Contract With God Part 48

96.

EPILOGUE.

The dark figure walked slowly on his journey back home. He had very little water, but it was enough for a man like him, who had been taught to survive under the worst conditions, and to help others survive.

He had managed to find the route through which the chosen of Yirmyahu had entered the caves over two thousand years ago. This was the darkness into which he had flung himself just before the explosion. Some of the rocks that had covered it had been blown away with the blast. It took a ray of sunlight and several hours of backbreaking effort for him to emerge into the open again.

He slept during the day wherever he found shade. He breathed only with his nose, through an improvised scarf he had made from discarded clothing.

He walked at night, resting ten minutes every hour. His face was completely covered with dust, and now as he saw the outline of the road a few hours' away, he grew increasingly conscious of the fact that his 'death' could finally provide the liberation he had been seeking all these years. He would no longer have to be a soldier of G.o.d.

His freedom would be one of two rewards he had received from this undertaking, even though he could never share either of them with anyone.

He reached into his pocket for the fragment of rock, no bigger than the palm of his hand. This was all that was left of the flat stone with which he had hit Russell in the dark. Across its surface were the profound but perfect symbols that had been etched by no human hand.

Two tears ran down his cheeks, leaving tracks in the dust that covered his face. His fingertips traced over the symbols on the stone and his lips turned them into words.

Loh Tirtzach.

Thou shall not kill.

In that instant, he asked for forgiveness.

And was forgiven.

Acknowledgements

I want to thank the following people: My parents, to whom this book is dedicated, for avoiding the bombs during the Civil War and for giving me a childhood so different from their own.

To Antonia Kerrigan, for being the best literary agent on the planet with the best team: Lola Gulias, Bernat Fiol and Victor Hurtado.

To you, the reader, for making G.o.d's Spy G.o.d's Spy, my first novel, a success in thirty-nine countries. I truly thank you.

In New York, to James Graham, my 'brother'. To Rory Hightower, Alice Nakagawa and Michael Dillman.

In Barcelona, Enrique Murillo, editor of this book, both untiring and tiring since he has one unusual virtue: he always told me the truth.

In Santiago de Compostela, Manuel Soutino, who lent his considerable understanding of engineering to descriptions of the Moses Expedition.

In Roma, Giorgio Selano for his knowledge of the catacombs.

In Milan, Patrizia Spinato, word tamer.

In Jordan, Samir Mufti, Bahjat al-Rimaui and Abdul Suheiman, who know the desert like n.o.body else and who taught me the gahwa gahwa ritual. ritual.

In Vienna, nothing would have been possible without Kurt Fischer, who provided me with information on the real butcher of Spiegelgrund, who died on 15 December of a heart attack.

And to my wife, Katuxa, and my children, Andrea and Javier, for being understanding about my trips and my schedule.

Dear reader, I don't want to end the book without requesting a favour. Go back to the beginning of these pages and reread the poem by Samuel Keen. Do it until you memorise every word. Teach it to your children; send it to your friends. Please.

1.

The original Al Qaeda manual comprises 5,000 pages in several volumes, and contains detailed information concerning operations carried out in the past by the terrorist group, as well as the correct methods for recruiting new members; training; creating cells, preparing and using explosives against military and civilian targets; a.s.sa.s.sinations with all sorts of firearms, poisons and knives; espionage and counter-espionage; and resistance to interrogation and torture. In terrorist hideouts there is always a smaller version some 180 pages long. It is strictly forbidden to take the manual out of the house and the head of the cell has orders to destroy it at any sign of danger.

2.

h.o.m.os.e.xual in Arabic.

3.

Your mother committed adultery with a monkey.

4.

International Service Liaison, link between international espionage services.

5.

Gossipy woman in Yiddish.

6.

A neurotic housewife who is obsessive about cleanliness, what others might think, and good manners in the series Desperate Housewives Desperate Housewives.

7.

Oh, merciful G.o.d, who art in Heaven, permit the souls of our friends to rest in the wings of your divine presence; in the divine heights of your purity and holiness accept the bright spirit that approaches you.

8.

Jewish Law.

9.

Blessed art thou, oh G.o.d, the Eternal, Universal Presence, who makes bread grow from the earth.