“We have something in mind for you, something rather important,” said Benford.
“Just don’t tell me I should buy a twelve-month meal plan for the cafeteria at the J. Edgar Hoover building.” Nate had meant this as a joke, to establish bonhomie, and corporately to suggest—or plead—that he mustn’t be sent over to the FBI to work on the joint task force. Joking with Benford was like lion hunting on horseback with a spear: you could in theory do it, but odds were it would not turn out well.
Benford stared at Nate for ten seconds. “Do you know anything about science, Nash?” Benford asked. “I mean apart from the fluid mechanics of nocturnal emissions, of which I am sure you are a longtime student.” Nate shrugged, already regretting his joke.
“Since light travels faster than sound, some people appear bright until you hear them speak,” said Benford. “Endeavor not to be one of those people. A good place to start is not to speak unless spoken to.”
“Okay, Simon,” said Nate.
“Now we have a critical operation ahead of us. It’s rather complicated as it’s in three parts. Alarming as it may be, you would have an axial role in each part.” Nate opened his mouth to ask a question, but Benford put up his hand, and shook his head in a “don’t spoil it” look of distaste.
“If you would permit me to summarize,” said Benford. He sat back in his chair and propped his stocking feet on his desk, starting a minor avalanche of papers that fluttered to the floor.
“DIVA just reported that the Kremlin seeks to destabilize Turkey by supplying antiarmor rockets and pressure mines to separatist PKK insurgents in Istanbul. Part one: We will beacon the weapons crates at their staging point in Sevastopol using an experienced raiding team of reservists that, considering your Russian-language and denied-area experience, you will lead. The operation should take no longer than two days, with time on target approximately two hours.”
“Reservists from Desert Storm or Afghanistan?” said Nate.
“No, closer to the years of the Berlin Wall,” said Benford.
“I beg your pardon?” said Nate. “Berlin Wall?”
“The Berlin Wall,” said Benford. “Perhaps you missed it while watching
“Never mind. There is no reason for you to have heard of them, the WOLVERINEs. They distinguished themselves during the Cold War in Poland.”
“Distinguished themselves how?” said Nate. “Like they blew things up?”
Benford waved his hand in the air. “Let me continue,” he said. “Part two: You will liaise with the Turkish National Police as they prepare counterterror raids against PKK, informed by our beacon tracking of the matériel. Those preparations include teltaps on the phones of the SVR Istanbul
“Part three: Simultaneously, we need to burn Comrade Shlykov. One idea is to make it look like he is a CIA asset, and to suggest he subverted his own covert action. We think this idea has merit, but the plan is unformed; I want you to think about it. A feature of this final act is for DIVA herself to investigate, expose, and defame Shlykov, which will protect her as the source, as well as bestow additional counterespionage credit on her as Chief of Line KR.”
“You anticipate personal meetings with her in Istanbul?” said Nate nonchalantly. “We’ll be able—”
“Marty Gable is primary handler,” said Benford. “You can participate in meetings, but I want you to be smart, to exercise restraint.” Nate looked down at his hands.
“
“Yes, sir,” said Nate. “You know I would never jeopardize her security. I mean that.” Benford’s face moved.
“I for one remember it was you, a young case officer just expelled short-of-tour from Moscow by that damp squib Gondorf, who recruited DIVA. It was a signal achievement. She has developed into a source surpassing Cold War stars like Penkovsky and Polyakov, and even Korchnoi in the modern age.” Nate felt hot in the face; Benford never complimented anyone.
“All the more reason to preserve the case and protect her for as long as we can,” said Benford.
“And then get her out and resettle her somewhere safe,” said Nate.
“Perhaps,” said Benford, “if she at some time wants to defect. But she won’t. And unless she wants out, this Service runs her as long as we can, to preserve the intel stream until it stops.” Nate searched Benford’s face.
“You mean until she’s caught and executed,” said Nate flatly.
“Don’t be dramatic,” said Benford, sitting up and leaning forward. “We all do everything to protect her.”
“But we keep the intel flowing, is what you’re saying,” said Nate, “above all else, even her life, down to the last report.”
“If necessary, yes. To safeguard national security and to preserve the Republic, if you’ll forgive the fustian. It is what we do.”
