Distant shadows appeared on the monitor. They grew and took shape until Nir could make out two cars in a line. From Liora’s reports and because of the eight months of collected intel, Nir knew two more cars were in the convoy. They were just blocked by the camera’s perspective.

As the lead car slowed, Nir got a close look at the front-seat occupants. The one in the passenger seat was the head of Fakhrizadeh’s security team. That was a good sign that the doctor was actually in the procession.

The first car began its U-turn around the median, giving a clear view into the second car. It was a black Nissan Teana sedan, as they’d expected. Nir could make out the passenger first—Sadigheh Ghasemi. The camera then resolved on the driver, Sadigheh’s husband, Dr. Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.

“Father ID’d,” came Dafna’s voice. “We have a positive on Father.”

“Are you one hundred percent positive?” came a gruff male voice. Nir recognized it as that of the ramsad.

“Look at the ring,” Lahav called. “The red agate!”

On the fourth finger of the man’s left hand draped over the steering wheel was a large ring set with a bright-red stone. It was identical to the ring worn by the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. It was also a twin to the one that had remained on the severed hand used to confirm the assassination of General Qasem Soleimani.

“Mission is a go,” said the ramsad.

“Mission is a go,” Liora repeated.

“Mission is a go,” Nir announced to his team.

The next two cars also slowed and made their U-turns.

“Lead car is turning right from Firuzkuh Road onto Imam Khomeini Road. The others are following,” Liora narrated.

Three quarters of a mile up Imam Khomeini Road, their blue Nissan Zamyad sat parked on a rise by the side of the road. Nir waited with anticipation. Only one more hurdle had to be jumped.

“Term Lead, first car is accelerating and leaving the pack.”

That was it. It was at this point each trip that Fakhrizadeh’s head of security went ahead to ensure all was safe at the doctor’s house. “Esh!” sounded quietly throughout the van.

“Lahav, you’re on,” Nir said.

The analyst didn’t acknowledge his words, so intent was he on the collection of monitors. Red lines and squares were bouncing around each screen.

“Get ready, Doron,” Lahav said. Nir refrained from chiding him for not saying Term 3.

The lead car raced by the truck, and the three remaining black sedans were clearly visible. The lines and squares were slowing down. In turns, they became stationary, then broke free again.

“Steady…steady…” Lahav said.

One by one the squares on the ten monitors locked into place. When the last one stabilized, all turned green.

“Fire!” he called.