Chase said, “I am familiar with the Quds Force.”
“There is an Iranian military officer that is a member of that organization. His name is Lt. Col. Bahadur Pakvar. He has a particularly brutal reputation, according to our intelligence.”
“What does he have to do with Dubai?”
Waleed took his phone out of his pocket and flipped through a few images before holding it out for Chase to see. “Bahadur Pakvar was spotted in Dubai two weeks ago. My sources tell me that he has been looking into several employees of the Dubai Bitcoin Exchange.”
Chase lowered his voice. “Were any of those employees our source?”
Waleed nodded. “I believe so. Mr. Jackson and I had hoped that it was the result of sloppy tradecraft by our asset. But Elliot told me about the Iranian politician — Gorji — how his assistant came to visit the US consulate. His revelation suggests that Iran knows about our man. And it appears that they have infiltrated the CIA in Dubai.”
“So you are worried about his well-being? Why not just pull him?”
“We need to wait until the exchange goes operational. Otherwise he is useless to us. We want to ensure that our monitoring systems are set up appropriately. If so, we will be able to track the new bitcoin-based currency and monitor the reserve bank. If not… well, we aren’t comfortable with that situation.”
“I thought the UAE was part of this new currency? Why aren’t you comfortable with the setup?”
He shifted in his seat. “The UAE’s participation is complicated. It is essentially a big trade agreement. A step toward peace in the region. Iran will be the big winner in the short term, if this new currency shift helps to stabilize their inflation rate.”
“So again, why are you concerned about this? I guess a better question to ask would be — why did the UAE agree to participate in the first place? The Persians and the Arabs have been rivals for… well, forever, right? Why would…?”
Waleed shook his head. “It’s about more than just Iran-UAE relations. The Dubai and UAE leadership want to move our country forward. That is their first priority… that our nation has a prosperous future. This Dubai Financial Summit, and all of the agreements that will be a part of it, are backed by China’s new competitor to the World Bank, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. The newest, largest investor backed by one of the world’s only two superpowers. I told you that my leadership was filled with visionaries. They want to have the AIIB on their side. Do you know what they fund?”
“What?”
“Infrastructure. Roads, bridges, airports, trains… fiber-optic cables and data centers. Expensive investments. Things that the UAE will need to fund if it is to continue to thrive. So the UAE leadership wants to keep them happy. This is their first investment in the Middle East. The man the Chinese have sent over, Cheng Jinshan… you have heard of him?”
“I can’t say that I have.”
“A savvy investor. A multibillionaire. He is the one pushing the Chinese to finance in all of this bitcoin-backed currency. He is the reason this is all happening. And I’m somewhat embarrassed to admit, he is the reason that my leadership is falling all over themselves to ensure that there are no hiccups. My job is to keep us safe. The decision has been made to proceed with the Dubai Financial Summit Agreements. I voiced my concerns. Now I need to make sure that there is no Trojan horse built into the system.”
“I understand.”
“So you see… I can’t pull out our source in the Dubai Bitcoin Exchange. We need him, and his information.”
“Can he just email it to us?”
“No. There can’t be an electronic trail. It will be a face-to-face meeting. It’s set up to occur in three days’ time. You’ll accompany me and transport the information back to your team.”
“So how do we keep this Pakvar fellow from getting hold of your man?”
“In my opinion, we need to find Pakvar first.”
“And how do we do that?”
“We ask your new Iranian friend. I suspect he can help us.”
Chase took another sip of his drink. The ice clinked in the glass as he placed it back down on the table. He said, “The one that asked for me? The politician’s assistant?”
“That’s the one.”
Chapter 4
Chase awoke to a ringing phone next to his soft bed at the Four Seasons. Bright sunlight shone in from behind the curtains. He squinted and could make out the beach. A few tourists were already sunning themselves outside.
He picked up the phone.
“Good morning, Mr. Manning. I trust that you are enjoying your stay at the Four Seasons?”
It was Waleed.
“Very much.”
“Excellent. I have asked them to send up your breakfast. Please plan to meet me at ten o’clock in the lobby. From there, we will leave to meet Gorji’s assistant. It will be your show.”
“We have a meeting set up already? How did you manage that?”
“I have many friends in this city. There is little that I cannot do.”
Chase agreed to meet him and hung up. He looked at his watch. It was just before eight. He opened his duffle bag and threw on his running shoes and a gym outfit. He spent the next hour working out. The hotel’s fitness center had hardwood floors, brand-new equipment, and a view that overlooked the Gulf. It was empty. And it was heaven, for a gym rat like Chase.
When he came back, a cart had been wheeled to his room with several plates of hot food. Assorted chilled juices. Smoothies. A grilled tomato. Spiced hashed browns with eggs benedict. A full basket of fresh fruit. Another full basket of croissants and muffins. Three different types of sausages. And a large container of hot coffee.
Perhaps Elliot was right about the high roller thing. This was somewhat better than what he had grown accustomed to while fighting ISIS in Iraq. He turned the TV on to a news channel and ate.
“The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank officials have hinted that further talks are underway with several Asian countries regarding future adoption of the new bitcoin-backed currency. The value of bitcoin has been climbing steadily over the past few weeks to new record highs.
“In other news, Iranian naval vessels have continued to step up their activity level in the Straits of Hormuz and the Arabian Gulf. One Iranian missile boat conducted a test fire of unguided rockets only fifteen hundred yards from the US aircraft carrier Truman. The USS Porter, the ship at the heart of the recent controversy, is still in port in Dubai. US officials say that she will remain there until the investigation and repairs are finished.”
Chase listened to the story and sighed, thinking about his father. It was a damn shame that he was to be the scapegoat in this mess.
He finished eating, showered, and got ready for the day. At ten o’clock sharp he walked into the hotel lobby wearing khakis and a button-down shirt. Waleed’s security man was waiting there. He directed Chase to a running black Mercedes S600, just outside the hotel entrance. The driver opened a rear door for Chase. Waleed was sitting in one of the rear seats, reading on his tablet.
“Good morning, Mr. Manning.”
“Good morning. Where are we going to meet him?”
“Near the fountains.”
“Now?”
Waleed nodded.
The driver and security man got in the front seats. The V-12 engine whirred to life. Seconds later, the sleek black car sped through the city. They headed towards the towering Burj Khalifa.
Once there, Chase followed Waleed. Under the Burj Khalifa’s shadow sat a nine-hundred-foot-long man-made pond. Enormous fountains sprayed from the pond, shooting hundreds of feet up into the air before they plummeted back into the aquamarine water below. Hundreds of tourists were gathered to watch. They held their phones up, taking pictures and video.