Eavesdropped

an excerpt of the thriller THE BLOBAL THREAT

Eavesdropped

THE GLOBAL THREAT

An excerpt

 

In the Sa'dabad Palace Iran's president's residence Rohanei sat all alone in his spacious living room in wait for his guests. He has just returned from the Majlis where he had to open formally the Majlis session with a speech, and as he finished it he hastened to leave the place; taking leave politely of the prime minister and the Majlis chairman, and with a smile and a nod of his head he made his way out.

He was very restless since he returned with Zarif and their aides from Washington, the tensed atmosphere that developed in Teheran exhausted him mentally. He had to attend daily urgent meetings at His Holy Highness office with the cabinet ministers, and listen to Qasem's war planes and bold speeches. Thus whenever he could he retreated to the seclusion of his official lodging, to his beloved Sa'dabad palace rooms and garden.  

When he passed today his office ante-room his loyal and trusted secretary handed him a sheet of paper, with a mute sign of secrecy.

'I may have guests in about one hour time.' He told his secretary while he took the piece of paper from the latter's hand.

'At your service Your Excellency.' His secretary muttered with a bowed head.

'Do call Their Excellencies my deputy and our foreign affairs minister, and remind them that I wish to see them.' He told him and entered his office, and sat to read what his loyal secretary bothered to write to him; In the few lines his secretary informed him that during his absence when he was in Washington there was a visit of two communication technicians, and they checked the telecommunication lines of the palace, that's what they've told him.

After a short while his secretary knocked on his office door and entered to tell him that Jahangiri is sick, but Zarif is on his way.

So Jahangiri isn't sick at all, His Holy Highness is simply sick and tired of Jahangiri's poor reports. Rohanei thought amused and almost burst out with a cheerful laugh. We'll have to conduct some parts of our conversation in writing again, he thought slightly perturbed; and he wrote a few words he wished to warn Zarif with, as soon as the latter would join him.

When Zarif arrived at last he handed him the note he had written, and raised a warning finger to his lips. He had to make sure that Zarif won't utter an undesirable word realizing that Jahangiri is not present yet, before he will read the warning note.  

'Ashaq is sick and won't be coming,' he told Zarif with a sly smile. 'What a pity he was such a help in every meeting the three of us had…'

'I hope he'll recover soon,' Zarif hastened to reply. 'We'll miss his realistic thinking.'

'I've ordered a late lunch for the three of us…'

'But I've had already lunch at home Hassan.'

It's a light meal and we'll talk and analyze the current situation, and you'll cope with that light meal quite easily Mohammad.' Rohanei was not used to small talk, and he decided to stop this kind of parley, otherwise they would arouse the suspicion of Qasem's men or even His Holy Highness's special team that are eavesdropping at that very moment to their conversation, and they may conclude that he knows that the palace and its communication lines are bugged.

He led Zarif to the dining room second floor and they sat next to the long table all alone, and carried on very carefully a serious and convincing conversation; on how they refer to the current events, and how they can contribute their experience in foreign affairs, to ensure the achievements of their country's goals.

'I believe we should ask His Holy Highness to delay the expulsion of the American embassy staff, and ask His Holy Highness permission to summon the American ambassador for a last warning.'

'It's a very good idea Mohammad and I'm sure His Holy Highness would agree to it. Mr. whatever his name is. can give us some clues to what's going on in Washington, whether they realize that we've the capabilities to attack their cities and their flotilla of course; or if they're under pressure thanks to our brave Al Quds warriors, we may learn it straight from his mouth.' Rohanei declared with emphasize, to make sure that his praise would soon reach Qasem's ears.

'You'll back me when I'll bring it up before Our Holy Highness in tonight's meeting?'

'Sure Mohammad you've my word on it.'

 

When Rohanei and Zarif arrived at His Holy Highness's office in the Niaravan Palace most of the cabinet ministers were already there including Qasem in wait for His Holy Highness entrance; just one member was absent, it was Ashaq Jahangiri, Rohanei's deputy that could not answer Rohanei's invitation earlier on that day due to his supposedly sickness. 

The only one that seemed annoyed by their arrival together and could not hide it was Qasem, but their colleagues stood up in Rohanei's honor and greeted the pair of them politely.

When His Holy Highness entered they had to stand up again with bowed heads, till His Holy Highness sat down at the head of his office long desk.

His Holy Highness expressed his joy to see them all again, without mentioning Jahangiri's absence, which was the obvious evidence that Jahangiri was deposed from his duties and from his special services to His Holy Highness as well.

They've all reached that same conclusion and they're all worried for their fates, except Qasem who's no doubt behind it. Rohanei concluded thoughtfully, while looking all around him and watching his  colleagues' long faces.

'In today's meeting after our serious discussions in the last hectic days, we'll sum up our efforts and decide what we should do from now on.' His Holy Highness declared after the short tensed pause, which he forced upon his inferiors.

'We've been waiting patiently for signs of changes in the American position concerning their flotilla… Well as we haven't any such signs we'll have to push forward with our activity plans. Our intention is in accordance with the plan that Qasem and his experts proposed, which is to increase our naval activities without exaggeration against the American flotilla. We'll launch two long range missiles from our Imam Ali Khomeini space center to the Indian Ocean close to the fifth fleet navigation lines.' He cleared his throat loudly; it was not after all just another test but an open threat with certain risks in it.

'We'll use diplomatic routes along our various activities. Our foreign affairs minister will summon the American ambassador twenty four hours after the missiles' launch, and ask to convey his president our legitimate demands to pull out his flotilla from our waters.' His Holy Highness said thumping his right fist on the table, while watching Zarif with an intent gaze. 'If their president will reject our demands we'll expel the American embassy staff, and their commercial representatives. He's some three more months in office their weak president, and he was the one that made such deplorable efforts to renew diplomatic relations with us.' His Holy Highness added exhaling the air caught in his lungs.

So His Holy Highness himself listened to our conversation just a short while earlier, the sly spider and he took our advice. Rohanei thought amused. I'll use this His Holy Highness trap that he set for me to influence him without his being aware to it. Rohanei decided with determination.

© Haim Kadman June 2014 �" all rights reserved.

 

A short synopsis

"The global threat" is a thriller that describes possible geopolitical developments in the very near future. Its plot encompasses the era from mid 2014 up to the end of July 2016. The book's various protagonists are the decision makers in several states all over the globe, which are linked to each other by mutual and contracting state and personal interests.

This thriller is a work of fiction, and is a product of the author's imagination. The protagonists and the different characters' names, and the plot's background descriptions might remind real persons and locations; as the book's purpose is to praise human wisdom, endeavors and accomplishments, there is no harm, offense or insult in it's being a facsimile of real life.

THE GLOBAL THREAT a thriller published with Amazon, 57 chapters, 147 pages, 72,474 words.

 ganxy.com/i/94165.

www.amazon.co.uk/Kindle.../s?...Haim%20Kadman...27%3AHaim%20K..

www.amazon.co.uk › Books › Fiction › Adventure Stories & Action

www.freado.com/book/18683/tha-global-threat