Element 94

by Kleiner Jeffries

  Ra’ed decided to pay his scientists a visit. With events unfolding as rapidly as they were, he needed to make certain his Dhul fiqaar, his holy sword, was ready in time. As he entered the sterile complex that served as his weapons lab, he instinctively checked to make sure his radiation badge was affixed to his collar. The cache of material within the mountainous encampment that served as his base was presumed to be safe and secure, but Ra’ed insisted on wearing the badge despite the assurances of his experts.

  As he approached the inner sanctum of the complex, he ordered his escorts to stand down. He would see Abul Khayr, the chief engineer, in the relative privacy of his two personal bodyguards, who never left his side.

  “Greetings Sayid. To what do I owe the honor of this visit?” Abul Kayr greeted him as he arrived, head lowered, eyes towards the ground in deference to the supreme leader.

  “Things are happening quickly Abul. I need to know where we stand?”

  “As you know, we have made great strides with the materials. A working prototype should be ready shortly. But Sayid, I’m not so sure I can predict what will happen”. Abul Kayr kept his eyes lowered, and did not take notice of the ire manifested on the countenance of his superior.

  “What does that mean?” Ra’ed did not bother trying to conceal his displeasure at this glimmer of uncertainty. The scientist immediately became defensive.

  “This material, Sayid, it is new. It is different. We are learning more and more each day. But it reacts violently sometimes. And at other times, well – not so much. I know…”

  “You know nothing!”, the scientist was abruptly cut off. “But I know something. I know I need a working device soon. One that I can count on. One that has a predictable result.” In a softer tone now, Ra’ed added, “ And I know that you are the one to deliver this to me Abul”. His style of ruling and motivating was counter to that of most fascist, totalitarian systems. He was the supreme leader, and as such he was omnipotent. But Ra’ed led by way of example, and he was admired and revered. Abul Khayr could work most efficiently when done not out of fear, but rather out of desire. The confidence he expressed in his scientist should pay dividends. Moreover, the intense loyalties of the men allowed Ra’ed some relative comfort and security from disgruntled members and foreign intelligence capabilities. In exchange for supreme dedication and loyalty, Ra’ed offered those around him a vision, a purpose, and a measure of security and power – it was a formula for success.

  “Know that time is of the essence now, Abul”. The overtones of the sentence spoke of the confidence Ra’ed maintained in the man. Based on the reply, the magic he wove with his words appeared to take hold rather effectively.

  “I will work tirelessly, Sayid. I will not sleep if I must. It will be done as you ask.”

  I’m sure it will be, Ra’ed thought. The wait would soon be over. After all these long and difficult years, after the struggles of the past decades, finally the taste of victory was approaching. Abul Kayr would build his weapon. Salaam the Mustafah, without even knowing it, had revealed the vulnerability of his enemies. One hundred miles off the coast of the United States! How close they had come indeed! Ra’ed knew exactly what had been accomplished on this day. They had exposed a major breach indeed in the armor of the cowardly Americans. It was of little consequence the ship had been detected, for one thing was certain – it was not the radiation emitted from the cargo that had tipped off the Americans. Sayf Udeen had precise intelligence on the radius of the potent and purportedly full proof system their adversary employed to intercept such material entering their homeland. Had the American radiation nets picked up a signal, Salaam would have been intercepted within 300 or so miles off shore – that was precisely what his intelligence assets had indicated.

  Ra’ed was reasonably satisfied with his fedayeen’s response to the American operation; they had recovered what they could of the material, and the Americans had suffered significant casualties in the process. What was critical was they had proven they could penetrate the nuclear cordon of the United States. There was no doubt they would soon be poised to strike a mortal blow to the now vulnerable enemy.

  “Bill”

  “What is it Mack?”

  “I think we’ve got something”

  Mack took a seat opposite Kelly, opened the file he was carrying, and began to update his superior. Mack was coordinating the investigation of operation sea patrol – the failed mission to secure Rafik Salaam. Information was slow to accumulate, although that was not surprising. The wreckage was spread over a mile’s distance, perhaps more with the unpredictable currents in the area. Just policing the perimeter was a formidable task that seemed to stretch the limits of the coast guard crew that were summoned to assist. Hillebrand’s men were participating in sifting through the debris. The Seafin captain had suffered two casualties and at least a dozen injuries, and insisted in participating in the search and recovery effort. He and Kelly had become close in the ensuing days, and Kelly didn’t have the guts to tell the captain no. Besides, he really didn’t want the navy boys involved in this one. He wanted total autonomy, and with the military, well…one never knew.

  Under Hillebrand’s direction, the CIA leased the RV Odyssey, a specially equipped vessel designed to forage through the vast seas for submerged debris. Equipped with powerful sonars, remote operated vehicles, and a diving crew comprised of CIA men, the search and recovery effort was well under way. The work was tedious, but piece by piece more answers were coming in.

  “Look at this.” Mack took out a picture from the file and held it up. The ship’s explosion had ripped apart most of the cargo. Surprisingly, this one container was intact. Could this have been the one Stevie had seen some days before?

  Kelly took a quick glance at the photo.

  “Is that our missing container?” The receptacle appeared intact, but that didn’t mean much. Several unscathed containers had already been retrieved, with no suspicious findings.

  “Don’t think so Bill. This container never made it off the ship before the blast. But there is something very interesting about it”

  “Aside from the fact it’s still intact?” Kelly asked

  “Well, it is intact Bill – I’ll get back to that. But for starters, this was found attached to it”. Mack unveiled a small electronic device. “I think it’s a honing beacon of some sort. Didn’t seem to be working when our boys stumbled upon it.”

  “Hmm”, Kelly nodded in agreement. That was a curious find “What do we know about it Mack?”

  “Well, the box is rather small compared to the other freight. And quite unique in its composition”

  “Oh?” Kelly was intrigued.

  “The casing is 4 inches thick and made of a composite material, mostly lead, Bill”. Mack paused to let Kelly digest that bit of information. That was obviously how it had survived the blasts.

  “What the hell’s a container like that doing here?” Kelly asked out loud. The answer, they both knew, could have frightening implications. Lead was the traditional barrier used to shield against radioactivity.

  “Good question. I’m not quite sure.”

  “What do you mean you’re not quite sure. What the hell was inside?” Kelly asked pointedly

  “Wish I knew Bill.”

  “Did your boys not open the damn thing?”

  “Oh, it’s open. But our guys didn’t do it”

  “What! Who the hell did then?”

  “Don’t know that Bill”

  “Could the blast have done it?”

  “No way. We examined the hatch. If the blast had weakened the latch, the hatch would have been driven inward. That didn’t happen here”. Mack was an expert in munitions, and it showed.

  “I’m assuming it was opened prior to the blast then, right?” Kelly raised his eyebrows while he spoke. He didn’t like where this was leading. A lead casing, contents emptied.

  “You’d assume wrong my friend. Just got the report back from STAT.” The scientific group had a
ballistics and explosives laboratory, and had been working closely with the on site investigative team. “They couldn’t find any explosive simulant inside”. The jargon was quite simple. STAT had refined a technique for identifying explosives based on residuals left following detonation. The team had already identified the bombs used against them as C-4, a variety of plastic explosive favored by both the military and terrorist organizations. For decades C-4 was used in attacks ranging from the bombing of the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia and the attack on the USS Cole to countless others. They had identified the telltale ratios of elemental substances that identify, or “fingerprint”, the material used. In this case, the carbon to oxygen and Nitrogen to oxygen ratios unique to C-4 were not present inside the container in question, indicating the canister they had retrieved had remained closed until after the detonations.

  “How far was the..” As Kelly spoke, Mack, anticipating the question, interrupted with the answer.

  “50 feet, max. The container must have been close enough to the explosive to create that impression here in the thick lead core”. Mack was gesturing to the picture of the leaden receptacle

  Should have seen some residue inside, Kelly agreed. The picture was getting murkier, not clearer.

  “So what happened?” Kelly asked more to himself than to Mack. He got an answer anyway.

  “Not sure”

  “Goddamnit, noone seems to be sure about anything on this one!” Kelly’s head drooped in exasperation. He ran his hand through his hair, looked up, and added in a calmer voice. “Did you talk to the divers?”

  “Wasn’t them Bill”

  “Sure about that. I’d like to talk to them.”

  “Bill, it wasn’t them” Mack knew he did not need to continue defending his men, but added for good measure “The dive was videotaped - we know it wasn’t them. Bill, someone got to that container before we could.”

  “Do we know if there were any ships in the vicinity?”

  “Not yet. I’ve got a call in to Langely to review the footage. Ben’s checking it out now”

  “Good. Let me know as soon as he has something.”

  “Sure.”

  “Mack, when you talk to Goldie, fill him in on everything”

  “You sure about that Bill?” Mack knew Kelly had grown suspicious of practically everyone, even his heretofore most trusted colleagues.

  “Yes Mack, everything. He’s beyond reproach. We need his input.” Kelly needed not just an information gatherer, but a top-notch processor. Ben was the best.

  “One more thing pal - be careful. Whoever emptied that container might be back”

  “I hope they are Bill. The perimeter’s tight as a drum, don’t you worry.”

  “Just be safe, okay…Nice work out there, Mack.”

  Azeez surveyed the containers, heavy lead canisters salvaged from the ship. Special care was to be taken with this cargo. He was never told of the contents inside, but knew it represented the raw materials for a spectacular attack. The thick casing suggested radioactive contents, but he dared not ask, and he certainly did not dare to open it. Discipline within Sayf Udeen was strict, not unlike a classical military establishment. HIs men never found the fourth container – the guidance system attached apparently malfunctioned. He did not mention the missing container to Ra’ed until after the search was complete. But by now the Americans had cordoned off the area, and they had to evacuate the site. He dreaded having to disappoint his superiors, but they must know the Americans might find the missing container.

  “Lead-based containers”, Kelly repeated to himself quietly. What the hell was going on here? The obvious answer - radiation – was impossibile. Systems to detect shielded radiation sources had been developed long ago. Moreover, the fixed and mobile hand-held devices employed in ports years earlier had been adapted in ways never before thought possible. The result was a radiodetection network that at its roots employed satellite-based surveillance that could scour the globe on demand. The upgraded radiodetection system, dubbed RDS, was trained domestically around-the-clock within a fixed perimeter beyond the nation’s borders, enabling adequate response time should anyone try and smuggle material into the country. Radioisotope detectors could distinguish the nature of the exact material in question, and even commonly used medical isotopes were scrutinized, since they were long felt to be the foremost threat in a radiological dispersal device. Kelly checked with the STAT tream - RDS had not picked up any signal whatsoever on that ship. So what the hell was in those containers?

  Nerve gas?

  A biological agent?

  All the possibilities begged the same question: Why lead?

  “Azeez, It’s Faarooq” Yuri walked over and handed the terrorist leader the radio. So Faarooq had survived – this was good news indeed. Perhaps he knew the whereabouts of the missing container.

  “Thank you Yuri. Please, excuse me”, Azeez ordered, desiring privacy while he spoke to the vaunted spy on the other end of the transmitter. Yuri left Azeez to himself, but could hear quite clearly through the closed door behind him.

  “Yes, we are missing one lemon….three are intact, yes…”

  Hmm, so one of the containers was missing, Yuri thought. The code words over the airwaves were rather simplistic and amenable to rapid interpretation. He had no idea Azeez expected 4 of the strange-looking contraptions. His interest was piqued, and he stood quietly outside, hoping to glean more information. It was evident to Yuri he did not have clearance to the most sensitive information, and had still a far climb up the ranks within Sayf Udeen. But he would earn their trust soon enough, the Chechen determined.

  “Bill, you need to see this” Mack looked harried as he took out a cylindrical steel container and placed it on the desk in front of the counter-terrorism chief.

  “What the hell is that?” asked Kelly

  “Dirt”

  “Dirt?”

  “Yes. It’s radioactive Bill”

  “Impossible!”

  “In light of the apparent lead shielding, I ordered a thorough radiologic survey of the area. It’s not particularly hot, but there are some low-level emissions from the sea bottom.”

  “Son-of-a..exactly how much contamination is out there?” Kelly couldn’t suppress his shock as he spoke. They both knew the implications - RDS should have picked up the signal.

  “Not sure. We’re still working on it. My people tell me it poses no danger to personnel – in fact it’s not enough to have any meaningful biological impact, environmental or otherwise, but I’d still like to call in the NAA”. The CIA often worked in conjunction with the National Atomic Agency.

  “No way. They’re sure to ask questions. Questions which I… we, are just not ready to answer.” Kelly was emphatic. “I just can’t risk this leaking out, I don’t care how innocuous it may seem”, Kelly locked eyes with Mack as he spoke, pitching his voice a decibel louder, “This does not go beyond agency personnel, understand.”

  “Understood. We’ll handle it internally.” Mack knew Kelly would be guarded on this issue, but his resources were being spread way too thin. Nevertheless, he didn’t bother arguing with his chief. “What do you want me to do about the coast guardies?”

  “They can’t suspect anything Mack. If RDS has been compromised, this could spell disaster.” There it was - everyone’s worst fear verbalized out in the open.

  “If RDS is compromised…”, Mack spoke absently

  “Yeah, I know”, Kelly said before Mack could finish the thought. If RDS was compromised, the world as they knew it would never be the same.

  “That’s great news. How did you find it?” After a brief pause Azeez’s voice could again be heard, this time heavily layered with incredulity. “what? You opened it!”

  Even listening to only half the conversation Yuri was able to piece together much of what had transpired. Apparently this Faarooq, whom all the men seemed to hold in the highest regard, had found the missing container and emptied its contents, likely into the ocean. It
made sense, Yuri thought. This Faarooq was obviously a double agent; he couldn’t smuggle the material back with him, so he just made sure it didn’t fall into enemy hands. Yuri wasn’t sure why the container wasn’t fitted with a homing beacon like the others. Perhaps he was unable to unload the container before the ship exploded and the homing device was damaged? Whatever the reason, Farooq must have recognized this container would not be retrieved by their team and took matters into his own hands.

  “Yes, I will send the message. He will know what to make of it. I do not think they will find it easily…Of course I will.” The “He” must be Ra’ed himself, or perhaps his scientific advisors; “they”, obviously, referred to the Americans.

  Without placing the conversation in context, very little could actually be deduced. The codes were simplistic, the language just careful enough not to raise suspicion on any electronic eavesdropping apparatus. But Yuri knew something the simpleton in charge of this ship did not - that radioactive material could be retrieved from the soil beneath the spill. The emissions would not evade the latest American sensors - and there was no doubt in the seasoned Chechen’s mind that the lead canisters loitering on their ship contained just that. Should he inform this Azeez of this possibility? No, he mustn’t, Yuri decided; he was not meant to be privy to this conversation. He must have more faith in the organization as a whole.

  Yuri continued to eavesdrop through the doorway.

  “And they will want to know how the lemons were found. Can you tell me?” Azeez was now asking. Apparently Faarooq himself had no idea how the mission had been compromised, prompting Azeez to add “…Well then, perhaps we can find this out. One of the growers is with us…yes, by accident. He was there when we were retrieving the fruit…He was short, brown eyes, some dirt on his sleeve.” The GI they had captured was obviously quite the opposite in appearance, including a tattoo on his right shoulder. “He was very helpful…Of course I’ll be careful, do not worry….I will not underestimate this filthy, uh, this farmer. Do not worry” Azeez’s voice was a bit louder as he became defensive, almost slipping out of their encoded dialogue. As the conversation ended, Yuri was about to walk away when he heard Azeez speak once again into the radio receiver. It was easy to surmise what was being communicated – Azeez was telling his contacts at Sayf Udeen about the communication with this Faarooq, about the missing container’s contents being spilled into the Atlantic, and about the captured American. The intelligence apparatus of this organization continued to marvel Yuri. Now he just hoped they knew how to handle the situation, for the stakes were obviously rising. And with each passing day, his own fate was more and more intertwined with theirs.