Culler went on to explain that when it came to terrorist groups with ideologies that were seemingly contrary to Iran’s revolutionary Shiite brand of Islam, Iran was still willing to assist tactically, but not strategically. For example, Iran once supplied intelligence, travel documents, shelter, weapons, and explosives training to al-Qaeda, but Iran would never go as far as to politically help the Islamic State to create its Sunni caliphate.
“It’s really low risk, high reward on Iran’s part,” said Culler. “They can transfer the missiles to Caracas aboard a routine Iran Air flight or in diplomatic containers. From there the missiles will travel over the border into FARC territory. It’ll be easy to slip a few along the cocaine smuggling routes into the US.”
Despite the pain and exhaustion coursing through his body, Avery felt drive and purpose now, thinking about the Viper and Kashani. He felt like an apex hunter finally presented with the prospect of worthy prey.
EIGHT
Arianna Moreno flew out of Panama’s Tocumen Airport over a day after Avery and Aguilar made their exfil. Leaving the Trump Ocean Club and Tower after the ambush, she’d sensed at once that something was wrong, even before Jon Castillo missed the rendezvous and then failed to contact her. She thought that Castillo was likely among the dead, which wasn’t a loss, as there was no way she could have allowed him to walk away from the Panama operation anyway.
But Castillo’s death meant that Carnivore was alive, and this was soon confirmed when she saw on the news the stills of the American from surveillance cameras around the hotel and learned the police were searching for him.
There’d been increased security measures and police at Tocumen Airport, but no one stopped or questioned Arianna. They hadn’t even opened her luggage, which was just as well because she travelled with the VSS disassembled and concealed in a specially designed x-ray proof case of KGB origin.
She was sure the case would be searched upon her arrival in Caracas. Venezuelan Customs officers were notorious for searching travelers’ belongings for anything of interest to steal, but that didn’t matter, because SEBIN expected her.
Arianna Moreno was aware that the lecherous heterosexual male eye deemed her attractive, was eager to appraise her, and that alone made her stand out in a crowd. Trained by female DGI officers in the subtle and some not so subtle intricacies of seduction, she knew how to use her looks and feminine charms to her advantage, and had done so on multiple occasions, but she also knew how to conceal the aesthetically pleasant contours of her physique, and she knew how to dress, wear her hair, present her body language and demeanor, and carry her stride in order to go completely unnoticed, not even warranting a second glance from a man thinking with his genitals.
Fortunately, security at the airport focused their attention on Caucasian males, not Latin females flying on a Bolivian passport, allowing the Viper to easily board her flight and slip away.
It truly was too bad about Carnivore getting away. Worse, it made her question herself. She never failed to kill a target. She wondered if she’d get another shot at him. But as satisfying as it would be to find the American again, she focused her attention on the task at hand. The missiles were the main objective.
Plus Pablo Muňoz had been the primary target in Panama City, and with the FARC informer now eliminated, Andrés Flores would put the Viper into contact with the Venezuelan-Iranian network arming FARC.
As she proceeded into Simón Bolívar’s arrivals terminal, Arianna Moreno was aware of the Customs officer’s eyes following her, professionally, not lasciviously. She did not see the Customs officer hit a button concealed beneath his desk that sent a signal to the airport’s SEBIN office.
SEBIN had briefed Customs earlier, providing them with a photo of Arianna Moreno and known aliases under which she might be travelling, and her passport had been flagged. The Customs agent did not know who Arianna was or why she was of interest to SEBIN. He simply did what SEBIN instructed, knowing it was best to cooperate with the intelligence service without asking questions.
Fifty-five seconds later, two SEBIN security officers approached the Viper from behind.
They casually fell into stride beside her, while swiftly relieving her of her purse and suitcases. If she hadn’t sensed them sneaking up beside her, and she hadn’t exercised restraint, she would have reacted instinctively to the unexpected physical contact, and the two SEBIN officers would be dead or disabled.
An additional four officers were dispersed in the surrounding crowd, shadowing the trio, keeping them within the surveillance box. The Viper quickly identified each of them, mentally tagging them and logging their positions. They wore suits with their jackets open so that their weapons were easily accessible.
The Venezuelans didn’t expect trouble, but SEBIN’s already tumultuous relationship with the Viper had just changed overnight, and they wanted her within sight and on a short leash for the duration of her stay in their country. Their job was also to see to it that it was a short and uneventful stay.
Arianna looked from one of her minders to the other. She recognized one of the Venezuelans from previous meetings. He’d introduced himself as Durante, which she’d correctly presumed to be a pseudonym.
While detecting no threat from Durante’s men, the Viper still maintained her guard and was ready to react to any provocation. She could easily disarm and disable Durante and his partner and take down or evade the backup team if necessary. Her mind already choreographed the required movements.
“As always, it is a pleasure to see you, Senorita Moreno.”
Durante radiated glib insincerity. In reality, the Viper’s very presence put him on edge, because of what she was and of the implications for his country if anyone learned she was here. A head taller than Arianna, he stared down at her with his most patronizing smile.
“If you will please come with us, dear, we can go somewhere more discrete to talk.”
The Viper didn’t resist or argue. She followed Durante to the SEBIN section, located in a closed off section of the airport, near the hub of Conviasa, the Venezuelan national airline, which is often used to carry Venezuelan intelligence officers across South America and to Western Europe. The airport’s intelligence station rests behind a heavy cipher-lock door and thick, bullet resistant glass windows covered by blinds. Durante entered the five-digit code in the key pad, opened the door, and escorted Arianna inside.
Durante guided Arianna through the rows of cubicles and computer stations to a small interrogation room in the back. Here he set her luggage down on the table and gestured for her to sit down. He opened the larger suitcase and sifted slowly through the contents. He held up a pair of panties, letting them dangle close in front of his face and inhaled deeply through his nose while holding eye contact with her across the table.
The invasion of her privacy was a vulgar tactic designed to demonstrate his power, and place her in the subservient, degraded position.
She turned her head and yawned into her hand.
Next Durante opened the smaller case and removed the false, x-ray proof bottom, revealing the components of the VSS Vintorez. He whistled and shook his head in mock astonishment. “You know, it takes serious balls to travel with this through airport customs, but then you always were an arrogant one.”
“We both know that your customs would never open my luggage, and even if they did, your service would quickly intervene on my behalf. And Panamanian security is practically non-existent as long as you’re on your way out of the country.”