Tuesday morning, Annie was back to work at Langley. "Nice job Walker. The voice recording and notes were received today. We have more than enough information to kick it up for an official mission to go after Cruz and Helio Gaioso." Auggie was smiling as he heard Annie enter his office. "And by the way, that unnamed person has a very noticeable Israeli accent." Auggie was chuckling. "We need for you to translate the Spanish to English before we can kick it up the ladder."
"When do you think we will hear something back about it becoming a mission?"
"A week or less, I'm going to clue Joan in so she can campaign for the assignment. You should be the one to follow through with it, from beginning to end."
"Good." Annie walking closer to Auggie, picking up his hand and placing it on her left hand, "I told you that you would be the first to know, I'm sorry but Danielle was the first."
"Engagement ring, wonderful you have trapped the elusive Eyal Lavin. Best wishes Annie." Auggie was all smiles; he like Eyal and Annie was just about the only match that could keep Eyal interested.
"I should be reporting back to Overseas Operations since our project is finished. It will only take me a few hours to translate the recording." Annie was sorry to be leaving Special Projects and working with Auggie.
"Yeah, it's been nice but not over, there will be others. You will probably have a pile of paperwork to complete before marrying a foreigner. Good luck Annie."
Walking down to Joan's office; it hit her, she was going to marry a foreigner and how would that play out with the CIA. There were rules about dating non-citizens but an exception had been made for Eyal but what about being married. One thing for sure, she would find out soon enough.
"Hi Joan." Annie knocking on Joan's office door jam.
"Heard you were back, come in and have a seat. Auggie tells me your trip to London was a success."
"She was a wealth of information once her daughters were here in the US and a deal was cut for her to be relocated with a new identity."
"Yes I know, it was Eyal Lavin's suggestion. Felicita Santiago has been handed over to CIA's care and we are putting the family in a protection program." Joan was waiting for a reaction from Annie.
"I guess you also know he was the other person with me in Spain."
"I figured as much. Jackson skirted the question when I asked who the other operative was." Joan was smiling.
"He was working for MI6 at the time." Annie didn't know what else to say.
"You have something else to tell me?" Joan was looking at Annie's left hand.
"Eyal has asked me to marry him and I have said yes. Joan I don't know what kind of problems that will happen here, but I'm going to marry him even if it means losing my job." Annie was on the defensive.
"First congratulations Annie, Eyal Lavin is a fine man. There are rules about a field agent being married to a foreigner but as you know, rules can be bent. I see what I can do, Eyal happens to have a good rapport with Austin Keese, I'll start there and work down."
"Thank you Joan."
"If we get the Cruz and Helio Gaioso mission, it will be your assignment. I have to agree with Auggie, it should be yours from start to finish. And tell Eyal he is a lucky man."
"Thanks Joan and I'm the lucky one."
The following week, Annie was getting anxious to find out if her request to marry Eyal had been approved when Joan stopped by her cubical. "All we need is the date." Joan placing the approved request on Annie's desk. "It's not good unless we have the date of the wedding."
Annie reaching for a calendar, "We haven't set a date yet. Can it wait?"
"Sorry Annie, just put any date it can all be subject to change." Joan was looking over Annie's shoulder at the 2014 calendar.
"Spring wedding would be nice, Saturday May 10th looks like an excellent date." Annie wrote in the missing date on the form and handed it back to Joan.
"You should also tell Eyal when his is getting married." They both laughed. "Now come with me, we have been requested to be at a meeting with Fred Jacobson about the possibility of running Cruz and Helio Gaioso mission. There will be a few others there also. Really don't know what to expect."
Seated at a large round table in office of the Director of the National Clandestine Service were Fred Jacobson and two other men. Fred getting up to welcome the two ladies as they entered the room, "Good you are here, we can get started. Let me introduce Lawrence Mayhew of Special Activities Division (SAD) and Sam Hardy of the elite Special Operations Group (SOG)"
Both men standing to greet the women, Fred continued the introductions. "This is Joan Campbell, Manager of our International Overseas Operations and this is Agent Anne Walker, the lady responsible for the information about our target."
The meeting lasted for two hours, the intel was review and a plan of action was formulated. Sam Hardy of Special Operations Group and Annie were giving an assignment for a recon mission to Bolivia. Sam was reluctant to include Annie on the mission, not because of her but it was a simple matter - lack of covert combat training. Annie had reported to Fred Jacobson before his promotion and he knew her dedication and ability would be a good fit for the South American mission. He convinced Sam that she would be an advantage, not a liability. Joan pressed hard for Annie to be included in the recon mission and only won out because she has an established contact in Bolivia.
Back in Joan's office, the two researched Sam Hardy and found him to be an older version of Eyal Lavin. He was with the Delta Force where he served for twenty years before being recruited by the CIA and the Special Operations Group. He has a history of bending rules but accomplishing mission with a 96% success rate. His code name: Sea Dog.
"You shouldn't have any trouble with him, you have experience with Eyal." Joan was joking with Annie.
"I don't know, he seems to be a real hard nose combatant." Annie was checking the time table for their mission, she wanted be home by the second weekend in October.
Auggie came into the office with a slight knock, "Hear you got the recon mission. Good work."
"Is there a fast track for news around here?" Joan was watching Auggie as he made his way into her office.
"Yep, it is call telephone lines, Fred called me to thank Special Projects for the job well done. I ask."
Annie couldn't wait to get home that evening to share her excitement with Eyal. She was working with the elite of the elite Special Operations Group of the CIA and would be leaving the end of the week for Bolivia on an estimated two week mission. Reaching the apartment, she was glad that Eyal was at home.
"Eyal, I got it. I got the recon mission for Cruz and Helio." There was jubilation in the sound of her voice when she walked into the bedroom where Eyal was with his back to the door.
"That's wonderful Neshema." He swung around to greet her but without his normal warm smile.
"What are you doing?" She saw he was packing a few things.
He took her hands and both set on the edge of the bed. "My family needs me. Mainly my son needs me now more than ever. My mom called this afternoon with some bad news. Haya has been admitted to the hospital in the last stages of pancreatic cancer. With Yom Kippur also starting this weekend, my mom wants me in Tel Aviv for the sake of Avi. I have to go Annie."
She touching his face with sadness in her eyes, "Of course you do. Avi needs his father and I'm sure Haya will want to see you too."
"Mom says that Haya is determined for Avi to go through with the service for his Bar Mitzvah. Annie I'm asking you to please make it to his Bar Mitzvah, he thinks the world of you. At this time your support for him is needed."
"I promise Eyal, I'll be there for both of you." They held on to each other for a while before Eyal stood, taking Annie in his arms with a tender kiss, lovingly brushing some hair from her face he kiss her on the forehead, turned to finishing his packing.
"You call me when you can sweetheart. Recon mission are not easy and I'm happy for you. This has been your baby for the start. Good luck with your mission and I love you." Eyal kissed her goodbye and was gone.
She just stood there in a silent apartment, hurting for Avi and wanting to go with Eyal, to be by his side. Annie felt so empty, so helpless and so useless, her heart breaking for Avi. She lay across the bed, tucking a pillow under her face - crying herself to sleep.
Eyal walked through the front doors of Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, he had no idea how Haya would react to him being there. She was a fighter and his mom told him Haya had been treated for several months before telling anyone of her condition. Directed to her room, he walked swiftly along the corridor trying to convince himself that she was going to be fine, until he open the door to Haya's room. A dimly lit room with only splinters of light shining through partly open blinds. As he looks around, he felt a cold chill run up his spine; the room was so uninviting - so sterile looking. He glanced toward the bed and what he saw was heartbreaking, the once beautiful woman he had known was thin, pale and frail. She was propped up on two pillows with her eyes close, heart monitor showing a weak heart beat, and IV's hanging by her bed. He walk to her bedside taking her hand in his, she opened her eyes and looked at him.
"Eyal, you're here." Haya voice was weak but she had a sweet smile and a tiny tinkle in her eyes.
"I came as soon as I heard. How are you feeling?"
"I'm comfortable; they are giving me medication for the pain." Haya turned her head so she could look at Eyal closer.
"In all the e-mails Avi has sent me, not once did he mention you being sick."
"I asked him not to tell you. You have always been the provider - the protector of us and I love you for that. I know if you were told of my battle you would have been here - that is the wonderful person you are, responsible."
"Haya, I wasn't just a sperm donator, I was part of your life, yours and Avi and I take that personally and seriously - you are part of my family." He looked away, trying to regain his thoughts, "How is Avi doing?"
"You would be so proud of him, Avi has taken over the responsibility of Rebekah, feeding her, dressing her - getting her ready to go to your mother's house. They are both now staying with your mother and Eyal, your mom has been perfectly wonderful. You know the Lavin's are the only family Avi and I have..." Haya paused a second, closing her eyes trying to find the courage to finish what she need to do.
"Mom loves both the children, she has told me many times Rebekah was one of her granddaughters." Eyal gently rubbing the back of her thin hand.
"I glad you are here, we need to talk without anyone else around."
"I'm the only here with you." Eyal set on the edge of her bed.
"Yes Eyal, you have been part of my life for a long time and I feel I can turn to you now. I don't have very much time left and want know the future for my children. I need for you to promise me to take care of Avi, take him to America to live with you. Give him a good life and a start for a good future." She was holding Eyal hand as tightly as she could.
"You have my word Haya." Eyal took a deep breath before he started again to speak, "I've grown to love your little one, Rebekah has a place in my heart as well. I want to adopt Rebekah, make her my daughter to give her the family she deserves." A tiny tear came into Eyal's eye as he was talking.
"Why are you doing this?"
"For two reasons - first Avi, she is his sister and with me being in the picture, it just makes things uncomplicated for him and it would break his heart if they were separated. Second - for you, even though we are no longer married, you are still family, the mother of my son and I hope you will allow me to be Rebekah's father."
"You are serious, I don't know what to say." Haya was gazing at Eyal, trying to read his expression.
"Very serious, I have the financial means to take care of both children, please let me take to the role of being the provider of our family - a family with two children." Reaching to lightly touch her face.
"Funny, I really did want you back in Avi's life as a full time father, and now to have your offer of becoming the legal father of Rebekah... You will have to love her as your own flesh and blood." she was looking into his eyes trying to see into his soul.
"That Haya is my solemn promise. I do love her as I love Avi."
"To take both children to America to live?"
"Yes, I will make a home for them in America." Eyal couldn't help it. The tears were more than he could control as he put his face next to her, his heart breaking, "Oh Haya I don't want to let you go, you will all ways be a part of me and we shared so much, please be well."
Taking her free hand and holding the back of his head, "I'm alright, you have answered by greatest fear. I can leave now knowing my daughter, our daughter will have a good life with you. Go ahead and get the paper work done and I will sign. Thank you, thank you my dear sweet Eyal."
The next day Eyal returned to visit Haya with the documentation need to have him listed as the father on the birth certificate. There had never been a father's name listed, it simply said unreported. With him stepping forward and claiming to be the biological father and Haya verifying the fact - it was a simple matter to take care of. But Eyal had added something else, the name of the child, Rebekah Haya Lavin.
"You add my name to hers." Haya reading the form.
"Rebekah should also have her mother's name."
After signing the forms, Haya and Eyal set quietly for the rest of the day, waiting for Avi to visit after school. Both knowing the bond they developed so many years ago was still strong.
