It was nearly 5 hours since STAT had been penetrated, and still the smell from the fire lingered in the well-ventilated floor. A.J.’s location had been triangulated to the area, and there was no doubt in Bill Kelly’s mind that his man was one of the three charred bodies found on the bathroom floor the previous evening. And it would not take an autopsy revealing A.J.’s broken limb and other physical signs of struggle to deduce that someone had infiltrated STAT and killed the three CIA men. Whoever had set the fire cleverly wiped out most forensic evidence in the area – the heat easily destabilizing any DNA evidence on the ground.
“Yes, Dean. What did you find out?” Kelly asked the STAT director as he approached.
“Not much. No one else was hurt. It was late, and we had few people on the floor at the time.”
“Anything missing? Do we know what he came for?”
“No. Everything seems to be intact. But he could easily have gotten into one of the computer terminals.”
“Could he have broken through the encryption?” Kelly knew the secrets of the STAT unit were potentially compromised.
“Hard to say. We’re looking into it, but right now I’m not sure. The investigators seem to think your man stumbled upon the traitor. He just might have prevented this guy from finding out too much, but I just can’t tell yet with any certainty.”
“Dean, find out what you can. I need to know if Hermes is compromised, or anything else for that matter.”
The mention of A.J. brought about a surge of grief and anger in Kelly. He turned away from Alivastos and looked at the ground, suppressing his emotions as best as possible. After finding 94, his next highest priority was capturing this killer and bringing him to justice. And now he just might know where he was.
Kelly suspected their traitor was long gone, but the added security at Langely would help comfort many of those working at the facility. His immediate concern was Hermes – he was still dependent on this system to help with the case. If it were compromised, then his present strategy might be undone. But until Dean could figure out what was accessed, if anything, there was little he could do. His team was still en route, and it would be some time before he’d be needed at command and control. Kelly wisely decided to take advantage of the reprieve to get some sorely needed rest. He would certainly need it in the upcoming days.
Yuri was holed up in an apartment in Northwest, Washington, D.C., waiting patiently for the order to strike. Beside him was a 5 Kilogram mass suspended in a solution of liquid oxygen. The core was in essence a vacuum chamber, used to shield the material from the omnipresent RDS system. They had learned the material only emitted radioactivity in ambient environments.
The recipe for constructing the radioactive dispersal bomb had been carefully crafted by Sayf Udeen researchers. This new material required a reaction, sparked by a conventional explosive, which would convert the relatively inert element at the core to emit profuse quantities of radioactivity. Yuri did not understand the science by which this new element could be triggered to act as a conventional “hot” agent, but the instructions for assembly of the device were simple and explicit. At the center of this reaction was oxygen. By concentrating this combustible substance from its natural and ubiquitous gaseous form to a liquid, a great many more atoms could be placed in contact with the core, exponentially increasing the emission of harmful particles from the now destabilized material at the center.
In all, it was relatively easy to procure the ancillary ingredients for the weapon, and a fully functioning dirty bomb was now assembled in the nation's capital. The only remaining task was to set up a timer, and of course to await the order for detonation. Deployment of the weapon was contingent upon the status of the other two devices. It was made clear to Yuri that he was not an independently functioning cell, but rather one element of a tripartite whole. The three devices were to be unleashed in synchrony, adding to the panic, fear and chaos that was to be unleashed upon their enemy.
Yuri did not know the locations of the other targets. If the local authorities caught him, there would be no risk of jeopardizing the others who were poised to strike. It was just one more of the many layers of safeguards to limit any disruption to the mission as a whole.
As he placed the timer and fuse next to the explosives, Yuri experienced a rush of awe and power at what he had just accomplished. This was to be the single largest terrorist act ever committed in the history of mankind. That they were striking the capital of the most powerful nation in the history of the world made the assault that much more breathtaking. Even the seasoned, cold-minded Chechen found himself pausing to muse on the magnitude of the act he was to commit.
But Yuri knew he would not hesitate to unleash this marvelous weapon when called upon. The only angst he felt actually stemmed from being kept waiting by his superiors. Why not strike immediately? Was coordinating the three devices so important? Debilitating Washington, D.C. should be warning enough to the world! How long would he possibly allow himself to be kept waiting by his Udeen superiors? The timer was almost ready, and so was he – mentally, Yuri was prepared to push the button and start the countdown, that much was certain.
He attached the leads to the timer, and stepped back, looking at the completed work. It was truly a thing of beauty, Yuri marveled. All that power, contained right there on the ground before him.
Yuri was now cognizant of the sounds from the bustle of the big city wafting in through the apartment window. People chatting, the nearby traffic on O Street and Dupont Circle making its way into his consciousness. Some would be killed, but many more would suffer from the fallout. It would be the single greatest attack on US soil. Should he just pull the trigger?
“You have word on the packages?” Ra’ed asked. The intelligence officer before him was charged with monitoring and coordinating communications from their base to the operatives in the field.
“Yes. The first has arrived and is ready. The others will be delivered shortly.”
“Excellent. Anything else, Abul-Qudoos?”
“Yes. Our man in Washington wishes to know why he needs to wait. That the window of opportunity is open and he wishes to strike.”
“Yes, and kill us in the process! You tell this Yuri that he is to do as instructed!” roared Ra’ed. “You make sure he knows not to detonate that device. Not until I say so!” the Udeen chieftain warned.
“Damn Chechen”, Ra’ed then added, more to himself than to the man before him. “An early detonation could ruin everything”
“He knows, Sayid. He will do as commanded - do not worry. He knows what we can do to him and his family and his people if he does not obey”, the intelligence officer answered.
“Yes, he better. That bomb he has is nothing. It does not pose a sufficient level of threat to achieve what we ultimately require. I need a suitable deterrent before I strike; I will not go down the way of Bin-Laden, succumbing to the retribution of the infidels! “
“So when are we to strike?”
“We must wait for a successful test blast first. Once we can prove we have a fully functioning nuclear explosive device, then we can proceed. If we incite their wrath too soon, before our preparations are complete, then we are finished. Only when the Dhul Fiqaar, our holy sword, is proven ready will I be in a position to negotiate with the Kafir as equals. Only then.”
“So you fear their retribution, Sayid?”
“I fear nothing. But yes, I would expect retribution. Do you not think the Americans have an idea of our location? There are not that many places in the world to hide any longer, Qudoos. We must not underestimate our enemy. If we unleash a torrent of radioactivity, the door for nuclear retaliation will be open. The Americans could wipe us out with little more than a general idea of where we are situated and a push of a button. If they know just the mountain range within a hundred miles we are finished. You think the world will be able to stop them from using their own arsenal on us? Never. They can reach us with one of their medium or long-range ballistic missi
les in Europe, or by one of their bombers based in the Middle East in under an hour. And they will. The Americans would annihilate an entire region to suppress such a threat as we pose, without due regard for collateral damage. It would be justified as a matter of survival, retribution for the radioactive dispersal bombs, and there is nobody who could stop them. Once those weapons are triggered, we must be prepared and brace ourselves accordingly.”
“So what do you propose then? How can we ever stop such a force which is guided by those with the will to do as you say?”
“There is a way. If I can follow up our dirty bomb attacks with the threat of an explosive-type nuclear weapon – a true deterrent - then they will pause and think hard before striking back.”
“You do not think that might just push them to use such force against us sooner?”
“No. I will make certain the Americans have knowledge of what we possess. They will know the consequences of launching a definitive strike at our positions. If we can get a dirty bomb through their defenses, then it must follow we can get a nuclear bomb into their cities as well. If they knew we had weaponized our material, do you think they will retaliate knowing it could result in mutual destruction? Having our Dhul Fiqqar will alter the calculus completely. We will then have a knife to their throats instead of just a little stick. It is everything.”
“The weapon Yuri and the others now have – you call that a little stick?”
“Yes, in comparison…absolutely. A dispersive-type weapon has limits. Abul says the explosive force is negligible – equivalent to a 1000-pound TNT bomb. And the fallout is unpredictable, subject to wind and temperature fluctuations. The Americans have been preparing for such an attack for years – do not think they are not trained to deal with the contamination. They will suffer casualties, yes, but they are capable of containing such dispersion. That is why this attack is to be a warning, nothing more. A severe one, but a warning nonetheless. It will signal our capabilities, intent and will. But the Americans must know we held ourselves in check; that we spared them the devastation of a true nuclear explosion.
The intelligence officer nodded his understanding. Ra’ed intended not only to strike terror into the minds and hearts of the Americans, but also to thrust himself as a major player on the world stage. The dirty bomb attacks were risky, but necessary to appease the fundamentalists and hard-liners. It was understood that some measure of revenge would inevitably be exacted upon Sayf Udeen – but in a measured way, and with Ra’ed’s tacit consent. It would be necessary to pacify the American populace following the strikes, but any attempt to decapitate the organization would lead to carnage that even the most extreme of the hawks of the West would never dare risk.
Ra’ed’s strategy was circuitous, yet simple. The currency gained from the deleterious effects of the dirty bombs would be far outweighed by the knowledge that such an attack, or perhaps worse, was possible. This was a concept that would be lost on many of Udeen’s followers, including Yuri and the others who were poised to strike. But for those masses, the strike served as a sufficient pacifier and prelude to achieving some collective understanding with the most powerful nations of the world. Ra’ed’s plan was not merely intended to punish the Satan of the West, but a shortcut to world power. Element 94 was the new stealth weapon of the future, capable of a devastating first strike that would catch it’s opponent completely by surprise. And no defensive shield or surveillance system could hope to thwart those who wielded such a force. It was the great equalizer that would propel Sayf Udeen to superpower status.
But neither side, Udeen or the Americans, could fathom the true potential of this strange and remarkable substance. Element 94 was a power more awesome than anyone could ever imagine.
“I’ll need more material, Dean”, Leo asked of the STAT chief. He had been working tirelessly for a week, and had completely used up the supply of 94 at hand. Amazingly, Leo did not even know where the Agency was obtaining the substance, although it was clear the material was present in minute quantities in the contaminated soil that was provided.
“Leo, be careful. We have limited stores”
“I understand Dean. But this type of analysis takes time and material, two things we don’t have in abundance. If only we had a more concentrated source”
“We’re lucky to have what we have, Leo”
Koval decided to finally ask what had been on his mind since he started working on the project.
“Dean, where are we getting this from?”
“You don’t know, Leo?”
“Uh, no. I don’t”
“Didn’t Bill tell you of the smuggling attempt?”
“Yes, but…if you seized the material, why is it so sparsely disseminated?”
“We didn’t seize anything. We found the material spread across the ocean floor. Someone failed to salvage one container, so they emptied it into the ocean. Luckily for us, its high density caused it to settle to the bottom. We were fortunate to collect what we did, when the tides were quiet. Where did you think your original sample came from?”
“Dean, I …I didn’t really ask” More forcefully, the scientist then added “What do you mean one container?”
“Leo…do your job, please. Let Bill worry about those matters.”
“What other containers Dean?”
“Leo…I can’t believe you don’t know.”
“Know what!” Leo snapped
“Leo, there were three other caches of material that did made their way onto our shores. That’s what Kelly thinks, anyway. Now it’s just free material, likely not assembled into any working device, but all evidence points to its being in this country.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know. You’ll have to ask Kelly”
“Maybe I will.”
“Leo, don’t. He’s got enough going on right now. And don’t start a panic. All we can do is focus as we have been and learn as much as we can about this material. Once we can detect it, Kelly will have every major city scoured for the stuff, trust me. But we must figure out a way to find it.”
“Well how did he find it then?”
“Who?…What?”
“How did Kelly find the original source of 94? I know he couldn’t detect it back then. So how did he find it?
“How did I find what?” Kelly asked. He had walked into the lab unbeknownst to the scientists and overheard the exchange.
“Hi Bill”, the STAT chief greeted Kelly as he approached closer.
“Dean, Leo”, Kelly said as he looked at each scientist respectively.
“Hi Bill”, Leo replied.
“Leo, how are you? How’s your work coming?” Kelly skillfully diverted the topic of discussion for the moment.
“Good. We’ve made significant progress. I think I’ve isolated a waveform.”
“Oh?” Kelly said, eyebrows raised as he spoke, a telltale sign Leo had learned signaling his boss’s interest was peaked.
“The wavelength is in a totally different part of the spectrum than traditional high-energy radiation, but it seems to behave like an electromagnetic wave nonetheless.”
“Can you reliably detect it?” Kelly asked excitedly
“No. Not yet. I need more material for the experiments. Dean and I were just talking”
“Yes, I heard. Leo, we are an intelligence agency. We found a terrorist with canisters of element 94. That’s all you need to know.”
“Bill, he is a section chief in STAT”, Dean chimed in
“Huh?” Leo was confused
“You run a division within STAT.” Kelly spoke pointedly, punctuating the beginning of each sentence with a subtle crescendo. “You have access to the labs and computers. You’re entitled, and you should, know about Hermes. That is what Dr. Alivastos is getting at.”
“Hermes?”
“Leo, what you’re about to hear is highly classified.” Kelly and Dean had spoken about disclosing project Hermes to their new scientist. They wished to bridge any gaps in information
with the man. If Leo knew of their capabilities, he just might be able to incorporate some of the technology into his own work. But there were risks in such disclosure – Kelly would feel out the scientist first.
“Isn’t everything around here?” Leo answered somewhat flippantly
“Not like this”, Kelly responded seriously. The CT chief nodded in Dean’s direction, who on cue began articulating one of the nation’s greatest secrets to the newly recruited scientist upon whom so much depended.
“Leo, most people within the agency don’t know about my work here. But I’ve talked to Bill about this, and we feel you might need to know because it might be adapted in some way to your own efforts. We cross-collaborate here all the time, and if I can facilitate your research with 94 in any way, well… I want to tell you about what I’m capable of producing. I’ll tell you about my first project here at the agency, the beginning of what later mushroomed into STAT. Now you know what my area of expertise is, right?” Dean asked
“Nanotech. I heard”
“Yes. Well, mesoelectronics really. I haven’t truly mastered the nano scale yet – not for practical applications in any event. But on the micrometer scale, we’ve been able to achieve some remarkable things. The first and most practical of which, evolved into something called project Hermes”
“Hermes, as in the Greek God?”
“Yes”
“Okay”, Leo said protractedly, as if somewhat amused by this label - typical of many such government operations or projects, something catchy to lend some added pizzazz.
“Hermes was the messenger of Zeus. He knew when it was time for those to pass to the underworld and he directed them there. That’s what we had in mind in designing the project. To detect people and have them serve as a guide for us.”
“A tracking device?”
“Exactly. But a special kind of device…special because of its size.”
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