Operation Rock of Ages: Triumphant Illumination

ORA: TI Chapter 34

Chapter 34

She saw the man she thought had been following her before walking away. She gave Shachi the sign to go and then ran down the hallway. She bypassed the man 'accidently' bumping into him. She slowed down and turned to apologize. "I'm so sorry! Oh, Mr. Cohen! I almost didn't recognize you! So sorry for running into you!" Claire said. "I was on a mission to get coffee, the natives were getting restless." She laughed holding up the carafe in her hand. "What are you doing down here?"

Mr. Cohen, as the ex-Director of Mossad, was not used to being caught so easily. He was very annoyed. "I came to talk with Greg but he has been tied up. That was a nice move with the running into me like that. Nice excuse to stop me, identify me and ascertain my motives to being here. I thought you had made me following you earlier but I wasn't certain."

"So is this where you come clean and tell me you were spying on me?" Claire asked with a bit of humor.

"No, it isn't you I wanted but I overheard a soldier coming up the hall saying that there was going to be a party over at the Whites' tonight, I wanted to know who the guests were out of professional curiosity."

"Oh, really? I didn't know you were still employed as a spy, Mr. Cohen."

"I am not, but I still work for my President's best interests, Mrs. Sterling. His safety is my utmost concern. You may not believe me when I tell you that there are some things going on which you do not have a clue about. I am concerned for President Namir and his family."

"Interesting, let's go get the coffee refill and go back and have a chat. I think I will find this most interesting. I didn't think there was anything in this facility that I didn't know about," Claire said.

"I cannot be seen going in or coming out of Mariam's place. It is watched most of the time. Everyone going in and out is noted and reported to someone who is very dangerous to this facility. I don't have anything solid on him yet but I am getting there. I shouldn't be seen with you, either, but since you bumped into me it would be appropriate that we would have a small conversation," Mr. Cohen said. "Meet me in an hour in the upper garden. Please bring Mr. Namir. He will be our cover to talk. Until then, Mrs. Sterling, I will leave."

Claire shrugged and walked to the coffee area and refilled the carafe. She tried not to be obvious about it but watched the halls she walked down continuously. She should have been monitoring the activity around Mariam's place. A lot of activity and meetings happened there on the fly. A lot of the team members lived there, that could be very bad if they wanted to take hostages of the Americans. Claire needed to get more protection in this hallway. Shachi met her in the hallway because the door had been closed by someone. This was unusual and made her uncomfortable in light of the conversation she had with Mr. Cohen. She gave a sign to Shachi to be on-guard as she opened the door and made a small move to put her hand on the gun at her waist.

She entered the room quickly with Shachi at her side and closed the door quickly taking in the room and ready to duck and cover. Shachi scanned the room and seeing nothing amiss, she went and checked on her youngest charges. She wove in and out of each room afterward and came back to Claire and sat down. Meanwhile, Duncan noticed his wife's behavior and was standing, ready to fight if necessary. "Sorry, guys, a little jumpy. You would be too if you had the conversation I just had. So, who shut the door?" Claire huffed out as the adrenaline ebbed from her veins.

"Greg did it," Greg said coming in the door behind her making Claire jump and nearly punched him in the throat. Greg didn't flinch but did touch her hand reflectively to stop her move before it injured him. "Nice reflexes, Claire, but I still would have gotten you. Never keep a door to your back if you aren't holding it closed. So, what did you and Mr. Cohen have to talk about?"