other-side-of-deception-victor-ostrovsky

It was almost midnight when I pulled into my parking stall under myapartment building in Herzelia. As I locked the car, I heard someonecalling from inside the storage room, "Victor."I stepped back."Don't be alarmed, I'm here to pick you up and take you to ameeting."I tried to see who was talking to me, but all I could discern was adark figure leaning on the wall inside the storage room. I reached overand flicked the switch to turn on the light. I wasn't surprised when itdidn't work. "Who are you?""Only a messenger. I can't answer any of your questions, but youhave nothing to worry about. . . ." He stopped talking for a minute,listening to something through a receiver he had in his ear. "Like Isaid," he went on, "you've got nothing to worry about. You weren'tfollowed on your way here. Except for myself, there was no surveillanceon this building either." He opened the screen door and steppedout closer to me. "Shall we go?""Is this some sort of joke?""Believe me, it's no joke. Look, if we wanted to harm you, wecould have done it even before your meeting with Arbel, okay?"Nobody outside the Mossad could have said what this man justdid. I could feel adrenaline rush into my system. Deep inside, I hopedthe Mossad was calling me hack."There's a black Lancia parked across the street. Get in the backseat. They'll take you to the meeting.""Why can't I take my car?""Don't worry, they'll bring you hack.""Okay, but first I need to tell my wife I'm going. She'll be worriedif she sees my car and I'm not around."&'As long as it doesn't take too long."GbLook"-I was ready to get mad at anything at thar point-"it,-;I1 rake as long as it takes. You on the other hand can go back intolittle room over there and lay an egg as far as I'm concerned.""Sorry, go ahead. We'll wait for you, but please make it fast,okay?"His tone sounded much better; for a moment there I thought I'dfoulld the face I was supposed to slug that day.I rang the intercom. "Yes?" Bella's voice sounded tired."It's me.""Aren't you coming up?""I will in a while. Some people from the Office were waiting forme here. We're going for a short ride. I'm okay."*'You don't sound okay. Are you sure you should go?""Ic's nothing to worry about.""Why don't they come up? I'll make some coffee."'.I don't think that would work. They're waiting. I have to go. I'llbe back soon. Don't worr)i everything's fine." She didn't answer. Iknew she'd given up. No other woman would have put up with me aslong as Bella had. I loved her but at the same time found it very difficultto show her that. Telling her was easy enough; showing her wassomething else again. I stood there, staring at the silent black intercom.I wanted to run upstairs, hold her in my arms, and show herhow much I loved her. Instead, I turned and headed for the car.As I settled into the front seat of the man's car, I ielt nothing. Itwas what we'd call operational numbness. You have a small pain inthe base of your chest, more like a slight discomfort. That's your personalfeelings. They're compressed into a small controilable zone, yourso-called tragedy spot, while your consciousness is in receiving mode,pumped up and ready to take in information that will decide how youshould react.It was as if I had awakened from a dream and then, while stillawake, stepped back into it. At this stage, there could be only twooptions: either they wanted me hack, or they were going to have a"talk" with me. By "talk," I mean straighten me out so that Iwouldn't start something thar could damage the Mossad.After a ten-minute drive, we came to a stop behind an abandonedwarehouse in the industrial area of Herzelia. A car was parked by thebuilding. I spotted two men seated in it when our car shone its lightson them momentarily. "They're waiting for you over there," said thedriver, not turning his head.I got out and headed for the parked car. One man was now stand-