Dawn of Hope- Exodus

by Dobrin Kostadinov

‘Yes, completely, the plan is devised and waiting for your approval.’

  While she was finishing up her sentence Milev showed up accompanied by a handsome young man, around 26.

  ‘How are you, colleagues? Are you ready to sit and have a talk about what we’re going to do?’ their ally said when he finally arrived.

  ‘Yes, let’s have a seat. Won’t you introduce the new comer to us?’ Omar retorted indignantly.

  ‘This is Harry, that’s all you need to know about him, he’ll help us with the financing,’ the Eastern European replied.

  ‘Hello, pleased to meet you,’ the man greeted politely. The other two greeted him back and shook hands with him.

  ‘I’ll ask you to let our guest sit at the computer,’ Milev continued.

  ‘What do you mean at the computer, I have great amounts of important information there, intelligence, I can’t allow that!’

  Nervous, Omar was at a loss as to some of Dimitar’s actions, but so far he had no reason to doubt anything.

  ‘Don’t worry, have faith,’ the ex-detective reassured him as the hacker sat at the desk and set about doing something. The other three stepped away and started discussing the plan Alice had drafted.

  ‘Here, I’ve put down everything, I made three copies–one for each of you, I hope there isn’t anything missing.’ The two men began reading and Alice stood there waiting for their approval. Ten minutes later the Iranian piped up.

  ‘I think this is achievable and I have a piece of good news for you. I’ve found a person who will help us organize everything and who will recruit people. I’ve set that part in motion, all we need is the right time and prerequisites for action.’

  ‘It’s done!’ the Englishman cut him off mid-thought. ‘You already have almost unlimited financial resource,’ Harry stated with determination.

  ‘You’re fast,’ Milev remarked and grinned. ‘I’d say very fast,’ he added.

  ‘What happened? Explain it to me!’ insisted the Iranian commander-in-chief.

  ‘I managed to fix things for you, so to speak. Some time ago I had dealings with a rather wealthy man whose money seems to never end. I did him a favor regarding his bank accounts. He ordered me to transfer money to other people on his behalf. He gave mi his passwords, thinking he would safeguard himself from attacks and then rewarded me handsomely. But I don’t need passwords, I´ve created a cloned bank account with easy access to the money. It was a bit low of me since he put his trust in me, but there was no other way, I had to secure my future,’ Harry explained the secret scam he had pulled off, eyes fastened on Milev. ‘Now you have full access to it, but even though the bank account is hard to trace, it isn’t completely impossible to find, yet if they look for it, they’ll only stumble upon the original one. The only thing you’d have to be careful about is not to use it too often, just so you don’t raise suspicions . . .

  ‘That’s wonderful!’ Alice exclaimed.

  ‘Yes, now everything is falling into place. And since it is going down this way, so I want it to remain–in my hands. Now that the money is here, I’ll take care of its proper use. You just stand by and wait,’ the Iranian commanded. His two accomplices understood him. They were ready to help him anytime he needed it.

  ‘All right, we’re leaving you alone with your thoughts, so you can prepare yourself. Let’s go. Rogers, pay our hotel bills for four months ahead from that account and let’s get down to work,’ Milev requested.

  Then the three of them went away and left Omar in peace, waiting for him to put everything into action . . . Before they arrived at the hotel, Milev was shot with an unexpected question.

  ‘Do you still need me?’ the hacker asked.

  ‘No, you did enough, but my advice to you is to stay here for a few months, at least until things get rolling and we make sure all of us are safe.’

  ‘I hope they won’t find me,’ Harry expressed his concerns.

  ‘You just stay and wait with me and Miss Springer. It won’t be long before Omar gives us a call, moreover, there’s something else you can contribute with. It’s your choice. One way or another you’re a free man from now on,’ Milev announced, catching the boy unawares.

  The debt was paid and the Englishman could walk away, but something stopped him. Was it the adrenaline he was looking for or was it the fear of getting caught and tortured to death by Konrad’s people–all of them were factors tipping the scales in the in favor of him staying in the Iranian capital.

  ‘I want to know at least what comes up next, one way or another I’m part of this thing,’ Rogers spoke up.

  ‘Oh, that’s something you’ll find out very soon, we’ll be in touch every now and then and remember: take care of yourself and keep a low profile if you can! Pay only in cash,’ he gave a few pieces of advice and the young man returned to his room.

  Later on Harry barely managed to fall asleep. He was thinking of how he found himself in that hotel room . . . God . . . Just how much his life had changed for a few hours. These thoughts were going to torment his mind until someone who could dispel them came along. In the meantime Omar worked alone on the plan of action. In a few days’ time he had to make arrangements with his brother and entrust him the task, but before that he needed to take some rest. His work with the military and the additional worries accompanying his new endeavor affected his nerves unfavorably, so he decided to dedicate the evening to his family. What greater joy than to watch your children playing in the living-room while your wife is reheating the food especially left for you. The more he realized they were all he had ever dreamt of, the more certain he grew that everything he did was both for the good of the people closest to him and that of the many others like them.

  Time just went by. It flowed imperceptibly and unstoppably, pointing towards the unknown and the deeds of the people who continued our existence, were about to write history…

  Chapter Four

  Accidents of Fate

  On February 20, three days after the plan was passed into Omar’s hands entirely, it was finally time for it to be put into operation. On that same day he had arranged a meeting with his brother in a hotel suite close to the city center, away from the ghetto. At eight in the evening the General knocked on door 510 in the Iranian Star Hotel. He expected Heffer to open, but he did not appear at the door, just like he had not when they last met. Hussein was the one to show up again.

  ‘Welcome, come in,’ he invited the military officer politely and, no insults and threats this time.

  Saadi stepped into a fairly ordinary suite and saw his brother waiting in the living-room, sitting on the couch in the company of another man. As he approached Heffer, followed by Hussein, the scarred man greeted him.

  ‘Hello, Omar. You’re somewhat late.’

  ‘Not much. Five minutes at the most, I was held up in traffic.’

  ‘That’s true, it’s not much, it was me who came earlier to see if you follow through with your arrangements,’ Heffer tried to tease his brother. ‘Come on, take a seat and show me what I have to do, these two are my left- and right-hand men, that’s why they’ll listen to all you have to say,’ the curly-headed man continued.

  ‘Right, may it be as you wish. Everything is outlined here. Read it, it’s not much. You’ll grasp it in ten minutes.’

  The Iranian officer handed him a folder of papers. The scarred man took it and started examining its contents painstakingly. Once he was done, he decided to consult with his two friends. They moved to the other room, leaving Omar alone for a few minutes. He thought their private talk out of his earshot odd, it all looked rather criminal, but he had no choice. After they were over, the three went back, and Heffer sat across from him and spoke up.

  ‘I think it will work. A well thought-out plan, I only wish to change two things. The first one–we need at least three planes, not one. You promised arms for us, too. One plane will not be enough for the all he cargo either of us wants transported. I know that warehouse. It’s as big as a city and we can cho
ose as from a buffet breakfast,’ the terrorist laughed. ‘My second wish is for me to have complete control over this operation. You’ll get what you want once everything is over–’

  But Omar cut him off before he had finished.

  ‘That won’t happen! Everything else but not complete control over the mission. I’m providing the money and I’m leading the way. Don’t think that my turning to you means I’m in a dead end. It’s just that you’re the best, besides I thought it could bring us closer together.’

  ‘It seems we will always be like harp and harrow with you. Be it as you say. But I insist on my first wish,´ snapped the Scarface unwillingly.

  ‘If you can find more, go ahead. Find four more aircraft if you have to.’

  ‘I will find more and I will pay them with the money from the bank accounts you gave me–both for aircraft and for the American and the French mercenaries I’ve gathered. They want a million euro per person. It’s a lot, but they’re the best,’ Heffer stressed.

  ‘Good, so be it. I want you to know I’ve found a shooting range for you. It’s an isolated mountain village, 74.5 miles away from Tehran. It’s abandoned and well huddled amidst the crags, you won’t be easy to find in it. There’s a small agricultural airport we’ll use. I’ve provided everything we need to expand our endeavor. All that’s left is to give our movement a name. As your brother, I’m presenting you with that opportunity,’ Omar said proudly.

  ‘Oh, thank you. I’ve already thought of a name. It will be called Al Nadir. The dusk of human greed and unscrupulousness! The deeper I get into the action, the more I see the point of what you’re doing. But I think it will go down little by little and if we have some luck, it will be carried out to the very end. But there will be casualties, there’s no other way, revolutions stand on a foundation blanketed with the death of the brave.’ The last words uttered by Heffer struck a chord with his brother. It was something so real and branded into human history that it could serve as an example. But to whom, could it have been bequeathed by those who wrote the lines of history with their blood or by the others who valued only their own lives . . .

  ‘May there be ones, but let them not be in vain or at least to be vindicated for the sake of our cause. We’re doing this for all of us, especially for the people who can’t help themselves. I hope it works,’ the officer said with hope in his voice as his brother listened to him carefully.

  ‘It will, it will even be perfect, I know you after all and since you took it up you’ll take it to its end no matter the cost,’ the Scarred man predicted.

  ‘I’m waiting for everything to start off. Operation Diamond Sky as it is laid out in the report I entrust to you personally. I’ll be available and in case you need me, I’ll lend you my guidance and help. What you’re expected to do is to be irreproachable.’ Those were the final instructions Omar gave regarding their plan.

  He stood up and walked away after bidding everyone goodbye. He left quickly, just as he came. In those times getting arrested for conspiracy equaled life imprisonment without appeal. And despite everything, human bravery triumphed over the imposed limitations and norms in the human society . . .

  Everything began on March 4. The beginning of the end grew much more palpable and the lunch hours were filled with an ever growing tension. At that time of the day, around 12:30, Omar received a phone call. Strange, but short and clear one.

  ‘Are you ready? We’re waiting for you, we’re ready,’ an unfamiliar voice he had never heard before spoke from the other end of the line.

  ‘I’m coming, I’ll be there in an hour,’ he answered unthinkingly and left his office, heading towards his car, parked by the building he worked at.

  Fast as an express train he arrived at the arranged meeting place precisely an hour later. The barns of the abandoned airport had sheltered the airplanes like a hen shelters her little chickens. And just like the chickens, the airplanes were prepared to fly away and grow into independence. They had provided five planes, but they were going to use only three for the mission. A team of sixty people had been put together including service people. Forty were going to get on board in the main aircraft that was planned to land first and mark the beginning of the offensive. French men, Americans, Hungarians, Polish folk and ex-military officers from many countries were at the site, waiting for orders. All those men were physically tough as oxen, giving out the smell of testosterone with eyes red as those of an enraged and starved predator. The better part of them had even put stimulants in their systems in an attempt to enhance their bravery and selflessness. Whether that was going to be of any help was a mystery. At first glance it was a perfect squad for the task at hand.

  After the uniformed General entered the building all of them arranged in military formation, regardless of their rank: mercenaries, ex or operating servicemen. Even as he was approaching them, they saluted him and formed a line, ready to receive orders. Some of them could not stand still and shifted their weight from foot to foot, but they waited quietly. The neat man was seized by the familiar sensation that had to do with the emotion of keeping a full control over things.

  ‘Well, mercenaries, here is where everything begins. You know who I am, I won’t introduce myself, you can do the same as well. The less we know about each other, the better. Should we do a good job, we’ll even live to tell the tale.’ Omar cracked a joke and at that moment Heffer appeared out of the blue and started clapping.

  ‘Bravo, are you trying to breathe courage into them? Don’t, they don’t need it, they’d sooner breathe it into you. They’ve suffered terrible things, I know personally each and every one of them and I can guarantee the successful outcome of the mission. Right, guys?’

  ‘Yes, sir! They roared in unison so loudly that the echo that rang off the walls of the barn was painful to the ears of everyone inside.

  ‘Good, since you say so, I believe you,’ the officer replied.

  ‘Come with me, I’ll show you something.’ Scarface motioned for the General to walk into a room where all the papers Al Nadir needed were gathered in one place.

  ‘Here, that’s the place from which you’ll monitor everything; in case something goes wrong, you’ll have to help us somehow. There’s another thing I have to let you know. The plan changed a bit, but it’s the same in its core.

  ‘But what are you saying, what have you changed?’ Omar jumped startled.

  ‘We’ll make terrorist attacks in three places to divert the attention, not just one as you wanted. We just can’t afford to attract any attention, despite the fact that we have NATO airplanes and hardly anyone would suspect a thing. You know that something can always go astray,’ the scarred man said, certain in his own words.

  ‘Mind your actions, my intention is to save people, not to start a war!’ the military reproached his brother. Heffer just gave him a tiny smile and went to prepare his equipment. He was going to take part in the operation as well.

  ‘We’re taking off in fifteen minutes, your assistant will be Gérard, one of my most loyal comrades. You saw him at the hotel, the one with Hussein,’ he explained the essentials and set off to join his team, leaving Omar alone in the middle of all the communication and control devices which could save the mission in critical moments. Not a minute had elapsed and Gérard, a French man in his late twenties, fair, blue-eyed, faithful adherent of Heffer’s, showed up.

  ‘Pleased to meet you,’ he held out a hand to the stranger. The officer gave him a doubtful look at first, but later decided not to be so coldblooded and stretched out his hand, too.

  ‘Pleased to meet you, too, Omar.’ They shook hands, then decided to sit down and take a look at what they had at their disposal. As they studied the equipment, they heard the planes gun their engines. The General looked out one of the windows of the control room.

  ‘It started! From this moment onward nothing will be the same again. We’ll either ruin everything build by a human hand or we’ll have the opportunity to carry it somewhere else. The beginning of
the end . . .’ he uttered quietly, watching the planes depart.

  ‘Let’s get in, there’s work to do. We’re the connection to the others,’ piped up the French man, sitting behind the officer. After the two allies went in, it became clear that they were not only going to pull the squad out of dangerous situations, but also to maintain contact with Hussein who was to tell them when to activate the blasts.

  ‘Heffer’s orders were as follows: ‘at four o’clock our time he’ll give us a signal in case everything is all right and if it is, we do our part. We’ll be responsible for the detonation,’ the French man started giving instructions. Omar did not find any of that funny since he placed no trust in either his assistant, nor in the other delegate who was in charge of the explosives.

  ‘Be cautious with those bombs, I don’t want any casualties, only attention!’

  ‘I don’t know, I hope there’s not going to be any problem, I’m not responsible for them,’ Gérard shifted the responsibility again. Omar was a bit angered, but everything was already decided. Whether he should regret he had assigned such an important task to his brother or everything was going to turn out all right? That was the question that tormented him all along while he was waiting.

  At 4:10 they received a call on the radio. It was the Scarface’s voice. It was unintelligible because of the coded shortwave transmission of the signal, but both men understood the word they heard “action”. That was all: short and clear. Gérard punched a number on his cell phone, but there was no conversation. The call was ended on the other end of the line. That was the beginning of the mission.

  At the same time protests broke out in London, Berlin and Tehran or, more precisely, in their ghettoes. This time around they were organized. Individuals who were paid by Al Nadir to shout slogans on the streets and to wave flags gradually started to provoke civil disobedience. Right before the police and the military intervened, arresting people on charges of vandalism, something unexpected occurred. About a thousand feet away, before the eyes of those who took part in the demonstrations, a powerful thunder shook half the neighborhood, shattering to pieces the windows in a radius of more than half a mile, and a fiery ball hovered in the air. The law enforcement officers were shocked. They had no clue what to do, how to keep the people calm. The radio stations started buzzing, panic gripped not only the armed forces but the entire urban system. In the end the protesters were left unsupervised. The events happened in the three cities at the same time. The blasts had claimed hundreds of victims. Torn-up bodies were scattered all over the streets, buildings were ruined, cars were burning, cries and screams of people mourning the dead echoed throughout the city. A petrifying picture. Right now beastly chaos that invaded the gigapolices rendered the world speechless with fear. Bomb attacks and a wave of thousands of rioters was the reflection of the sloppy government of those in power. The institutions had lost hold of the reins and with that the world’s anarchy started spreading like a viral infection which threatened to gradually engulf and take over the cities of the world. All it took was a bit of time. A day, weeks or a month, but what was unleashed could not be stopped any more. . .