Close Quarters. Don Pendleton

the Hezbollah might be offering security in exchange for people to look the other way.”

      “I don’t know,” McCarter said. “That sounds a bit far-fetched, mate.”

      “Not really if you consider the possibility,” Encizo said. “How else can you explain their ability to get this beacon inside the camp without being seen? Hezbollah terrorists couldn’t just waltz in and out unobserved, but local natives were around them constantly. That’s the people they were serving, remember? And let’s consider that the attack on this Peace Corps contingent was obviously part of a larger plan. The terrorists didn’t have to reveal themselves but they chose to risk doing so. Doesn’t that make you stop and ask yourselves why? It sure does me.”

      “That’s a good point,” Hawkins said.

      “I have to admit that he may be on to something,” Manning agreed.

      “Ditto,” James said.

      With all of the opinions voiced, McCarter had to consider that majority opinion had merit; it was possible Encizo had just cracked the mystery wide open. “Okay, so let’s just say we’re right and they have the locals helping them. How does exposing their operation help them? I mean, I don’t know about the rest of you but I don’t see how revealing the secret training operation in the middle of bloody South America helps the Hezbollah. Or the people training them, for that matter.”

      “What if it’s a diversion?” Russell offered.

      “Okay,” Kurtzman interjected via speakerphone, “but a diversion from what?”

      “Well, didn’t you say that they found a homing beacon on Harland that had advanced electronics?”

      “Yeah, that’s right,” Kurtzman replied.

      “And now we find this homing beacon—it also has advanced electronics. From what I’ve seen so far, I’d say much of the guts were manufactured in Europe somewhere.”

      Kurtzman said in a faraway tone, “If I’m correct in my recollection, Gadgets said the same thing.”

      “Gadgets?”

      “Don’t ask,” Manning told Russell with a smile.

      “So let’s look at what we have,” McCarter said. “Hezbollah terrorists being trained by members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and using highly advanced technology to spin whatever plans they have. They’ve also committed several coordinated strikes, and now we suddenly have Ironman and friends headed into the heart of Tehran to assist some no-name CIA informant who claims all of this part of a plan by a mysterious group high up in Ahmadinejad’s political ranks to overthrow the Iranian government.”

      “Well, I don’t know what the hell all of that means, exactly,” Russell said, “but it doesn’t sound good.”

      “It sounds like terrorists on the verge of implementing a high-tech threat against Americans is what it sounds like,” Manning said.

      “Great!” Hawkins said. When they all looked at him in surprise he added sheepishly, “I just mean…it’ll be business as usual.”