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messenger dropped off a typed note at the Defense Ministry, warning that one of the trains from Madrid will be bombed tomorrow morning. The note was signed ‘Musa Ben Abdil.’ We haven’t been able to locate the messenger. I think it’s a prank and nothing will happen, but Zahara doesn’t want to take a chance. He wants your ideas of how we should deal with this situation.”
    Craig hated cutting short his dinner, but Zahara wanted his involvement. “Send a plane to Paris for me. I’ll drop everything and come to Madrid.”
    “I don’t think that’s necessary,” Alvarez said. “It’s late. We’ll hook you in by phone as needed. I’ll tell Zahara you’re busy in Paris.”
    I’m sure you will.
    “Listen Jose, Madrid is an hour away. This sounds like a major terrorist attack. If Prime Minster Zahara wants my involvement, it will be more effective in person.”
    “But…”
    “You know I’m right.”
    A deep sigh. “I guess so. I’ll send the Prime minister’s plane to Orly. Be there in an hour.”
    Craig checked his watch. He had twenty minutes before leaving. Time to explain to Elizabeth. First, he had one more call to make. To Giuseppe, his deputy in Rome. After describing the Madrid situation, he told Giuseppe, “Use one of the Italian government planes to fly to Madrid. I’ll meet you there.”
    Back at the table, Craig whispered to Elizabeth what he had heard from Alvarez. At the mention of Musa Ben Abdil, she gave a start. “The man was an historical figure,” she said.
    “I’ve never heard of him.”
    “Let me give you the background. The short version … from the tenth through the fifteenth century, Muslims ruled Southern Spain and much of the Iberian peninsula. During this period, science, arts, and learning prospered. Generally, a spirit of religious tolerance prevailed with Muslims, Christians and Jews living in harmony, then internal dissention in the Islamic leadership and disputes among Arabs and Berbers weakened the governing structure. At the same time, Christian armies were moving south from France and conquering Northern Spain.”
    Elizabeth paused to take a breath. “In the Fifteenth Century, Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand solidified their rule over Christian Spain and formed a close alliance with Pope Innocent VIII. Armed with the Pope’s blessing, they vowed to drive Islam out of Spain. Muslims would have a choice: Expulsion, conversion, or death.
    “Methodically, Isabella and Ferdinand moved their army south,conquering the countryside town by town. In 1491, much of the remaining Muslim population was gathered in the Alhambra, their magnificent palace of Islam near Granada. The Muslim leadership wanted to surrender, but one famous general, Musa Ben Abdil, argued for fighting to the death, despite the odds. When he was overruled by the leadership, Musa refused to accept their decision.
    “He grabbed his sword and mounted his horse. Accompanied by only a few supporters, he stormed out of the Alhambra. He fought valiantly, killing as many Christians as he could, until they finally killed him.”
    “How do you know all this stuff?”
    “I majored in medieval history at Harvard … Remember?”
    “Oh yeah. So you’re telling me that the terrorist who sent this note has a keen knowledge of Spanish medieval history.”
    She was on the edge of her chair. She liked to play baseball. Right now she reminded him of a batter getting ready to hit the ball out of the park.
    “More than that,” she said. “You’re not dealing with an ordinary terrorist. You’re facing an Islamic fanatic who’s declaring war on Christians in Spain.”
    “And if that’s the case, whoever we’re dealing with won’t limit himself to a single train bombing.”
    “Correct.”
    “Can you fly with me to Madrid this evening? Your knowledge of Spanish medieval history will be valuable.”
    “Sure. All I was doing was having a celebration at the best restaurant in Paris. Maybe they’ll pack the