“What incoming 212s?”
“The four 212s Excellency Captain McIver ordered here from Bandar Delam with pilots and other personnel and we’re getting… we’re getting ready to… to receive them.” The clerk, whose name was Ishmael, wilted under the penetrating stare of the mullah. “As God knows, the captain went alone, to look alone for them as they’ve no HF and an airborne VHF could perhaps reach them.”
Changiz was greatly relieved. He said to Hussain, “If the 212s are all coming here, there’s been a panic for no reason.” He mopped his brow. “When are they due?”
“I would imagine soon, Excellency,” Ishmael said.
“How many foreigners are on the base now?”
“I… I don’t know, Excellency, we’ve… we’ve been diligently busy trying to make up a manifest an - ”
A Green Band ran into the office. “We can’t find any foreigners, Excellency,” he said to Hussain. “One of the cooks said the last two mechanics went with the big helicopters this morning. Iranian laborers said they heard replacement crews were due on Sunday or Monday.” “Saturday, Excellencies, tomorrow we were told, Excellencies,” Ishmael interjected. “But with the incoming four 212s, they’ve mechanics on board as well as pilots and personnel, Excellency McIver said. Do you need mechanics?”
The Green Band was saying, “Some of the rooms - it looks as if the Infidels packed hurriedly, but there are three helicopters still in the hangars.” Changiz turned on Ishmael. “What’re those?”
“One… no two 206s and a French one, an Alouette.”
“Where’s Chief Clerk Pavoud?”
“He was sick, Excellency Colonel, he left sick just after noon prayers, and went home. Isn’t that so, Ali?” he said to the other clerk. “Yes, yes, he was sick and he left saying he would be back tomorrow…” the words trailed off.
“Captain McIver ordered the 212s here from Bandar Delam?” “Yes, yes, Excellency, that’s what he told Excellency Pavoud, I heard him tell him that exactly, with the pilots and other personnel, wasn’t that so, Ali?”
“Yes, before God, that’s what happened, Excellency Colonel.” “All right, that’s enough.” To Hussain the colonel said, “We’ll radio Lochart.” To the clerk he said, “Is Sergeant Wazari in the tower?” “No, Excellency Colonel, he went back to the base just before Excellency Captain Lochart took off to search for the four 212s that should arr - ” “Enough!” Colonel Changiz thought a moment, then said rudely to the Green Band, “You! Get my corporal on the double to the tower.”
The youthful Green Band flushed at the tone and glanced at Hussain who said coldly, “The colonel means, please find Corporal Borgali and bring him to the tower quickly.”
Changiz started blustering, “I meant no impoliteness of cour - ” “Of course.” Hussain stalked down the corridor toward the staircase that led to the tower. Very much chastened, Changiz followed.
Half an hour before, a telex had arrived at the air base from Tehran ATC asking for an immediate check on all IHC foreign personnel and helicopters at Kowiss: “.. .four 212s have been reported missing from IHC base at Bandar Delam by IHC Managing Director Siamaki, who believes they might have been illegally flown out of Iran to one of the Gulf states.”
At once Changiz had been summoned by the duty Green Band who had already taken the telex to Hussain and the komiteh. The komiteh was in session on the base, painstakingly continuing investigations into Islamic reliability of all officers and men, and into crimes committed against God in the name of the Shah. Changiz felt nauseated. The komiteh was pitiless. No one who had been pro-Shah had yet escaped. And though he was commandant, appointed by the komiteh with Hussain’s approval, confirmation from the all-powerful Revolutionary Komiteh had not yet arrived. Until that happened, Changiz knew he was on trial. And hadn’t he taken an oath of allegiance to the Shah personally, like every man in the forces?
In the tower he saw Hussain staring at the equipment. “Can you work the radios, Colonel?” the mullah asked, his robes old but clean, turban white and freshly washed, but old too.
“No, Excellency, that’s why I sent for Borgali.” Corporal Borgali came up the stairs two at a time and stood to attention. “VHF and HF,” the colonel ordered.
“Yessir.” Borgali switched on. Nothing. A quick check and he found the mutilated crystal and that the VHF circuit breaker was missing. “Sorry, sir, this equipment’s nonfunctioning.”
“You mean sabotaged,” Hussain said softly and looked at Changiz. Changiz was numb. God burn all foreigners, he was thinking in despair. If it’s deliberate sabotage… then this is proof they’ve fled and taken our choppers with them. That dog McIver must have known they were going to do it this morning when I was asking about the 125.
Prickles of ice needles went through him. No 125 now, no private escape route, no chance of taking Lochart or one of the other pilots hostage on a trumped-up charge, then secretly bartering the man’s “escape from jail” for a seat for himself - if necessary. His entrails heaved. What if the komiteh finds out my wife and family are already in Baghdad, not as supposed at Abadan where my poor mother is “dying”? The nightmare devils were always jeering, shouting the truth: “What mother? Your mother’s been dead for seven or eight years! You’ve planned to flee, you’re guilty of crimes against God and the Imam and the revolution…”
“Colonel,” Hussain said in the same chilling voice, “if the radios are sabotaged does it not follow that Captain Lochart is not searching for the other helicopters, he’s not searching but has fled like the other one, and that McIver lied about ordering the other 212s here?”
“Yes… yes, Excellency, yes it does an - ”
“And then it also follows that they have fled illegally and taken two helicopters from here illegally, apart from the four from Bandar Delam?” “Yes… yes, that would be true too.” “As God wants, but you are responsible.” “But, Excellency, surely you must realize that it’s not possible to have foreseen a secret, illegal operation like…” He saw the eyes and read them and his words faded away. “So you’ve been duped?” “Foreigners are sons of dogs who lie and cheat all the time…” Changiz stopped as a thought filled his mind. He grabbed the phone, cursed finding it inoperative. In a different voice he said quickly, “Excellency, a 212 can’t fly across the Gulf without refueling, it’s not possible, and McIver’s got to refuel too to get to Tehran with Kia - he’ll have to refuel too so we can catch them.” To Borgali he said, “On the double, go back to our tower and find out where the 206 cleared for Tehran with McIver and Minister Kia is scheduled to refuel. Tell the duty officer to alert the base and arrest the pilot, detain the helicopter, an send Minister Kia on to Tehran… by road.” He looked at Hussain. “You agree, Excellency?” Hussain nodded. “Good. Off you go!” The corporal rushed down the stairs.
It was cold in the tower, the wind blustering. A small rain squall pelted the windows for a moment then passed by. Hussain’ did not notice it, his eyes on Changiz.
“We’ll catch that dog, Excellency. Minister Kia will thank us.” Hussain did not smile. He had already arranged a reception komiteh for Kia at Tehran Airport, and if Kia could not explain all manner of curiosities in his behavior, soon the government would be less one corrupt minister. “Perhaps Kia is part of the plot and he’s fleeing Iran with McIver, have you thought of that, Colonel?” The colonel gaped. “Minister Kia? Do you think so?” “Do you?”
“By God, it’s… it’s certainly possible, if you think so,” Changiz replied cautiously, trying as never before to be alert. “I’ve never met the man in my life. You’d know better than me, Excellency, about Kia, you questioned him in front of the komiteh.” And exonerated him, he thought with malicious delight. “When we catch McIver we can use him as a hostage to bring back the rest, we’ll catch him, Excellency…”
Hussain saw the fear on the colonel’s face and he wondered what the man was guilty of, was the colonel also part of the escape plan that had been obvious to him since he had questioned Starke yesterday and McIver this morning?
“And if it was obvious,” he had imagined a religious superior asking, “why did you keep it secret and why didn’t you prevent it?”
“Because of Starke, Eminence. Because I truly believe that somehow that man, though Infidel, is an Instrument of God and God-protected. Three times he prevented forces of evil giving me the blessed peace of Paradise. Because of him my eyes have been opened to the truth of God’s wish that I must no longer seek martyrdom but must remain on an earthly path to become a relentless scourge for God and the Imam, against enemies of Islam and his enemies.”
“But the others? Why allow them to escape?”
“Islam needs neither foreigners nor their helicopters. Should Iran need helicopters, in Isfahan there are a thousand others.”
Hussain was completely sure he was right, as right as this pro-Shah, American-supporting turncoat colonel
