Chapter 20

"Ruslan? What kind of name is that?" Elizabeth asked.

"I don't know, Director." Nick's voice sounded harsh on the speakerphone. "We didn't get much more out of him. Only that he was a little guy, a foreigner, and that he had a beard."

"A little guy with a beard and ten million dollars to buy nuclear bombs," Stephanie said.

"Your average terrorist doesn't have ten million," Nick said. "Who's on the radar that has that kind of money to spend?"

"The usual suspects list isn't long at the moment," Elizabeth said. "Maybe Iran, or North Korea. Al Qaeda's financing has taken a big hit, but I suppose it could be them."

"Ruslan doesn't sound Arabic," Stephanie said.

Ruslan is a common name for men in Chechnya.

"Chechnya?" Elizabeth said.

Do you want me to repeat myself, Elizabeth?

"That won't be necessary, Freddie."

"That fits with the video from Missouri," Stephanie said. "The way the driver looked. Not quite Middle Eastern, but somewhere farther east."

"Like the Caucasus," Elizabeth said. "Nick, when are you coming back?"

"We're at the airport now. We should be back in a few hours."

"Good. Come in when you arrive."

"Copy that, Director."

Nick hung up.

"If this man Ruslan is from Chechnya, it opens up a can of worms," Elizabeth said.

Why would humans put worms in a can?

"We don't actually do that, Freddie. It's an expression that means we've discovered something new and unpleasant. "

Worms are considered unpleasant?

"It's difficult to explain, Freddie, but yes, some people would consider worms to be very unpleasant."

I will add this information to my database.

"He's getting as bad as Valentina," Stephanie muttered.

"I'm not aware of any Chechen terrorist group that could come up with ten million dollars," Elizabeth said.

"Maybe Langley has something."

"I'll talk with them later. At least we have a name to work with. It's not much, but it's more than we had before."

"I'll tap into their computers and see what I can find," Stephanie said. "Even with DCI Hood's cooperation, I don't always trust the information we get from them."

"Just don't get caught, Stephanie. It would compromise his relationship with us."

"I think I'll take a peek at NSA as well. Ruslan may be in there somewhere. Freddie?"

Yes, Stephanie?

"We have work to do. I think you'll find it interesting. We need to break through a few firewalls."

I always enjoy a challenge, Stephanie. The NSA has instituted a new security protocol which will be quite difficult to get through. I am sure that between us, we can do it.

"You've got to love his optimism," Stephanie said.

She left to work in her office.

Elizabeth leaned back in her chair and thought about what Nick had found out. She'd been thinking Iran was behind stealing the bombs, but it didn't seem likely they'd back a Chechen terrorist group. The Chechens hated the Russians. Russia was helping Iran with its nuclear programs, so why would Tehran fund a terrorist group committed to causing trouble for an ally ?

The Iranians were Shia. Chechens were Sunni. If there was a bright spot in the midst of the Muslim fundamentalists' desire to destroy America, it was that the two branches of Islam never agreed or cooperated. Their hatred for each other was even more intense than their anger toward the West.

No, it didn't make sense that Iran was behind this, assuming it was a Chechen group that had stolen the bombs. At this point it was a big assumption, but it was the only one she had.

North Korea? That was possible, since the death of the previous leader had made little difference in the hostile policies and actions of the People's Republic. However the government was preoccupied with internal power struggles that had not been resolved. It seemed doubtful they would arrange the long-distance theft of the bombs.

What would a Chechen terrorist group do with three nuclear bombs?

Where did the money come from? If not from a government, where?

Elizabeth was determined to find out.