Nir started moving toward the door. “I’m heading to the ramsad’s office. By the time I get there, I want at least one location texted to my phone. And, ladies, I want enough satellite photos of the place that it kills my phone’s storage.” Halting before he stepped into the hallway, he added, “And, Lahav, when I get back here, you’re going to tell me everything I ever need to know about suitcase nukes.”

He walked out without waiting for a response. Slipping his phone out of his pocket, he said, “Call Efraim mobile.”

“Calling Efraim mobile,” his phone responded.

After one ring, he heard, “Nir, ma nishma?”

“What’s up is that I’m on my way to the ramsad’s office, and I think you ought to join me.”

He could hear a desk chair rolling back and hitting something. “Slow down. Let me meet you first so you can fill me in.”

“No time.”

“Achi, what is going on? Can you at least tell me on the way to his office?”

“Not over the phone. Meet me there.”

He ended the call because there really was no time to talk. He had to strategize how to overcome one major obstacle if he was to get in to see Ira Katz immediately, and her name was Malka Bieler. Over the last 20 years, the Mossad had seen three ramsads, but only one ramsad’s executive assistant. To get past her and into the chief’s office, you either needed an appointment, an act of the Knesset, or some firepower greater than your standard military-grade rifle.

Nir had none of these at the present time.

He stopped at the entrance to Malka’s office. Through her open door, he could see the pathway to the ramsad.

“Want me to distract her so you can make a run for it?”

Nir jumped. Efraim stood behind him.

“It will never work. There’s one of her and only two of us. We’re hopelessly outnumbered.”

Just then the door to the ramsad’s office opened, and the man himself stepped out. He was holding a file folder.

“Ramsad!” Nir called out, rushing through the open doorway. “I must speak with you.”

With remarkable speed for her age, Malka was on her feet blocking Nir from reaching the head of the Mossad. “Excuse me, young man. I don’t know what you think this place is, but I can assure you it’s not a rock concert or a playground.”

Nir was so taken aback by the two incongruous and out-of-context comparisons that he lost his train of thought.

Efraim jumped in. “I’m so sorry, ramsad. I’m not sure what this is about, but I do know barging in unannounced is not typical Nir behavior. It must be important.”