Troika | Page 7

receiver. The caller was Richard Grant, Director of the FBI. Miller and Grant were old friends. Both were lawyers, both had served in Military and Naval Intelligence in various capacities. They were tall, lanky men with blond, graying hair.
"What's up? This must be an official call."
"There may be serious trouble. One of our undercover men reported to us a couple of days ago that his employer just shipped medical nuclear isotopes to the Ibn Rosht General Hospital in Dubai."
"So?"
"We've checked every firm that produces the stuff. None reports sales of such material, nor requests for it from Dubai. I've already alerted, ONI, G-2, the Joint Chiefs, and the White House."
There was a soft ping and the light on the phone went out. The Director leaned back, put his feet up on the desk and chewed on the end of a pencil. For reasons he could not readily state, Miller was very disturbed by the conversation with Grant. His musings were interrupted by the winking light on his secure phone.
"Phil?" It was Grant again. "We may have a lead. G-2 has drawn a blank, but Eric Short over at ONI might just be on to something. The same day that our man reported the Dubai shipment, October 29th, the Iowa and her task force received bomb quality and power quality stuff for arming her missiles and recharging her engine reactors.
"Eric has impounded the truck that brought the stuff from Earle Depot to Staten Island. He's having it stripped and everything micro-analyzed. In the meantime, I've got the forensic boys from our South Jersey Office doing the same thing to the panel truck that our man drove and was told to abandon. I'll keep in touch." A few minutes later, the phone winked again. This time it was Vice-Admiral Eric Short, Chief of Naval Intelligence. "Hello, Phil. I imagine that Dick Grant has filled you in on our mutual concern. We just got a report via AEC and NJ State Police. Highway Patrol saw a panel truck off the side of the Parkway just south of Earle. He couldn't quite tell in the rain, but he thought he saw men outside lifting a canister and thought he might have seen a nuclear materials insignia on one of them. By the time he doubled back to check they were gone, but he filed a report--and the truck he saw sounds like the one we're investigating."
"I'm really worried. Eric Short just called." Grant continued. "He told me about the report of the possible nuclear canister in New Jersey. We know that two canisters were unloaded by our man. I told Eric that e. Christ, I'm worried sick over this. If it's what Eric and I think it is, we better tell the President. He might just want to call a special meeting of the National Security Research and Planning Group."
Miller's intercom blinked again. His secretary informed him that Vice-Admiral Short was on his way to Langley. He sounded, she said, very agitated.
""Please call Admiral Short an Mr. Grant and set up a secure con call. There's little point in his making the trip from his office."

Within a few minutes the three men were connected.
"Well, boys," Admiral Short began, "it's about to hit the fan. We checked the original requisition against the delivery. The Iowa asked for sixteen, but got fourteen. The dock-master at Earle remembers his crew loading sixteen, but the truck manifest reads '14'. The manifest was altered. I've informed the Secretary of Defense, who's asking President Dunstan for a special meeting of the NSPRG. The three of us may be ordered to attend. The NSC people will call here with the time of the meeting, if in fact we're invited."
"My guess is that there was a transfer from the semi to the panel." This from Grant.
"Who owns the outfit that shipped the medical isotopes?" asked Philip Miller.
"Farid Attiyeh," responded Richard Grant. "He's a Palestinian-born naturalized citizen. We've been watching him, but up to now, we've drawn a blank. His crew chief, Bill Vermaat is our 'plant'."
There was a short moment of silence. "We know him too," said Miller. "Attiyeh's got lots of connections with various Palestinian and other Arab groups. He seems to be a silent partner in a number of shady businesses, all with ties to Palestinian and Islamic fundamentalist factions, but thus far, we haven't been able to nail him."
Barbara Little, Miller's secretary, interrupted the meeting. "Admiral Short, sir, I have a message for you. The caller said the meeting will be held tomorrow at NSC. They'll call you with the definite time."
"See you and Dick, soon," said Admiral Short as he and the FBI Director left.
"Miss Little? Barbara, will you please locate Hank Wheatland and tell him to get back to me as soon as he can?" Miller requested.
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