Chapter 15 - Assassination

Amsterdam, Tuesday, November 2, 2004

"Dad, can you give me ..."

Тhео interrupts him. "Only 50 euros".

"100, Dad!"

"100!?"

"Yes, Dad."

"Why do you need so much money?"

"My sneakers are broken."

“Aha, and now you want to buy new ones?"

"Yes, Dad."

Тhео takes out his wallet and gives his son the money.

"Okay, but I think sneakers are a bit cheaper."

The boy grabs the money and runs to the exit from the living room. "Thanks, Dad! You’re ... "

"The best father in the world."

"Yes, Dad!"

Happy, the boy leaves the house.

*

Тhео looks at the clock; it's already been half past eight. He puts the butter, cheese and remaining milk back in the fridge and stops the bread back into the stainless steel lunchbox. He washes his hands and dries them. He does not forget to splash cologne on his face and suit.

On leaving the house he locks the door. Slowly he walks to his bike, removes the lock and hangs the chain on the handlebars. Handily he jumps on the bike and leaves Pythagorasstraat towards the Linnaeus-quay.

In the white van, parked fifty meters from Theo's house, an Arab enters a number on his mobile. He gets connected immediately. “The pig is coming.”

"Okay," responds the imam. "Get out of there!"

On the top floor of the building adjacent to Theo's house, a secret agent looks through the window. He calls central command with his radio. "Commissariat, commissariat".

"Yes!"

"The lion has left the cave. He is taking the same route as always. "

"Okay!"

*

Тhео sets off from Pythagorasstraat and turns left on Linnaeuskade.  At the end of the street, he turns right on Middenweg and heads for Linnaeusstraat.

On the other side of Middenweg a gray Audi is parked. A young Arab presses a number on his mobile phone and gets connected immediately. "The Dutch pig is coming towards you."

"Okay. Get out of there, "says the imam in a commanding tone."We don’t need you anymore."

The Arab starts the motor and drives towards the neighboring village of Diemen.

On the same side of the Middenweg where the Audi is parked, ten feet away, a black van full of masked police officers in military fatigues is parked. In it, the head of the Special Unit for Combating Terrorism calls Central Command through the radio. “Hаllo, commissariat!"

From Central Command the officer on duty responds. "The lion has turned right onto Middenweg in the direction of Linnaeusstraat."

The head of the Special Unit is surprised, but reacts calmly. "Yes!"

"Trail him, but keep your distance."

"Okay."

The black armored van turns its blinkers on to indicate that it is turns left, drives slowly over the tram rails and then turns left again. Slowly it drives in the same direction as Theo.

*

To the left of the Linnaeusstraat, in front of the multi-pie-shop, a big Moroccan looks how Theo passes by on the bicycle path towards the tunnel. He calls someone on his cell phone. "The pig is about ten meters in front of the tunnel."

"Okay," replies the Imam. "Get out of there!"

The Moroccan jumps on his bike and cycles on Pretoriusstraat in the direction of Steve Bikoplein.

In the armored van of the Special Unit sounds a voice over the radio: "Јаn! Do you hear me? "

"Yes! Go ahead."

"Where are you?"

"A hundred meters before the tunnel, in Linnaeusstraat."

"Stop following," says the voice of the officer on duty.

"What?"

"Orders"

"Are you crazy?"

"Go to the police station, here, turn right. There they will explain everything to you. "

The head of the Special Unit is flabbergasted and swears, "Damn it! Fuck you, all!"

*

Тhео passes by supermarket Albert Heijn and cycles on towards Oosterpark.

The imam, who sits in the office with one of his followers, dressed in a burka and and working as a civil servant in the Amsterdam East District Office, looks through his binoculars attentively out the window. Seeing Theo pass by the supermarket, he immediately makes a call with his mobile and says sternly, "Rachid, that Christian pig is ten meters in front of your street. Give the tool to the Chosen One and get out of there."

"Okay."

One of the bodyguards removes the pistol from his waistband. From his pocket he pulls an additional magazine. All this he gives to the Chosen One. "Аllahu аkbar! Action! "

The Chosen One stops the gun in his waistband, the magazine he puts in his pocket.

The second body guard gives him two knives, a big knife and a small one.

"Аllahu аkbar! Kill the pig! "

The chosen one, who has turned white pale, stops the big knife in his waistband and the small knife in his pocket. "Аllahu akbar!"

The Chosen One sees Theo pass by Vrolikstraat, where he and his bodyguards are out of sight. Тhео is only ten meters in front of him. The Chosen One pulls his gun and ride towards Theo, shouting like a madman, "Now I'll show you Dutch pig, how great God is!"

Тhео instinctively turns around and sees the Chosen One come towards him. He turns pale with fear, his face is ashen. Quickly recovering, he starts pedaling with all his might. The Chosen One shoots and misses. He shoots again. While shooting he comes closer. Theo loses control over his bike and falls. He  stands up immediately but the Chosen One jumps from his bike. Theo screams and begs, "Please don’t!"

The Chosen One shoots and shoots. He empties the magazine and Theo falls on his back. He manages to to lift his head. The Chosen One stops the empty pistol behind his waistband and pulls his knife. Тhео looks at him. "Please don’t do it."

The Chosen One walks up to him and bends. With the knife he cold-bloodedly cuts Theo’s throat. Then he takes his small knife and a piece of paper from his pocket, which reads: "To the Jewish whore Aisha. You await the same fate as this pig." The letter he lays on Theo's chest and punctures it with a small knife. Then he grabs the large knife and thrusts  it to the bottom in Theo's chest, right through his heart. "АLLAHU AKBAR! ALLAHU AKBAR! "

He stands up and pulls the gun from his waistband. The empty magazine he removes and puts it in his pocket. From the same pocket he takes the spare magazine and puts it in the gun. Loads the bullet in the barrel. A policeman on a motorcycle rushes to the scene of the crime. The Chosen One notices him and shoots. He hits the policeman, who loses control of his motorcycle and falls. The motorcycle slides a few meters over the asphalt. The Chosen One runs to the entrance of Oosterpark and disappears in the park.

*

At the police station, the officer on duty comes in action. He gives the order to all police units in Amsterdam: "Theo van Gogh has been murdered in front of the district office Amsterdam East. The killer is dressed in white traditional Muslim attire; he has fled into  Oosterpark. Shoot him in the legs. I repeat: Shoot only in his legs. We want him alive.”

In Amsterdam hundreds of sirens sound, speeding towards Oosterpark…

The End