by Uzi Eilam
“I still don’t have the investigators’ report, but the material will be here soon.”
Tan sat taut without saying a word. He drummed his fingers nervously on the table and examined the attendees around the table.
“What do we know about the status of the major attack you were talking about yesterday?” Tan directed the question at everyone present.
“We have to assume the attack is still happening. Rogel and the American embassy’s tech expert are in Dan’s ‘war room’ right now, tracking the information collected from intercepted communications and from the IOT system,” Gideon replied. “They’ll update you the moment they have any concrete information. Dan’s been at the container terminal since this morning to conduct the defense against the cyber attack that emerged as a pertinent threat yesterday, with no communication mishaps. I understand your operational unit has been on immediate alert since yesterday.”
Gideon believed that, in addition to the existing revelations about Osman and Damia, there was another leak exposing task force activity. The blocking of Dan’s “war room” system, the multihour failure of the communication surveillance array, and now the stuttering of the IOT defense system at the container terminal—all of these were no coincidence. In a private conversation with Deutsch, his intuition was reinforced. He was awaiting information from Damia’s interrogation.
Chapter 43
A new workday was beginning at the container terminal and, in the conveyance control room, everything appeared quiet. Dan, who had arrived at the terminal before the night shift departed, had time to set up his supercomputer and to network the entire IOT system along with it. The control room’s screens displayed routine operation of the large cranes conveying containers from one location to another. Dan didn’t allow himself to relax. He checked the secure communication line to Tan’s office and exchanged a few words with Gideon. He tested the communication with the “wasp” swarm once again to ensure his ability to summon the swarm within seconds if necessary.
The two communication engineers from Singaporean industry who had come with him gazed with admiration at the speed with which he activated all of the system’s components. They watched Dan’s control screens with fascination and awaited his every utterance. Suddenly, the defense system came to life, and an unidentified container appeared on the screens.
Dan updated Gideon on the direct line to Tan’s office. “I think something’s starting here! A suspicious container is moving in an unexpected route.”
“What have you decided to do?” Gideon asked urgently.
“I’ve summoned the ‘wasp’ swarm, which immediately activated the optical sensors, and the picture’s getting clearer. Hold on! The crane brought the container very close to here… Its door is opening… You have to call in the operational unit to get here now!”
“The unit’s on its way to you, Dan. What’s going on?”
“Three people dressed in black and bearing Kalashnikovs are running toward us…”
Gideon had time to hear a staccato of gunshots before informing Tan he was joining the commander of the commando unit as they headed toward the container terminal. In the meantime, Tan had received a report from Rogel about shots exchanged in the container terminal’s control room. Some people were injured, Rogel said, but it was unclear who. A tense silence took over Tan’s room; no one made a sound.
The voice of the operational unit’s commander rang out over the speaker. “We’re in the control center, General Tan. We’ve eliminated the three terrorists.”
“And how are our people doing?” Tan demanded.
“One person was wounded—Dan Avni,” the commander replied. ”It was a bullet to the arm and the wound’s already been dressed. Gideon is with him. They’re right next to me, and everything’s under control, sir.”
Gideon insisted on accompanying Dan in the ambulance on his way to the hospital and stayed at his bedside after the doctors had tended to the wound. Dan was sleepy under the influence of an injection he had received, but he had still not closed his eyes and fallen asleep. He whispered to Gideon that he thought only Rogel could be the source of the leak from the IOT’s defense array.
Dan’s faint whisper echoed in Gideon’s ear like the siren announcing the opening of the Israeli Yom Kippur War. He knew it was his duty to confront Rogel, but he had to think how to do it. The additional information from Damia’s interrogation might help guide him, he thought. He decided to consult Deutsch.
“How’s Dan? Is it a serious injury?” Deutsch asked after Gideon returned from the hospital to Tan’s office, and the two departed for a side room.
“He’ll be okay. He got hit in the arm, but the bullet only hit a muscle, and the doctors didn’t detect any damage to a main blood vessel or a central nerve. Dan received an injection of sedatives, and he’s asleep and recuperating right now.”
Deutsch smiled, shaking Gideon’s hand warmly and clapping him on the shoulder affectionately.
“Did he tell you any details about the assassination attempt?”
“No, Deutsch, in his condition, I didn’t want to burden him with a security debriefing. Anyway, we’ll hear the details of the incident from the commander of the special force who took down the three terrorists. But just before Dan conked out, he had time to tell me that Rogel is the only one who could be responsible for leaking the details of the defense system.”
“Dan said that? And he was thinking clearly, and not under the influence of medication?”
“Yes, I’m sure he wasn’t just delusional. What do you think? How would you confront Rogel? I’m too close to the guy, and I wanted your take on it.”
Gideon looked to his friend expectantly while he thought back to past events in which Rogel had taken part. It was clear to Gideon that there were hardly any aspects of designing the IOT-enhanced defense system that Dan had handled in which Rogel hadn’t been involved as well. Deutsch took his time in replying, and Gideon noticed his focused expression as he assessed the suspicion that Dan had raised.
“I believe, Gideon, that we should hear the latest on Damia’s interrogation. She had a good relationship with Rogel. Chang Mei believes they’re closer than is usually the case when it comes to the work of a task force like ours. That was the impression I got from her quite a while ago.”
“That’s exactly the approach I was thinking of taking,” Gideon said. “I also thought about what we’d learned regarding the use of Osman’s laptop to extract information from an adjacent computer.” Gideon paused briefly, his forehead creasing in contemplation before he continued. “Actually, Deutsch, when you think about it, the technical details of the IOT defense array weren’t revealed in the full task force meetings, but only within the technical team working with Dan.”
“You’re right, Gideon. Let’s go into Tan’s room and hear the update on Damia’s investigation.”
The head of the Counter Intelligence Division and Dr. Chang Mei were the only additional people present in Tan’s office when Gideon and Deutsch entered. Tan still looked tense, Gideon thought, while Chang Mei was focused and confident as always. The head of the division described the course of Damia Nur’s interrogation and noted that when she was confronted with details from Osman’s confession, she broke down and admitted to the actions she had carried out. She claimed that Osman had convinced her it was all part of a legitimate effort to support the opposition party of which Osman was a member.
The head of the division added that his people had still not had the time to analyze the information found on Damia’s laptop. Gideon asked that the computer be turned over to be inspected by the crew working with Dan to construct the IOT system. Chang Mei peered at a note of explanation that Gideon had passed to her and supported his request. The head of the division heard Tan approve Gideon’s request and promised to provide him with Damia’s computer immediately.
***
“Yo
u know that Damia has been arrested under suspicion of leaking the contents of our task force meetings, leaks that lasted for quite a while,” Gideon began when he and Deutsch met Rogel in a small room in Tan’s bureau. Tyler, the NSA expert, along with the two Singaporean computer engineers, had already returned to Dan’s “war room” to begin examining the contents of Damia’s computer.
“Yes, of course, and it’s amazing,” Rogel replied. “I never would have suspected—”
“Tell me something, Rogel. Is your laptop always with you?” Gideon asked.
“Yes, always. Why do you ask?”
“We already know how Muhammad Osman used his laptop to extract data from Ronit Hart’s computer,” Deutsch said. “An initial inspection of Damia’s computer showed that the same app Osman was using was also installed on her laptop.”
Deutsch’s participation enhanced Gideon’s sense of confidence. He knew he had to overcome his emotional inhibitions and make progress with Rogel. It wouldn’t be right, he thought, to leave it to Deutsch.
“We need to take your laptop from you,” Gideon said, his voice nearly inaudible.
“Why? What does this have to do with the whole Osman and Damia affair? What does any of it have to do with me?”
“Rogel, you’re a big boy.” Gideon tried to assume a paternal tone. “Damia knew details about the IOT defense system. This information was never discussed in the full forum of our task force. It’s better if you give us your computer so we can compare it to Damia’s. Your relationship with Damia and the technical explanations you provided her regarding the task force’s discussions were no secret. For your own good, Rogel, it would be better to prove that what Damia found out about the structure of the IOT defense system didn’t come directly from you.”
Without saying a word, Rogel retrieved his laptop from his bag and handed it to Gideon, who thanked him and suggested Rogel return to Dan’s “war room” in order to continue monitoring the communication networks and the information from the IOT system. Gideon’s eyes followed Rogel as he slowly exited the room to return to his station in the “war room.”
“What do you think, Deutsch?” Gideon asked his friend. He was exhausted and did not hesitate to seek Deutsch’s support.
“I hope I’m not wrong in assuming Damia managed to extract the information from Rogel without his knowledge. In that case, Rogel can be accused of negligence in protecting confidential information, but not of intentionally relaying it.”
“I hope you’re right, Deutsch.” Gideon sighed. “Let’s go back to the ‘war room’ and see which of the various incidents that have taken place here in the last two days are still ongoing.”
***
“Dan, what are you doing here? Did you escape from the hospital?” Gideon called out when he and Deutsch entered the room and saw Dan hunched over the keyboard, typing with one hand. Rogel was also leaning over his own keyboard and didn’t even turn his head.
“I couldn’t stay there. There’s enough to do here,” Dan replied without pausing from his typing. “I’ll go back there tomorrow for a checkup,” he soothed them.
A terse silence enveloped the “war room” as the three young men focused on the screens in front of them. Gideon and Deutsch concentrated on the constant motion of data on the screens. Rogel was tracking developments at the container terminal, occasionally updating them on the lack of news there. Tyler Roberts focused on the defense systems at Changi Airport, also reporting that there was no news there. Dan was monitoring the Malaysian front, occasionally switching to the Iranian embassy’s communications with Razek’s Royal Intelligence Corps and the events surrounding General Ja’afari.
“Did you know Ja’afari returned from a short visit to Tehran?” Dan asked his young associates. “I was immersed in the terminal defense incident.”
“Yes, Dan, we’ve been tracking him. He was the one to manage the entire ‘Thunder from Heaven’ operation and was very close to some significant achievements if you hadn’t been at the container terminal,” Rogel replied.
“But now the general’s in trouble!” Dan’s voice rose in excitement.
“What’s going on there?” Gideon and Deutsch asked simultaneously. “What’s happening to him?”
“According to the data in the computer supervising the state of his diabetes, he’s in an extreme state of hyperglycemia.”
“What does that mean?” Gideon remained agitated.
“I learned a bit about diabetes in order to hack into Ja’afari’s insulin pump, which I accessed through his smartphone. We should thank Dr. Fakari, Ja’afari’s assistant at the embassy, for connecting his device to the pump on our behalf… When a diabetic doesn’t receive the appropriate amount of insulin, his blood sugar level becomes too high. The computer is supposed to supervise the flow of insulin to the bloodstream, but that’s not what’s happening with Ja’afari right now.”
“That means, Dan,” Deutsch said, “that this talented Iranian Fakari has access to monitoring the pump and its operation?”
“That’s exactly right… Hold on, let me see what’s happening with Ja’afari himself… He’s drinking an endless amount of water and complaining to Fakari that he can’t see very well… He’s nauseous… The assistant is proposing to take him to the hospital, but the general is refusing… Just a minute! He’s unconscious! Fakari isn’t around. Maybe he left to get help…”
Everyone was following Dan’s report, and Rogel switched to monitoring the communication channel from the embassy to Razek’s office. Rogel reported a request for assistance from the ambassador’s office to Razek’s.
“Fakari’s back in the picture…” Dan resumed. “He’s talking on the secure line to Tehran… He’s updating Suleimani! Unbelievable! He’s telling him that Ambassador Ja’afari is deceased!”
“This is too good to be true,” Deutsch commented. “Are you sure, Dan, that this is really happening?”
“It’s true,” Rogel chimed in. “Razek’s bureau just received notice from the embassy. They’re rushing over a medical team, but it looks like it’s too late.”
“This is an extraordinarily significant development,” Gideon said. “It’s important that you keep monitoring the communications and analyze what’s happening with this drama. You and I, Deutsch, should go update General Tan immediately.”
Chapter 44
Tan’s conference room was silent. It was clear to all attendees that the purpose of today’s meeting was to summarize recent events and disband the task force. All of the task force’s members were sitting around the conference table. Dan Avni was particularly prominent with the bandages stabilizing his wounded arm. Only Brigadier-General David Rogel was absent, and Gideon whispered to Deutsch and Cheng Mei that Rogel had been called in for questioning in Israel. The whispering stopped when General Tan, accompanied by the head of the Counter Intelligence Division, walked in and sat down.
“Good morning to everyone,” Tan began. For the first time in many days, he looked calm, with a hint of a smile on his face. “I want to open the meeting with a report on the dramatic development in Kuala Lumpur. Dan Avni has been tracking these events in real time, and I ask, Dan, that you describe what you told me yesterday, late at night.”
A wave of whispers swept through the room, and only Gideon and Deutsch, who were in on the secret, were not surprised. Dan opened his laptop, although he did not actually need it.
“General Ja’afari, the Iranian ambassador to Kuala Lumpur, passed away yesterday, apparently as a result of complications of diabetes, a disease he suffered from in recent years.”
The room was utterly quiet, with the attendees staring curiously at the young man typing one-handed on his laptop keyboard.
“Ja’afari was taken to the state-run hospital in the city, where he was officially declared dead. We intercepted a communication between the Iranian embassy in Kuala Lumpur and Tehran and hav
e identified a direct connection between Dr. Fakari, Ja’afari’s assistant, and General Suleimani, commander of the Revolutionary Guard. Suleimani was not surprised by Ja’afari’s death, which raises a few questions.”
“And what’s happening with the head of the Malaysian Royal Intelligence Corps, General Razek?” Chang Mei asked quickly. “Can we assume, or hope, that Ja’afari’s death will also end the waves of terrorist activity originating from Malaysia?”
“Iran still hasn’t officially announced Ja’afari’s death, but Suleimani instructed Fakari to halt all activity in Malaysia. Fakari has already updated Razek.”
“General Tan,” the head of the Counter Intelligence Division said, “I want to add some information about the results of the interrogation of the terrorists we’ve apprehended.”
“Please do,” Tan agreed.
“The two Iranian agents, the Quds Force officer and the Hezbollah fighter, both began to cooperate after some serious interrogation from our people. We’ve learned of the initiative for the wave of terrorist attacks, most of which we’ve managed to thwart. We’ve received details about the role played by Iran’s ambassador in Kuala Lumpur, General Ja’afari. We’ve also heard about the substantial assistance that the Malaysian Royal Intelligence Corps provided for these missions. At this moment, Singapore is filing an official complaint with the Malaysian government. As far as we know, there are no more Iranian agents at large in Singapore.”
“That’s good to know,” Tan said. “Please tell me what conclusions are emerging from the interrogations of the Singaporean citizens…” Tan avoided voicing Damia’s name.
“In the course of the interrogation of Muhammad Osman, the employee of Singapore’s central bank, and Ms. Damia Nur, head of the Technology and Communication Department at our institute, they revealed details regarding the sophisticated use of specialized software. The stars of this ‘computer dance’ were Osman and Damia’s laptops, which managed to ensnare Rogel, Rafael’s representative in Singapore, and Ms. Ronit Hart, an employee of Singapore’s central bank. Thanks to the extraordinary work of Dan Avni and his team, we managed to figure out the way that Osman’s and Damia’s computers operated. Currently, ladies and gentlemen, it’s clear to us how the sensitive information from task force meetings was leaked and how cyber hackers managed to infiltrate our central bank.”
