“Yes, they were discrete with transport to your, let’s say neighbour.”
“Then we have concluded phase one. It was always going to be the most difficult. Any undue problems?”
“No, loading licences can be obtained. The shipping business needs the cash.” The oriental smiled.
“Yes, we found the same. So, we’ll dispatch the first items when we receive your first consignment. Then we switch, we dispatch first and you ship on receipt of our goods.”
“Yes,” said the Arab, “we alternate. Our dispatch first. Then you, and so on.”
The two men shook hands. “Then we are ready to make the first payments?”
“Yes, we’ll pay the first five hundred million dollars into your account in the Cayman Islands,” said the Arab, “and you pay ours into Bahrain.” The oriental stood.
“Then let’s authorise the payments.”
The two men walked off in separate directions, each was around thirty yards away from the table and spoke on their cell phones for a few minutes. They returned and sat.
The oriental smiled.
“Let’s drink to our agreement.” He gestured to one of the aides.
The man poured out more fruit juice.
Two other aides approached holding machetes behind their backs. The Arab and the oriental had their heads pulled roughly back by the hair.
“What the…” The two long blades were pulled quickly across the two men’s necks. Blood spurted over the table and their outstretched arms clawing in vain at the blades. The blood spurts ebbed away, and blood gushed over their jerking bodies. The aides produced hot spoons from the barbeque and burned away the men’s fingerprints. Their heads were completely severed and placed on the barbeque. The lid was pulled down. The aides cleaned up after themselves. After twenty minutes or so the barbeque lid was lifted. There where just two blacken baked heads lying there. Both were more skull than head. It was a job well done. One of them patted his pocket and the large wad of dollars it contained. They walked over to the two vehicles chatting and laughing. As they approached both Toyota’s exploded with devastating force. The aides were shredded, and the surroundings were blown wide apart. Fires raged, driven on by the cans of gasoline concealed under the vehicles.
He watched from afar with a pair of binoculars. He smiled. Now he had just one task remaining. Transmit a communication to the nominated news agency using the correct password and phrase. It would inform them that the Abu Sayyaf group had carried out an attack on the infidel enemies of the Caliphate. He took a last look at the burning scene, turned and walked off.
Discord, deception and discord. That was the goal, a delicate dance if done well. Do it badly and, well let’s not go there. He smiled to himself.
Cover your ass and it will cover you.
FOUR DAYS LATER TWO Philippine registered Roll on Roll off ships, pulled alongside the port of Chongjin. North Korea. The Luzon star and the Pacific sealift were too large for the task, but they were available now.
Now, was of the essence.
Military convoys dominated the roads into the port. Troops flooded the streets, a curfew was imposed. Loading was carried out during the hours of darkness, over two nights. Around fifty North Korean troops under the command of a Major boarded each of the vessels for the long voyage. On the third night the two ships set sail to south and headed in the direction of the East China Sea.
USS STONEWALL JACKSON was running off the East coast of Japan at five hundred feet deep. She’d ended her third test dive. Nathan walked into the Engineering spaces.
“How’s she looking?” he asked the Engineering Officer.
“Good Sir, the drive’s looking good. I’ve had everything fully instrumented. It all checks out, vibration levels were right down where I expect them. Better in fact. The Mitsubishi Engineer we had on the first two cruises said to expect that. The boat’s bedded in now. Hull integrity is faultless. One hour at test depth would have revealed any issues. They fitted her with new valve gear for the waste system obviously, but also the buoyancy circulation system. New pumps too, oh and an electrical and software upgrade for the Li-ion battery management. We’re getting a longer life now. She’s better than new.”
“Good, I’ll make a report to COMSUBPAC. I’m glad we’re back in the groove.” The Engineer smiled. “Me too Sir.”
“TRIM FOR ASCENT. MAKE for periscope depth.” The boat ascended, then levelled off.
“Periscope depth Sir.”
“Lieutenant Commander Lemineux, raise the photonic mast and send this communication.”
“Aye Sir.”
The message was transmitted via satellite To COMSUBPAC Pearl Harbor. The report stated that USS Stonewall Jackson’s repairs were complete, and that she was reporting for duty. Now off Kobe, Japan.
“We have a signal receipt acknowledgement. Sir, it tells us to await orders. Prepare to sail within three hours.” Nathan looked to the XO.
“Sir, we’re fully fuelled and provisioned, war stock is updated. The boat’s patrol ready.”
“OK, we’ll float here and wait. Let the Chief Engineer know we’re at periscope depth in case he wants to top up the batteries.”
THE LARGE SCREEN ON the far wall flickered once and became blank.
The CIA had asked that a meeting be called, and present were the senior section analysts Simon Hobbs, Middle East and Koon Wing Mui, Far East. The Joint Chiefs of Staff sat around a large table. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Ian Cotton USAF.
Chief of Staff of the Army General Sally Weingarten, USA.
Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Nicolaj Kamov, USN.
Commandant of the Marine Corps Bruce Nanut, USMC.
Chief of Staff of the Air Force General Neil L Cooper, USAF.
Also a civilian sat at the table, National Security Advisor, Stockhaisen.
Simon Hobbs. senior section analyst Middle East stepped forward.
“Thank you for your time Generals, Admiral, Commandant. We have important developments to report. Our sources are confidential but include sigint and humint. I’ll hand you over to Koon Wing Mui, Far East section, as she’s coordinating the intel. The Asian woman stepped forward.
“Thank you Simon. The matter we have asked you here for is a follow on to our last meeting. If you’ll recall we discussed the North KorIran postulate; that is the means by which Iran may acquire nuclear weapons by working with North Korea and thus bypassing the JCPA deal.
We’ve seen recent market activity by Saudi Arabia that’s lowered the price of oil. This hurts the Saudi economy, but they can afford it, for a time.
It hurts the Iranian economy too, and they can’t afford it.
It’s come to our attention from a source that,” she sheepishly looked at her colleague, “that Simon has been in contact with. From this source we learnt that another event occurred, one that has mortified the Iranians.
They have a fund quietly stored in a Swiss bank, that will be used to pay North Korea for the release of their nuclear weapons. This fund recently suffered a withdrawal.”
“You mean somebody stole from it?” asked General Cooper.
She nodded. “Yes, Not all of the fund but a substantial amount. So much so, that the Iranians have been panicking. The Supreme Leader has ordered that the fund should make a payment to North Korea for the weapons to be transferred to Iran.”
“That’s very risky for them,” said Chief of Staff of the Army General Sally Weingarten.
“If the JCPA finds out about them, it’ll be a sanctions nightmare.”
“Yes,” replied Koon, “but if more of the fund is stolen there may not be enough left to pay for their weapons.”
“Go on,” said Commandant of the Marine Corps Bruce Nanut, “they paid Kim for the nukes.”