Pandora's Ark

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Yitzhak Paled moved up the chain-of-command as required. First beginning with the Israeli Defense Minister, and then ending up with the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Talk was plentiful, to say the least, the inevitable outcome being that Israel’s sovereignty must be protected at all costs regardless of the United States’ input, which would be to stand by with guarded patience and let the sanctions take hold, crippling Iran further. Israel’s stance on the matter was that Iran’s sanctioned position was pushing the Arab state into a corner, forcing them to fight their way back into contention.

Now, with the United States taking the position of playing both sides of the fence by supporting Israel, but not entirely, left Israel to act accordingly to the situation growing at hand. Iran was in possession of a WMD in an unchartered facility in the Alborz region, the coordinates given to the US command so that they could hone their satellites to the targeted position. Secondly, Aryeh Levine was off the grid, the man presumed dead, which means that the Iranian political constituency knew that they had been compromised and was most likely forming a plan of evacuation.

If Israel needed to act, then the time was now, before the WMD was removed from the facility.

There was a three-way conversation going on the speaker phone. A live feed was also being dispatched on wall monitors so that all three men — the Defense Minister, Prime Minister and Yitzhak Paled — could see each other in high-definition quality.

In a small conference room that was paneled with light wood tones, Yitzhak Paled sat at the end of the table, facing the wall screens. On the left was Netanyahu. On the right screen was Defense Minister Ehud Barak.

“What is your final analysis?” asked Netanyahu.

Yitzhak spoke freely. “I believe, Mr. Prime Minister, that if we follow the advice of the United States, then it will be too late,” he said. “I further believe that our man has been dispatched, since he has fallen off the grid. And it appears that a trace has been placed on the encrypted message sent to us from the same coordinates it originated from.”

“From the Alborz facility?” asked Barak.

Paled nodded. “They now know it went to Headquarters, which means that they also know that their position has been compromised. And as we sit here, gentlemen, they are getting into position to respond accordingly.”

“And this weapon,” began Netanyahu, his face registering deep concern, “what do you know about it?”

“We believe that it was engineered by a Doctor Leonid Sakharov, a one-time leading scientist in Russia. His technology was quite advanced in its time, years ahead of other nations studying the same science of nanotechnology. A few weeks ago we believe he met with a known terrorist, Ahmad al-Ghazi, and then he subsequently left for Tehran.” Yitzhak leaned forward, his elbows fanning out across the tabletop, his fingers interlocking. “From what we gathered, Sakharov’s technology is devastating. We believe that he has created, fashioned, and programmed a science that is capable of destroying anything organic — flesh, bone, sinew, anything that was once alive, while leaving the infrastructure intact.”

“Such technology exists?”

“It’s been around since the eighties,” he said. “It’s just been perfected by Sakharov.”

“And how is this implemented,” asked the Prime Minister.

“We’re not sure,” he told him. “But there has to be a source to stimulate these bots into action.”

“Stimulate? You mean these things are alive?”

“Yes, sir. They’re living molecular chains programmed to perform accordingly. It’s like designing a DNA link directly into their system to perform according to the desire of its programming. A driving instinct, as you will.”

“Yitzhak, do we know how far along they are with this technology?”

“Unfortunately, no. Our man on the inside did not expound on that issue. But the fact remains the same, gentlemen. Regardless of the advancement, of whether or not the technology has been completed or near completion, I believe we need to act accordingly despite the wishes of our allies.”

The Prime Minister mulled this over. “They know they have been compromised,” he finally said. “So of course they’ll act on their end by denying culpability and, most likely, move their resources elsewhere.”

“And that’s why, Mr. Prime Minister, we need to act as quickly as possible.”

“Your thoughts, Ehud.”

The Defense Minister piped up. “Whether or not they have completed the program, are close to completing the program, or nowhere near completing the program, is immaterial. The fact is that they are devising a weapon of mass destruction with no other intention but to destroy — plain and simple. They can manage a leg to stand on by claiming that their nuclear program is geared toward energy needs. But if we attack this facility based on a single encrypted message, and if it doesn’t pan out to be true, then we put Israel in a very precarious position.”

“But if it is true?” asked the Prime Minister.

“Then we act accordingly. We take out this facility with a sortie. We attack the fuel cells, which will implode the facility, and take out its resources. It’s a simple resolution to the problem. But in retaliation Iran will rattle its saber, condemn the state of Israel by declaring war, and then call upon its Arab brothers.” On the monitor the Defense Minister leaned forward, his image looming large. “Yitzhak, based on this encryption, how sure are you regarding this technology?”

“Aryeh Levine was one of our supreme assets,” he told him. “The message was a quick feed, so we believe that his time was limited, so he got off enough hoping that we could decipher the materials he presented to us.”

“And if you deciphered wrongly?”

“I strongly believe that Levine got enough of the message across to state the purpose of the facility’s intent. They are building a weapon of mass destruction. And given how they feel about Israel, they will use it against us.”

The Defense Minister fell back into his seat. “The president of the United States is not on board for a full-on strike, even though their CIA has verified the location of the facility in the Alborz. This proposes another problem.”

“With all due respect, Mr. Prime Minister, if we should strike then oil prices will rise, putting America’s economy at risk. This is not about the American economy, which is their sole concern. This is about Israeli sovereignty.”

The Prime Minister had to concur.

And then: “I believe a strike is warranted,” said Netanyahu. “I will contact the U.S. and inform them of our intentions. Ehud, alert the command center and inform the Ramatkal at the IDF to prepare for a strike. Tell them to remain on alert status waiting for the go.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And, Yitzhak.”

“Yes, Mr. Prime Minister.”

“Your man better be right. If not, then we may be on the verge of a World War once this is said and done.”

“I understand.”

“Then let’s make this work.”