Satan's Spy (The Steve Church saga Book 2) André Gallo (top 100 books of all time checklist TXT) 📖

an unclassified activity or the opposite, that they were bringing expert knowledge not available in Iran for a high priority project.

Also, Firuz had become friendlier over the day. However, he had not crossed the line; he had not revealed confidential information as some might do to show-off their knowledge and importance. He thought Firuz had to be the key, and luckily, Yazdi could help him turn that key.

 

26. Tehran: Tuesday

Hashem Yazdi drove in the evening traffic with Steve in the passenger seat. “Is Steltzer still an issue?” Steve asked him. “We can help. However, you may have to leave the country for a few days. Has Mousavi mentioned it again?”

They were driving out of the city to a kebab restaurant in the suburbs. It was early evening, and a light rain had been soaking the city most of the day.

“He doesn’t have to repeat it. He expects results even if he mentioned it only once.” He glanced toward Steve expectantly.

“Here’s what we can do,” Steve said. “You go to Hamburg where you’ll find out that Steltzer is dead. I assume that will satisfy Mousavi. We’ll tell you how to find his grave, and you take a picture.”

Yazdi was leaning forward, as if trying to improve his view through the dirty windshield made muddy by the inadequate wipers.

“What if we had someone send it to you or email it to you?” Steve continued. “You wouldn’t have to leave Tehran. Could you claim that your contacts in Germany did the research, or perhaps even took care of Steltzer themselves at your command?”

Yazdi smiled slightly. “That’s too easy. Proof through some sort of official record would be better.”

“The impossible will take us a bit longer,” Steve grinned.

“Also, it’s better if I go to Hamburg so that I can report on the case personally. It’ll be more convincing to Mousavi.”

“Okay, let’s plan on your departure in, say, three days, and your return three days later.”

As they turned a corner, a roadblock surged in front of them. There were no side streets into which to turn and no choice except to make a U-turn, which would have raised the alarm and triggered a pursuit. There were several other cars in front of them, and now more in back. The policemen wore dark green ponchos with hoods over their hats. They were checking several cars at a time.

While Steve held his breath and rehearsed cover stories in his mind, Yazdi rolled down his window as a policeman approached. Words that Steve didn’t understand were exchanged. The policeman evidently wanted to inspect the car, but Yazdi was trying to talk him out of it. Faced with a persistent cop, Yazdi reluctantly showed his I.D. card. The effect was instantaneous. The policeman saluted, returned the card, and waved them on.               Yazdi drove around the cars in front, and Steve allowed himself to breathe again.

As they reached the end of the street and turned, Steve said, “Wow. Even the president of the United States doesn’t have a card like that. What were they looking for?”

“It was just a mobile road block checking for drugs and alcohol. Don’t worry. It’s nothing.”

“It’s not nothing. We can’t meet like this anymore. Hopefully there won’t be a record that you were stopped. Do you have an apartment we can use, besides yours, I mean?”

“Don’t panic. I know how to handle security in Tehran. If it will make you feel better,” he grinned, “yes, there is an apartment we can use.”

They drove without speaking for a few minutes reflecting on what had just happened. It had stopped raining, and the only sound came from the squeaking windshield wipers, which Yazdi turned off.

Yazdi broke the silence, “Firuz told me he had met a Canadian businessman. I didn’t want to ask for details, but was that you?”

“Yes, I was wondering also if he was your nephew. Good tennis player. What is that computer center really doing? There were some classified areas that we couldn’t go into. Firuz said that it’s part of Iranian Cyber Army.”

“Remember Mousavi’s special project? Kozak, the KGB guy? The center you visited is part of that project, not the main installation, or you wouldn’t have gotten in. There are several computer centers in Tehran that support the project. Unlimited funds since the Supreme Council is the sponsor. The centers are very loosely connected but are carefully separated from each other.”

“Compartmentalized?” “Yes, that’s it.”

Steve’s recollection of the Center didn’t reflect unlimited funds. It was too small for one thing. However, he let Yazdi go on with no interruption, which he had learned was an essential virtue in an intelligence officer.

“Unlike whatever Firuz said, that’s not even where he works,” Yazdi said. “He’s in the headquarters of the project which is located where?”

Yazdi gave Steve a quick glance. “In the former American Embassy compound! I waited him out, and Firuz opened up last night.”

Steve felt rewarded for his patience. “What’s the purpose of the project?’ “Remember the Russian attack on Georgia? As part of the attack, the Russians disabled most of Georgia’s computer systems; Kozak had a big role. So now, as part of Russian-Iranian friendship, Russia is assisting Iran in setting up the mother of all cyber warfare capabilities. In return for an oil deal. Up to just recently, they were mapping American systems and identifying backdoors and inserting horses.” Yazdi had to brake suddenly to avoid hitting a car that had cut in front of him.

He muttered imprecations in Farsi and, when they were able to move ahead, Steve asked, “Horses?”

“‘Trojan horses’ is what Firuz said, viruses and software that can be activated remotely, from Iran. He said that the attack on Georgia was kid stuff compared to what they’re preparing; that Georgia was almost a dry run; that lessons learned are being applied; and that the damage will take years