The Devil's Handshake

16

Washington, D.C.

Five days ago when Ali had briefed Navjot at a diner near his house why the mission was taking place, Navjot, like the rest of the team at SAD, thought the Director had lost the plot. For although he had used his various identities over the last ten years to trap and take down numerous terrorist operations since joining the service, this was to be the first time one would be used in an old-style covert operation designed to disable a major business investment in another country. It was something as he listened Navjot found he wasn’t entirely comfortable with either.

“Jesus he’s only been in the job a couple of months!” Navjot had said to Ali, referring to the director’s unspoken crusade and rapid dislike of anything Putin.

“It’s got a Presidential Authorization,” Ali had replied as he drank his coffee.

“So this State led?” Navjot had referred to the State Department as he continued to shake his head in disbelief. “Are they really that pissed off at them over Syria and Ukraine? I mean it’s going to take years for the Russians to build the damned port!” He had countered having been told by Ali the deal needed to be scuttled as soon as possible.

“I know, but the Director convinced the Administration that if the Russians gained a foothold in this country less than hundred and twenty miles away from Djibouti then we will be facing a potential flood of other nations around the world inviting in the Russians as a security buffer right under our noses and we will be back in the Cold War again,” Ali had answered.

“Essentially what you’re saying is he is advising, via the Langley hawks, that if we don’t do something then we’re facing another Cuba or Ukraine situation with the Russians sticking it to us again only this time in Africa,” Navjot had responded with his own internal analysis on the ‘Clear Present and Danger’ recommendation touted by his ass-kissing colleagues to their Commander–in-Chief who had, to his utter disbelief, had approved it. “Except this time there are no evil Reds under the bed to fall back on, and our interference makes us look like the bad guy if we get caught!” Navjot had offered, considering the worst-case scenario as an additional supporting argument to his objections.

“It going to take at least three months, you know!” he had said finally signaling his acceptance of his job by a further shake his head resigned to the fact that as nobody was going to be interested in what Ali or him had to say anyway, it was pointless to go on about it and just get on with the work.

“Well, you’d better get going,” Ali had countered relieved that his experienced officer had now accepted his job if somewhat reluctantly.

He knew his friend had been receiving counseling. The mental scars of recent operations mixed with the fact that his wife was making noises about him retiring from fieldwork were taking its toll on his best agent. Unfortunately, the fact was Ali needed him because the SAD had very few field agents with his natural resources related experience to hit ground running for this new operation.

“Reza will be setting up a meeting with the Chief of the Interior Ministry in three days’ time in Borama for you,” he had added.

“What’s his background?” Navjot had asked due to the fact that he hadn’t read the briefing file yet that was waiting for him back at the office because he had been on leave in an effort to save his marriage and get his head back in order.

“Ex-pirate, slavery, prostitution, and murder,” Ali had simply stated.

“Sounds peachy!” Navjot had said just as the waitress delivered their eggs.

As the young lady placed the breakfast on the table, Navjot had wondered how he was going to tell his wife Lori that he was about to go back on operations again. It was a prospect he wasn’t looking forward to.