“Excellency Esvandiary said you approved the postponement.” “I merely agreed with his wish for an orderly rearrangement of foreign personnel.”
Hussain looked down at the desk. “Those are the exit permits with passports?”
Esvandiary’s mouth went dry. “Yes, Excellency.”
Hussain scooped them up and handed them to Starke. “The men and airplane will leave at once.”
“Thank you, Excellency,” Starke said, the strain of standing getting to him. “Let me help.” McIver took the passports and permits from him. “Thank you, Agha,” he said to Hussain, elated with their victory.
Hussain’s eyes were just as cold and hard as ever. “The Imam has said, ‘If foreigners want to leave, let them leave, we have no need of them.’” “Er, yes, thank you,” McIver said, not liking to be near this man at all. He went out. Lochart followed.
Starke was saying in Farsi, “I’m afraid I have to go on the airplane too, Excellency.” He told him what Doc Nutt had said, adding in English, “I don’t want to go but well, that’s it. Insha’Allah.”
Hussain nodded absently. “You won’t need an exit permit. Go aboard. I will explain to the komiteh. I will see the airplane leave.” He walked out and went up to the tower to inform Colonel Changiz of his decision. It took no time at all for the 125 to be filled. Starke was last to the gangway, legs very shaky now. Doc Nutt had given him enough painkillers to get him aboard. “Thank you, Excellency,” he said to Hussain over the howl of the jets, still afraid of him yet liking him, not knowing why. “God’s peace be with you.”
Over Hussain now hung a strange pall. “Corruption and lies and cheating are against the laws of God, aren’t they?”
“Yes, yes they are.” Starke saw Hussain’s indecision. Then the moment passed.
“God’s peace be with you, Captain.” Hussain turned and stalked off. The wind freshened slightly.
Weakly Starke climbed the steps, using his good hand, wanting to walk tall. At the top he held onto the handrail and turned back a moment, head throbbing, chest very bad. So much left here, so much, too much, not just choppers and spares and material things - so much more. Goddamn, I should be staying, not leaving. Bleakly he waved farewell to those who were left behind and gave them a thumbs-up, achingly aware that he was thankful not to be among them.
In the office Esvandiary and Kia watched the 125 taxiing away. God’s curse on them, may they all bum for interfering, Esvandiary thought. Then he threw off his fury, concentrating on the vast feast that selected friends who desperately wished to meet Minister Kia, his friend and fellow director, had arranged, the entertainment of dancers to follow, then the temporary marriages …
The door opened. To his astonishment, Hussain came in, livid with rage, Green Bands crowding after him. Esvandiary got up. “Yes, Excellency? What can I d - ” He stopped as a Green Band roughly pulled him out of the way to allow Hussain to sit behind the desk. Kia sat where he was, perplexed. Hussain said, “The Imam, God’s peace on him, has ordered komitehs to cast out corruption wherever it is to be found. This is the Kowiss air base komiteh. You are both accused of corruption.”
Kia and Esvandiary blanched and both started talking, claiming that this was ridiculous and they were falsely accused. Hussain reached over and jerked the gold band of the gold watch on Esvandiary’s wrist. “When did you buy this and with what did you pay?”
“My… my savings and - ”
“Liar. Pishkesh for two jobs. The komiteh knows. Now, what about your scheme to defraud the state, secretly offering future oil revenues to corrupt officials for future services?”
“Ridiculous, Excellency, lies all lies!” Esvandiary shouted in panic. Hussain looked at Kia who also had gone pasty gray. “What officials, Excellency?” Kia asked, keeping his voice calm, sure that his enemies had set him up to be trapped far away from the seat of his influence. Siamaki! It has to be Siamaki!
Hussain motioned to one of the Green Bands who went out and brought in the radio operator, Wazari. “Tell them, before God, what you told me,” he ordered.
“As I told you earlier, I was on the roof, Excellency,” Wazari said nervously; “I was checking one of our lines and overheard them through the skylight. I heard him make the offer.” He pointed a blunt finger at Esvandiary, delighted for an opportunity for revenge. If it hadn’t been for Esvandiary, I’d’ve never have been picked on by that madman Zataki, never been beaten and hurt, never been almost killed. “They were speaking English and he said, I can arrange to divert oil revenues from new wells, I can keep the wells off the lists and can divert funds to you…”
Esvandiary was appalled. He had carefully sent all the Iranian staff out of the office building and further, for safety, talked English. Now he was damned. He heard Wazari finish and Kia begin to speak, quietly, calmly, avoiding all complicity, saying he was only leading this corrupt and evil man on: “I was asked to visit here for just this purpose, Excellency, sent here by the Imam’s government, God protect him, for just this purpose: to root out corruption wherever it existed. May I congratulate you on being so zealous. If you will allow me, the moment I get back to Tehran, I will commend you directly to the Revolutionary Komiteh itself - and of course to the prime minister.”
Hussain looked at the Green Bands. “Is Esvandiary guilty or not guilty?” “Guilty, Excellency.”
“Is the man Kia guilty or not guilty?”
“Guilty,” Esvandiary shouted before they could answer.
One of the Green Bands shrugged. “All Tehranis are liars. Guilty,” and the others nodded and echoed him.
Kia said politely, “Tehrani mullahs and ayatollahs are not liars, Excellencies, the Revolutionary Komiteh not liars, nor the Imam, God save him, who perhaps could be called Tehrani because he lives there now. I just happen to live there too. I was born in Holy Qom, Excellencies,” he added, blessing the fact for the first time in his life.
One of the Green Bands broke the silence. “What he says is true, Excellency, isn’t it?” He scratched his head. “About all Tehranis?”
“That not all Tehranis are liars? Yes, that’s true.” Hussain looked at Kia, also unsure. “Before God, are you guilty or not?”
“Of course not guilty, Excellency, before God!” Kia’s eyes were guileless. Fool, do you think you can catch me with that? Taqiyah gives me the right to protect myself if I consider my life threatened by false mullahs! “How do you explain you’re a government minister, but also a director of this helicopter company?”
“The minister in charge…” Kia stopped, for Esvandiary was blubbering loudly and mouthing accusations. “I’m sorry, Excellencies, as God wants, but this noise, it’s difficult to speak without shouting.”
“Take him outside!” Esvandiary was dragged away. “Well?”
“The minister in charge of the Civil Aviation Board asked me to join the IHC board as the government’s representative,” Kia said, telling the twisted truth as though he were imparting a state secret, adding other exaggerations equally importantly. “We’re not sure of the loyalty of the directors. Also may I tell you privately, Excellency, that in a few days all foreign airplane companies are being nationalized…”
He talked to them intimately, modulating his voice for the most effect, and when he considered the moment perfect, he stopped and sighed, “Before God I confess I am without corruption like you, Excellency, and though without your great calling, I too have dedicated my life to serving the people.” “God protect you, Excellency,” the Green Band burst out.
The others agreed and even Hussain had had most of his doubt pushed aside. He was about to probe a little more when they heard a distant muezzin from the air base calling to evening prayer, and he chided himself for being diverted from God. “Go with God, Excellency,” he said, ending the tribunal, and got up.
“Thank you, Excellency. May God keep you and all mullahs safe to rescue us and our great Islamic nation from the works of Satan!”
Hussain led the way outside. There, following his lead, they all ritually cleansed themselves, turned toward Mecca, and prayed - Kia, Green Bands, office staff, laborers, kitchen workers - all pleased and content that once more they could each openly testify their personal submission to God and the Prophet of God. Only Esvandiary wept through his abject prayers. Then Kia came back into the office. In the silence, he sat behind the desk and allowed himself a secret sigh and many secret congratulations. How dare that son of a dog Esvandiary accuse me! Me, Minister Kia! May God burn him and all enemies of the state. Outside there was a burst of firing. Calmly he took out a cigarette and lit it. The sooner I leave this dung heap the better, he thought. A squall shook the building. Drizzle spotted the windows.
Chapter 57
