“What? You a Truth Seeker?” Joanna burst out laughing. Did she think it was going to be that easy?
“Yeah,” Jenna said, as she started typing, searching online.
She had already started mining the Internet for the data. She knew this would be one of her best New York Times articles ever.
“And I want to know where Harry is. I’m going to get to the source as soon as possible.”
“You can’t join the Truth Seekers. You don’t even play video games. And it’s all by invitation only. Harry invites only the top players. Do you really need to be a Truth Seeker to get what you need?”
Joanna’s stomach started turning. The sushi was playing havoc with her intestines.
“Do you really need me to answer that question?” Jenna said, looking into the distance, as if analyzing the situation and considering all her options.
Joanna sat back, trying to think as well. But her thoughts were wandering away. She knew she just betrayed the Truth Seekers. More importantly, she understood now she had just started something. Exactly what, she didn’t know.
Chapter 18
Agent Is Watching
CRISTAL SAW A COUPLE OF tourists at the hotel counter arguing with the concierge. She scanned the lobby and noticed two boys who looked like they were local, hanging around the American girls who were apparently staying at the hotel. A stout man dressed in a black suit with sunglasses was seated in a chair near the front door of the lobby. He was watching her carefully. That must be the security agent who asked to see me.
She took her time walking over to the counter, grateful that the concierge was busy with the tourists. It would give Harry enough time to get there and assist with the interrogation.
She had texted him immediately after receiving the phone call, “Urgent. Get here ASAP. Agent in lobby wants to question me.”
His response was, “Stall until I get there.”
From the corner of her eye, she could see that the agent had stood up. He was walking towards her.
“Ms. Hernandez,” a woman’s voice called from behind her.
Cristal turned, expecting to see someone from the hotel staff. “Yes?”
Standing in front of her was the full-bodied woman who had sat beside her on the airplane. What was she doing here?
The woman was holding up her identification, which read, “Yaffa Bauer, National Security Agent.” The photo on the ID displayed an expressionless version of the woman.
“My name Yaffa,” she said, putting her ID into her pocket. “You remember me?”
Cristal couldn’t figure out what this lady was doing here. “Sorry, but what do you want from me?”
Yaffa Bauer motioned for her to follow her to a room off the side of the hotel counter.
“We talk in private,” Yaffa replied loudly with a strong Hebrew accent.
Cristal glanced over to the hotel entrance, relieved to see Harry walking inside. She noticed that since he had come to Tel Aviv that his looks had changed somewhat. Perhaps it was the Middle Eastern sun that painted his hair with gold highlights and warmed his skin color from a pale white to a copper bronze. Was it the same sun that made his blue eyes appear bluer and deeper than the ocean?
“Ms. Hernandez,” Yaffa prompted, as if impatient with the delay.
“Just a minute. My boss is here. Can he join us?” Cristal asked.
Yaffa turned to look at Harry who now stood beside them. Cristal noticed that Harry was much taller than the agent. Yaffa had to stretch her neck to look up at him. Quickly, as if on cue, Yaffa put her pudgy arms on her wide hips and glared at Harry.
“Shalom,” Harry said, stretching his hand out to shake her hand.
The agent gave Harry a quick nod in acknowledgment of his greeting. She eyed him suspiciously and then shifted her attention to Cristal.
“Better we speak alone,” she said in a firm voice.
Cristal crossed her arms over her chest. “Have I done anything wrong?”
Yaffa’s nostrils flared slightly before she responded, glancing briefly at Harry.
“No, I have questions.”
Harry said, “Do you have a warrant?” He stepped closer to Yaffa.
“No, no warrant,” she sneered. “This is Israel, not episode of Law & Order.”
Harry chuckled. He responded to her switching from English to Hebrew. His voice had softened as he reached into his back pocket to take out his wallet. He showed her his Israeli ID. Yaffa took a look and nodded her head, her body relaxing as she listened. They spoke with each other in Hebrew for a few minutes, while Cristal stood and watched.
Yaffa began to smile as she faced Cristal, and said in broken English, “Okay, we speak like friends then. Just tell me the truth.”
She motioned to the people sitting in the lobby chairs to get up, at the same time that she flashed her ID at them. The man and woman looked at each other, obviously frightened that an agent was in their presence. They quickly gathered their things, got up, and left.