The prime minister shifted his large body uneasily in his chair. “But I can’t tell them that we sent a team of agents to Marseilles to kill a Palestinian terrorist.”

“That’s not necessary,” Shamron said. “But any way we play our hand, the outcome is going to be bad. We have an agreement with the French not to operate on their soil without consulting them first. It’s an agreement we violate all the time, with the tacit understanding of our brethren in the French services. But a tacit understanding is one thing, and getting caught red-handed is quite another.”

“So what do I tell them?”

“I recommend staying as close to the truth as possible. We tell them that one of our agents has been abducted by a Palestinian terror cell operating out of Marseilles. We tell them the agent was in Marseilles investigating the bombing of our embassy in Rome. We tell them that we have credible evidence suggesting that Paris is going to be the target of an attack this evening at seven. Who knows? If the French sound the alarm loudly enough, it might force Khaled to postpone or cancel his attack.”

The prime minister looked at Lev. “What’s the status of the rest of the team?”

“Fidelity is out of French territorial waters, and the rest of the team members have all crossed international borders. The only one still on French soil is Gabriel.”

The prime minister punched a button on his telephone console. “Get the French president on the line. And get a translator as well. I don’t want there to be any misunderstandings.”

THE PRESIDENT OF THE French Republic was at that moment meeting with the German chancellor in the ornate Lounge of Portraits in the Élysée Palace. An aide-de-camp slipped quietly into the room and murmured a few words directly into his ear. The French leader could not hide his irritation at being interrupted by a man he loathed.

“Does it have to be now?”

“He says it’s a security matter of the highest priority.”

The president stood and looked down at his guest. “Will you excuse me, Chancellor?”

Tall and elegant in his dark suit, the Frenchman followed his aide into a private anteroom. A moment later the call was routed through.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Prime Minister. I take it this isn’t a social call?”

“No, Mr. President, it isn’t. I’m afraid I have become aware of a grave threat against your country.”

“I assume this threat is terrorist in nature?”

“It is, indeed.”

“How imminent? Weeks? Days?”

“Hours, Mr. President.”

“Hours? Why am I being told of this only now?”

“We’ve just become aware of the threat ourselves.”

“Do you know any operational details?”

“Only the time. We believe a Palestinian terror cell intends to strike at seven this evening. Paris is the most likely target, but we can’t say for certain.”