“We will change the configuration of the weapon to enable it to accept an outside source code via a transmitter for it to explode,” Sir Robert said. “The transmitter will be held by a responsible panel. The objective will be the same that the old Soviet Union achieved with the United States in the 70’s. The Soviet Union stopped the United States from a pre-emptive strike by storing the weapons on United States soil. As you know, once the US found out about the weapons, all first strike scenarios were removed from the US playbook. The US could not strike due to the buried Soviet weapons near military installations and US cities. Their missile silos were for all intent, neutered. We will use the same analogy; you make a move and we destroy something you hold dear and precious. This alone will cause the process to really start in earnest.”
Igor decided to press the issue. “Why not just use one of your own weapons from storage, or an Israeli one? Why wait for the suitcase weapon in the United States?” It made perfect sense, at least to himself. Everyone knows the Israeli’s possess the same type of weapons. Why couldn’t they just donate one from their stockpile?
“We would be laughed from the room with that suggestion. And that would be perfectly understandable. But if you have a weapon that is not supposed to exist, like the ones your country placed in the United States, who is going to miss them? Hell, your own government can’t even afford to disable or store the ones it has placed in your country. The weapons in the United States are something they inherited from the previous administration. They have to beg from the United States for monies to pull back the 32 weapons in order to destroy them. Is this an irony of the Cold War?”
Sir Robert casually looked about the room before smiling at Igor. “I am sorry, Captain. I tend to speak a little too freely. Sometimes I should hold back and choose my words more carefully.”
“No harm, Sir Robert,” Igor replied.
“We can do your country a service by taking at least one of the suitcase weapons off their hands. So you can see, this is the only possible scenario that could actually work. Everything else has been tried, from money to land to placate the parties involved with nothing truly succeeding. As for the Israeli’s donating one of their weapons — they have agreed to do so but it is highly doubtful that the Arab Middle Eastern countries would accept a Jewish weapon preserving the peace. You understand the significance? No, that would not do in this case.”
“What if we don’t catch the terrorist in the US and he succeeds in his mission? What then?”
Sir Robert reached over to help Peter repack his bag. “Then, this meeting never happened — and I’m just an old man you had a leisurely chat with at the airport.”
Chapter Nineteen
Peter hoped to be in Washington by 2 PM, providing him with a safety cushion of a good 5 or 6 hours until his self appointed deadline of 7 or 8 PM. No sense digging in broad daylight.
One last prayer to Mecca — and only then would everything be set.
Turning to Boris, Forsythe placed his hand on his shoulder, wondering if they had come close to breaking it during the interrogation. “I would like to thank-you for the information Boris, you have been a real help,” Forsythe said sarcastically. “We are going to do you a big favor. The we being in the form of the United States government. We are going to allow you to walk. That’s right, you can return to your little villa in Switzerland.”
A look of shock spread across Boris’s bruised face as he looked from agent-to-agent wondering if this were some type of trick. If it were, it would be consistent with the same tactics his FSB people utilized. Good cop for a few minutes or several hours then revert back to the original game plan and bad cop. Boris had told them everything he knew with the exception of where the remaining 30 suitcase weapons were buried. Then again why tell them? They probably had no idea of their existence.
“First things first,” said Forsythe. “A trial would only bring out the sordid little details of your Russians suitcase bombs placed in the states. We don’t want this juicy little tidbit of information reaching the press now do we? That would only incite a panic in the states, something we really don’t need require at this juncture. So here’s what I propose. We are going to escort you back to your fancy hotel where you will clean up and pack your bags. From there, we will escort you to Philadelphia International Airport where you will board a Swiss Air flight departing at 7 PM tonight. Is this accommodating enough for you Boris?”
Boris managed a smile for the first time his capture. “Michael, I do thank you for your understanding of this issue. This is something I will never forget.”
“Boris, let’s be honest shall we? You are pond scum. You are a low life that exists only at night when you crawl out from under your rock. I don’t understand your rationale and hopefully never will. As a condition of your release, you won’t be allowed to leave your villa except for food shopping and bill paying. If you decide to leave for any other purpose, your old KGB and new FSB pals will be notified of your address. Last but not least, your phone will be monitored at all times so don’t try and swing any more deals you may have rolling around in your head. That is unless you would like to talk to a few of our people? Do you understand what I have so generously laid out for you?”
Boris sat in the chair contemplating his conditions of release wondering what could be worse: prison or house arrest? “Michael you have my word that I accept your most gracious offer and stay within the confines of my home,” rising from his chair, allowing the blood to circulate in his legs after having sat for the whole night handcuffed to the chair.
“As for you Boris, I bid you farewell,” Forsythe said. “I have a helicopter waiting to take me to Washington DC where we can put your little map to use,” holding up the paper on which Boris had so diligently hand drawn a map which revealed the location of the suitcase weapon.
Boris allowed a brief smile to escape in response to Michael’s goodbye, secretly knowing that the young rebel still had the capability to reach the second weapon in Philadelphia. The FBI foolishly suspended their questioning after finding out about the Washington weapon, thinking this would be the extent of the possible damage.
Another prominent case to be bungled by the FBI, thought Boris, looking Forsythe straight in the eyes, extracting some revenge.
So little did they know.
The Americans will never know what hit them, thought Peter. It was time to thank Allah before entering the great Satan’s capitol, for the devil was about to have its heart ripped from its chest. Peter wanted to pray for the third of the required five times per day for devout Muslims such as himself. He also required his strength, now more than ever.
The highway location would not be the wisest nor quietest spot for his prayers but this would be his last chance. He pulled off Highway 50 onto the emergency lane, slowing his truck to find a spot that would afford him some type of privacy, maybe some trees or hedges. Only yards ahead he noticed just what appeared to be an outcropping of hedges that approached the road, coming within 10 feet of the busy highway. He stopped by a road sign announcing that Route 495 lay two miles ahead.
Peter smiled. He was only hours away from eliminating the entire United States Congress, Senate, President and Vice President of the United States, along with 100,000 other souls already damned.