SIN 004
The horsefly crawled around Behruz Shikak’s nostrils, biting and scratching. It tastes his eyelids and then moves on to Shikak’s lips. The pool of blood oozing from the back of his head on to his red and green patriotic uniform attracted his brethren and ilk. Shikak is a tall red stained Santa. The dry earth in the Rig-e Jenn desert, no more than rocks and stones with almost no vegetation, is for some a tourist gem, but for Shikak a silent tomb. Poor Behruz will never know who betrayed him: one of his Kurdish brethren, one of his comrades in the Revolutionary Guards or an Opposition contact. Ahmedzada’s orders were received before the Russian guests arrived in Mehrabad. “Do it quickly. No need to cover up. Don’t delay our Russian guests’ mission. The nuclear project is of supreme importance.” Behruz didn’t ask for mercy. Immediately he understood why the convoy had stopped. This is the price he realized he might have to pay. He died as a Kurdish warrior.
The convoy moves slowly over the dusty road until it barely can be heard and then silence falls on the desert. The dust raised by the armed vehicles and trucks is blown away and the heat bakes the desert floor. The heat wave mirages dance over the ground. Not a sound is heard – there is no life in this desert.
****
Dima meets Nike running down the aisle as the bus rebounds from the rocky road. He turns to Niki who had been seated next to the sleeping Alex, and puts his hand on her arm, “All is according is order, Comrade Niki, “one less Kurdish vote for Mousavi.”
“What’s going on? Hey, red-head, what’s the noise? You can’t get a moment’s rest here.”
“Listen, Alex, Ahmedzada had Behruz shot” Dima replied.” They don’t seem to trust their Kurdish brothers. I have it all recorded here in my notebook to report back to Moscow.”
“Behruz should have kept his mouth shut about Mousavi being Jewish. It is too late to help him now,” moans Alex. “In Iran as in Iran.”
“Now you listen, stupid, we have to act surprised, commanded Niki.” Not all the guards are on our side.”
“Yes”, answers Alex slyly, “but enough of them want to end their county’s crazy nuclear arms race, that they are even crazy enough to cooperate with us.”
Sasha who had finally come from the front of the bus stood behind Dima. “Niki, did anyone see your laptop? You know only you have the only working wireless internet connection in Iran, thanks to our friends and a convenient Russian satellite. I am sure these Iranian patriots would like to know what the world is saying about them.”
No, Sashinka, I won’t disappoint you. You will have your opportunity to mess up by yourself.”
“Perhaps you would like to help me with my ball bearings?” asks Sasha.
“One more remark like that and I will report you to Moscow. Now pay attention, we have a tight schedule. The guards have murdered before and will murder again. It better not be us. Let’s remember that Ahmedinejad says we have 6000 centrifuges in Natanz, even though the IAEA says they have 5000. Ali Reza Sheikh Attar claims they plan 54,000 centrifuges by the end of the year. Now that is bit of Middle Eastern imagination, but something we have to deal with. Our job is to make sure these patriotic guardsmen get us safely to Kashan so that Sasha can install his replacement ball bearings. After that we shall disappear like Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib.”
“And here is Ahmedzada,” says Alex to warn his colleagues of the officer’s arrival. “Is my mutton ready, general? asks Alex.
“We have had a little accident and Behruz is no longer with us.” Tfoo, he spits and adds, “Death to all traitors.”
“Allah akbar,” says Alex.
“Allah yirhamu,” Niki says to herself.
“You had all better get yourselves ready,” orders Ahmedzada. ”The convoy will arrive in Natanz in approximately 30 minutes.
*******
In Sanandaj, the second largest city of Kurdistana Rojhilat, Taherah Shikak suddenly has that feeling again, a traumatic shock which shakes her entire body. The fear is psychological and not physical – perhaps it is paranoid and perhaps it is parapsychological. She has had this feeling before. Short, thin almost not feminine - Taherah immediately stops what she is doing and begins to meditate, concentrating on her husband, to send him power by mental telepathy. Taherah sways back and forth. The angels flow from her mind to protect her beloved Behruz.
She starts, awakening and shaking her head. She must continue Behruz’s work. Today she must prepare the safe house in Sanandaj, or Sine as she preferred to call it in Kurdish, for her [Censored] guests. From Sanandaj they will be escorted to either Iraqi Kurdistan controlled by the Americans, to Turkey which is outwardly an American ally, towards independent Azerbaijan or to Armenia. Each target country has an interest to aid her guests and each target country has an interest to betray them. Only at the last moment will she be advised. Taherah is supposed to receive her instructions from Behruz.
