Honour Among Thieves

other five trainee agents who were still in London. She was damned if she was going to be told at this late stage that she wasn't up to it. The unscheduled appointment with the Councillor for Cultural Affairs, a euphemistic title for Colonel Kratz, Mossad's top man in London, was for six that evening. At her morning tutorial, Hannah failed to concentrate on the works of the Prophet Mohammed, and during the afternoon she had an even tougher time with The British Occupation and Mandate in Iraq, 1917-32. She was glad to escape at five o'clock without being set any extra work. The Israeli Embassy had, for the past two months, been forbidden territory for all the trainee agents unless specifically invited. If you were summoned you knew it was simply to collect your return ticket home: we no longer have any use for you. 'Goodbye,' and, if you were lucky, 'Thank you.' Two of the trainees had already taken that route during the past month. Hannah had only seen the embassy once, when she was driven quickly past it on her first day back in the capital. She wasn't even sure of its exact location. After consulting an A-Z map of London, she discovered it was in Palace Green, Kensington, slightly back from the road. Hannah stepped out of the High Street Kensington underground station a few minutes before six. She strolled up the wide pavement into Palace Green and on as far as the Philippine Embassy before turning back to reach the Israeli Mission just before the appointed hour. She smiled at the policeman as she climbed the steps up to the front door. Hannah announced her name to the receptionist, and explained she had an appointment with the Councillor for Cultural Affairs. 'First floor. Once you reach the top of the stairs, it's the green door straight in front of you.' Hannah climbed the wide staircase slowly, trying to gather her thoughts. She felt a rush of apprehension as she knocked on the door. It was immediately opened with a flourish. 'A pleasure to meet you, Hannah,' said a young man she had never seen before. 'My name is Kratz. Sorry to call you in at such short notice, but we have a problem. Please take a seat,' he added, pointing to a comfortable chair on the other side of a large desk. Not a man given to small talk, was Hannah's first conclusion. Hannah sat bolt upright in the chair and stared at the man opposite her, who looked far too young to be the Councillor for Cultural Affairs. But then she recalled the real reason for the Colonel's posting to London. Kratz had a warm, open face, and if he hadn't been going prematurely bald at the front, he might even have been described as handsome. His massive hands rested on the desk in front of him as he looked across at Hannah. His eyes never left her and she began to feel unnerved by such concentration. Hannah clenched her fists. If she was to be sent home she would at least state her case, which she had already prepared and rehearsed. The Councillor hesitated as if he were deciding how to express what needed to be said. Hannah wished he would get on with it. It was worse than waiting for the result of an exam you knew you had failed. 'How are you settling in with the Rubins?' Kratz enquired. 'Very well, thank you,' said Hannah, without offering any details. She was determined not to hold him up from the real purpose of their meeting. 'And how's the course working out?' Hannah nodded and shrugged her shoulders. 'And are you looking forward to going back to Israel?' asked Kratz. 'Only if I've got a worthwhile job to go back to,' Hannah replied, annoyed that she had lowered her guard. She wished Kratz would look away for just a moment. 'Well, it's possible you may not be going back to Israel,' said Kratz. Hannah shifted her position in the chair. 'At least, not immediately,' added Kratz. 'Perhaps I ought to explain. Although you have four more months of your course to complete' - he opened a file that lay on the desk in front of him - 'your tutor has informed us that you are likely to perform better in the final exams than any of the other five remaining agents, as I'm sure you know.' It was the first time she had ever been described as an agent. 'We have already decided you'll be part of the final team,' Kratz said, as if anticipating her question. 'But, as so often happens in our business, an opportunity has arisen which we feel you are the best-qualified person to exploit at short notice.' Hannah leaned forward in her chair. 'But I thought I was being trained to go to