The driver told them to take the elevator to the fourth floor and gave them the key to apartment 46. He said that the refrigerator was stocked with basic products and the kitchen was quite well equipped. He promised he would come by at noon to see if they needed anything else. He told them to get some sleep after the long drive and then, as an afterthought, added that there were two bedrooms in the apartment and in each there were twin beds. They squeezed into the elevator that fortunately was in working order. Lara, who lived most of her life in the United States, was shocked by the obscene graffiti that covered the walls of the elevator, and the explicit drawing of a man and a woman in a suggestive pose on the mirror. None of the others seemed to care about this.
They entered the apartment and were glad to see that the beds were made up with clean, fresh-smelling linen and that the bathroom and kitchen were clean. Le Docteur checked the windows and the door leading to the small balcony and was satisfied that they were securely closed. Karim and Fatima retired to the smaller bedroom, leaving the larger one for Le Docteur and Lara. They took the driver's advice and slept for a few hours. They woke up just before noon, had instant coffee and nibbled on some biscuits they found in the kitchen.
The driver arrived, as promised, at noon. He, too, looked relaxed after catching up on his sleep. He unpacked the shopping bags he brought and they all sat down for a light breakfast in the kitchen. Le Docteur said, "Abu Amar, I didn't thank you properly last night — or actually this morning — when you drove us here and took good care of us. I am worried that we'd be noticed by the people in this building and perhaps identified. We cannot stay put in the apartment because we have plans for action, and if we start coming and going the other residents will become suspicious."
Abu Amar said, "This apartment is only a temporary solution. I didn't have time to prepare anything else, given such short notice. I was only told about your expected arrival two days ago."
Le Docteur intervened, "We appreciate everything you have done for us. But we need a few things. First, Karim and Fatima can remain here in the apartment. A young couple who looks like Muslims", he smiled at Karim and Fatima, "will not look out of place here. They'll have to prepare a cover-story to explain what they are doing in Malmo, and I am quite sure no-one will get too curious. However, Lara and I need to be closer to the center of the city, with fast access to public transportation and the Oresund Bridge that connects Malmo to Copenhagen, in case we must leave Sweden in a hurry. I'll look for a small bed and breakfast place. What we need now are four 'burn-phones' that cannot be traced. Sorry, make it five and get one for yourself. We'll only use them for short messages. Next, I want you to arrange a meeting of the people that are loyal to NEMESIS…" He stopped talking when he saw Abu Amar grinning, "What is it?"
Abu Amar said, "When I said that I was your best operative in Scandinavia I wasn't exaggerating. I am practically the last true-believer of NEMESIS. When you left Europe, in a great hurry, I might add, the whole network fell apart. I am the only trustworthy loyal member here in Sweden. There is a couple you know in Copenhagen and a few members in Oslo. The Muslim community in Malmo regards you as a dangerous man who will provoke the Swedes to expel all Muslims from our haven here."
Lara had never seen Le Docteur so flabbergasted. He mumbled, "Just as we are on the verge of our greatest operation… I thought that NEMESIS had convinced the people of the Ummah that the grandeur of Islam was to be restored and that the colonialists, Crusaders and communists would be terrorized by our proud fighters."
The President of the Russian Federation decided to pay a quick visit to the two main bases of his troops in beleaguered and war-torn Syria. For him, this was a great photo-opportunity to emphasize one of the greatest achievements of his aggressive foreign policy, and the fact that the visit was scheduled just before the presidential elections was an extra bonus. Not that he had any concerns about his assured victory in the elections. After all, the strongest leader of the opposition was disqualified by an 'objective' committee set up by the president himself, and the other six or seven opposition candidates could at best score single-digit percentage points. The president fully expected to gain over 70 % of the votes of the people who braved the freezing weather and turned up to vote. After all, most citizens of the Russian Federation couldn't imagine what their country would look like, or how it would survive, without the leadership of President Putin. So, he was certain that he would be re-elected for a fourth term. Western experts who understood or thought they did understand the minds of the leaders of the two superpowers, speculated that the two leaders shared a common thought: the difference between the two-term limit of the President of the United States of America and the practically unlimited duration of the President of the Russian Federation's time in office.
President Putin was welcomed by a flight of two Su-57's stealth jet-fighters accompanied by four multirole Mig-35's in tight-formation. The six jets turned on their afterburners as they passed over the grandstand on which the Russian and Syrian presidents were seated. Before the roar of the fighter-jets faded, four helicopters carrying elite assault troops hovered a few meters above the ground. From each machine, 12 commandos dressed in black-fatigues and wearing black ski-masks, despite the heat, rappelled down a rope to the tarmac and spread out in a defensive formation and 'secured' the airstrip. Moments later three Antonov transport planes landed on the airstrip, stopping in front of the grandstand, and two light-tanks and six armored personnel carriers rolled out of each plane. President Assad watched in awe as these troops encircled the grandstand. Putin laughed when he saw the expression of fear on his colleague's face, "Bashar, don't worry, this isn't Egypt and you are not Saadat and today is not October 6th. We have just witnessed a small demonstration of what we can do, if we want to." President Putin saluted his troops, making sure that the cameras didn't show him standing next to the Syrian President who was almost a foot taller. This was one of the reasons he hated Bashar Assad — their relative stature was the opposite of their real power.
The two presidents boarded a Russian military transport helicopter and within minutes they landed at the Russian naval base in the Mediterranean town of Tartus. Like the Khmeimim air base, the naval facilities in Tartus consisted of a Russian enclave, that was ex-territorial for the Syrian government forces. Few Syrians were permitted on base, and those who were employed there filled up the role of servants. When the two presidents disembarked from the helicopters, all the ships of the Russian Mediterranean fleet sounded their horns in salute. President Putin boarded one of the nuclear-powered submarines and climbed up to the sail of the vessel that housed the conning-tower, periscope, radar and communication masts. President Assad tried to follow him, and was politely, but firmly, prevented from crossing from the pier to the ship. More photos were taken of President Putin with the commander of the fleet and his top staff members. Putin added insult to injury when he waved to Assad from the top of the submarine's sail, and the Syrian President tried to save-face by ignoring the gesture.