circle.”
Tarik shook his head. “It is not a circle. Look who we are targeting. America. The regime that killed Vahid Rajavi like he was a stray dog in the street.”
“But Iran is your enemy, too. Don’t deny this.”
“Not the Iranian people. The Iranian regime. The regime that controls the freedom-loving people of Iran with an iron fist. The regime whose actions have caused the entire world to impose crippling sanctions on your peaceful countrymen.
“You and I are not the same people, of course this is true. But you and I have common enemies, and I take you as a man smart enough to understand that our relationship is beneficial to us both. Beneficial to everyone you love in this world. Beneficial to Allah.”
Mirza countered quickly. “The Emirates are not enemies of the West. In fact, you are a pawn of the West. You are a pawn of Israel.”
“I am a pawn of no one, my young friend. The crown prince of the Emirates has sent me personally on this mission. Our relationships with other nations provide me with the best cover imaginable.” Mirza said nothing, so Tarik leaned forward over the table.
Tarik said, “My brother. Are you willing to martyr yourself for your people?”
“One thousand times over.”
“As am I. What more is there to know?”
“There is one thing more I need to know. Why do you need me and my men?”
“Obviously you and your men are the bravest fighters.”
Mirza said, “That’s not what’s obvious to me. What is obvious is that you want me and my men to do this, because you want Iran to be implicated in this attack of yours.”
Tarik sat back slowly. Mirza got the feeling he wasn’t supposed to work this part out on his own. The Emirati said, “Does it bother you that you will receive credit for your sacrifice?”
“No, but I want to understand your motivations.”
Tarik nodded; he was clearly impressed with Haz Mirza’s intellect. “Yes, America will learn, as part of my plan, that you and your men are Quds Force operatives. It will heighten tensions between the two nations to a level never experienced.
“We will deal a crippling blow to them, a blow they will have no choice but to retaliate against. Your nation will fight them, they will be forced to do it, because America will attack them first.”
Mirza said nothing.
“Listen to me, brother,” Tarik said. “You hoped your death today would convince others to join you in battle. But there was never any chance of this. Think, man. You lying dead with your intestines on the street around you wasn’t going to spur anyone on to do anything. But with my plan? With my plan there is a guarantee of follow-on attacks after you are martyred, because the act you are conducting will lead right back to Tehran, and America’s president will demand retribution for Sedgwick and the others.”
This was convincing to Mirza, but quickly he added, “How do you know America won’t just fire nuclear missiles into my nation and kill every man, woman, and child, friend and foe alike?”
“The American president will take pains to show that his quarrel isn’t with the people there. The fools in Washington learned in Afghanistan, in Iraq, and in other places that managing the victory is just as important as achieving the victory, if not more so. Trust me, there will be major conflict, all over the world, but the fighting won’t be in Iran.” He raised his hands as if in surrender, and he clarified. “Actually, if the wars of the past twenty years are a guide, then I imagine American special operations teams will come in small numbers, but the Iranian military is not the Taliban, not the fools in the ISIS caliphate, not even Saddam Hussein’s bloated and overrated army. Your nation will fight them off.
“It will take years, perhaps, but the road ahead for Iran is going to be paved with victories.”
Haz nodded. He was sold, and Tarik knew it. Then the younger man said, “There is a part in this process where you will feel the need to remind me that I must martyr myself. Show me some respect. Don’t remind me. I know I cannot be taken alive, because if I were, it would be discovered I’ve been disavowed by Tehran. I am a rogue, working for an Emirati spy pretending to be a friend to his enemies.
“My force and I,” Mirza said, “we will all die in battle against the Americans.”
Al-Habsi beamed the smile of