After all the security, the vault’s interior usually disappointed visitors. It had the same furniture as any congressional hearing room, with wooden conference tables that looked decent from a distance, cheap up close. But the room had played host to plenty of fireworks over the years. During the 1980s, when some senators called for the CIA to be abolished over the Iran-Contra scandal, case officers called 219 as the Lion’s Den. Since 9-11, the acrimony had faded for a while. Aside from libertarians like Rand Paul and liberals like Ron Wyden, Congress generally supported the War on Terror. But the recent revelation that the agency had spied on committee staff members as they prepared a report about CIA interrogation programs had again poisoned relations. And today, Brian Taylor feared the room might live up to its old nickname.
—
Taylor was deputy chief of base for Istanbul. (Technically, the CIA’s station in Turkey was located in Ankara. By long-standing tradition, the CIA could have only one “station” in every country, so it referred to its office in Istanbul as a “base.”) He had found the weapons-grade uranium that the United States accused Iran of producing. He was the only agency officer ever to meet Reza, the Revolutionary Guard colonel who had tipped the CIA to Iran’s plans. Now Reza was in the wind, and the United States and Iran were close to war. And after initially rushing to support the President, members of Congress were expressing concerns about a military confrontation.
“This isn’t Iraq. We know the uranium is real,” an anonymous senator had told The Washington Post that morning. “But we need to know why the White House is so sure it’s from Iran. Just like we need to know who blew up that jet. The hearings today and tomorrow will be critical.”
A laundry list of top officials would testify at the hearing, including the DCI, Scott Hebley. But Taylor knew he would be the star witness. Without him, none of this would have happened.
The agency understood the importance of his testimony. It had flown him and his boss, Martha Hunt, to Virginia three days before. Since then, Hebley’s aides had rehearsed with him nonstop. Max Carcetti, Hebley’s top lieutenant, played the committee’s head, an Illinois senator named Laura Frommer. Carcetti cut Taylor off, jumped on inconsistencies in his answers. You just told us that Colonel Reza claimed Iran had produced enough uranium for several nuclear weapons. Earlier you said ten. Which is it, Mr. Taylor?
Hunt, the Istanbul chief of base, would attend the hearing but wasn’t scheduled to testify. Part of Taylor wished she’d stayed in Turkey. She was slim and beautiful, her delicate blue eyes hiding her intelligence and toughness. For as long as they’d worked together, Taylor had had a hopeless crush on her.
But he and Hunt had worked side by side to find the uranium. Suddenly, his crush didn’t feel so hopeless. On the charter home, they hadn’t done anything as obvious as hold hands. But Hunt had slept beside him on the otherwise empty jet. Close enough for him to smell her perfume, something light and floral and faintly sweet. She’d settled in, with her head almost on his shoulder. Almost.
Still, Taylor knew that if he blew his testimony, she’d never forgive him. The night before the hearing, after a dinner of mushroom pizza at their Reston safe house, she walked Taylor through his testimony yet again. “Stick to the facts. They ask why you think Iran would do this now, that’s above your pay grade. They ask about alternatives to an invasion—”
“That’s above my pay grade.”
After an hour, Taylor rebelled.
“Martha. Stop treating me like your idiot little brother.”
“I am limiting your downside.”
“And yours.”
She stood, put her fingers to her lips, blew him a kiss. “See you in the morning.”
“You have nightmares, you know where to find me.”
“Night, Brian.”
—
Taylor hardly slept that night. At 5 a.m., he gave up trying. He showered, shaved, dressed. He spent two hours trying not to drink too much coffee while he read over his reports and checked his email. They didn’t have full access to Langley’s classified feeds here, but they could port in through a virtual private network.
Not much had happened overnight. Reza was still missing, still hadn’t touched the hundreds of thousands of dollars that the CIA had put in a Swiss account for him. No surprise there. Taylor didn’t expect him to turn up. In India, the leads in Mumbai pointed to Hezbollah. But despite a lot of door-kicking, the Indian police had no suspects. Meanwhile, Israel reported that Iran had mobilized its “Widows Brigade,” seven hundred female suicide bombers who would attack American soldiers if they crossed the border.
More proof that an invasion of Iran would make the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan look easy. Iran was larger, its army better trained. Most important, its people were far more unified than Afghanis or Iraqis. In those countries, the United States had fought factions. In Iran it would be at war with a nation.
Hunt emerged from her room at 7:30, showered and scrubbed. “You sleep?”
“I look that bad?”
“I’ll put some foundation on you. Hide the circles—” She swept her hands under her eyes.
“Martha, I am not wearing makeup.”
“It’ll be subtle.”
Much as he wanted to feel her fingertips on his skin, he had to draw this line. “No one’s expecting me to be minty fresh.”
“Minty fresh? I don’t suppose you want to go over your talking points one last time.”
“If you weren’t my boss, I’d tell you what I really want.”
—
Three hours later, Taylor sat in the secure room at the heart of 219 as Senator Frommer and the rest of the select committee took their places on the dais before him. Frommer had asked for Taylor’s testimony first, in place of the DCI, a not-so-subtle shot at the agency. This hearing runs on our schedule, not yours. She was in her early sixties, with a helmet of dyed black hair and a face whose wrinkles had been Botoxed into submission.
She’s smart, Carcetti had told him. And she trusts her instincts. She can afford to. She’s in a safe seat and she’s got no plans to run for President. They listen to her on that committee. Both parties. They like her. Keep her on your side, you’ll sail through. He didn’t have to say what would happen if Taylor couldn’t keep Frommer on his side.
Hunt sat beside Taylor at the witness table. Carcetti had wanted a lawyer, too. But Taylor insisted a lawyer would only make him nervous, and Carcetti finally agreed.
She’s not much for ceremony, Madame Frommer, Carcetti had said. At ten-thirty sharp, she’ll hit that gavel to get started and get to the point. That’s one reason they like her.
Sure enough, as senators were still settling themselves, Frommer tapped the gavel. “We will begin this hearing of the Select Committtee. I am not sure I’ve ever been involved with a more important session. A few days ago, the President of the United States presented the American public with shocking news about Iran’s nuclear intentions. The United States believed that Iran could be a partner for peace. But if the White House is correct, the Islamic Republic has secretly been preparing for war all along. Under such circumstances, I think we agree that the President has the right to defend our interests and keep Americans safe.
“Unfortunately, recent history compels us to treat presidential pronouncements about weapons of mass destruction with skepticism. Over the next two days, we will hear testimony from the DCI and other members of the intelligence community. But I want to begin by hearing from the CIA officer who found the uranium. We are in closed session. I am going to use your real name, sir, Brian Taylor. And your real title, deputy chief of base for Istanbul. Mr. Taylor, please stand and raise your right hand, so I may administer the oath.”
Taylor stood, raised his hand. “I, Brian Taylor, do solemnly swear—”
For the next forty-four minutes, Taylor explained everything that had happened in Istanbul sin
ce the day when the first letter from Reza arrived on his desk. “Thank you for allowing me to testify,” he said when he was done. “It’s an honor. I’m happy to answer any questions.”
He spoke mostly from memory, referring to his notes as little as possible. Try not to read the whole time, Carcetti had said. Head up, so you can look the committee members in the eye. They like that. Taylor wasn’t so sure. He’d expected his statement would sway the senators, break the tension in the room. It seemed to have the opposite effect. He felt like a kid who had broken a window and been called into the principal’s office. Only the faint hum of filtered air pumping through the vault’s narrow vents broke the silence.
Frommer cleared her throat. “Mr. Taylor. We appreciate your coming before us. You do understand, the story you’re telling is unusual.” She drew out the last word. “Would you agree?”
Defer when you can, Carcetti had said. She’s the boss. Don’t fight her. When in doubt, stretch out the at bat, get more information. And never cut her off. Never never. Senators don’t like that.
“I’m not sure exactly what you mean.”
“I mean the way you handled Reza’s recruitment and handling. The fact that he came to you. That you never learned his real name or position within the Quds Force. Have you ever had another agent like that?”
“No, ma’am—chairwoman.”
“Senator, please. And the fact that the agency cannot find Reza despite a quote-unquote intense effort, that’s also unusual.”
“Yes.”
“What do you make of these oddities, Mr. Taylor? I remind you that you are under oath.”
If Frommer meant to intimidate him by mentioning that he was under oath, she succeeded. Taylor heard his pulse thumping in his skull, the blood surging through. The funny part was that he had told the truth. He believed in Reza. Even so, he felt like a kid caught in a riptide pulling him out to sea. If he kept calm, didn’t fight the current, he’d be fine. But it was hard to keep calm with the water lunging into his nose. The next few minutes would be crucial. If he failed, the President might face a revolt on Capitol Hill.
“Mr. Taylor? Still with us?”
Taylor didn’t know how long he’d been silent. Too long. Hunt leaned over, murmured in his ear, her breath warm against his skin, her perfume filling his nose. “You all right?”
Her words broke the spell. Or maybe her perfume. That fast, Taylor knew what to say. “Chairwoman Frommer. I’m sorry. I wanted to answer you as precisely as possible. You are correct that walk-ins are unusual. Most of the time, the agency makes the initial approach. That’s the classic method. In our training at the Farm, we spend a lot of time practicing recruitments. And it’s true that walk-ins can be double agents dangled by foreign services. I assume that’s your paramount concern, that Reza is working for a foreign agency trying to fool us into attacking Iran.”
“Yes.”
“But walk-ins have been among the best assets in the CIA’s history. They have unique advantages. They are often spies themselves, so they understand tradecraft and don’t need hand-holding. They give up vital information quickly, because it is the very importance of the information that has caused them to approach us. Put another way, they’re motivated. We don’t have to play games with them. I hope that makes sense.”
When you’re answering, don’t go on and on, Carcetti said. Pause halfway through. Get them to buy in.
“I suppose.”
“I believe the man who called himself Reza was one of these ultra-high-value walk-ins. Do I wish I knew his name? Yes. That we had him under our protection, in a safe house somewhere? Yes. Would I prefer someone else had seen him? Of course. At least then I wouldn’t be the only one in front of the firing squad.”
Taylor thought he was close to breaking through. But Frommer merely shook her head.
“Mr. Taylor. If a firing squad is required, you won’t be its only target. We’re going to hear much more testimony today. And, of course, we will discuss next steps.”
“That’s above my pay grade.”
Even as the words left his mouth Taylor knew he’d made a mistake. Frommer was in no mood for canned lines.
“You are correct. Far above. Let’s focus on the question that you are here to answer. Is the man who calls himself Reza who he claims to be? Is he real?”
Taylor’s life had shrunk to the microphone in front of him. He reached for it, cupped it toward him. His hands weren’t shaking. A small victory.
“Believe me, I understand what that question means for our country, Chairwoman. I’ve spent more hours than I can count thinking it through. And my answer is yes.”
“Why?”
Because no one could be that good an actor. But Taylor knew Frommer didn’t want pronouncements. She wanted specifics.
“Because the truth is that no one betrays his country without good reason. I saw Reza’s motivations up close and they were real, believable, and specific. I’ve outlined them today and I discussed them in detail in my reports, which I know the agency has made available to you. Nor do I fault Reza for his desire to keep his real name secret. He mentioned Edward Snowden and Bradley Manning when I promised to protect him and his identity. I can’t disagree with his assessment of our security flaws.”
“Is that all?”
“It is not, ma’am. I believe a foreign agency would have presented someone whose cover story didn’t raise as many questions as Reza’s. I repeatedly demanded more information from him. A would-be double agent would have answered at least some questions. Tried to ease my suspicions. His superiors would have insisted. Reza refused. He never gave me the impression that he was under anyone’s control.”
“So the holes in his story actually make him more plausible?”
“I know that’s counterintuitive, but yes. He told me repeatedly that the intelligence he provided would speak for itself. And that has proven to be correct.”
“Mr. Taylor, the agency sometimes uses the term source capture, does it not?”
Taylor hadn’t heard anyone at the CIA utter those words since his training at Camp Peary. But this was not the moment to argue. “Yes, Madam Chairwoman.”
“Can you define those words for me?”
“Source capture occurs when a CIA officer becomes so overly protective of an agent that he can no longer determine the agent’s value or reliability. It isn’t the same as being doubled, where the officer winds up becoming an active spy for the other side. It’s more subtle and insidious. It happens for any number of reasons. Sexual attraction, or even friendship over a long period. Usually, the officer doesn’t even recognize what’s happening. Ultimately, instead of running the source, he winds up quote-unquote captured by him.”
“Did Reza capture you, Mr. Taylor?”
Not even Carcetti had asked the question so bluntly. “I assure you, Senator, that Reza and I were in no way friends. I always felt uncomfortable at our meetings, to be honest.”
“But there’s an even simpler form of source capture, yes?”
Stretch the at bat . . . “I’m not trying to be difficult, Senator, but I don’t understand the question.”
“Then I’ll explain.” Frommer didn’t smile. “If an asset is providing uniquely valuable information, he will have a uniquely valuable effect on the career of the officer who’s handling him, yes?”
“Possibly.”
“You, for example. I’m sure you recognized Reza’s importance to your career.”
Taylor’s cheeks reddened like Frommer had slapped him. She’s the boss, Carcetti had said. Don’t fight her. But Taylor couldn’t help himself. He had joined the agency after 9-11, for the right reasons, to defend his country—
“Question my judgment, Senator, I can live with that. But don’t question my integrity. Don’t call me a careerist. Believe it or not, I know my place. I’m a small cog in a very big ma
chine. I don’t have any plans to be DCI. Or even a station chief. I’ve never told anyone this before, but I figured on retiring after this posting. If I’ve been fooled, if I’m wrong, I expect to be disciplined. Or terminated. This isn’t about me—”
“Mr. Taylor—”
Never cut her off. Taylor raised a hand. “With respect, you brought this up. I’d like the opportunity to finish—”
“Mr. Taylor—”
“This isn’t about me. It’s about what’s best for the country. Making sure that a nuclear weapon never explodes on American soil. I can only tell you what I saw. And I saw a man who repeatedly gave us accurate and actionable intelligence. A man who led us to 1.3 kilograms of weapons-grade uranium. As I’m sure you know, that ingot is by far the biggest piece of nuclear material that anyone has ever found. If we prove it didn’t come from Iran, so be it. If the Iranians let us talk to their scientists, inspect their plants so we can be sure they aren’t enriching in secret, great. But until then, my money’s on Reza.”
Taylor folded his hands on the table, waited for Frommer to rip him a new one. Instead, a smile creased her filler-plumped lips. He’d turned her around. Not just her. Senators from both parties were nodding and smiling. Each of the fifteen faces above him looked down with new respect.
He’d won.
“Mr. Taylor. I am surprised. It’s rare to have a CIA officer speak so bluntly to us. I appreciate your candor.”
“Thank you, Senator.”
“I know my fellow senators have questions. As is customary, members will speak in order of seniority. I remind you, you have six minutes each. Not that any of you would ever go over.” Faint laughter. “The floor is yours, Mr. Vice Chairman.”
—
A cakewalk followed. Three senators urged Taylor to reconsider his plans to retire. He was done and dismissed within an hour. Hebley and Carcetti, who had watched from the row behind him, met him and Hunt in an empty conference room down the hall.
Twelve Days Page 8
