23rd of January 2030, 1 year ago,
Classified location, Syria
“It was a miracle we could experience this moment.” This is what Syrian president Hamoud Abbasi thought. A combination of secrecy, support and supply had made the project possible. Syria was to become the 6th country in the middle east to possess nuclear capabilities.
The chief guest for the event was the ambassador of Russia, his protection was GRU agent codenamed ‘Fedora’ was present on behalf of the Russian federation. The GRU was Russia’s premier intelligence agency on par with the CIA and MI7.
Fedora was an extremely sharp agent. He had photographic memory and was fluent in Arabic, Turkish, Persian, Urdu and Hebrew. He had for several years been Russia’s asset in the gulf and had formed networks of intelligence in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Jordan, Yemen, Bahrain, Kuwait and the UAE.
The scientists were anxious about the test. They all knew that if the test failed the metaphorical guns on their backs would open fire. They could face imprisonment if not execution.
The countdown began, 10...9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1 and boom! Syria’s first underground nuclear test had taken place. Fedora would clap with blank expressions on his face. Meanwhile president Abbasi and the rest of crowd including the honourable ambassador of Russia began clapping in excitement.
The CIA and MOSSAD had a different reaction. The two agencies and their nations, America and Israel were shocked.
The middle east was nuclear, almost every nation in the middle east now had nuclear weapons, or at least were under nuclear protection from another power. Fedora would leave before the end of the ceremony; he had a flight to catch.
Red: nuclear powers in 2030
MOSSAD Headquarters,
classified location, Israel
Director David Israeli of MOSSAD had been at his post for a mere 3 months. However, in these three years he learnt 3 things. The first thing he learned is to never allow problems to grow. Today, represented a failure which shouldn’t have happened if MOSSAD had followed his first lesson.
Director Israeli was furious upon hearing the news of the Syrian nuclear test. As he walked into his office and called up his secretary and told her to send the head of the Syria desk to his office.
The head of the Syria desk Daniel Aviv arrived at the director’s office.
* “Come sit down” the director said
* A nervous Aviv sat down
* “Aviv, the news of the Syrian test is horrible news for Israel. Surely, a veteran agent like you would know that.”
* “Sir, I know that”
* “Then why the hell did you go wrong!” the director yelled
* The 45-year-old Agent began stuttering
* “Now I will be frank with you Aviv, you were a good agent. However, this failure affects all of MOSSAD and I don’t keep failure. I suggest you quit MOSSAD, go sip tea with your children.” The director said calmly.
* “Sir, I have served with MOSSAD for 25 years now. My record is impeccable. This mission is barely a slight hiccup”
* “Hiccup!?, This hiccup can make our nation vulnerable to the wolves on our borders. I believe our war with Egypt last month was a good example. Afterall, we barely won that war and for the first time ever we had more casualties than them. Ever since the Egyptians, Iranians, Saudis and Turks gained nuclear weapons they have been acting as predators and we have been acting as the prey. Thanks to your so called ‘hiccup’ we are now a more vulnerable prey.”
* Aviv responded “Sir, although our confrontation with Egypt may have not seen success, I would like you to remind you of our war with Iran 4 years ago. We fought side by side providing
war-winning information to the IDF (Israeli defence force).”
* “Good times.” the director said
* “In the spirit for old times’ sake I would give you one last chance.” The director said
* “Thank you so much sir.”
After the conversation Aviv returned to his desk. He began thinking about the future. He knew that one wrong step would drown his career.
Director Israeli had another task to finish. He had to brief the prime minister of Israel on the security threat that a nuclear armed Syria processed and on MOSSAD’s intelligence failure.
Within a few hours he had arrived at the Prime minister’s residence. The PM had requested an informal personal briefing at his residence in order to avoid any questions by the cabinet.
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
The director arrived
* “Shalom, Honourable Prime Minister.”
* “At ease soldier, come in.” the prime minister replied
* Israeli comes in.
* The two men sit down.
* “Director, would you care to brief me on Syria.”
* “Yes sir, I would like to start by claiming full responsibility on behalf of MOSSAD.”
* “(interrupts) Director, may we quite frankly skip the responsibility game. Several members of my cabinet asked to remove you over this so called ‘hiccup’. However, I am a strong believer in your abilities so could focus on what present threat does Syria pose to us and how we may we solve this issue.”
* “Yes sir. Syria now has nuclear capabilities. However, right now they are little threat to us. There are several reasons for the conclusion I have reached. The first Syrian nuclear capability is still extremely primitive, and we have the clear advantage over them in both quantity and quality. However, the big threat to us is an emboldened Syria. As you know up until recently, the Arabs have been the phycological underdogs always being demoralized. This is the reason that up until now Arab leaders have tiptoed around us, same thing can be said for Syria.”
* “Very well, what can be the consequences of an emboldened Syria” the prime minister asked
* “Sir, I suspect that Syria would try to reclaim the UN buffer zone set up by Turkey in the northern provinces of Syria. The UN buffer zone is a cover for the CIA and the Turkish army to train militants and send them into Syria. They could also try to crush the Kurdish movement as well as try to assimilate Lebanon.”
* “How could we stop them, David?”
* “I would suggest a strict policy. This time the Syrians got off the hook as the CIA didn’t want to get their hands dirty. I suggest we retaliate anytime we our threatened.”
* “Very well, now tell me since when does every state have a nuclear weapon”
* “Sir that is ever since the 2nd Korean war of 2027. During that war north Korea threw nuclear weapons in the face of south Korea. South Korea retaliated with a barrage of Nuclear and Chemical weapons. However, the exchange was limited. No major cities or non-military targets were hit. The war killed around 600,000-900,000. However, ever since then the world learned a harsh lesson Nuclear weapons are the only guarantor of Survival.”
* “Funny how the world can change in second, isn’t it David?”
* “Yes sir”
Director David Israeli left the meeting at around 10:00 PM at night. While making his way the director turned to his phone to talk to RAW director Hasvaran Singh.
The director then heard something. The noise of someone loading a gun. Suddenly a bullet pierced through his head, blood spilled across the window.
The driver quickly diverted the car towards the hospital. But it was too late the shooter had disappeared.
CIA headquarters, Langley,
United States of America, 1 year ago
Director Clive Taxa had been shocked by the Syrian nuclear test. He had reached his post not due to his merit but his political connects. Director Clive’s brother was the president of the United States of America. His brother Douglas Taxa had begun his political career 6 years ago. However, his career really took off after the disastrous 2nd Korean war. With almost 5 million dead including a CIA estimate of 25,000 dead Americans, Douglas sought out to use the American public’s allergy to wars to his advantage. Just 3 years later Douglas would be taking the oath to become a just and fair president.
As of Clive Taxa his career started as an analyst with the CIA. One of the reasons Clive was in his place was because he would almost always obey every word out of his superior’s mouth. His obsession with Hierarchy would manage to cover up several blunders he made while working his job, including the CIA fiasco in Uzbekistan. He had been made the director thanks to his brother pulling strings. Clive had been at his post for around 1 year now. Clive’s tenure had been going relatively good until the Syrian Nuclear testing yesterday.
He called the head of middle eastern ops at the CIA. Paul Donut had been at his post for as head of middle eastern ops for around 4 years. Unlike Clive, Paul had earned his position purely on merit. He would often criticize superiors. Paul had taken a job with the CIA as a field agent almost 10 years ago. Paul wasn’t probably the sharpest tool in the box however his superiors classified his ability to get shit done as the main reason for his rise.
Paul arrived at Director Clive’s office.
* “May I come in?” Paul asked
* “Yes, you may.” The director replied
* Paul sits down
* “Paul, what happened in Syria? “The director asked Paul
* “A botched operation.” Paul replied in applaudable frankness
* “Care on telling me why it was a botched operation?” the director raised his tone
* “Sir, the lack of intel paired with a lack of funding and importance.” Paul replied
* “Care to be more specific?” the director asked
* “Sir, we were not able to pay our asset in Syria properly.” Paul replied
* “Why?” the director asked
* “Sir, as I’m sure you know we paid our agent in Syria in oil barrels. This process avoids suspicion and helps to develop his cover as a businessman who imports oil. However, this year due to rising oil prices and a heightened demand we could not pay him in barrels of oil.”
* “Why did pay him in Oil barrels, Paul?”
* “Sir, because that is the mode of payment he decided. You should know this sir!” Paul said appealingly
* “Get out of my office right now, Donut!”
* “Yes sir.”
* Paul exits the room, suddenly the phone rings.
* “Yes, this is director Taxa, who is this?”
* “This is Daniel Aviv the de facto head of MOSSAD. Director David Israeli has been shot!”
* “How!?”
* “We suspect Iranian secret services, as an Iranian citizen was arrested a few hours ago for unlawfully carrying arms.”
* “What is his condition?” taxa asked
* “He is dead.”