35: Chapter 35 Undercurrents

May.

Iran's political situation entered a strange "period of calm."

Following the large-scale protests on March 29, the Pahlavi Government intensified its crackdown. Universities in Tehran were taken over by the military, curfews were imposed in major cities, and SAVAK's arrest operations became more frequent.

On the surface, the protests were suppressed.

But everyone knew—this was merely the calm before the storm.

The next forty-day cycle was May 10.

On that day, protests would erupt in even more cities.

Reza was waiting for that day.

But before that day arrived, he had one more thing to do—deal with an "insider."

On May 3, Karimi walked into the office with a report.

"Your Highness, we have trouble."

"What kind of trouble?"

"Cyrus Workshop may have been infiltrated."

Reza's hand paused in mid-air.

"Evidence?"

Karimi placed the report on the desk.

"Last week, during a routine inspection, I discovered that a technician at the workshop named Reza Bahrami had an extra fifty thousand Rials added to his bank account over the past three months."

Fifty thousand Rials—roughly seven hundred dollars.

For a technician with a monthly salary of only two thousand Rials, this was a fortune.

"What was his explanation?"

"He said it was an inheritance. His uncle passed away last year and left him some money."

"Has it been verified?"

"It has. His uncle did indeed pass away, but the inheritance was only twenty thousand Rials. The remaining thirty thousand—source unknown."

Reza leaned back in his chair and tapped his fingers lightly on the desk three times.

"What is he responsible for at the workshop?"

"Missile body welding. It's not a core position, but he can access the missile's shape and approximate dimensions."

"Does he know about the guidance system?"

"No. Only Fatima and her three assistants can enter the guidance system area."

"Then what could he leak?"

"The existence of the missiles," Karimi said. "If he sells the news that 'the Governor of Khuzestan Province is secretly manufacturing missiles in the desert' to SAVAK—we're finished."

Reza fell silent for a few seconds.

"Is it possible he just won money gambling? Or took out a loan from sharks?"

"Everything's been checked. He doesn't gamble, and there are no loan records."

"Then he's an insider."

"How should we handle it?"

Reza didn't answer immediately.

There were three ways to deal with an insider:

First, kill him directly. Clean and efficient, but it would cause panic among the others in the workshop.

Second, secret detention. Low risk, but requires long-term supervision, and if he has already sent out the information, detention is useless.

Third, reverse utilization. Let him continue as an insider, but feed him false intelligence.

"When did he get that money?" Reza asked.

"The first installment was three months ago, ten thousand Rials. The second was a month ago, twenty thousand Rials."

"Which means he's been in contact with SAVAK for at least three months."

"Correct."

"Then he has already sent the information out."

Karimi nodded.

"So killing him now is useless. SAVAK already knows about the existence of Cyrus Workshop."

"Not necessarily," Reza said. "If SAVAK really knew we were building missiles, they would have acted long ago. Since they haven't, it means either Reza Bahrami hasn't had time to pass on key information yet, or the information he did pass on wasn't specific enough, and SAVAK is still observing."

"Then we—"

"Feed him false intelligence."

Karimi was stunned for a moment.

"What kind of false intelligence?"

"Let him 'discover' that Cyrus Workshop isn't actually building missiles, but 'large-scale irrigation equipment.' Those cylindrical things aren't missile bodies, but 'shells for deep-well pumps.'"

"Will SAVAK believe it?"

"They won't fully believe it, but they will hesitate," Reza said. "SAVAK's attention is currently on Tehran and the major cities; they don't have the energy to come to Khuzestan to investigate an underground factory that 'might be for missiles or might be for water pumps.' As long as we can stall until the end of the year—when the national situation spirals completely out of control—SAVAK won't be able to spare a thought for us."

"How do we let him 'discover' the false intelligence?"

"It's simple," Reza said. "Have Fatima 'accidentally' leave a document in the workshop titled 'Technical Proposal for the Khuzestan Province Agricultural Irrigation Deep-Well Pump Project.' The document should be filled with technical jargon and accompanied by some diagrams that look like water pumps. Then—let Reza Bahrami 'happen' to see this document."

Karimi thought about it and smiled.

"Brilliant."

"But there's a prerequisite," Reza said. "From now on, Reza Bahrami must not have any more contact with anything related to missiles. Reassign him to the Logistics Team to handle material transport. Let him feel marginalized, but in reality, we're cutting off his information sources."

"Understood."

"Additionally, keep a close watch on all his actions. Record when he leaves the workshop, where he goes, and who he meets. If he attempts to pass on new information—seize him immediately."

"What if he actually passes on the false intelligence?"

"Then we wait and see SAVAK's reaction," Reza said. "If they believe it, they'll send people to 'investigate the irrigation project.' When that happens, we'll put on a show—take them to 'non-core areas' of the workshop and show them some workshops that are actually manufacturing water pumps."

"And if they don't believe it?"

"Then it means Reza Bahrami's intelligence value has been exhausted. At that point—"

Reza made a throat-slitting gesture.

Karimi nodded and turned to leave.

As he reached the door, he suddenly turned back.

"Your Highness, have you ever thought about what we should do if Cyrus Workshop is truly exposed?"

"I have."

"What's the plan?"

"Blow it up," Reza said calmly. "If SAVAK or the Americans actually find the workshop, I will blow the whole place up before they enter. I'd rather destroy it than let them get their hands on any technical data."

"What about Fatima and the technical team?"