SANCTION: A Thriller Read Free Page B

thick Middle Eastern, fit his appearance perfectly. “You are among the individuals being invited.”
    Ben didn’t know how developed the Intelligence services of the Hamas were, but he had to assume his cover might be gone. He hated being forced into a blind situation and the idea that they could be setting him up, but he couldn’t resist the opportunity to get close to Nazari.
    “For those who decide to attend, we head directly to the airport after the convention.” The man said as he folded two hairy arms across his chest.
    Ben thought it odd that the leader of the Palestinian group Hamas maintained a residence in Syria but he was too eager to get close to the mysterious figure and his organization to raise a suspicious eye in front of his assistant.
    “I accept Imam Nazari’s generous offer,” Ben said simply.
    The stranger smiled. There was something behind the row of brown stained teeth and sharply upturned mouth; something ominous.

3
Zefat, Israel
    “ J erry, we need to get out of this shaft,” professor Rhinefeld said as he dangled a few feet below Jerry on the same flimsy rope ladder. Rhinefeld’s heart was pounding so hard it felt like it would burst. Jerry nodded his head in agreement but Rhinefeld doubted he had the presence of mind to unclench his fists and climb back down.
    Jerry was from a small town in Iowa. He was a typical farm-boy, strong, smart and from a big family. Rhinefeld liked him, but he could be stubborn and the occasional know it all.
    “Here we go Jerry. One foot under the other.”
    Jerry didn’t budge. His face was stark white against the shadowed background of the shaft and the dim light that filtered down to them. He stared, unseeing, as Rhinefeld studied the opening of the shaft thirty-five feet above them.
    “I can’t,” he murmured.
    For the time being, the shots above had ceased. Rhinefeld couldn’t be sure what that meant.
    “Jerry, do you want to live?”
    Jerry nodded his head.
    “Yes,” he whispered.
    “Then Jerry, you need to loosen your grip on this ladder.” Rhinefeld paused as he searched for the right words.
    “If you stay where you are and they look into this hole in the ground, you are a vulnerable and exposed target, as well as me.” The thought sent a chill up the professor’s body.
    Jerry looked like he was about to respond when the sound of approaching footsteps echoed down the chamber to them.
    Jerry panicked and absurdly hugged the ladder tight as if it had some cloaking ability. Rhinefeld climbed the last few rungs so that he straddled the student. He placed his hands over Jerry’s and began prying at them. Jerry’s grip was strong. Rhinefeld could hear the steps as they neared the edge of the shaft.
    Without giving it much thought, Rhinefeld slammed the front of his forehead into the side of Jerry’s head. Jerry went limp and the two slid several feet as Rhinefeld struggled to lower Jerry to safety.
    Matt Ward reached up and grabbed the professor’s leg. The two quickly lowered Jerry to the ground and drug him back to the library.
    Just as they vanished out of sight of the shafts opening, a tanned Arab face peered over its edge. Rhinefeld pulled Jerry ten yards and laid him down gently on the marble floor. He looked around the room. Everyone’s eyes were trained on the bottom of the shafts opening as they waited for the nightmare that was to come.
    “Everyone listen up,” Rhinefeld said.
    “Put everything you learned in the movies as far away from your thinking as possible. We have no weapons and no training. We need to have a submissive posture. We need to show that we will not resist. Spread out your arms like this and lay flat on the ground.” Rhinefeld said as he demonstrated for them. He fanned his fingers out and placed his palms against the marble floor.
    Matt laid down on his stomach next to him, close enough to whisper in Rhinefeld’s ear.
    “How do we know that they won’t kill us anyway?” Matt asked quietly.
    “We