June 25th, evening, Frankfurt
The day of June 25th is a day that Ammer and his wife, Zenab, would try to forget for the rest of their lives. As if the visits by David and Greg were not enough, as the evening set on Frankfurt, the North Korean Kim appeared at the front door of their home in what they had always regarded as a quiet suburb of Frankfurt. Kim took one look at the couple and almost failed to recognize the frightened, traumatized man who opened the door as Ammer. He no longer looked like the successful, self-confident businessman who had driven him and the Iranian agent, Mahmoud, to Boppard the previous evening. Ammer was on the verge of weeping when Kim asked him where Nagib and Alia were and without any prompting told Kim that he thought they had moved to Brussels. He did warn Kim that other intelligence agencies were also trying to find the couple. Kim, who had intended to eliminate Ammer and whoever was unfortunate enough to be present in the house, decided that murder would just complicate things and have the German police and Interpol on his trail, so uncharacteristically disobeyed his orders and left the house quietly. As he was leaving he saw Mahmoud and a couple of bearded goons come up the pathway. So he stopped in his tracks and pulled Mahmoud aside and briefly gave him an update on the situation. He suggested that they combine their forces and search for Nagib together and then share the information. Mahmoud was not very enthusiastic about the idea of cooperation, especially in view of how North Koreans were regarded in Europe, but thought that he would worry about sharing the data after they had it in their hands, quoting to himself "Never sell the bear's skin before one has killed the beast". So the Iranian and North Korean agreed to join forces in the hunt and made arrangement to meet in Brussels at noon the next day.
June 25th, 8 pm Brussels
When Alia and Nagib entered the restaurant they were guided to the table where Junaid and Rahman were already seated. They looked at the crowd in the restaurant and felt underdressed as all the men were wearing tailor made suits and the ladies fancy gowns. Rahman was in a cashmere wool dark suit with a green tie, probably electing the color of Islam, and Junaid in a white dress that accentuated her lithe figure and smooth dark skin. She noticed the couple's awkwardness and told them not to worry because there was no formal dress code and tourists often appeared in casual clothes like theirs. Nagib noticed that both Pakistanis were drinking what appeared to be club soda with lemon rind but then got a whiff of gin and understood that appearances were not everything and that gin and tonic looked just like club soda. Alia noticed that Junaid and Rahman were on very friendly terms with one another and was sure that they were sleeping together.
The conversation during dinner was about Brussels as a tourist attraction and the contrast between the big European city and small town USA on the one hand and Islamabad, the bustling capital of Pakistan on the other hand. After the main course had been served Rahman used that small talk as an opening to probe Nagib and Alia about their plans as well as about their beliefs and ideals. Nagib hesitantly said that they were not sure what they wanted to do, beyond fighting for a better world. Rahman asked what they meant by that and Nagib talked about correcting historic evils, bringing justice to the Muslim people and getting retribution for the deeds of the colonialist powers. He mentioned the episode of the capturing of Saddam Hussein and the humiliation of a great Arab leader in the hands of the US. He also said that he had left Palestine as a young man hoping to build a better life for himself far away from his homeland but events that occurred there – the destruction of his parents' house and the murder of his brother – did not let him forget where he had come from. He added that Alia had also suffered abuse and humiliation from the Israelis when she visited her family. Rahman kept glancing at Junaid to see how she took this story and saw by the glitter in her eyes that she too was impressed by it. Nagib was a bit ashamed about his outburst and became very quiet. Alia looked at him with admiring eyes and then asked Rahman and Junaid how they felt about the American involvement in Pakistan. Junaid looked at Rahman for approval and then said that like many Pakistani patriots they felt that the ruling class was only interested in its own self-preservation and ignored the common people. The masses wanted revenge for the loss of territory and population to India in the war of 1971 and in several border skirmishes and felt that the Americans were holding them back and supporting India while betraying Pakistan. They also didn't like the fact that US intelligence agents were using Pakistan as the staging ground for their actions against the radical Islamic factions in Afghanistan with total disregard of the sovereignty of Pakistan. Rahman added that there were many middle and low ranking intelligence officers who shared similar views. Several leading scientists and engineers in the nuclear weapons establishment abhorred the treatment that AQ Khan, who was considered by all Pakistanis as a national hero, received from the government that was forced by the Americans to put him under house arrest. Alia wondered whether Rahman and Junaid would not be considered by the mainstream government officials as traitors that are set on betraying the legitimate government of Pakistan. Wisely she kept the thought to herself.
They had dessert and after it was served with coffee or tea, discussion focused on the real issue – what information Nagib and Alia had and what they wanted in return. Nagib admitted that he had worked at the Los Alamos National Laboratory as a research scientist and had been privy to classified information. He said that he could supply a sample of the blueprints he had obtained in order to prove their value and once the Pakistanis were convinced they were authentic they could discuss the price. He added that they were not interested in money – only enough to accomplish their plan – but that they expected cooperation and logistical support. Upon hearing this statement, Rahman's interest grew because he was now convinced that the information could be of real value. He asked to be excused for a moment and motioned for Junaid to accompany him for a cigarette on the veranda outside the restaurant. When they left the table Alia told Nagib what she had thought earlier that the two Pakistani agents were actually acting against the policy of their government. Nagib countered by saying that it was just what they needed as no sane government would dare to act directly against the United States and defy it, and reminded her of what happened in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, on the veranda, Rahman asked Junaid what she had thought about the couple and their proposition. Junaid said that in her opinion they were performing an act of treason against their adopted country and would be considered as renegades by the US authorities. Rahman who was quite a cynic after years as an intelligence agent noted that they too would be judged by some people as traitors against their own government, so they should not worry too much about moral issues and focus on practical matters. He said that he was worried that they would be apprehended by US authorities or local police and their blueprints would be lost forever. He suggested that they secrete the couple in one of the apartments that served the Pakistani delegation for hosting visiting VIPs and doubled as a kind of "safe house". There was one comfortable two-bedroom apartment quite close to the Embassy on Dreve des Tumuli that was not frequently used as the more important visitors considered it to be too modest and not respectful enough.
Junaid and Rahman returned to the table and Rahman told the couple that they would like to see a sample of the information they had for sale. Nagib interjected emphasizing that it was not a sale that they wanted but cooperation. Rahman corrected himself, and asked where they were staying. Nagib just said that they were at a hotel near the central railway station without naming it, but hastened to add that the information was in a safe place - neither on them nor in their hotel. This was not true but Nagib started worrying that the Pakistanis could arrange for an ambush, rob them of the data and dispose of their bodies. Rahman understood Nagib's concern and sought to assure him that as long as they had common interests – causing damage to the US and Israel and strengthening the only Islamic state that had a demonstrated nuclear capability – there was nothing to fear. The implied threat did not escape Alia o
r Nagib, so he repeated that the information was in safe hands and not with them while subconsciously touching the pen with the embedded USB storage device that was in his shirt pocket. Rahman saw the gesture but did not grasp its meaning. He then offered Nagib and Alia the free use of the residence reserved for visiting Pakistani VIPs and the couple said that they would need to sleep on it. Rahman said that they should keep away from the Pakistani embassy as too many questions may be raised by the consular staff members that were ever suspicious of the actions of the intelligence officers. He suggested that they meet the next morning for breakfast at a café a few blocks away from the embassy. At that time he expected to be given the promised sample and hear more about what Nagib and Alia wanted in return. He added that the offer of the apartment was still valid and that he would expect their answer, but once again strongly recommended that they leave their hotel as soon as possible. Rahman called for the check and they all noticed that they were the last customers left in the restaurant. When they exited the restaurant Junaid quietly asked Rahman if they should covertly follow the couple to their hotel but he said that the risk of scaring them away was too big and that he believed they would meet at the café as arranged.
***
About a dozen Mossad operators were waiting for David in the Brussels apartment. The local chief resident, Kobi Shukrun, reluctantly introduced the agents by their cover names, the real names were sometimes forgotten even by their owners, and gave a brief introduction and description of their fields of expertise. There were a couple of computer hackers and communication experts, another was an intelligence analyst, three were field agents with experience in surveillance and tracking as well as neutralizing security systems, and the others were in administrative positions with little field experience. Kobi himself had been in one of the most sensitive positions in the Mossad's most secret section that dealt with termination of people who posed a clear and present danger to the state of Israel. He therefore was offended when he was directed by Head of Mossad to follow the orders of a young upstart like David who had little field experience. David introduced himself, although that was quite unnecessary as he was a kind of legend in the Mossad after his pursuit of the Dreadful Alchemist, a fact that further irritated Kobi. David briefed the gathering about Nagib and Alia and the stolen information and said that they were probably in Brussels but there was a possibility that they had already moved on. He added that Mossad was cooperating with the CIA but the cooperation had its limits, and that the Americans could be trusted only up to a point. Kobi was not on good terms with the American agents in Brussels as a result of his participation a few years back in "taking down" a Palestinian Al Qaeda terrorist who happened to be a US citizen. After that he was kind of blacklisted by the American intelligence community who had wanted to interrogate the terrorist in order to find out how he was enlisted by Al Qaeda and were not too happy that the dead man could not talk.
David told the Mossad agents that the latest communication by the couple was the phone call to Ammer earlier that day and that it was traced to somewhere near the center of Brussels' probably in the vicinity of the Central Station. He then asked the local agents if they had any idea where the couple could be. One of the streetwise agents, Michelle, who was very familiar with the Muslim community of Brussels, said that there were many cheap hotels in that area. David noticed that Michelle was a dark skinned attractive brunette who spoke Hebrew with a slight French accent and learnt that her family was originally from Algiers. Michelle added that many of those cheap hotels were owned or operated by Muslims, mainly men who came from French speaking North African countries as they did not have a language barrier when looking for a job in Belgium, at least in the dominant French part. David wondered aloud if a couple with American passports would not stand out in that area but Michelle said that the cheap hotels accommodated people from all over the world, and the fact that the couple were of Middle Eastern origins would help them blend in. Then David mentioned that they had a car and asked where they could possibly find a place to park it for an extended period. Michelle said that most parking lots in that area were expensive, but there was one large municipal lot that served the railway station and was reasonably priced. David asked Michelle to take one of the other agents and search that parking lot and gave her the details of the car that Ammer had lent the couple. She was to report back to Kobi, the Mossad local chief. Meanwhile, the other agents should start checking the hotels in that area.
David thought that it was too late at night to contact Herb Harden, the Brussels CIA station head, but considering that it was only late afternoon in Washington DC he decided to call Eugene Powers. He dialed Eugene's private phone number and was immediately transferred to a voice message, so he said that he was in Belgium and left his number with a request to be called back regardless of the time. Thirty minutes later his phone rang and Eugene was on the line. David shared the information Mossad had and the conclusions, or rather the speculations, about the possible whereabouts of the couple. While still on the line he received a call-waiting ring and saw that it was from Kobi, so he apologized to Eugene and asked him to hang on while he took the call. Kobi told him that Michelle and her buddy had indeed located the car in the parking lot and were setting up a watch to see if anyone came to pick it up. Kobi added that they planted a miniature transmitter under the chassis so they could track it from a distance if needed. David thanked Kobi and told him that they could call off the hotel search that was quite a formidable task and may alert Nagib that they were homing in on him. David then switched back to the conversation with Eugene and updated him on this latest development. Eugene said that this new information justified waking up Herb Harden and he would do so himself and ask him to contact David. He added that although he was not a CIA field agent, only an NNSA administrator and scientist, he felt that he should be present at the site of the action. David was pleased to hear this as he feared that rivalry between the CIA and Mossad could lead to a conflict unless some high ranking government official, like Eugene, would supervise Harden and his people.
June 26th, 9 am Brussels
Alia and Nagib had discussed Rahman's offer of a safe apartment the previous night and had decided to accept the invitation, so they checked out of their small, smelly hotel. Nagib suggested that they take the car from the parking lot and drive over to the café, but Alia rejected the idea and said that she had a premonition that Ammer may have reported the car stolen and that it may have been located. She added that in all fairness they should inform him where the car was, because after all he was a family member who had tried to help them, and that would be the right thing to do. Nagib was not really convinced by the ethical argument but thought that the car may be more of a liability than an asset, so agreed with her. Once again they took the metro to Herrmann-Debroux station and then got on tram line 94 getting off at Boitsfort Gare and walked with their light luggage to the café where they had arranged to meet Rahman for breakfast. Before leaving the hotel, Nagib had copied one small section of a blueprint onto a newly formatted disk-on-key, or thumb drive, that he kept in his pocket. Their laptop computer was placed in a shoulder bag that was part of their luggage.
They found the small café and saw that Rahman and Junaid were waiting for them. The Pakistani agents greeted the couple and Rahman said that judging by their luggage that his offer of a safe apartment was accepted. Nagib and Alia smiled and confirmed that, so they all ordered cappuccino and croissants and cut the small talk moving directly to the business on hand. Nagib took out his laptop, inserted the disk-on-key with the sample and loaded the blueprint. He then turned the screen around so that Rahman could see the schematic that was a section cut out from one of the advanced designs. Junaid also stole a glance at the screen and her mouth opened and a soft "Bismillah" escaped her lips. Rahman frowned at her and silently asked Nagib if he had the complete design. Nagib assured him that he had that as well as several other detailed blueprints. Rahman's dark skin turned red as blood rus
hed to his face. He realized the meaning of the information and its importance to his home country. He stammered and said that they should continue the discussion in a safer environment and suggested that they move to the apartment of Dreve des Tumuli.
They briskly walked over to the apartment building and when they reached it Rahman drew a set of keys from his pocket and let them into the building. It was quite modest and there was no doorman or concierge so they simply took the elevator up to the third floor and entered the apartment. Junaid took Alia by the hand and led her to the bedrooms, kitchen and bathroom. She opened the refrigerator and showed Alia that there were some basic supplies in the kitchen so that they wouldn't have to go out for food. Meanwhile in the small cozy living-room Rahman briefed Nagib on the house rules, stressing the importance of keeping all windows and shutters or curtains shut and secured and not opening the door to anyone else. He also mentioned that the kitchen was supplied and cautioned Nagib about going out or even having take-away food delivered to the apartment. Nagib, who by now was very conscious of security issues, listened and nodded in approval. Rahman took a SIM card out of his pocket and told Nagib that it would be used to keep in touch with one another and then asked Nagib to give him his own phone and he exchanged the SIM cards.
Rahman said that he would need to bring in his real boss, not the ambassador or anyone else from the embassy, but the Head of Pakistani intelligence, General Masood. He saw the expression of concern on Nagib's face and reassured him that Masood was to be fully trusted as he was a member of the clandestine council within the Pakistani administration that wanted to curtail the American dictate and advocated for an independent policy that would restore honor to Pakistan. Rahman added that Masood was quite indifferent to the Americans influence in Pakistan until a team of US Navy SEALs eliminated Osama Bin Laden on Pakistani soil with complete disregard of Pakistani sovereignty and without coordinating the attack with the Pakistani intelligence community. Nagib was not really assured by this story and asked how long it would take Masood to get to Brussels. Rahman said that he would be there in the evening as he was on an informal visit to Berlin to organize intelligence sharing concerning Al-Qaida and IS terrorists with the German government and its intelligence services. Rahman said that he was impressed by the sample that Nagib had presented to him earlier but it was way above his pay-grade to negotiate its price.
The Dreadful Renegade: A Thrilling Espionage Novel (Techno thriller, Mystery & Suspense) Page 13
