CHAPTER 2
THIS IS WHAT WE DO
Nimrod and his trusted lieutenant Yoav Hoffman can guess how Amit feels. They knew from their own experiences in earlier years what is was like to be alone in a strange country and city, while having to pretend to be something other than what they really were.
One day they may have to pretend to be a businessman, the next a lowly worker, the next a journalist, the next they may be required to play the part of a naïve tourist or naïve student abroad. What made it worse is the fact it could happen without any prior warning.
A friendly stranger who just happens to have a conversation with you can suddenly seem very threatening.
So they determined to visit Amit early this morning, mainly to put her mind at ease, not because there was any big danger or emergency. At exactly ten o’clock they ring the doorbell to let her know they are coming in, wait twenty seconds then Nimrod puts his key in the lock and they enter the house together, all three of them had keys as well as two other individuals.
They were not supposed to stay in the house with a female unless the specific task required then to be posing as a young couple together. “Hope we gave you enough warning, we did not want to catch you in a compromising state of undress,” they laugh. She stares back blankly at them. Amit is not a morning person, she had not slept well, she was not in the mood for jokes.
“Some very bad news for you we are afraid.” Now she was alarmed, “your new friend is a very dangerous MI5 agent he has been tasked to take you down! It looks like your career is over we will send you back to Israel as soon as possible.”
She is now terrified, she tries to think of any mistakes she has made in the last few months, anything at all that would have exposed what she really was. She wanted to cry but she did not want to cry in front of her superiors especially male ones.
All she could think of was the fact she would be blamed for blowing an operation and she would spend the rest of her career in front of a typewriter in some Tel Aviv office or someplace worse.
Then the mood changed, the two men started to laugh uproariously, “Wise up , Amit, relax, we are only joking everything is OK, as a matter of fact everything is very much OK”
Amit started to laugh as well, Nimrod tousled her hair and she began to feel as if she was having fun with her brothers, she felt so relieved and relaxed.
Your new friend is exactly who he says he is but he may not be what he seems to be. She looked puzzled. “We have an important task for you.” He looked at her very seriously when he said this.
“Our sources, unofficial ones of course have implied this guy could be quite useful to us. We would like you to catch him for us!” She looked alarmed, “Don’t worry you don’t have to sleep with him or anything, he is not that useful or important,” they all laughed. “Just get friendly with him, you don’t have to rush anything, just be your natural friendly self ask what he does, start a little conversation, then a little longer conversation just get friendly. You could even ask him to teach you to play chess.” She fumed at the thought.
First, you must get your other task done, you understand what you have to do tomorrow? She nodded. “How will you dress? ” Yoav asked. “Like a young career girl, personal secretary type of clothing. Not much make up. I will wear an engagement ring and of course carry the very feminine briefcase.”
“What is your story if you are caught with the two British passports in your briefcase?” Yoav now quizzed.
“I am holding them in safekeeping for two friends and forgot to take them out of my briefcase, my two friends are working away from home up in Scotland and they ask me to mind some stuff for them, the passports were among the things they asked me to mind. I forgot to take them out of my briefcase. Then I just stand there and look like a silly little girl and hope they believe me.”
“Don’t worry” intervened Nimrod, “You are not on any suspects list, you will look just like a young professional woman going about her business and no one will pay any attention to you. You must bring us back some nice presents from Paris” he smiled. “We well leave you to it now, we have business to attend to, and just think you have the whole day free! We will see you when you get back.”
Wednesday 19th September 1984
Amit flew to Paris the next day and took the passports to the destination she was supposed to. A grocery shop in the “le Marais” district. She just walked in bought some groceries, waited until there was no one at the counter then set the package on the counter when paying for the groceries after that she walked out. The man in his sixties behind the counter looked at the package, smiled and then nodded his head at her. She paid for the groceries and walked out, there was no conversation at all between them. It looked exactly like an every day a small grocery store transaction, just the way it was supposed to seem.
In Paris there was another house she went there and lay down. There was not much for her to do, she had to fly back to London the next day. She put on a music tape to relax.
Then the thoughts started. She could not help wondering who the man in the grocery store was. He seemed just like a normal business owner, a harmless and helpful grandfather type but in her world things sometimes were never as they seemed. He could be the executioner of dozens of people, he may be going to use the passports for some terrible deed.
Then on the other hand he may be just a harmless elderly man who simply kept the passports for someone else to pickup. She would probably never know one way or the other, she also realised she must stop trying to think in this fashion. She was determined she was only going to concentrate on her part of the task, get it over with, and move on to the next task. Most of all she knew never to ask Nimrod or Yoav or anyone else what was going on. Just one curious question could possibly end her career immediately.
Thursday 20th September 1984
While on the flight back to London she could not help thinking how long she would spend in jail if she had been caught ferrying false British passports. She determined in her mind to ask Nimrod about this when she returned to London. It seemed a viable question, after all she was not really asking what the mission was about just what the consequences would be for her if her part went wrong.
Arriving at Heathrow airport she started to feel nervous, she had not felt this way in Paris, she started examining all the passengers who were disembarking with her. Then it all felt so futile as she realised it would be impossible to spot anyone following her or watching her. They can take on any personality or any style of dress, they can be any size shape or form. It is not like the movies were secret agents are all tall, handsome and six foot three. Even the females who could possibly be watching her could be anything from a seeming mother with two kids to a seeming senile OAP.
She passed through passport control and customs without anyone taking the slightest notice of her, immediately caught the train to central London and went to the usual house in Chapel Side just of Moscow Road.
Later in the day Nimrod phoned, “How did your trip go? Any problems?” No, everything went fine, she was glad to hear Nimrod’s voice he sounded so friendly and confident. “Good!” he said, we will meet tomorrow in the park at 2.00 pm and have a little stroll, see you tomorrow, by the way did you bring us any presents back? “
She was shocked by the ordinariness of the question, “No” she groaned, “I completely forgot, I am so sorry!“ He laughed loudly and the call ended.
“How is she?” asked Yoav. “She sounds fine,” Nimrod replied, “she is very talented and very bright, she could have a very brilliant career ahead of her but we will not be telling her that, we do not want her to get carried away with herself!”
Amit knew a stroll in the park meant she was going to be briefed about something, she felt good knowing Nimrod showed trust in her, she could not wait to hear what he had to say. She just hoped it was not instructions to take another letter, document or passport to some other part of the world were she would end up staying in some empty flat, where all she had to do was kill time until she took the next flight back to London. She was tired of that routine.
Friday 21st September 1984
Amit was in Hyde park at one o’clock Friday 21st, she loved the park, especially on beautiful sunny days. She wandered along the paths haphazardly then set down for a while she knew the spot were she would be meeting Nimrod and Yoav.
She liked Yoav because he seemed so helpful to her, he usually spoke quietly and always seems so calm. She was also aware his great talent was being ordinary, he could go anywhere and not be noticed, he could fit into any background. He could fit in among a bunch of rich businessmen at the Dorchester Hotel one night, then fit right in with a bunch of down and outs under a railway bridge the next.
Amit secretly coveted to learn this gift but she felt she was to junior at the moment to ask Yoav how he had acquired this skill.
She liked Nimrod too but she knew he was always the type of person who would stand out in a crowd. A very confident and dominating personality. She thought it was fascinating how all these different types of characters and individuals could be made into various teams who could work together. They all had different talents and weaknesses but they all needed each other to function well.
She stopped day dreaming and looked at her watch then headed to Speaker’s corner were she would meet her colleagues.
Nimrod arrived at exactly 2.00pm, punctuality was one of his strong points. “Where is Yoav?” she asked, “He is busy her boss told her.” “You are starting to develop the bad habit of asking questions Amit!” he laughed as he said it, she laughed too, she was very pleased because she had the impression he was no longer patronising her, he was treating her as an equal.
“What direction would you like take?” asked Nimrod, “Oh, I will leave it to you, I have been wandering about in this park for a while, I love it here!” “Good” he said, “we will head down towards Queensway then, lets go.
This man you came across, the one we discussed before your trip, we would like you to try and get to know him.
He is from Northern Ireland, he is a British citizen, he can travel anywhere in then world on a British passport. He can also obtain an Irish passport and travel on it." She listened and waited for him to continue.
We have been given a tip there is intelligence files which indicate he has certain gifts which could be useful to us, you do not need to worry about those files though. He has a business in Ealing, a small electrical repair shop, the shop did dabble in electronics as well, possibly still does. You do not need to know any more than this.
You know the first thing to do don’t you?”
“Of course, get his signature!,” she smiled.
“You know how to get it don’t you?” Nimrod interjected.
“Yes, of course, I put on my innocent abroad act and get him to sign my new friend`s page in my Filofax !”
“Good,” Nimrod said loudly, “I am sure we can leave the rest up to you. He usually calls into the King’s Head on a Monday night, you can wait in the house and Yoav will let you know when he arrives. You can then dazzle him and us with your undoubted talents,” they both laughed loudly.
“So, Amit you are now free until Monday night, why don’t you enjoy the sights of London?
Yoav will meet you Monday, and go over the whole thing again, now you go and relax until Monday.” They parted company in separate directions. Amit smiled to herself, she looked forward to a few days of freedom.
Suddenly she started to speculate in her mind again, “I wonder if Nimrod is now of to brief someone else to be doing the same thing I will be doing, I wonder if he is briefing a dozen females to be doing what I will be doing???????”
Then she came to her senses and said to herself, “I have to stop thinking like this, I really must concentrate only on what I have to do!”
Monday 24th September 1984
One of Amit`s task was to take care of the housework. She really enjoyed this, she always put on her music, her favourite at this time was Shalamar, “Baby I can make you feel good” and did a bit if work then rested then started again, she is going through this routine when Yoav enters. She knew beforehand he would be here at 2.00pm she is not doing this to impress Yoav with her diligence.
At 2.00pm Yoav Hoffman rings the bell waits for 20 seconds then enters, she looks down the hall and greets him smilingly, “Hi Yoav I am busy doing the housework.”
“I knew you were, I could hear your Shalamar music halfway down the street,” they both laugh loudly she turns of the music.
“All set for tonight Amit?” Yoav laughingly inquires “Yep, Nimrod told me what is required the other day.”
"Just one thing to add," Yoav tells her, “This guy you are targeting, he comes from a background were many people are naturally sympathetic to Israel, you may not have to push things to hard.
When you go into the bar, go up to the counter and order a Pernod, OK”
She says “OK.” Amit does not drink and does not realise it is a sort of practical joke.
She assumes it must be a signal to some individual in the bar who is secretly shepherding her.
“Just before you say anything else Yoav, please do not ask me what I will be wearing, I know exactly what to wear, after all I am a woman!” He laughs heartily at this.
"Ok, when the guy arrives I will send the kid up to tell you it is time to go to work, wait 5 minutes then come down, OK?” “Yes” she says.
“I will leave you to it, we will probably meet up again tomorrow,” She embraces Yoav and he leaves.
Amit turns the music on again and relaxes she has lost interest in the housework. She looks at the time, and thinks I will take a lovely long bath, then I will make myself look beautiful to men.
Amit knew she was very attractive and had a good figure but she generally did not wear overtly provocative clothing unless it was for a specific task. Tonight was one of those specific tasks she thought to herself.
Yoav Hoffman bring a young man named Joel Lipman with him who had just arrived in London four weeks previously. They are dressed like many of the backpackers who are frequently seen in the Queensway area on a daily basis. They arrive at 6.00pm sit down at one of the King’s Head bar’s outside tables. Then Yoav goes into the bar and orders two cokes, his real task is to check the bar to make sure Craney has not arrived unusually early. He checks the toilets as well
Yoav comes out of the bar with the two cokes and sits down beside his young accomplice, it looks exactly like a normal Moscow Road scene. They are alone, it would not have mattered if strangers had joined them Hoffman could talk about any subject with anyone and still carry out his task without anyone realising what is going on. He just had this mysterious ability.
He engages his companion in small talk, “How have you enjoyed your last four weeks in London Joel? Have you met any nice girls?“
Joel says, “I have met one or two, been to the movies twice a week, went to a couple of Chelsea matches but mostly I have been in my hotel room watching TV. I was told to wait until Nimrod contacted me, he called last night and told me to meet you at Queensway tube station and told me to make sure I was dressed like backpacker. I have never been in this area before, I never realised it was such a busy place!”
Yoav is talking and listening to all this while watching for Craney at the same time. The young man does not even realise Yoav is watching for someone.
At 6.20pm Yoav spots Craney coming up the street he instructs his young accomplice to go to a certain house in Chapel Side. “Ring the bell and when the young woman opens the door, tell her, it is time to go to work, then come straight back here. Leave your backpack here, it will be safe with me.“
The young man obediently departs and rings the bell of the said house. Amit opens the door,
Joel’s eyes widen and his mouth falls open, she is beautiful to his sight. “It is time to go to work,” he says.
Amit says “Thanks” and closes the door.
She starts to giggle at the young man’s reaction when he saw her, then she stops as she realises she must report the details to Yoav the next day, it is clear the young man can be easily distracted by an attractive girl.
The young man returns and sits down beside Yoav, “Who is she?” he asks, “You do not need to know who she is” replies Yoav making a black mark against the kid in his mind.
After the appointed five minutes Amit confidently leaves the house and walks down toward the bar. She walks by the outside table where Yoav and the young man sit. Yoav appears oblivious to her but the young guy stares after her. Another black mental mark is made against him in Yoav`s head.
Amit duly enters in the King`s Head wearing eye catching skin-tight jeans but none of the chess players who are playing notice her. The ones who are not playing definitely do.
After giving Amit time to settle down in a seat Yoav gives the young man the money and tells him to buy two Shandies. The young guy orders the Shandies but while he is waiting for them he keeps staring over at Amit. Hoffman is watching him through the window, another black mark.
Tomorrow Nimrod will ask him about the young man’s attitude, Yoav will reply he thinks he would be better off in an inside office job.
When Joel comes back with the two Shandies, Yoav states, “When we finish these Shandies our job is done. I am going down to book into the Regent Palace hotel for the night, what are your plans Joel?”
Joel is very surprised, “I thought we would be hanging about here for a while? Is that it, is it all done?”
“Yep” replies Yoav tersely, “don’t be coming back here tonight, go to the movies or something, Nimrod will contact you again soon.” The two men left together getting the same tube to Piccadilly Circus.
Amit finds a seat where she can observe her target, he is unaware of her presence so far. His game finishes and he gets up from the table she acts instantly and approaches him. Amit taps him on the shoulder from behind when he turns around she says, “Please excuse me, could you do me a favour? Will you come and sit with me? I do not like being alone in a bar. It is only until my cousin arrives.”
“OK” smiles Craney and he goes with her to her table.
He notes she is drinking Pernod and says, “A young girl alone in a bar drinking Pernod will not be alone for too long, you would soon get plenty of company without asking!”
"Why is that?" She asks with a truly puzzled look on her face. “Oh, it is an old British custom, true gentlemen will usually look after a lonely girl who is drinking Pernod”
“I did not know that, I have learned something tonight,” she is very pleased about this newly acquired knowledge!
When the two sit down Amit retrieves a Filofax from her bag and reaches it to Craney. “I always get new friends to write down their names in my Filo, would you write your name please.
Craney quickly signed her Filofax, she took it back and started writing telling him, “I will fill in the location and date we met.”
As she puts the Filofax back into her bag she asks Craney, “Do you live in London or are you here on holiday?”
“I am living here at the minute, out in Ealing. I am not from London.” “Where are you from, Ireland?” Amit inquires doing her best to look really interested.
“No, I am from Northern Ireland,” is the stern response.”
“It is all Ireland to me,” smiles Amit, “It is like the UK, I just think of it all as England.”
Craney frowns at the girl, “The UK is made up of four countries, England, Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland plus the Isle of Man and Channel Islands.”
Amit shakes her head, “It is all to complicated for me, it is four countries but it is one country, I do not understand this, I like simple explanations.”
He retorts, “What is so difficult to understand? Israel is one country but it is made up of 13 tribes, you understand that don’t you, what is the difference?”
Amit looks at Craney seriously, “Most people say Israel is made up of 12 tribes yet you say 13?" She pauses for a few seconds looking at the man then goes on, “My parents say my family is descended from King David,” and thinks to herself it is now time to move the conversation on.
“Probably everyone in Israel likes to think they are descended from King David!” Craney laughs.
She now directs the conversation in another direction “How do you come to be here? Have you been here long?”
Craney looks thoughtful and starts to answer her questions.
“I have been here for about three years. My cousin owned an electrical repair shop and he also sold electronic equipment. He was busy and asked me if I would like to come over and help him out. He let me live in the flat above the shop for free which is quite a bonus when you consider London rented accommodation.
He had been in the RAF and gained his electrical and electronic skills there. So I came over to see what it was liked and stayed for a while.
Amit butted in, “Where you in the military as well?”
“No” was the reply but nearly every family in the UK has a military connection of some sort. My cousin’s father had joined the RAF in WW2 so he was following in his father’s footsteps.
“Is your cousin from Northern Ireland too?” Amit asks another question.
“No he was English, though when I come to think of it I believe he was actually born in Singapore when his father was stationed there. However he looked and spoke and acted like an Englishman even though he had lived in Northern Ireland for a while.”
“So, let me get this straight,” Amit said an a very serious manner. “You are from Northern Ireland and you have English relatives, right?”
Craney nods, “Lots of people in the UK are intermingled. Englishmen marry Irish girls or Scots girls or Welsh girls or vice versa.”
“What is vice versa?” the girl puzzles. “It means the other way round” the man laughs.
“Does your cousin play chess?” Amit asks another question. “No, he is dead, he died from cancer about 18 months ago. His wife had no interest in the business, so she asked me if I want to but it. I did so because it would benefit me and benefit her.
My cousin was very popular, he had a good personality, like his father, a larger than life figure, I am still friendly with many of his friends. Though the business did fall away a bit when he died.”
“So, are you rich she eagerly asks?”
“No, I am not rich but I have a great deal of independence because I work for myself.”
“What about you, where are you from?” Craney now turns the conversation tables.
Amit says “I am from Haifa.”
Craney quickly replies "I thought you said you were from Netanya?"
She feels panic and turns slightly red, rapidly she replies, “Oh, I was born in Haifa my family then moved to Netanya.” She is starting to feel amazed at how quickly she can come up with an instant lie!
She was not born in Haifa, she was not from Netanya and her name was not even Amit Kershner but she was never going to tell Craney this. She then starts to think this is fun being able to manipulate people this way.
“How come you are here Amit?“ Craney continues to question her.
“Oh, my relatives live here in Queensway, just up in Chapel Side. They are in Israel at the minute so I can stay in the house and mind it. Plus I get a nice free holiday out of the deal.”
“I suppose you have done your military service?” she is further asked.
“Yes, I have but it was not really military, I was in army but I was just doing secretarial work. Now I am preparing to go to University, this is my holiday before I begin my studies.”
“Oh is that related to the book you were reading the other night? The one I thought was about drugs?” Craney remembers.
“Yes, exactly,” the girl smilingly replies.
At this point Nimrod arrives at the table. Amit greets Nimrod with an embrace and introduces Craney to him.
Amit excitedly tells Nimrod about her newly acquired knowledge of British customs relating to Pernod and lonely females. He laughs out loud and says to Craney, “You can easily tell my cousin is an innocent abroad!”
She smiles though she has no idea what the two men are laughing about.
“David, try and guess what Nimrod does for a living, what do you think of him? Amit teases.
Craney looks studiously at Nimrod and starts to speculate “He is about about 32, he looks fit and athletic has probably been in the Israeli military. He is dressed you like a fairly prosperous businessman, I would guess he is a “security consultant of some kind.”
Nimrod and Amit both laugh, “Wrong,” she says, “He is a businessman he owns a small printing firm.”
“Nice” is Craney`s reply.
Craney looks over at the chess tables and sees a fellow chess player gesture to him to come and play, he says to Nimrod and Amit, “Now you have some company I will get back to the chess, I have just been challenged. Amit looks at Nimrod, Craney`s intended abrupt departure surprised her.
However Nimrod was well prepared, “We have a spare ticket for the theatre Saturday night, would you like it? A friend was supposed to go but he cannot make it, you can have the ticket for free”
“The theatre, what is it about?” Craney wants to know. Nimrod pulls the ticket out of his coat pocket saying, "It is a new play called, `The Rat In The Skull,` a few friends have recommended it. Why don’t you join us?”
Craney takes the ticket and looks at it, “Never heard of this,” he occasionally checked the theatre listings to see if anything which interested him was on. “Thanks very much for the ticket and invitation.”
“We will meet you outside the theatre on Saturday night then” Nimrod nods. Craney smiles saying, “Yes, I will look forward to it, I really must go now, my opponent is getting impatient.”
They watch him go over to the chess board and immediately start laughing with the man who gestured him over, the two men talk animatedly as they play but Nimrod and Amit cannot hear their conversation.
Amit admiringly looks at Nimrod declaring, “You handled that brilliantly, I never expected the theatre ticket invitation, now we have a nice Saturday evening to look forward to!”
He seems to think of everything was the thought in her mind.
“What makes you think you are going Amit?” Nimrod quickly retorts, she tuts and shakes her head in an exaggerated display of frustration.
After Craney leaves their company, Nimrod finishes his drink and he and Amit leave the bar, he walks up the street with her smiling to himself.
She notices this and it encourages her to say, “That all went well didn’t ?” He agrees, “It went very well, do you know what the secret of the success was?”
“What was it?” asks Amit eagerly, expecting to hear him say “the theatre tickets.”
It was the Pernod Nimrod sombrely says, Amit looks puzzled then states “The Old British custom you mean?”
“I need to tell you something Amit. Pernod is a drink which is viewed as a something which makes females sexually vulnerable, that is why Brit males are always eager to help out a girl they know is drinking Pernod. They will even be happy to buy it for you, all night if necessary!” Nimrod whispers all this information to her.
She looks shocked, “I thought it was a signal to a secret shepherd in the bar! So Yoav was playing a big trick on me! I will get even for that!”
Nimrod laughs heartily, “We will be calling for one of your beautiful dinners about 5:30, 6;00pm tomorrow night, I am sure you will take your chance then!"
“Just you wait and see!” she says as she storms of up the street toward the house.
“You are forgetting something Amit!” she stopped and looked round with a puzzled look, “The Filofax, you for got to give me the Filofax.”
Amit sheepishly retraces her steps and hands the Filofax containing Craney`s signature to Nimrod, then walks of without saying a word.
Nimrod laughs and says “Goodnight, sleep well,” he then sets of to his Marylebone apartment in George street.
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