David told the peevish, but repentant, Kobi to meet him immediately at the offices of the Israeli delegation that were practically empty at this time in the evening, and bring his agent Michelle who seemed to be the best acquainted with Brussels. Within half an hour the three of them were closely studying a map of Brussels using Google Earth and Street View options. They were surprised to see that the embassies of Pakistan, North Korea and Iran were located along the same thoroughfare, Chaussee de Hulpe that merges into Franklin Rooseveltlaan, and that the former two were quite close to each other. Michelle commented that it looked as if these three members of the New Evil Empire, evil at least from Israel's viewpoint, stuck close together. Anyway, they started a survey of the area close to the Pakistani embassy and saw that off the thoroughfare there were a few apartment buildings. Considering that it was quite late they expected that there would be very little regular traffic in the area and David decided that it would be a waste of time to post an agent near the Pakistani embassy at night, but told Kobi to have two of his agents in position to follow whichever employees that left the embassy in the morning.
***
Herb Harden assembled his agents at the American embassy where the CIA had half of the basement and a small conference room that was built like a Faraday cage preventing the transmission and reception of electronic signals other than those that were not fed into the room through optical fibers. Harden asked one of the technicians on his team to present the latest photos from the ground based cameras and satellite images of the Pakistani embassy in Brussels. He was disappointed that there was not full around-the-clock video coverage but only snapshots taken at intervals by a camera positioned opposite the gates of the embassy. The CIA had a list of the Pakistani staff members and knew which diplomats were actually agents of Pakistani intelligence, and had photographs of the "scientific attaché" Rahman Chenna and his assistant Junaid. Face matching software was applied to the snapshots but the two "diplomats" were not identified in any of them. As an afterthought Harden called for the photos of Nagib and Alia and the software program came up with a hit. The two of them were seen exiting the embassy just before 4 pm on the 25th of June. Although they could not tell from the photos what the couple was doing in the embassy it confirmed their suspicion that they had contacted the Pakistanis. Harden asked the technician to enlarge and process the part of the photo in which the face of Nagib could be clearly seen although Alia's features were partly obscured by her scarf. A close look at Nagib's expression showed that he was concerned about something and deep in thought. The excited CIA station chief called Eugene on a secure line and told him that one of their biggest fears was substantiated.
Eugene asked for a copy of the snapshot that was sent to him immediately. Eugene studied Nagib's worried facial expression and said that his impression was that no deal had been finalized or else Nagib would look more relieved and less concerned. Harden agreed with the interpretation and asked Eugene for further instructions. Eugene said that he would make arrangements to fly to Brussels as soon as possible and suggested that Harden should call the Israeli team and update David about the identification of Nagib and Alia at the Pakistani embassy. Harden said that to contact a foreign agent and share the information he would need a direct order from his CIA boss in Langley and Eugene said that he would arrange for the necessary confirmation and asked Harden to call his boss after 30 minutes.
Harden called his boss in Langley and received a direct order to cooperate and then called David in Brussels. Although this call was made on an open line he conveyed the information. David told him that his team had arrived at the same conclusion, even without photographic evidence, and had already surveyed the vicinity of the Pakistani embassy and searched for possible safe houses in which the couple could be hiding. David said that he would have agents posted near the Pakistani embassy in order to track embassy personnel that participated in suspect activities, and Harden said that the CIA had two leading suspects – Rahman and Junaid. David asked for their photographs and when he received them he thanked Harden and said that his agents would keep a close watch on those two "diplomats". Harden then said that he had informed Eugene of these developments and that he would be arriving in Brussels the following afternoon.
***
While these events were taking place at the Pakistani safe house, the Israeli delegation and US embassy, the odd couple – Kim the North Korean and Mahmoud the Iranian, were also in session trying to determine where Nagib and Alia could be. Their thought processes were quite similar to those of the Israelis and Americans leading to the same logical conclusion that the culprits must have contacted, or intended to contact, the Pakistanis. Kim had disqualified the notion they had earlier that the Islamic State may be a viable alternative reasoning that the IS was not in a position to pursue nuclear weapons in view of the setbacks their forces have suffered in northern Syria, close to the Turkish border. They were also in trouble in the quagmire of what used to be Iraq where the US and its allies kept unleashing aerial strikes from unmanned drones and fighter jets flown by Jordanians, Saudis and even Iranians. Mahmoud agreed as the last thing the Shiite regime in Iran wanted was an atomic bomb in the hands of the most radical Sunni movement that executed fellow Shiites on a daily basis. So, at Kim's suggestion they posted two teams of agents, a North Korean team and an Iranian team across the road from the Pakistani embassy.
June 27th, morning, Brussels
Rahman and Junaid arrived together at the Pakistani embassy and entered the building's parking lot from the side of Dreve de Duc. They noticed that there appeared to be a few vans parked on the quiet side street, something that was quite unusual in this residential area. Although the official address of the embassy that was on Avenue Delleur the staff generally used the Dreve de Duc to access the parking lot entrance. Rahman told Junaid to behave normally and not stare at the vans and pretend to go about their business as if everything was in order. Once inside the embassy they summoned the security guards and told them that the embassy was being watched by unknown entities and they should be exceptionally alert. Rahman then entered the ambassador's office and informed him that General Masood was in town and that they were all involved in a special operation that concerned national security. The ambassador was a political appointee and totally loyal to the government so was not pleased to learn that the Head of Intelligence, General Masood Azzam was on his turf without even giving him a courtesy call. He knew of course that Rahman really worked for the General and guessed that they were carrying out a clandestine operation. When Rahman asked him to call the local police and get them to chase away the watchers in the vans on Dreve de Duc he became very unhappy but had to cooperate with the powerful intelligence chief's request. As he finished talking to the ambassador Rahman's cell phone rang and when he answered it he recognized General Masood's voice. The General simply said that the deal was on and that Nagib and Alia must be brought to safety in Pakistan as quickly as possible, or at least to a secure place that was under Pakistani control.
The Israeli agents in the van across the street from the embassy saw the Belgian police patrol car drive down the street and pull up right behind them. They knew what was coming and before the policeman could get out of the patrol car the driver of the van started it and drove away in order to avoid being questioned. The policeman noted the van's license plate and quickly learned that it was rented by a local businessman. He didn't see that the passenger got out of the van as soon as it turned the corner onto Avenue Emile Van Becelaere and returned on foot to take a position outside the embassy. The driver of the black van with the CIA agents didn't wait for the patrol car to approach and drove away in a hurry. Further down the small narrow street the economy size car with the Iranians and the motorcycle with a North Korean agent noticed the commotion and they too preferred to avoid confrontation with the police so they took off in a hurry.
Rahman had watched the scene play out from the window of his office and laughed to himself how one p
atrol car got agents from several countries fleeing in a hurry. However, he now realized that there were at least four forces with a great interest in the Pakistani embassy and that it would not be easy to get to the safe house and move Nagib and Alia to a safer place without being followed. He didn't want to scare Nagib and Alia so he just called Nagib and informed him that the General gave his approval and deal was on. He added that they should be prepared to leave the apartment in a hurry, although he couldn't say exactly when they would have to move.
Rahman summoned Junaid to his office and told her that the situation was becoming more and more complicated and that they were ordered by General Masood to transport the couple to a safe place without being followed. Junaid asked what he had in mind and he answered that the safest place would be in Pakistan, but not in a large population center where people loyal to the government may suspect them and inform the officials about a strange couple of tourists. Junaid said that she had relatives in Gandaf that was about 120 km north of Islamabad the capital of Pakistani. These relatives were in the opposition to the government and its pro-American policy and lived near the Tarbele Dam. She said she thought that they owned a couple of houseboats that were moored on one of the beautiful lakes in the area. Rahman liked the idea but they still had to solve the problem of getting Alia and Nagib there without being detected by opposing intelligence services and by their own government's bureaucrats. Rahman looked at the Google Earth map to see where this lake was and suddenly realized that it was not too far from Abbottabad where Osama Bin Laden had sought refuge until he was eliminated by a team of US Navy SEALs. He pointed this out to Junaid and said that he wasn't sure that the Americans wouldn't try to do the same thing in Gandaf, but she said that lightning doesn't strike twice at the same spot.
Junaid checked the flights of PIA, the Pakistani airline, to Islamabad. She knew there were no PIA flights or from Brussels but she saw that there was an afternoon flight from Paris, via Milan to Islamabad. By car it would take a little over three hours to get to the center of Paris from Brussels if there was no heavy traffic and she reckoned that with Rahman driving they could probably make the trip to the Charles De Gaulle airport that was much closer than Paris center in two and a half hours or less. This meant that in order to catch the PIA afternoon flight they would have to leave Brussels before noon. She told Rahman that they would have to really hurry if they were to get out of Europe that day. Alternately, they could also catch a flight to London or any other European city serviced by PIA and then get to Pakistan with a different PIA flight. Rahman said that he preferred the Paris option as he was sure that Brussels airport was under surveillance. He realized that they had to shake off the agents that would be following them before going to the apartment and then hustle Nagib and Alia to Paris. Alia said she had a plan: they should dress up as Pakistani women and leave the embassy with a crowd of similarly dressed women – either as employees of the embassy or as Pakistani women who had business there. The foreign agents would not know who to follow as all the women will be with veils. Rahman liked the plan and asked her to book four tickets on the PIA flight from Paris to Islamabad and also warn Nagib and Alia to be ready for departure in 15 minutes while he made arrangements that a Pakistani intelligence agent from the Paris embassy will wait for them at the airport to pick up the car they would use to get from Brussels to the Paris Charles De Gaulle airport.
The Mossad agent that was waiting on Dreve De Duc road opposite the back entrance to the embassy pretending to be reading a newspaper saw a drove of some 20 women all dressed in Pakistani garments and veiled faces leave the building, get into the dozen or so cars that were parked there and drive out and turn onto Chaussee de la Hulpe. He phoned his partner in the van that was parked around the corner but they didn't know which car to follow. The CIA team, the North Koreans and the Iranians were in an identical conundrum and had to make a choice which car to follow based on instincts alone. Two of the cars from the Pakistani embassy turned off the thoroughfare at the first junction, three more at the second junction and then split into three smaller streets, and the rest also turned off at different intersections. The agents in the two vans, the economy size car and the motorcycle blindly guessed which car to follow. Rahman and Junaid saw the commotion and were pleased that no one had followed them. They reached the apartment building and Junaid ran up the stairs to get the American couple while Rahman removed the Pakistani female garb and veil and turned the car around. Junaid directed Alia to sit in the front passenger seat while she and Nagib got in the back and Rahman took off slowly to avoid drawing attention to the car.
The drive along the E19 and A1 to Paris was fast because they left Brussels after the morning rush hour. On the way Rahman explained the game plan in detail. First, he described the events that took place outside the embassy earlier that day and emphasized that there were several parties that were showing unwelcome attention to the comings and goings at the Pakistani embassy. He mentioned that he had spotted two vans, a small car and a motorcycle that were parked across the road from the embassy's back entrance and they all took off in a hurry when a local police patrol car pulled up behind the first van. Nagib asked him if he could see the people in these vehicles and Rahman said that when the guy on the motorcycle removed his goggles he could see that he had a round head and slanted eyes and was probably from the Far East, possibly Korean. He added that there were two people in the front seat of the small car and they looked Arab or oriental. Nagib said that those were probably Iranians that had already shown an interest in his merchandize. Junaid then took over and explained the rationale of moving as quickly as possible out of Europe and to the safety afforded in Pakistan. She gave a brief review of the internal politics of Pakistan and the forces behind them, saying that General Masood was one of the leaders of the movement, so far in secret, that believed that Pakistan had been short-changed by the West. The Americans in particular had humiliated Pakistan time and again and in order to restore national honor the Pakistanis had to avenge the indiscretions brought upon them by the West. To do this with impunity required the possession of an arsenal of nuclear weapons that would serve as an insurance policy and intimidate and repel attempts to intervene and disarm Pakistan. She gave the example of North Korea that was treated with respect only after demonstrating that it had nuclear weapons. She added that the ruling government in Pakistan was controlled by corrupt politicians that were more interested in acquiring a personal fortune, in Swiss banks of course, than in the welfare of the Pakistani people and in the national pride. Therefore, the blueprints and information that Nagib and Alia were going to deliver to General Masood and his cohorts must not fall into the hands of the government officials who would probably sell them back to the Americans rather than use them to build the formidable nuclear force that Pakistan so desperately needed and deserved. Furthermore, she said, the government may directly extradite them to the Americans, or even eliminate them on Pakistani soil at the request of the CIA. Nagib wondered how their presence in Pakistan could be concealed from the authorities and Rahman said that the supporters of the movement were everywhere. In Islamabad and mainly in the countryside and they would make sure that the two American tourists did not raise any suspicion. Junaid then told them about her relatives in Gandaf and said that they could have a safe and quiet vacation in a beautiful setting while the scientists and engineers of the Pakistani nuclear establishment studied the design of the small portable nuclear device and manufactured two of them, as agreed upon. Once these two were handed over to Nagib and Alia the Pakistani intelligence community would help them leave Pakistan with the devices and transport them to wherever they wished to use them. Nagib asked how long it would take to complete these two devices and Rahman said that he was not qualified to answer that but that a meeting would be arranged with the top weapon designer who was privy to their movement and he would give his assessment of that.
They reached the Charles De Gaulle airport in less than two and a half hours and
met a Pakistani intelligence agent from the Paris office outside the departures section of the terminal and Rahman handed over the car. They went to the PIA counter, picked up the first class airline tickets were ready for them and as they only had carry-on luggage they proceeded to go through airport security and passport control. The Pakistani couple was a few steps in front of the American couple in order not to arouse suspicion. The four of them had to wait for a very short time in the first class lounge before their flight was called, but the two couples kept their distance from each other until they boarded the PIA plane. The first leg of the flight from Paris to Milan was very short but the four travelers were all worried they might be taken off the plane in Milan if the agents that had been following them would manage to track them and have them stopped. Once the plane took off from Malpensa airport in Milan and was on its way to Pakistan they relaxed as they were certain that no force could stop them now from reaching Pakistan, barring, of course, an act of Force Majeure.
The Dreadful Renegade: A Thrilling Espionage Novel (Techno thriller, Mystery & Suspense) Page 15
