A tenseful meeting

An excerpt of my 24th book and thriller The Bait.

A

 Tenseful meeting

The Bait

The torn region

An excerpt

In his brand new palace in Ankara the president ordered the national intelligence service head to convene his department heads, for an urgent meeting at the presidential palace in his presence.

The Turkish national security service head and his four department heads, sat in one of the small palace guest rooms from nine am on, waiting for the president’s arrival on that January the forth morning.

At about nine fifty five the president descended from his dining room after breakfast, and joined at last the national security service prominent members.

As soon as his arrival was announced they stood up in a row close to each other, and waited with bowed heads until the president sat down on his throne like armchair.

The president asked his five loyal civil servants to sit down, and Augul Elmaz the service head sat on the armchair facing the president; while his four department heads sat on the left side settee, close enough to their boss and to the president.

‘Let’s start with a general review of the situation at home and abroad Augul.’ The president ordered the national security service head.

‘As Your Excellency already knows there was a second shooting attack by an individual in a restaurant in Istanbul last night; both the attacks were carried out by ISIS terrorists or by its adherents, which were not planned in Arc-Raqqa. We’ve verified that the PKK isn’t behind it, and the Kurdish leaders in Erbil are waiting to hear more details about our offer.’

‘Do skip the Kurds’ issue and carry on Augul, we’ll discuss the contacts with the Kurdish leadership, at the end of your full review.’

‘I do thank Your Excellency for Your Excellency’s trust and patience.’ Elmaz hastened to declare and sneaked a glimpse at his four department heads, with a quick check of their body language. He was still their just nominated boss; but as an outsider he did not know each one of them well enough yet.

‘We believe that the attack on the Reina nightclub in Istanbul was planned and supported by a foreign intelligence service...’

‘Do we know which intelligence service was behind it?’ The president barged into Elmaz last sentence raising his voice angrily.

‘To our estimation Your Excellency it’s the Syrian Mukhabarat al-Askariyya (the military intelligence directorate), but we’re still checking it and the terrorist that did it wasn’t caught yet.’

‘If he’s a Syrian you’d better seek him at the Galata and Salipazan piers of Istanbul port, or at the Avrasis tunnel check point Augul.’

‘That’s exactly what we’re doing Your Excellency and we’ve blocked all the roads to the south too; and there’s one more possibility Your Excellency, he might have entered our country as a Syrian refugee. He could’ve returned to one of the twenty two refugee camps, which we did erect for them; and he and those that assisted him might stay there a month or six weeks, and return to Syria or carry out another terror attack.’

‘I see so you believe that our Damascus neighbor the Iranian puppet is behind it, and who knows how many more spies we’ve harbored among those refugees? If those camps aren’t fenced yet see to erect fences round those camps Augul, and no one would go in or out without being vetted.’

‘Very well Your Excellency, Demir Sadik the counter intelligence head will take care of it.’ Elmz introduced Sadik who stood up and bowed his head obediently to the president.

‘We’d a successful attack yesterday at the Syrian northern border, thirty eight jihadists were eliminated Your Excellency...’

‘Yes I know I’ve been updated about it Augul do continue your report, I want to know what’s going on in Mosul.’

‘They overcame their setback at Mosul airport Your Excellency, and they’re doing quite well according to the coalition delegation’s head, the American General Townsend; he claims that there is full coordination between the several arrow heads forces, which attack Mosul’s outskirts. Despite the American General optimistic views the Iraqi army advance is very slow, and they pay a very high price. Your Excellency won’t believe how many causalities the Iraqi army, their special units and the Iranian militias suffer with every passing day. The Kurds are sitting on the fence and al-Abadi the Iraqi prime minister criticized the PKK in his last press conference for attacking our country from Iraq; on the eve of our prime minister visit in Baghdad, while the fact that the Kurdish Peshmerga are sitting on the fence is infuriating al-Abadi.’ As he realized how angry the president is, Elmaz hastened to pause letting the president release his anger.

‘And that contemptuous Iraqi midget hopes to draw us to his side and support his claim on Mosul and Kirkuk, while he’s enslaved to the Iranians; does he really believe that we’ll sit and do nothing when that what’s his name? Oh Qasem Suleimani if I’m not wrong, will keep pushing undisturbed motorized convoys to Damascus through Iraq? Does he really believe that we’ll let Iran expand its empire up to the Mediterranean Sea under our noses?’ The exasperated President made a short pause to exhale the caught air in his lungs.

Copyright © Haim Kadman 2017 - all rights reserved.

Author's Note

This excerpt is a part of the second chaper of the second novelette of the thriller titled as The Bait, which is the thriller’s main novelette.

Reviews

[emmajoy]

I so want to finish reading this excerpt.. but the font is so small and the spacing so narrow, i just can't, Haim.. apologies. Might you make the appropriate changes, please.. and, if you can and do, let me know via brief message or RR. Thank you.

[Haim Kadman]

Okay emmajoy I'll do it.

[emmajoy]

I realise my suggestion might arroganr or bossy.. but truly is NOT meant that way. Your words deserve reading but..would be easier as suggested BUT. if and only if, you feel it appropriate.

[Haim Kadman]

You may say whatever you think or wish to say, I'm not scared of criticism I've got a though hide so speak to the point.

[emmajoy]

RIGHT, now for yet another read,
much better now. it's so much easier to read and your story flows easily and consequently, the mention of events quite quickly make their mark. You've included so many details that one has to read carefully but then, less of them would dilute the meaning of the exerpt. Your dialogue is precise, descriptive and also adds breaks to what might an excess of facst.

One negative however right from the start is the repeated use of the word 'head' there are so many You'll find alternatives in something like Roget's Thesaurus or similar.. failing that try to create a group of whatever under a single 'head' perhaps.

This exerpt examples intriguing slants on modern goings-on. And, undoubtedly will make a fine book for predominanty male readership.

[Haim Kadman]

Thanks so much emmajoy for your long and candid comment , and your kind advice.

[emmajoy]

I left you so many typos!!! It doesnt matter how carefully and slowly type, typos become my shadow language!!! So sorry.