime soon. LZ Oscar hadn’t been selected with defense in mind. He reached over and picked up the phone.

“Any progress on the photo, Carter?”

The analyst sounded tired. As well he might be. He was going on hour thirteen. “I’m kinda working on overload here, boss. I shot the photo over to Monique Devonne. She’s been the head of photoanalysis ever since I transferred to ClandOps, so that’s her territory.”

“I thought I had Kranemeyer tell you to keep this operation under wraps.”

“I understand, director. She doesn’t need to know where the photo came from, so I didn’t tell her. And she can get you your answer.”

Lay shook his head. “Let’s pray to God you’re right. By the looks of that photo, if the Iranians start spreading that around, we’re all in a world of pain.”

“Right.” The analyst was no longer listening to him. “I’ve got a couple of vehicles moving down the mountain road into the base camp. Looks like a Chinese make, probably some of the trucks Iran imported last year.”

“Chinese trucks?”

“Part payment for oil, boss. It’s the way they’re playing the game.”

“Understood. Let me know when you have any more intelligence.”

“Sorenson’s breathing down my neck to release that satellite. I told him to give us a few more hours, I want it there when the helo extracts our field team.”

“There’ll be no helo,” Lay stated flatly.

“What?”

“JSOC says there’s not enough time before daylight.”

“You’re going to let Nichols keep moving toward the LZ?”

Lay glanced at the computer in front of him, at the satellite image of the destroyed Iranian base camp. “You have any better ideas?”

5:38 A.M. Local Time

The RAHAB helicopter

“We’ll be in Israel in fifteen minutes,” Yossi announced, returning from the cockpit. He sat down beside Gideon. “Mossad wants us to start the debrief on the way in. The Prime Minister is after them for actionable intelligence and after pulling your dossier, they realized you had the experience.”

Gideon nodded silently, worry in his eyes as he glanced over at the man they had recovered. This was hardly his first hostage rescue. He had conducted many of them with the Sayeret Matkal over the years. But Dr. Tal was not acting like any of the people he had rescued in that time. Their emotions tended to range from euphoria to disbelief, joy mingling with tears. Fear too was often a factor.

There was nothing here. The helicopter was darkened, but in the glow of the red emergency lights, Gideon could see the archaeologist’s face. The expression there was sullen, resentful-angry was the word that came unbidden to his mind.

He moved over and sat down directly across from Dr. Tal. “We’ll be back home in less than thirty minutes, doctor. Your control at Mossad ordered me to debrief you. They want to know as much about the Iranians’ plans as possible. As soon as possible.”

“I will tell you nothing,” Moshe replied, avoiding eye contact with the lieutenant.

“I understand your hesitancy to talk, doctor, but I can put you on the radio with Avi ben Shoham within minutes. I have his authorization to debrief you.”

Gideon half-rose from his seat. “Do you want to speak with General Shoham?”

“No.”

“Then, let’s start the debrief. How did all this begin with the Iranians, Dr. Tal?”

The archaeologist looked away. Gideon waited a moment, then repeated the question.

“I will tell you nothing.”

“Okay, I’ll call the general,” Gideon said finally, rising.

“It will do you no good,” Tal said, his words arresting the lieutenant. “I will tell him nothing either.”

Worry flickered through Gideon’s eyes. This man was a trained operative of the Mossad. He had only been in captivity a few days. Stockholm syndrome couldn’t have set in yet-could it have? He sat back down, determined to handle the situation as delicately as possible. “Why, Dr. Tal?”

Moshe lifted his head slowly, looking the young lieutenant in the eye for the first time. “You abandoned my team…”

5:56 A.M. Tehran Time

LZ OSCAR

It took the team just under an hour and a half to reach the secondary extraction zone, their progress slowed by the archaeologists. Harry had provided rear security for the entire trip, his AK trained on their backtrail. There was no one there, not yet. There would be. Soon enough.

He knew the moment they reached OSCAR that something had gone wrong. They were behind schedule. The pick-up helo should have already arrived. It should have been waiting for them.