Chapter IX. The secure house

In Damascus’ upmarket suburb of Abu Rummaneh, there is a magnificent independent house with two stories, and its towering wall has created an aura of awe among the locals, as have all Damascus’ walls. Several security forces in civilian attire were stationed at the beginning and end of the branching street leading to the mansion, as well as in front of its iron gate.

There are surveillance cameras in the street and all around the building. Its windows are tinted dark and are never opened. Expensive cars occasionally drive out while having their windows covered, while other people occasionally enter without anybody being able to see those inside.

Despite all of this, the situation is not at all suspicious since this is not the only home in Damascus that is shrouded in terror, and the security measures taken to protect its occupants do not necessarily indicate that they are important figures in the military or the political sphere; rather, it could simply be the home of a businessman with clout in the region.

In this context, security guards, barricades, and other objects are regarded as elements of luxury and distinction, and anyone may purchase them provided they have the necessary funds and the right connections. And just as you boast about having a pricey guard dog, everyone who can boasts about barricades and guards surrounding it, even though nothing necessitates that they guard it.

But this wasn’t a home where the occupants boasted about the guards. Papers were strewn about the desks, there were highly sensitive security systems inside, some rooms could only be unlocked with a secret code, and there was a sizable meeting room with the most advanced communication technology. It only missing one thing, though: Making a high-class workplace is one thing,, but the staff!

Here, just two men and a lady reside, together with a few bodyguards inside the building wall. Sometimes guests come to them and silently depart.

A black 1995 Mercedes-Benz E 200 approached quickly from a distance; it sped past the security fence at the entrance to the street without being stopped. The garage door automatically opened. A man in his fifties with Middle Eastern features, tall, thin, dark-skinned, black hair, and brown eyes stepped out as soon as the vehicle reached its entrance.

He entered the living room, where he found a man and a woman waiting for him, with Middle Eastern features as well.

Hello Aaron, how was your meeting with them? said the man

He put his small bag on the table in the middle, and threw his body on the sofa: Hi Youssef, it’s been a stressful day my friend.

-Has the problem been fixed?

-We are working on that. The boy must be found now. We cannot deal with the situation as long as he is hidden.

The woman: Even if something awful happened to him or he was eaten by hyenas, don’t make a bigger deal out of it. Of course, there are many; try not to overburden yourself.

-No, Sarah, this is a group that is linked together as a whole. He straightened his seat and moved a bit closer to her. It is crucial that the plan be followed exactly; even a small deviation could have disastrous repercussions. To fix it, some effort must be done.

Sarah: Be free to do as you please. I’ll make you a cup of coffee.

She stood up and went to the coffee maker, where she saw the water dripping into the cup and the coffee shaking. Is it true that he won’t drink coffee? she questioned.

Aaron: That’s right, and that’s why I like him better compared to the rest. While we have the necessary elements, the followers, thinkers, and leaders we seek must possess unique qualities and characteristics, a personality distinct from everyone else, the ability to impose their point of view by persuasion or intimidation, and the willingness to be more aggressive than others.

He has managed to get them all to stop drinking it, or to consume it covertly away from him, and that is precisely why we must adhere to the plan as closely as possible; we can’t take any chances. He shook his head admiringly as he continued.

Youssef: Don’t worry; they will undoubtedly find him and restore order. But, since it was prepared beforehand, you can implement the death plan if something negative occurs.

-These possibilities are real, my dear. It doesn’t matter if the boy or his mother pass away accidentally; that is another issue. There is no need to disregard them as long as we are able to protect them due to the foolishness of an officer who filed an arrest order without consulting his managers. Before taking this action, if he had gone back to them, this alert would have been visible to them through the joint system, the department head would have come back to us, and we would not have allowed them to proceed.

-Did they scold or punish him?

He sighed and said, “No, I did it myself. Instead, they gave him the responsibility of locating Walid, and what worries me the most is his conceit and pride in himself. Let’s see what he does.”

-Is he from the Alawite sect?

– Yes, and from Qardaha

– Don’t rush to judge him; here, people are arrested for things that are less serious than what Walid said; how could he know how important he is to us?!

-He added: Have you prepared your report?

-Not yet, I’ll work on it now.

– Don’t rush to judge him; here, people are arrested for things that are less serious than what Walid said; how could he know how important he is to us?!

He added sarcastically with a mocking laugh: I don’t know how I’m going to tell them about the cow

Then he shook his head in disapproval: Damn, how ridiculous really is

She placed the cup of coffee in front of him, then walked to the office and returned with white sheets, a set of pens, and the bottle of secret ink in her hands.

-Thank you, Sarah; I’m not going to use ink, which is why they gave us our computer upstairs; thanks for letting me to use it.

-It’s your choice, but I still don’t trust these tactics and prefer primitive methods.

He walked down the hall to the upstairs office, where a 1996 IBM computer sat. He completed his report, encrypted it, transferred it to an external memory stick, and re-enclosed it in an envelope for sending.

He exited the office and went to the next bedroom; after such a long day, a fast nap was required, and a cup of coffee did not enough.

He spread out the bed, closed his eyes, and began to consider his possibilities. What if they don’t find the boy? What if he was harmed?

This possibility should be considered.

The aim is valuable, separate from the others, and great care must be made to guarantee that the youngster is as safe and secure as possible.

So is his mother.

At least until the time comes to remove it from the farm and place it on the market.