The highest hurdle

Chapter 16 of the thriller The Imperative U-turn.

The Imperative U-turn

Chapter 16

Ilayev’s Several minutes of puzzlement passed, and the door opened up and another stranger entered; the stranger made a quick sign with his right hand, urging all of them not to rise up, and joined them smiling benevolently.

He sat down next to Ilayeve and opened up turning to their captive right away.

‘You were betrayed Ilayev and you do know it no doubt, it isn’t your operator who betrayed you, but someone of the higest echelon of your own organization.’

‘I can’t believe it, you must have deciphered the messages, which were sent to me.’ Ilayev retorted angrily in English; he knew quite well that the messages, which he received in that phone were not codded. But to stumble upon a phone message even if it’s sent from Russia is very rare, these were Ilayev’s thought. What really bothered him was the clear fact he was betrayed, just as that stranger claimed.

‘We do know and you just as well that the message which you received, at eleven fifteen am yesterday was uncodded...’ The stranger made a short pause while scrutinzing Ilayev’s pale face. ‘Despite our counter intelligence efforts to put a hand on such kind of messages, it’s usually impossible… So when we’re telling you that you were betraid it’s the bare truth.’

Ilayev kept sitting erect on his seat and kept watching that stranger without a word, but he was shocked a second time and much harder. If the conceited greenhorn did betray him he could live with it, but if it really was someone within center highest ranks…

‘You surely wish to return home to your family and friends...’ The stranger resumed his monologue.

So they expect me to cross the lines and be their source, and the devil know what else. Ilayev concluded having realized why he is treated with silk gloves.

‘With the American passport…?’

‘Yes Fiodor Yefimovich Ilayev, and that’s the lowest hurdle that you’ll have to cross.’

‘And what are my higher hurdles?’ Ilayev challenged the stranger, who was the senior among his captors.

‘There’s just one serious hurdle Fiodor alias Jake, and its the willing to cooperate with us.’

@ Haim Kadman 2020 �" all rights reserved.