The Russian Deception

CHAPTER 20

Elizabeth came into her office and turned on the coffee. She went over to her desk and found a dead mouse on her chair.

Another little gift, Elizabeth thought. Sometimes I wish that cat didn't like me so much.

She plucked a tissue from her purse and picked up the mangled corpse by the tail. She dropped it into the wastebasket and sat down. While she waited for the coffee to be ready Elizabeth thought about what the day was likely to bring. It didn't look good.

It hadn't taken long for Mitreski to send troops into Albania. He'd crossed the border at the only two places where his motorized infantry and tanks could roll down improved highways toward the capital of Tirana. On paper, it looked like a classic pincer movement. One thrust had launched from Debar, the second further south near Lake Ohrid. In theory a quick, blitzkrieg-like attack would succeed in threatening the capital and forcing some sort of capitulation. Theory and reality were two different things. The attack was poorly planned and premature. The Macedonian forces were already in trouble, only hours into the war.

Mitreski's troops had succeeded in blowing through the border checkpoints and starting into the country but had met fierce resistance only a few miles inside Albanian territory. Now the advance was completely bogged down. Winter was not cooperating and heavy snow was making things that much more difficult.

Another bloody ground war had begun in the Balkans. Unless stopped soon there was a real risk it would spread to the neighboring countries, Kosovo and Montenegro. Even Greece could get involved. Nobody wanted another Serbian war but Elizabeth feared it was a real possibility. The wounds from twenty years before were still raw. There was a lot of bad blood in the region, waiting to be spilled.

The coffee was ready. Elizabeth got up, fixed a cup and sat back down at her desk. She entered a few strokes on her keyboard and looked at the morning's intelligence assessment on her monitor.

Stephanie came into the room and went over to the sideboard for coffee.

"Sorry I'm late," she said. "There was an accident on the beltway. Traffic was backed up for miles. What's the latest?"

She blew on the hot liquid in her cup and looked at the monitor.

"Macedonia has invaded Albania. There's an emergency meeting of NATO scheduled in Brussels in about an hour."

"Mitreski knows Albania is part of NATO. Does he think they're just going to stand aside?"

"He's probably gambling on a lot of talk before action," Elizabeth said. "If he succeeds in breaking through to the capital it gives him a lot of leverage. It will take days for NATO to do anything and when they do it will probably be ineffective. If I were Mitreski, I'd count on political and bureaucratic infighting to stop any significant forces from being sent against him until it was too late."

"What do you think his chances are?"

"Right now, not so good. He didn't get far into Albania before he was stopped cold. The Albanians are no pushover and fighting is heavy. On top of that the weather is terrible with heavy snow and almost zero visibility. By the time the storm passes the Albanians will have had time to get organized and send reinforcements."

"Does Mitreski have air cover?"

"Neither country has much of an Air Force. They used to have older Russian Migs and some Chinese copies but everything started falling apart back in the 90s. Their planes don't work anymore and both countries have grounded all their fixed wing aircraft. Macedonia has a slight edge in helicopters but that's about it. Airpower isn't going to be a factor. This will be one of those wars where the combatants grind each other into the dirt."

"Did Nick and the others get out okay?" Steph asked.

"They're in Vienna, waiting for instructions. Probably munching on strudel and sipping cappuccino."

"What do you have in mind for them?"

"I'm not sure yet. It depends on how the situation develops. Remember, this is the Balkans we're talking about. Nothing is ever what it appears to be in that region."

"Something is bothering you, Elizabeth. What are you thinking?"

"That Mitreski was awfully quick to move against Albania, too quick. You don't suddenly invade another country without some serious preparation. The logistics alone take a lot of time to get in place."

"It sounds as though you think he's been getting ready for this for a while."

"I do."

"He would need support."

"He would. And I think I know where he's getting it from."

"Russia?"

"Go to the head of the class, Steph. It's the only logical possibility. He is their client, after all. It's Russian support that's kept him in power up to now."

"Didn't the leader of the group that kidnapped Nick tell him the Russians wanted to provoke war with Albania?"

Elizabeth nodded. "That's right. War is a good way to shift attention away from all the problems with Mitreski's corrupt rule. Just get people busy fighting the Albanians and they won't have time to worry about what he's doing. Moscow doesn't want a government in Macedonia that isn't friendly to them."

"So what is it that's bothering you?"

"At first glance starting the war as a distraction makes sense. But something feels off to me about this. Why would Moscow get involved in another adventure in the area? It will backfire if it comes out that the Russians are behind Mitreski's decision to invade. It would be a public relations disaster and Orlov doesn't need that right now. Not with what's happening in the Ukraine."

"Could it be something to do with Greece? The government there is leaning pretty hard toward the Kremlin."

"I don't see that at the moment. Unless the war spreads into Greece, I don't think it's an important factor in Moscow's thinking. Their motive could be as simple as wanting to keep Mitreski in power, but my intuition tells me that isn't it. I can't see what else Moscow gains from a war in the region. That's what's bothering me."

"Your intuition is usually right on," Steph said.

"Except when it isn't. Let's hope this is one of those times."

Stephanie went over to the coffee machine and refilled her cup.

"I'm heading downstairs. I'm almost done with that program I'm working on."

"The one to break into the Chinese satellites?"

"That's the one."

"Come back upstairs when you're ready for lunch," Elizabeth said.

Stephanie left for her computer room and Elizabeth leaned back in her chair with her coffee.

She looks better, or at least a little less stressed out. It must help to have Lucas.

Elizabeth sipped her coffee.

I wish I had someone like Lucas to share things with.

The thought slipped in from nowhere, like a thief in the night.

Once, years ago, Elizabeth had been in love with a man who had turned out to be a perfect example of the kind of narcissistic, ego-centered jerk found in every second rate movie she'd ever seen. It had taken more than a year to get over his betrayal. Any thoughts she'd had of love and affection for him had long ago disappeared.

Elizabeth had become resigned to a future of living by herself. Her job was enough to discourage any possible suitor. At least it would have been if she had found time away from it to look for a possible mate. She knew that she intimidated men. She supposed it was because of her refusal to put up with the nonsense many men expected women to accept. She had nothing against a strong male personality or a healthy testosterone driven ego, only the distortion that often seemed to accompany that combination.

From time to time she found herself thinking about Clarence Hood. She wasn't particularly attracted to him but he wasn't unattractive either. She felt comfortable in his presence and she knew he felt the same. In many ways he'd be the ideal male companion. But she didn't love him.

There was still hope of a genuine romance glowing faintly somewhere inside her. She was attractive and not really too old. But it would be difficult to give up her cherished privacy and the control of her life that went with being single if a real lover came along.

Her coffee was cold. Elizabeth got up to make herself another cup, the way she liked it.