The Einstein Papers

CHAPTER 38

Benson leaned back in his chair opposite his second-in-command, Assistant Special Security Director Richard Allbright.

The Saudi government received a threat claiming someone was planning to wipe out their oil fields?" Benson said, incredulously.

The written demand stated they must recognize the Israeli state or their oil reservoirs would be destroyed," Allbright said and then read from his note pad, The exact quote was, 'A divine wrath will befall your wealth. The curse of oil has provided you a means to oppose the Jewish state. If you do not recognize Israel's right to exist we will remove the curse forever.' End quote."

"What group claimed responsibility?" Benson asked.

"The Jewish Front for Recognition," Allbright said, glancing at his briefing sheet again. "We have no records of such a group."

Benson swiveled in his chair and glanced out the window. His thoughts were broken by the telephone buzzing. "Yes, Mrs. Mindio."

"Sorry to disturb you, sir. I know you left instructions to hold your calls, but this is important."

That's okay, go ahead and explain," Benson said.

"The duty officer just left a fresh communique. There has been a series of explosions in Israel. There was over—" Mrs. Mindio began to say.

"Bring it here, please," Benson said.

Mrs. Mindio entered Benson's office and placed the report on the desk. She quickly retreated back to the outer office. Benson read the papers rapidly, then handed them to Allbright.

"The NIA will be called in on this, Dick. Our agency's primary charter is antiterrorism. Begin a class-one file — I want you to pull out all the stops to gather information. Cull through all the other agencies' files and see what you can find. Next have someone get me a Defense Department reading on our possible military response—

I want to know what military units are being moved to the area to counter the threat. We may need to coordinate a joint operation if we send our agents into the area." Allbright rose from his chair as Benson's phone rang.

"Get me some real-time data, Dick, as fast as possible. We have some decisions to make before the president calls," Benson said as he grabbed the ringing phone. Allbright scurried from Benson's office.

Benson lifted the telephone receiver to his ear. "This is Colonel Thompson at the NSA. We just intercepted a telephone call from a pay phone in Maryland to the Chinese Embassy in Washington. The party at the pay phone asked where he should deliver the package. The party at the embassy replied the 'river drop-off.' That was the entire message."

"Where was the pay phone?" Benson asked.

"Near a town named Lanham," Thompson replied.

"Excellent," Benson said.

"We'll keep monitoring for you, sir," Thompson said and hung up. Benson leaned back in his chair. First China, now the Middle East. He reached in his desk drawer and removed an orange, which he peeled and began earing. It would turn out he would have no time for lunch.

Before he had eaten a slice of the orange he was already dialing his phone. "Get me a 7.5-minute topographic map of Maryland near the town of Lanham," he ordered his research division.

Benson dialed again.

"Dick," Benson said to Allbright, who had just entered his office, "I need an assessment of what countries would enter the fray if Saudi Arabia and Israel go to war."