Salvation - 55. Chapter 54

“Tell them I’ll be there in a moment. Sorry guys, I have to go.”

“We don’t” I looked at Alex, he laughed.

I dried with a towel as I went to my office to answer the phone. It was Alex’s dad,

“Carleton, I called to alert you to a possible problem for you. Someone in Israel saw you with the Sultan’s son. You remember he was with one of the Sultan’s ministers who was found in a river, and the body of the son was never found. He thinks you may have him in retaliation to what he said at the UN meeting. I’m sending four more security people to you.”

“Make sure they are half brothers.” That told Alex’s dad I knew a little more.

“They are” then he hung up.

Mo came in, “Sal and I received a call just now. What’s up?”

“We are getting four more security personnel. I need to set up a bivouac for them.”

“You have space in your garage. I’ll get Sal and build a place for security if that is okay.”

“No problem, get what you need and start as soon as possible.”

I showered, dressed, and went to find Nour. He was in the library reading. I wanted to check his hair. It needed bleached again; his contacts were still good as I order several sets, his skins getting darker as he was spending more time outside. I needed Sal, and I went looking for him.

“I found him in his room with Mo, “I need to talk to both of you. Nour needs a new bleach job, and he needs to be darker than he already is but not all over. Think of him sunbathing. When his dad shows up, he won’t be recognized. Now check the boys and find one close to his size and age. He’ll be the bluff. If we are successful except for the eyes, hair, and degree of tan, they will be twins.”

“When is he coming?”

“I don’t know, so we need to start now.”

“I also need to have Nour teach all of the boys the greeting one would use when greeting his father.”

Now I needed to talk to Nour.

He left my office, drying his tears but at the same time enjoying the plan. He went at it enthusiastically. All of the boys pitched in; after all, he was their brother. Nour taught them more than a greeting. He taught them how to say I am fine, thanks for asking, how are you, how do you like America. And any other non-committal phrases. One phrase they all had to learn, the answer to, have you seen my son. I expected him to ask that in Arabic to trick them up. The answers varied, what does he looked like, is he tall or short, typical questions one would ask but by asking, you would indicate that you don’t know.

The four additional security guards arrived three days later. Mo knew them, which helped me get over the fear of infiltration by the Sultan’s men. Mo took them and showed them where they would be staying. I didn’t see it, but Sal said I’d be proud. It was a way lot better than anything they had in Europe.

Sal didn’t tell me that four more would be showing up, of which Jim was one of them.

I talked to Alex about these men, “Alex, I don’t want to give the impression of a prison camp, isn’t there some other way these men can dress that makes them look like normal people?”

“We could dress them like ground keepers, house painters, or guests.”

“You’re making fun of me. I don’t like that. If you think my ideas are screwy, have the balls to say so. With the guard shack and fence, it is beginning to look like a military installation.”

“I apologize. I just think you are making too much about this visit. I’ll ask Mo and Sal what they recommend.”

“Alex, I can’t lose one of these boys, not one. If that Sultan even looks crossed eye at my boys, I’ll see that he has an accident in the air. I need coffee.”