Chapter 43

Shahpour Bandrighan, the former President of Iran, was meeting with a group of his advisers in a cottage outside of Paris. They were discussing launching a series of terrorist attacks against the Makhtol regime from within Iran. The former president had not discussed the overtures he had received over the previous two weeks from the U.S. political officer with anyone, even his closest advisers. He knew that if word got out about his discussions, there would be very serious repercussions and it could set his movement back by months, if not years. He had also received indications that Makhtol had planted an agent among his top advisers and until he found out who it was, he felt he should hold explosive news such as this close to his vest.

Bandrighan started the meeting. "Everyone is here except Mohammed Nassir. Does anyone know where he is?"

"He just called on his car phone and said he's been held up in traffic and should be here in fifteen to twenty minutes," answered one of Bandrighan's aides.

"Well, we might as well get started," said the former president. "I've just received word from one of my sources that our shipment of explosives will be ready for delivery tomorrow. We have already transferred half the funds to his account in Zurich, and the other half will be transferred upon delivery. Is everything arranged for delivery to the Motherland?"

"Yes, Mr. President. We have fighters ready to bring the weapons and explosives ashore from a freighter which will deliver them to within twenty miles of shore. They will then unload them onto small boats and take them ashore. From there, they will go to their rendezvous points, then go to the assigned safe houses until the appropriate time for the attacks."

"Very good. Are the targets all selected?"

"Yes. We will be going after military and governmental targets. We want to keep civilian casualties to a minimum."

"Yes, that's very important. We want to make sure that we don't antagonize the Iranian people whom we need if we are to succeed. How are our other plans going?"

"They are proceeding. We have the basic government here ready to move into the Motherland and take control upon the successful overthrow of the Devil's..."

The aide never had a chance to finish what he was saying as a powerful explosion from the impact of a rocket propelled grenade rocked the cottage. The only survivor of the explosion was former President Bandrighan, who was seriously injured. Mohammed Nassir, trusted aide of former President Bandrighan, and the nephew of Ayatollah Makhtol's aide Saddam Nassir, had carried out his orders and had decimated the major part of the opposition to the Ayatollah in the expatriate community in France in one shot. It was just one more sign that the Ayatollah had a long reach.

The invasion of Spain from Morocco had begun. Three hundred thousand Islamic troops poured across the Strait of Gibraltar and began landing in a wide zone ranging from Cadiz to Almeria. British forces at Gibraltar came under fire, and prepared for a long siege inside their fortress. They were now completely surrounded by hostile forces for the first time in a number of years. Despite strong resistance, the Iranian led forces began to progress far into Spain.

Thousands of refugees fleeing the fighting clogged just about every major and most minor north south roads in Spain, which held up the troops who were desperately trying to repel the invasion. As a result of the confusion arising from the inability of the troops to reach the front in a coordinated fashion, Makhtol's troops progressed even further and faster than they thought they would.

The news was not very good from the Turkish front either. Makhtol controlled the whole eastern part of the country and his troops were now sweeping toward Ankara. The U.S. and its N.A.T.O. allies were nearly finished withdrawing their nuclear weapons that had been deployed there. If Makhtol's forces kept advancing at their present rate, it looked as if they would control the entire country by the end of the week. This was in spite of the heavy aerial bombardment they were sustaining from the U.S. and its allies.