“If that,” Svetlana agreed. “Guesswork, mostly.”
“So they hope this works, so they can conquer the world Adolph Hitler style. Mass of troops that are killing machines. Thing is, they test it on the enemy? Why’s that?”
“It was easier that way. If the chemical didn’t work, they’d not have lost their own men,” Svetlana replied.
“Look, I know a bit about the Soviets,” Rivers interjected. “And I know they didn’t care much for the whole human rights issue. Killing their own never really mattered much.”
“That’s true, however, they couldn’t spare the bodies. Killing hundreds of their own soldiers wouldn’t have been a problem if they weren’t in such a desperate need of them,” Svetlana replied.
“Fair enough,” Dale continued. “So, they test this chemical, created in some lab I’ve never heard of, by some madman scientist. Am I on the right track so far?” he asked.
“You are,” Svetlana said.
“Well, good. Let’s keep going then. Problem is, this chemical works. All too well I guess, because they can’t control it. Of course, you’ve yet to tell us exactly what this is. And then, to make matters worse, the Soviets turn a blind eye? They pretend it doesn’t exist and go about their business,” Dale finished.
“Unfortunately, that’s the truth,” Svetlana stated. “Sadly, the Soviets had to focus on a losing war. They also had to worry about political pressure, so they simply washed their hands of the problem. They monitored it, though. They kept tabs, as did other nations. Word leaked, though few knew. Even now, few know of this matter.”
“And nothing has ever been done?”
“Not until now, no,” Svetlana replied.
“So you’re saying it’s our job to clean up your mess?” Dale asked.
“It’s not my mess, Sergeant Comstock,” Svetlana replied. “But yes, we’re relying on this team to fix the problem, that’s correct.”
He shook his head, saying, “Not surprised. Seems that’s all we do now. Sorting out someone else’s mess.”
“That’s the job,” Elizabeth interjected.
“Indeed it is,” Dale said.
A minute went by and Rivers half-heartedly raised his hand. “Question… who all knows of this? I mean, how can something of this magnitude… if this story is remotely true, how do you hide it? She says other nations know of it?”
“A few dozen people in the world know of this problem,” Elizabeth answered. “It was almost forgotten, had the Delta team not gotten killed and brought it back to light. Only the highest levels in the intelligence circles worldwide know something isn’t right here. Even now, up to this point, we didn’t know exactly what was in that cave. That is, until York returned, and began to tell us.”
“You can’t honestly believe one word he said in those interrogations, can you?” Rivers asked with a laugh, though he did not find this humorous. “He looked doped out of his mind.”
Svetlana turned in her chair, her voice still quiet. “It’s true. I wish I could say otherwise, but it’s true.”
“How do you know?” Rivers asked. “I mean, you’ve heard this is true, but how do you really know?”
“First, because my father was involved in the chemical attack. He didn’t know at the time, but he fired the final compound into the cave. He was also the sole survivor. Almost died while flying overhead. Saw them up close and personal,” Svetlana told.
“So, whatever is down there isn’t human?” Dale asked, baffled, just as his men were. “You really mean this?”
“I do,” Svetlana answered.
“And your father, he helped create this?” Dale asked.
“Unbeknownst to him, yes,” she uttered.
“Maybe we should be speaking with him,” Dale inquired. “I’d like to hear his version.”
“You are hearing it. My father has been dead a long time now. I was young when he killed himself,” Svetlana said.
“Why’d he do that?”
“Because of what he saw,” Svetlana said. A sudden look of sorrow filled her eyes, came over her gentle face. But quickly, Svetlana recovered. “It’s what urged my studies, my knowledge of what this is all about. It’s also why I’m here. You could say I’m personally invested in this.”
“Fair enough,” Dale said. “What others know?”
Elizabeth spoke this time, confirming, “The British found out before we did. Sent in two teams of SAS. Mossad also sent in a few operatives, as did the Chinese. Pakistan knows of it too, but they’re smart and don’t venture too closely.”
“So, we’ve sent others in. What did they find?” Dale asked.
“That’s the problem. After all these years, after all the teams having gone in, we have little to no information,” Elizabeth told.
“How’s that possible?” Dale asked.
“Because anyone who has entered that valley has never returned,” Elizabeth answered, her tone honest. “All except Sergeant York. He is the only living human being to have entered that cave.”
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
time:1130 hours zulu
62
“You know what’s fucked up about the Taliban?” York asked Elizabeth. There was something sorrowful in the man’s eyes.
“What’s that?” Elizabeth asked, curious. Thus far, York had intrigued her. He’d challenged her mind, he’d even perhaps changed some of her belief system. Perhaps her interviews with him had caused her to grow cynical, perhaps a bit lost herself. Either way, the man interested her. She’d never seen someone so traumatized, yet cerebral at the same time.
“They have strange ways,” York said. “Ya know, they aren’t like us. They don’t give two shits about their country. Shit, bet half couldn’t point out Afghanistan’s border. There are no patriots in Afghanistan.”
“Then why do they do it? Why fight?”
“They’re tribal. Territorial, like a dog. Shit, gangs are that way. Think of ’em more like gangs than a nation of people with national pride. Sooner you do, sooner you’ll understand them.”
“Do you think it’s important to understand your enemy, Sergeant York?” she asked.
“Of course it is. You know what you’re up against. I make no mistakes in knowing what they’re capable of. But if you want to understand an Afghani, you have to understand his mindset. He cares about his lands; his crops, his animals, whatever. Shit, an Afghani might invite you in for dinner, meet the family, feast like kings, then shoot you in the back when you’re leaving.”
“I’ve never heard such a thing,” she responded.
“That’s because your view of the world is different ten thousand miles away. And ya know what, I can’t really blame ’em. My family owns property, back in Montana. Haven’t been there in awhile, but good land. Someone invades it, I’d shoot back.”
“Regardless of politics, we’re in a fight against them,”
“We fucked up big-time. Ya see, the Taliban didn’t necessarily love Al-Qaida. They tolerated them. Would have sold them out, too. But no, we stomped our way in here and it’s brought us a mess. There are few Al-Qaida here. Taliban, and it’s their land, and they’re brutal. Fucking politics!” York exclaimed.