by Joseph Nagle
I believe that the survivor of the attack was flown back to the US on this aircraft, but cannot be sure, as I said, I lost track of it.”
“Who is this man? How can you possibly know that he has the book? Why would he have our book Monsieur? How could the American have come to know of it?”
“He is the attaché to the U.S. Ambassador killed in Damascus. But that was just his cover; he is an officer with the CIA. He is Dr. Michael Sterling, an expert in the Middle East and Religious Studies. We know that the attaché to Syria had been working with the CIA for years; he was also with Syrian Intelligence. The CIA agent and the Syrian have a lengthy relationship going back more than a decade, it started when they both had studied at Georgetown.
This American is well trained. Syrian Intelligence believes he has been involved in a number of extremely successful covert operations against Muslim forces over the past decade. It is plausible that the Syrian had learned of the book. I can not be certain how he could know this, but, at the moment, it is the only possible explanation.”
The CIA? Could it really be that the Other was somehow involved? The Primitus was instantly troubled by this thought.
“Monsieur, what you hypothesize implies that we have a traitor in our organization and that is impossible. You and I, plus the man you carelessly informed about the book, are the only people that knew where that book was kept. How could the Syrian have learned of the book unless you or your man hadn’t told him?”
The Messenger felt as if he had allowed himself to become trapped in a corner, he wanted to attack but knew that could prove dangerous. Be careful, he thought to himself, remember Sun Tzu. Instead, he conceded, “I handpicked and trained Shalid myself,” this was the first time he had spoken his name out loud since having put a bullet into his head. “From the day I pulled him of the streets of Beirut, I raised him like he was my child, I saw to his education and upbringing personally. I cannot say yet how this has all transpired, just that it has.”
When finished, the Messenger used his tactic for the second time today and waited with his breath held for what seemed an inordinate amount of time: golden silence.
The Primitus carefully calculated his thoughts. Finally, he responded, “You have been most careless, and I am discouraged and disappointed in you. You have put our mission, our very existence at risk. The power that we hold has been carefully crafted and guided for longer than you or I can comprehend. We are entrusted with the world’s most guarded secret, a secret that is the very essence and fulcrum of our power. We obviously have much work to do. Inform the Other and prepare for a gathering. I will be in touch.”
The line went dead. The plan is working. The Messenger smiled as he thought, in the words of Sun Tzu: crush him.
Chapter Twenty-Two
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
The White House Situation Room
In the basement of the West Wing of the White House, the Secretary of Defense, the Vice President, the White House Chief of Staff, and the respective directors of the varying offices of US and Military Intelligence, along with their aides, deputies, and second-in-commands were gathered in the Situation Room – all were unsettled.
Staff members of the National Security Council were huddled in one corner of the five-thousand square-foot room, and frantically debated amongst themselves. At times, their voices rose above the rest causing a powerful head or two to glare in their direction.
“The two may be unrelated, Ron!”
Ron Willis is a man that is comfortable in stressful situations, thriving on them. An unassuming man of average height, weight, and proportion, Ron can blend easily in any setting. As a Deputy Director of the CIA and a member of the National Security Council, he has experienced his share of tense moments throughout his career.
Beginning his tenure with the CIA in the late 1970’s, Ron was unrepeated in history lessons, but had been instrumental in guiding the US through the cold war, which resulted in a fast rise through the ranks of the CIA. It is largely suspected by those with compartmentalized information, and deeply classified, that during the decade and a half he had spent deeply embedded in the former USSR he had gained the ear of Mikhail Gorbachev, the last General Secretary of the Communist party and Head of State before communism fell.
Ron’s grasp of the Russian language is better than impeccable, even having a hint of a Moscow accent. A brilliant man, unencumbered with ties to a wife and children, he had blended into communist Russia and had infiltrated the offices of Gorbachev over the course of the time he had spent in the communist country.
In a daring and calculated move, Ron had entrenched the ideas of glasnost and perestroika – openness and restructuring – into the mind and policies of Gorbachev. These were the very policies that had lead to the fall of the Iron Curtain. The operation had been code named Chrysalis: absolute change of the body, unseen, and from within.
It had been the CIA’s second successful silent coup, the first having occurred in Iran twelve years earlier. (Although many would argue that the Iranian coup was an abject failure, having allowed for the rise of the current Islamic Republic.)
During Ron’s time in the Soviet Union, a number of CIA turned Russian operatives were being executed at an alarming rate. A former classmate of Ron’s, Aldrich Ames, had been selling the names of Russian double-agents for a number of years in order to fuel his ego and his wife’s relentless need for the finer things in life.
Ron’s identity had been one of those names disclosed to the Russians. Consequently, a team of KGB agents, commanded by a young agent named Vladimir, and future head of the communist counterpart to the head of the CIA, were closing in fast. Dressed as a downtrodden beggar, Ron was able to escape Moscow with only a handful of cash and forged Russian travel documents. He even held the street level entrance of his 4th floor Moscow flat open for the armed agents whilst boldly holding out his hand asking for spare change.
In the same calm manner that he now displayed in the White House Situation Room and on that day in Moscow, Ron had stolen a car and fled Moscow. He had been nearly at freedom’s gate when the car had run out of gas. At a nearby farm, he was able to find a bike which he rode to the border between Finland and the Soviet Union. There, he had convinced the border guards he was an Olympic athlete out training for a bike race and was allowed through with his forged travel papers. He had even posed for pictures with the border guards.
The Director of the National Security Council, Dr. Samuel Montag, was uneasily close to Ron as they stood in the corner of the Situation Room, and was playing devil’s advocate.
Ron chose his words carefully. “Of course, Sam, it is plausible that the two events are unrelated. However, I don’t believe that they are.”
“How can you say that, what makes you think that the attack on the delegates in Damascus and the Ayatollah’s assassination are related?”
Before Ron could answer, the room suddenly became void of all sound. An uneasy tension cascaded the room almost as if every occupant had suddenly held his breath. The reason soon became clear; a deep voice spoke, “Ron, please answer the Director’s question, I am also curious as to what makes you think that the events are related to one another.”
The President’s question redirected a spotlight of attention from him to Ron. Ron walked to the front of the Situation Room and turned to address those gathered.
Clearing his throat, Ron began, “Mr. President, the facts that are undisputable are that Hezbollah attacked secret negotiations between Lebanon, Syria, Israel, and the US at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus. The attack resulted in the killing of the delegates of each nation including the US Ambassador. Approximately two hours later, the Supreme Leader of Iran, the Ayatollah, was assassinated in his home along with his wife, servant, and two personal guards.
As everyone in this room is well aware, Iran is a major financial backer and supporter of Hezbollah and rabid anti-Zionists. The Ayatollah, as the Supreme Leader of Iran, had complete control over all milit
ary actions.”
“Ron, you are not telling us anything that we do not already know. This does not relate the two, if anything, it separates them even more. Lebanon and Syria are backers of Hezbollah, and, thus, Iran. There is no rational reason that Iran would use Hezbollah to mount an attack on its own supporters.”
The heads of many of the men and women in the room began to nod in unison in apparent agreement with the logic of the White House Chief of Staff.
Patiently hearing him out, knowing that there would be questions, Ron began to speak again, “You are right, sir. There is not any rational reason that Iran would conduct such an operation. I do not believe that Iran, in her right mind, would have designed and ordered much less condoned the operation.”
This time it was the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to chime in, “So, now you are saying that the two are unrelated. Which is it, Ron? Are the two events related or unrelated?”
It never ceased to amaze him when people, even brilliant ones, viewed the world two-dimensionally. Things to them were either, black or white, or yes or no; failing to see other potential dimensions. “General," answered Ron, "what I am saying is that the attack and assassination are related but that the attack on the mosque by Hezbollah was not an Iranian operation. To that end, the assassination was not a Hezbollah, Lebanese, or Syrian operation, and, certainly, Iran did not assassinate its own leader; the Ayatollah was loved by his countrymen and had been ready to step down due to his age. I believe that there is a third organization that is behind both events, an organization that is separate from Iran and Hezbollah but responsible for the two events.”
The President held up his hand and signaled that he wanted to interrupt, “Ron, in the same breath you said that Hezbollah was and was not responsible. Clarify.”
“Mr. President, I believe that it was a group of Hezbollah soldiers that conducted the attack, but were led by a rogue commander. With regards to Hezbollah, they did not order the attack on the mosque. The assassination of the Ayatollah, his wife, servant, and guards was the work of a professional; most likely American trained. I believe that this was an effort to make the assassination of the Ayatollah appear as retaliation to the attack by Hezbollah, but ordered by the rogue commander.”
Throughout the room, the cascade of rising voices soon chorused into near chaos. The President, a man not fond of the lack of structure and control, slammed his hand to the table and shouted, “Gentlemen! Ladies! This is not a time to debate amongst us!” Turning his focus back to the Deputy Director, in a more dignified manner the President said, “Ron, you are speaking of a coup. This is also not a time for conjecture. My presumption is that you have something, some sort of evidence that points your beliefs in this direction?”
“I do, Mr. President.”
“Please then, let’s start at the beginning. We know that the attack at Umayyad occurred first. Please start from there.”
Ron began, “Mr. President,” and then said as he scanned the rest of the room’s occupants, “ladies and gentlemen, what you know, what you have seen in the press, is that Hezbollah attacked a delegation of Ambassadors. These men had been meeting, in part, to discuss the unconditional repatriation of certain lands between the three countries. The talks were to lead to the eventual recognition of Palestine as a state and the final acceptance of Israel’s right to exist. It was to become the first step toward a final peace between them all.”
Ron paused to take a sip of water; it looked as if everyone in the room was holding his breath. Continuing, Ron said, “We were there to assist primarily as intermediaries and as a sign of good faith and support for both sides. The attack occurred without any provocation or warning, and was managed by a company sized outfit of Hezbollah soldiers. The attack was a slaughter.”
Taking a moment to outline his next statement Ron could see that the patience of a number of those in attendance had grown thin. Looking for a cue from his boss, Ron glanced at Director Fundamen where he sat next to the President. Director Fundamen nodded slightly at Ron.
His boss’s permission granted, Ron informed the people in the room, “What you do not know is that we had a man at the negotiations.”
“Ron,” the interjection came from the Director of Homeland Security (DHS). “When you say you had “a man” at the negotiations are you implying a “Company man,” one of your officers? Who?”
“We sent in Dr. Michael Sterling. Some of you may recall a few of his assignments over the previous years.” Heads around the room, again, nodded in recollection.
“Dr. Sterling, code named the Professor, is a tremendously valuable officer of the CIA, and nothing short of a legend. He was sent in to assist the US Ambassador with historical guidance as it related to the issues at hand. Also, as many of you are aware, he is an expert in the Middle East, holding a doctorate, and is a former CIA Special Operations Commander and Core Collector. One of the men that he turned into a CIA asset was a Syrian Intelligence agent by the name of Yousef Aramasu.”
“Ron,” interjected the Vice President, “you said the Ayatollah was killed by an American trained assassin. Are you saying that the killer of the Ayatollah was your man, Dr. Sterling?”
“No, Mr. Vice President, not at all. Dr. Sterling was in Damascus when the Ayatollah was killed, confirmed by GPS on a tracking chip he carries. Further, we had to extract him from Damascus, he was nowhere near Iran and it would have been impossible for him to have traveled to Iran and back to Syria in the amount of time that both events took place. Besides, Dr. Sterling was rescued from Damascus during the attack and on his way to an aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean before the Ayatollah was killed.”
“Then what exactly do you mean when you said American trained?”
“Sir, we have received some intelligence on the assassination. A trusted CIA asset in VEVAK smuggled photos to us of the Ayatollah just after he was killed, before the scene could be wiped of evidence. In addition, we have photos of the other victims in the Ayatollah’s home.”
Surrounding the Situation Room were six flat panel NEC monitors, the largest monitor was at the front of the room. All of them were illuminated and now showed a photo of Yousef, next to which was a photo of Michael. On the panels, and beneath the headshots of both intelligence officers, were the images of the dead Ayatollah and other victims.
Ron pointed to the images of the corpses of the two dead guards and asked, “Do you see the entry wounds made by the assassin’s bullets? Here and here.”
Ron focused the room’s attention to the neck and forehead of the two dead men and said, “The shot to the throat, from the front, is an intelligence technique designed to eliminate any cries or screams, and, at the same time, exits through the rear of the victim’s neck severing the brain stem. This renders the victim instantly paralyzed and unable to return fire. It is effective at keeping the kill silent and without the fear of an errant and lucky return shot. The second round, to the head, is the kill shot. An exclamation point if you will, it is not necessary but it insures that the target is eliminated. There were no reports of gunfire even though the two guards were killed outside and the neighborhood well traveled. This would indicate the weapon was silenced.”
Members of the President’s staff and the Intelligence community were looking at the images, some uncomfortably stirred a bit in their seats. The President commanded, “And the others, Ron? Explain.”
“Yes, Mr. President. The others were killed with similar US intelligence taught techniques; the servant was shot three times in the spine. She was instantly paralyzed and unable to cry out. There is evidence to suggest that she did not die instantly and the assassin slit her throat.” A number of people winced at hearing this.
“The Ayatollah’s wife was killed with an uncommon technique. It is difficult to use and this kill does the most to confirm our belief that the assassin is American trained. We used to teach the technique at the Farm, but stopped its instruction over fifteen years ago. Her neck was snapped at the 5th
vertebrae, it is what we call a “signature move.” What makes the technique so difficult is that the neck must be snapped violently forward and downward. It requires that one must be extremely strong and leveraged above the victim in order to manage the necessary force to make the move fatal. The assassin would have to be quite strong. She was found with her neck broken; the break was extremely efficient and clean indicating this to be the case. Since a user of this technique must be extremely strong, and has to be precise with his method, it is a rarely used killing technique. In fact, I know of no situations where it had been used.”
"Until now," said the President.
"Yes, Mr. President, until now," responded Ron.
Pointing at a woman seated in the corner, Ron signaled to the admin, who was controlling the images, to add one more. The photo was of the Ayatollah’s desk behind which the body of the dead leader was slumped to the left side of his chair. Using a digital controller, Ron zoomed in on the edge of the desk. Made much clearer to those in attendance, on the desk sat a chrome-plated handgun.
Ron focused in on the gun and said, “This weapon is purported to be the murder weapon. It is an American made chrome-plated Colt .45; it is standard issue at the CIA.” Ron pointed to the weapon’s front and rear sights and the shortened trigger Ron and continued, “This weapon is customized in the same manner that is done for certain US Special Operations organizations. This gun and the manner in which the kills occurred lead us to believe that the assassin was American trained.”
Ron paused to take another swallow of water to wet his now dry throat. “As I mentioned earlier, Dr. Sterling was sent to Damascus to assist with tense negotiations. This man,” Ron was now pointing to the image of Yousef, “was the other reason that we sent in Dr. Sterling. Three days ago, Yousef Aramasu of Syrian Intelligence contacted Michael through unconventional means and uncharacteristically demanded his presence in Damascus.”
“A set up? The Syrian lured your agent to Damascus to kill him, to make it look like he was involved somehow?” The questions came from one of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; many were thinking the same thing.
