my country.” Her voice was suddenly ringing with resolve. “That is my duty, and I will give every minute of every day to it. I ask for your prayers and your support.” She stepped back. “Good night and God bless.”
She turned and walked away.
* * *
Jill gave a low whistle as she looked up from the computer screen. “She aced it. I bet every reporter in that room is giving her a standing ovation. Hell, I’d probably do it, too, if I didn’t know she was lying through her teeth.”
“But you do know,” Eve said. “Gideon told me once that she was magnificent in a number of ways. This is apparently one of them.” She leaned back, and added thoughtfully, “Do you know what I was thinking about when she speaking? She was totally beautiful, totally persuasive, and able to move everyone with whom she came in contact. Mesmerizing. She reminded me of her favorite ancestress.”
“Kiya?” Joe asked.
“No, she tolerated Kiya, but she identified with Cleopatra. Cleopatra had the power, and Zahra adores power. Pity. Because Kiya was probably more intelligent.” She shook her head. “But Zahra definitely covered all the bases with that speech. She produced a logical villain based on recent history. She glorified Wyatt and Great Britain and the entire civilized world. She even gave a reason why those guards were killed when they weren’t even at the U.N. headquarters tonight and why the place was chosen to be targeted. You can bet that Swanson and anyone connected to that skull was on the hit list. All very logical and acceptable.” She grimaced. “And then she sealed the deal by setting herself up as a combination Joan of Arc and Mother Teresa with all the glamour of Cleopatra. That YouTube video is going to get millions of hits, and the Zahra Kiyani legend is going to grow and grow.”
Jill nodded. “Hell, she might decide to bypass using Egypt as a stepping-stone and go straight to Washington. After that speech, it’s going to be nearly impossible to make her out to be anything but a heroine. It’s like Jackie Kennedy in that bloody pink suit.”
“That’s what she intended,” Joe said harshly. “What they both intended. What the world believes to be Varak’s skull is now totally destroyed, and if we brought up the skull on which Eve just did the reconstruction, it would be an uphill battle to prove it wasn’t a complete forgery. It throws everything into confusion. Very smart. Zahra and Varak make a formidable team.”
“Murderers,” Eve said with a shiver. “Another massacre, and she managed to sugarcoat it.”
“Yes.” Joe met her eyes. “It just goes to show how determined they are to protect themselves. They assassinated Dobran and killed your friend Kimbro, Jill. That explosion tonight was just another safety measure. They’re going down the list and checking off the hazards to eliminate.” He paused. “And you’re probably next on the list, Eve. You have a spotless reputation, and that’s dangerous to them.” His tone was suddenly urgent. “The game’s changed. Now will you let me take you out of here?”
“Do it, Eve,” Jill said. “As he said, it’s going to be an uphill battle from now on. If you stay, you’ll be vulnerable to anything they decide to do to you.”
“What am I supposed to do? Let Joe bury me in the mountains somewhere and hope Varak won’t dig me up?” Eve shook her head. “I won’t live like that. I won’t let Varak believe he can roam the earth and get away with all this slaughter. There has to be a better way to handle this. We just have to find it.” She was thinking, trying to see some way out. “We have to take advantage of any weakness they might have. Zahra has to have a different agenda than Varak. Jill says she’s always been cautious, and she must feel as if she has a tiger by the tail.”
“This is all guesswork,” Joe said impatiently. “And all it means is that I’m not getting what I want and that Eve is still in danger as long as she’s here.” He drew a deep breath. “Because who’s to know if Zahra won’t think of some clever reason to blow up this village as well? I wouldn’t put it past her.” He strode toward the door. “I need some air. Then I’m going to call Novak. I’m having problems with your ‘logic,’ and I want solutions.”