Whiplash

Aberhadji nodded. He had no immediate family and had had none since he was young. His father had died in the war against Iraq, and his mother passed away a year later, mostly out of grief.

“Well then, let us put you down for a week. The matter is decided,” said Fars.

“It should be stated as indefinite.”

“Yes, well, we will say two. If, at the end of two weeks—”

“It should say indefinite. It may be less than two.”

“Well then, two weeks can cover it for the moment.”

“It should say indefinite.”

Fars could not grant someone an indefinite leave except for a medical emergency. Aberhadji’s honesty was a problem.

Fars decided it need not be. He could prepare two versions of the request—one for Aberhadji to sign, the other for the Tehran bureaucrats. Problem solved.

“So, indefinite. And should we put down that the business is a matter of a personal nature? Clearly, you’re not going on a vacation. I only have to ask,” Fars added, “because you know I have to make these reports each week to Tehran. In this economy, I think they are always throwing problems in to keep us on our toes.”

“It is a private matter. Certainly.”

“Good,” said Fars, choosing to interpret that as personal. “I will take care of it,” he added, rising. “Don’t worry. Take whatever time you need.”

6

McLean, Virginia

Three days later

DANNY FREAH FOUND HIS EXCITEMENT GROWING AS HE made the arrangements to take the new Whiplash assignment. It had been quite a while since he had been involved in a “black” or secret project, and he’d forgotten just how quickly things could move once they had that imprimatur. Brea

“It won’t be much,” she warned, “but you won’t be there very much anyway.”

Actually, the apartment had its own terrace and a view of the river. The bedroom was about twice the size of the living room he had been renting in Kentucky. Best of all, he could afford the rent.

The only problem was that the moving company he’d hired to cart his furniture couldn’t arrange to pick up everything and deliver it for several weeks. Da

As it happened, he did run into her—and a lot sooner than he’d thought. For when he reported to Brea

“You’re Mary Clair Be

“Colonel Freah. Prompt. Very good,” said Ms. Be

“I, um—we met,” he told her.

“I am sorry. I do not recall.”

“On the train.”

“Train?”

“It’s not important. That’s a great apartment you found me. It’s fantastic.”

“Naturally.”

“I want to thank you for all your help with these arrangements. I don’t know what I’d have done without you.”

“It is my job, Colonel.”

“Ah, Da

“Me and M.C. go way back,” said Da

Brea

He didn’t notice, and wouldn’t have let on if he did.

“Let’s get you situated,” Brea

“Yes, Ms. Stockard. Of course.”

“Where’d you dig her up?” Da

“She’s wonderfully efficient, if a little stuffy.”

“That’s like saying the North Pole is a little cold.”

“I don’t need a friend,” said Brea

“I’ll get her to thaw. You’ll see,” said Da

“You won’t need one. You’re not going to be working here. You won’t even have an office here.”

“Oh?”

Forty minutes later Brea

“So am I who I think I am?” Da

“You are Daniel Freah, according to the computer,” replied the technician. “Though I have no idea if that’s who you are.”

A woman in the next room gave Da

“That has all your biometric data in it,” she told him. “You don’t need any other ID while you’re here.”

The ring had other functions, as Brea

“Basically, we’ll know where you are at all times,” said Brea

She meant it as a joke, but already Da

After Brea

Da

“State your name,” said a mechanical voice from somewhere behind the door.

“Da

“Rank?”

“Colonel.”

“What is your favorite color?”

Da