The charity’s offices were in Sarhang Basti in District Ten, one of the central neighborhoods in Tehran. The Agency operatives had apartments within walking distance to the charity, all of them having their own accommodation except for Bear and Chloe who shared, and the twins as well.
‘Rest,’ Zeb told his crew when they reached Sarhang Basti. Meghan’s Jeep was in an alley behind the station, in flames, after they had torched it. ‘We’ll meet at the office.’
‘Javelins?’ Mostofi exclaimed. ‘How are those buildings still surviving?’
‘Low payloads, agha,’ Dara explained. ‘I am very familiar with the missiles. I was in Syria on various operations and got to use them. These weapons had their standard explosive adjusted to lower intensity. That’s why they caused only this much damage.’
‘Who fired them? Where did they come from?’ Mostofi proceeded toward the remains of the administration building where soldiers were gathering.
‘Remote controlled, agha. This one,’ he indicated the half-buried weapon in the crater at the entrance, ‘came from across the road. From a burned-out vehicle. I have sent some soldiers to check the perimeter. I am sure we’ll find more such remains.’
‘How do you know they were remote fired? The missile shouldn’t destroy wherever it is launched from.’
‘I know, agha. It was a Jeep and it looks like it was wired with chemicals or explosives to burn. Whoever did this were pros. I am still investigating the attack. The guards at the hut in the front, they are here. The soldiers were running towards the escape route following our evacuation protocol. I recalled them.’
‘How many dead?’
‘Eighty that we know of. We have many more bodies to be recovered and identified. The commander, Colonel Danesh, he and all his staff died in their quarters.’
‘He was a great leader,’ Mostofi said and meant it. He had personally appointed the commanders of every camp after hand-picking them from several candidates. ‘Was his family here?’
‘No, agha. They had returned to their family home. By Allah’s grace, they survived the attack.’
‘Make an appointment for me to meet them and pay my respects,’ the Quds leader told one of his aides. ‘No one saw anything unusual?’
‘There was a visit from the Inspection Directorate, agha.’
‘What inspection?’ Mostofi snapped. ‘Nothing was authorized for this garrison.’
Dara looked at his men. He licked his lips. ‘The guards said they drove up in an IRGC vehicle. There was one colonel in it and two majors. They told the guards they were here for an inspection.’
‘Are the guards alive?’
‘Yes, agha.’
‘Bring them here.’
Zeb showered in his apartment and inspected himself in the mirror. Mostofi will put out a dragnet for us. Which meant they had to change their disguises. That won’t be difficult. He, Broker, Roger and Bear had sported a clean-shaven look at the garrison, whereas at the charity, they all had facial hair. We’ll revert to our work disguises.
He went to the bedroom and removed a burner phone from his go-bag. He sent a text message and got a reply instantly.
He set up his screen to make an internet call to a number. The signal would be bounced through several routers and servers, proxies and tunnels. It had voice encryption at both ends which rendered the call meaningless to any eavesdropper.
‘Thank you, brother,’ Avichai Levin’s voice boomed out. ‘Jori and Zeha messaged me. They are safe. I see that you put those missiles to good use. You did some damage to that camp!’
‘We didn’t have much notice,’ Zeb shrugged. ‘You said Mostofi was investigating, looking for any leaks.’
‘What I wouldn’t give to see his face!’
‘He won’t be very happy.’
‘You bet. But it might make life difficult for you, no? Everyone will be looking for you.’
‘They’ll be looking for a colonel and two majors from the IRGC. Those men don’t exist.’
He waited when Levin fell silent.
‘I can help you,’ the ramsad said presently. ‘Ease the pressure on you.’
‘How?’
‘I’ll let some rumors spread,’ the Mossad Director said wickedly. ‘That it was Mossad behind the attack.’