The Clock Ticks Down to Zero Hour
Chapter 32
Pet was summoned to her embassy at three a.m. to read a NIACT, or night action, cable from Moscow. It was a doozey, as Dick might say after a couple glasses of wine. The SVR reported that Vasily had spilled the beans about his father’s next target and it was Ras Tanura. Oh my God, She thought, realizing it was the largest oil production complex in the world. She immediately woke up Dick and shared the terrifying news. But her early morning visitation didn’t involve another confusing demand for sex so he was sorely disappointed once again.
They dressed and headed to an early breakfast, waiting to visit the offices of the Saudi General Intelligence Directorate. This was bombshell stuff, Dick inadvertently punned, although Pet didn’t catch it or was too preoccupied with her own thoughts of a fiery Armageddon.
“Dick, Vlad’s in Jubail, close to Ras Tanura. We need to alert the Saudis to the threat to the facility and get ourselves there pronto. We still have a chance to catch the bastard before it’s too late. Unfortunately, Vasily didn’t know how or when the attack is to be carried out. My masters believed him as they’re very adept at teasing out the truth from a recalcitrant suspect,” winking as she spoke.
I got her torturous message and readily agreed that we had to get to Jubail as soon as possible. We didn’t know the timeline Vlad had in mind for the event and I prayed we’d get there in time to stop him.
Inspector Jabbar had replaced Abdulla as our Saudi liaison officer after his unfortunate and untimely death. He was Abdulla’s second-in-command at the mosque and was now seething with rage and looking to avenge the death of his comrade-in-arms. I found out much later that Arabs don’t make idle threats. Jabbar had vowed to skin Vlad alive and stake his body in the desert to be eaten by the hyenas. His name meant mighty in Arabic so I didn’t think he was kidding.
Once again, Pet had to demurely sit behind us and observe the conversation. Her long dress cloaked her from the neck to almost the toe and it was probably the ugliest dress I’d ever seen. The bright, random splotches and blotches resembled a Kandinsky painting on steroids. It wasn’t something Pet wouldn’t dare to be seen in under other circumstance. I suspected she purposely chose the garment to piss off the Saudis over their archaic, sexist treatment of women. It was a passive-aggressive act to thumb her nose at our host and his country’s outmoded customs. I worn a newer, dark gray leisure suit with faux pearl buttons that I usually favored for funerals. Maybe I’d made a mistake because I didn’t like the inference one bit.
She was also probably cussing up a storm in her mind as her arrogant, male counterparts discussed the latest case developments and what to do about them. I wondered whether she typically swore in English or Russian. I’d have to ask her later when she wasn’t being so uppity and less riled up. Perhaps I’d call her on the hotel house phone and ask the question rather than in person. I thought it safer that way since I’d forgotten to pack my cup for protection against a swift kick to the crotch. Women could be so testy at times…..and crotchety too!
I filled Jabbar in on the latest scoop from Moscow. Even though he was facing me, he was taken aback by the news. It was an obvious affront to his preconceived way of thinking since he couldn’t believe someone had the audacity to attack Ras Tanura. It was too well fortified to succumb to a terrorist attack in his opinion. Actually, he said big stones instead of audacity, but I didn’t quibble with his grammar. I got the meaning, even with his heavy accent. I was certain that Pet had no problem deciphering it too, given the giggling in the background.
“Well, Mr. Avery….and Major Petrov, we seem to have a serious problem on our hands.”
I loved his understatement and Pet loved the recognition that she wasn’t an inanimate object decorating his office. She smiled for the first time during the meeting, perhaps smirked was a better fit. I’d vote for smirked. At least she didn’t stick out and waggle her tongue at him. That would have been exceedingly rude and funny.
“Of course, I’ll immediately send out a bulletin on the threat and request a ramp-up of the security measures at the complex. A lockdown might be in order as well given the severity and urgency of the situation. I believe a temporary ban on air traffic in the vicinity of the facility is necessary as well. I’ll alert our air ministry and ask it to notify the International Civil Aviation Organization in Montreal of our decision. We’ll vector all flights away from Ras Tanura. So, land and air approaches will be covered, but not the sea. We have some vulnerability there and the Americans can help.”
I knew what he was referring to and had already given an idea thought. I told him I’d follow up on that matter by myself. Jubail was very close to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, an easy drive away. I would go alone since Pet would be denied admittance to the base; nothing personal, but something to do with her nationality and occupation, I suspected. Unlike the State Department, the Defense Department had no sense of humor when it came to security matters.
“I think that would be wise under the circumstance Sheik Jabbar.” I purposely used sheik to address him, although it was too lofty of a title for someone in his position. I was simply sucking up to buy his cooperation. But like Pet’s dress, it wasn’t chic and admonished myself for using the term.
The meeting continued for another hour before we broke for lunch. It was a skull session that floated ideas about how Vlad might assault the complex and ways to counter it. Even Pet was allowed to participate and she was pleased to be included with the big boys. However, she’d have to dine in the cafeteria designated for females only. Unisex johns were still eons away.
We were finally gaining some traction in our pursuit of Vlad rather than spinning our wheels as was usually the case. But it seemed my racing thoughts were getting ahead of me again, to put things into proper vehicular vernacular.