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Abel laughed. “How so?”
“The Saudis think that God is on their side, and people who think God is on their side are capable of the most inhumane acts.”
Abel was intrigued. He’d never heard his friend talk about religion this way. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but the great leaders of Mother Russia—Comrade Lenin and Comrade Stalin—managed to kill twenty million people, and as far as I know, they were atheists.”
“That number is greatly exaggerated.”
“Cut it in half then. A mere ten million.”
“I will not defend Lenin and Stalin. They were awful creatures, but these Saudis and their maniacal brand of Islam will be the end of us all.”
Abel did not want to wander too far from the task at hand. If there was time later they could continue their jousting. “I will tell you one thing and one thing only about my client. His motivation is as pure as it is rotten and is as old as man himself.”
“Your client is a prostitute?”
Abel smiled. “No.”
Petrov reached for the vodka. “Revenge.”
“Yes.”
After his glass was full Petrov asked, “Revenge for what? Did someone dare gaze upon one of his daughters without her veil on?”
“I never said he was a Saudi.”
“Why does he want revenge?”
“Someone killed his son.”
“Someone important?”
Abel shook his head. “Someone who is very dangerous.”
“Ahhh…I think I see. You need a killer to kill a killer.”
“Precisely.” Petrov seemed finally satisfied. Abel wondered if his old friend was getting a conscience in his old age.
“And this person is good.”
“Yes.”
“Anyone I’ve ever heard of?”
“I am done answering questions. I have already told you too much. Give me my name and then we can get back to talking about the atrocities committed by communism.”
Petrov snarled at him like an old dog who had been poked by a stick. “I have a name and a phone number for you. A woman will answer. She is French. I am told she is quite beautiful. She will act as the go-between.”
“And the shooter?”
“I know very little about him. I like it that way, and I assume so does he. My source tells me he is relatively young and very well rounded with the various tools of the trade.”
“Would you say he’s aggressive or cautious?”
“I would say aggressive,” laughed Petrov. “He’s done three jobs for me in the last seven months and God only knows how many others.”
11
LANGLEY, VIRGINIA
