If I had a best friend who kept wondering why I gave him any kind of attention, I’d show her his smile. I think she’d understand, then. If she were a true friend, she’d understand. Then I’d ask her to explain it to me, because I’m thirty-seven, with more history than future—in all of the best ways.
“You can touch the right one, but not now.”
“When?”
“In nine months,” I said in a teacher’s tone of voice.
“Why? Is your leg pregnant?”
“What do you mean? Do they look fat to you?”
“Did I say that?”
“No.”
“So, why are you putting words in my mouth? Anyway, they probably both woke up—your legs, I mean—said good morning to each other, exchanged sleepy, contented looks, then grew that little bit fatter from enjoying the other’s beauty.”
“Quite possibly,” I replied as I chewed one of the most disgusting biscuits I’d ever had the displeasure of eating. He was such a master. “When do we start there, Eran?”
“In ten days. The Australian National Ballet company is performing in the Sydney Opera House . You’ll be there, not far from our special lady. You’ve got a saved seat, don’t worry. You’ll be right in her line of sight. I’ve examined dozens of these kinds of events she’s attended and noticed how she usually looks in a specific direction. You know, each person has some ingrained habits. Like, people who are lying usually look down and to the left. Check it and you’ll see I’m right. It’s true for most cases, though not all. Probably around ninety percent. The other ten percent actually know that fact—so, next time you need to lie to me, keep it in mind.”
“Why would I lie to you?”
“You once told me that if I wouldn’t organize you jobs… what was it? Let me think… you wouldn’t look at me twice, was it? Remember?”
“I fail to see the connection.”
“See? Don’t look down and to the left, Noa. Anyway, you’ll be meeting her regardless at the end of the function. You’re a part of a faction of Greenpeace that’s working on saving the dolphins. That’s your cover. The prime minister has an excessive affection to those highly intelligent animals. She worked at a water park as a kid and it grew from there. You’ll have to pick it up from that. I hardly need to teach you the job. You don’t have a second chance at the first impression, though. It’s not like you shop at the same supermarket…
“You’ve got a suite in a hotel not far from there, and Timothy made sure the bodyguards know she can stay at yours for a while. We’ll be visiting the suite. You’ll be able to orient yourself. There’ll be two guns in the safe with full clips. One will be with a silencer. Only for emergencies.
“There are also three safehouses, one next to the opera house, one next to the hotel, and one next to the airport. Here are the keys. The red one is for the one next to the opera house, the black for the one next to the hotel.”
“And the third?” I asked and opened my inner coat pocket’s zipper.
“I’ve got the third,” he said. “I’ll be waiting in the flat next to the airport. Get there after succeeding. This is your key to a peaceful life.
“Now, remember, the whole suite is under constant video surveillance from every angle, including the mirror. If you can make it happen—without putting yourself in danger because she’s no idiot—while everything is going on… try and have her look in the mirror. If she’s hot for you, then we’ll have a great picture of her. If it were me, I’d let you tape me even if I knew. I’d tell myself I’d handle the consequences after. I still am—twenty years later.”
“Sixteen,” I corrected
“I counted,” he replied with a smile. “It’s from the ‘Gashash,’ don’t you know it?”
***
“Nothing, nothing, it’s a joke, Noa. Sixteen years…. Sixteen years. Give-or-take. What are you planning on doing with the money?”
“I make my plans in stages,” I answered. A child, I was not. “But I’m planning on giving some peace of mind to my whole family.”
“So, you’ll only carry on giving me hell, I see.”
“I’ll do and give you anything you ask. Hell, peace, noise, quiet… what would you prefer today? During the rest of the flight, say?”
“I prefer having you, first of all. Let’s start with that. Sound-wise, you can be drums, I’ll be the guitar. Drums on their own are simply noise—add a guitar or three and you have some serious rock and roll. But, if you even look at another guitar, or suddenly fancy a bass or something, I’ll break your pelvis like I did in Amsterdam.”
“Can you break it not like in Amsterdam?”
After a question like that, and having it paired with the look I knew for a fact no one could resist… well. The Australian prime minister should watch out.
Chapter Ten
“Please fasten your seatbelts,” came the flight attendant’s voice through the loudspeakers.
Finally. I thought I would lose my mind.
The metal monster had already started its decent toward the Kingsford Smith Airport and I could just about make out the blue bay. If I remembered accurately, I could be at the hotel in no more than an hour.
“Pass me that—ow!” Somehow, I managed to hit both my elbows, right where it made those awful currents shoot through your whole body. It wasn’t awfully painful, but for that moment the currents rushed through you—it was almost like an electric shock. Our whole body works through those electrical brain signals. There was also something about different balancing of minerals, but I can’t really remember.
Eran loves salty things. Once, I tried some of his leftover pasta—pasta with pesto—and I was almost sick. I’d never had something so salty. You have no idea.
Even back then I knew I’d be his spice. With so much salt, I had to be extremely dominant.
“What’s going on?” he complained.
“Going well,” I said.
“Are you trying to give me shock
