This was a suicide mission…
“Nichols,” Lay acknowledged Harry’s arrival with a brief greeting. “We’re almost ready to begin.”
Carter looked up from the laptop in front of him. “All due respect, sir, but I would like to point out that Director Haskel did not agree to read Nichols in on the FBI’s mission.”
“Haskel is not in charge here,” Lay announced, turning to glare at his top analyst. “I am. He got caught with his pants down and I’ll be hanged if he’s going to dictate terms. If you will, Harry, sit at that end of the conference table. You’ll be out of camera range, but able to hear what goes on.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Lay adjusted his tie, a nervous tic Harry had seen many times before. Putting on his battle face.
The phone in front of Lay buzzed. “Director Haskel is waiting for you to start, sir.”
“Good.” Lay reached for the remote and powered up the LCD monitor on the opposite wall. After a couple seconds, the visage of the FBI director appeared on-screen.
“Good morning, Director Lay. Shall we get started?”
Lay’s face didn’t change. “That would be a good idea, Eric. I’m meeting with Colonel Mueller of GSG-9 at eleven, so don’t waste my time.”
“I don’t intend to. A week ago, director, your agency put this country in the peril of great embarrassment with the poor execution of Operation TALON.”
Harry could see the surprise written in the DCIA’s eyes, but he made no expression of it. “Following the revelation that someone was responsible for leaking mission-sensitive intelligence to the Iranians,” Haskel continued, “the President asked my Bureau to run a covert investigation of your Agency.”
“Redundant,” Lay objected. “We had already launched our own investigation of the incident through Lucas Ellsworth and the inspector general’s office.”
“Perhaps. Have you traced the source of the leak?”
“That information is classified,” came Lay’s sharp retort.
“Which is another way of saying you haven’t.” An irritatingly superior expression spread across the face of the FBI chief.
The DCIA leaned forward, his elbows resting on the polished wood of the conference table. “And you have?”
“Our investigation was unfortunately interrupted this morning by the actions of one of the men under scrutiny, but we had already identified a person of interest in the matter.”
“Indeed?”
On-screen, Haskel could be seen to open a folder laying on his desk. “Our investigation came to focus upon one man. He is a paramilitary operations officer in your Clandestine Service. A man with the motive, the access, and the opportunity to betray your mission.”
“Go on.”
“The man’s name is Davood Sarami.”
Harry’s face froze at the declaration. Davood? It couldn’t be. No. There was no way he could have betrayed the team.
“And may I ask what caused your investigation to center on Officer Sarami?” Lay asked, his posture stiff, unmistakably hostile.
“Our investigation of the field team was thorough. Our focus turned to Sarami after we delved into the financial records of the mosque he attends in Falls Church. The imam there, Abdul Faisal Shabaz, a naturalized citizen of this country, has given large sums of money, ostensibly from his congregation, to a charity based out of Amman, Jordan.”
“Get to your point,” Lay ordered irritably when the FBI director paused for effect.
“The charity has close ties to Hezbollah and Hamas. In 2009, Shabaz was photographed with this man.” A picture came flashing up on screen, momentarily blocking their view of Haskel’s face. “Fayood Hamza al-Farouk. Thirty-two years of age, one of the bright young men of Hezbollah. He’s led field operations for the past three years following his successful assassination of a member of the Knesset.”
“So he was not a leader of their organization at the time of this photograph?”
“That is correct. However, he was on his way up. As you can confirm, he’s been on our watchlists for the better part of the last decade.”
“I recognize the name. Do you have any direct connections between Sarami and al-Farouk?”
“Not as of yet. As stated, our operation was blown this morning when one of your other paramilitary operations officers, one Harold Nichols, took it upon himself to pull a gun on Agent Caruso. I am still awaiting word of his release.”
“Wait away, it’s no skin off my nose. So, let me get this straight, your only tie between Sarami and Hezbollah is this imam?”
“That is correct. Undercover agents in the Muslim community in Virginia report that Sarami is seen as being very close to Shabaz, apparently regarding him as a spiritual mentor. Another point of concern is the activities of Sarami’s parents. His father is a partner in a legal firm based in Dayton, which took upon itself
