They got out of the car and walked slowly to the back of the restaurant where tables were set up. It was late in the day but not yet completely dark. Some of the tables were already occupied, mostly by young men, smoking and laughing. What were the chances that they were waiting for him, ready to close the trap? Steve watched them carefully for any hint that he was the target, that the laughter was intended to lure him in? He glanced at their car as he walked away from it.
“What else have you learned?” Steve spoke quietly, “I can’t leave without getting to the bottom of this cyberattack that your government is preparing. Are you getting anything out of Firuz? Is he doing the Right Thing?”
Yazdi shrugged. “All I know is that the cyber center is working constantly. Firuz said several things. I’m not a computer expert, so I will just tell you what I understood.” He tapped a finger against the table.
“First, because most of the United States has Microsoft systems, it is an easy target. Until recently, security was not a priority for Microsoft. Others are open systems like LINUX. Furthermore,” he continued extending another finger, “with the Russians’ help, Firuz’s unit has been able to penetrate and use the computers of the National University of China, which is the strategic adviser to the Chinese military on cyber warfare. They have also borrowed a sophisticated worldwide computer attack network, a Chinese-government-sponsored program called GhostNet that is based on Hainan Island in the South China Sea.”
“What does he think about what he is doing?” Steve asked. “Would he talk to me?”
“Hard to say. However, I can’t ask him without revealing what I’m doing.” “What if you told him that Iran will turn out to be the loser if it attacks the United States? Would he be willing to take steps that will blunt the attack and therefore the American response?”
“I’ll try. What about you? You need to get out. I think it’s too late to leave normally through the airport. By tomorrow, your name will be on the hot list.”
“Okay, what are you suggesting?”
“First, go to Yazd. I’ll take you there. It’s my village, my town. I have friends and family that will take care of you until we figure out an exfiltration route. Through the Zoroastrian network.”
Steve was reluctant. He wished that Yazdi could communicate directly with CIA Headquarters. For a moment he considered giving him Kella’s device. If it fell in the hands of Mousavi’s technicians, however, they might be able to break the code and listen to the transmissions to and from other cases endangering the lives of the agents.
“Breton, I have to tell you,” Yazdi leaned toward Steve looking intense, worried, and angry at the same time. “You have to leave Iran. At least leave Tehran. You’re not the only one in danger.”
“All right,” Steve replied.
He understood that the safety of the agent always came first. Yazdi had always minimized the risk, confident that he was in the best position to evaluate the level of the day-to-day danger. His obvious concern was new and Steve decided that he had no choice.
“OK, but we still have to figure a way to get the cyber information.”
He looked at Yazdi trying to fathom what his network was going to turn out to be.
43. Tehran: Crossley Residence
When Jafar knew that Jeff Crossley would be at the office, he called Elizabeth at home. Crossley had fired him on the spot following his meeting with Klosters. Elizabeth picked up the kitchen phone. She was still mulling her options after her talk with her husband. It had not gone well. She at first denied the accusation but eventually, in tears, admitted that she had been having an affair with Jafar. She was thinking that she might go back to Washington. Staying in Iran was out of the question. It was one thing to help this benighted land while living in the official residence of the ranking American diplomat. It was another to go totally native and live like they did, unless she could figure a way to maintain her accustomed quality of life.
She was surprised to hear Jafar’s voice. It was her first conversation with him since that fateful day. “Hello Elizabeth? How are you?”
“Oh, Jafar, I’m so miserable. How did Jeff find out?”
“I don’t know. Do you think that your maid told him?”
“Absolutely not. Maybe he saw us together somewhere, and we didn’t see him?”
“I need to see you, Elizabeth. Can you come to our apartment? You know where it is.”
“Jafar, I think it’s best if we stop it right here. Jeff was so angry.” Elizabeth had worried Jeff would consider divorce, and she wanted to initiate the proceedings if it came to that.
“Elizabeth my love, I need to see you. We can’t just let it end like that.
Tomorrow at three. I will wait for you. I will be there.”
“Jafar, no, no!”
“Elizabeth, yes. Listen closely.” The next voice she heard was her own repeating what Jeff had told her about the CIA man who was in Tehran. She had been so proud of herself that day. She had given Jafar what he wanted but had not divulged the actual name of the officer, which she had learned from a telegram that Jeff had brought home one night.
“Did you hear that, Elizabeth? You don’t want your husband to get this tape do you? Maybe I should just send it to Washington. Would that be the end of your husband’s career? Would you go to jail? Spying ... a public trial ... a horrible prison with women
