SPY

By Harold J Fischel

US Army Major Matthaeus (Matt) Ramsey is serving in Iraq embedded with a Kurdish unit. Soon he is saving servicemen, having an affair with a beautiful woman who turns out to be a Russian, and finding himself in charge of a top secret testing program of a new type of American missile.  Matt makes a misstep with his authority and suddenly fin

• Language: English
• Publisher: Harold Fischel
• Release date: Nov 1, 2018
• ISBN: 9780578412573

Book preview

S P Y

By

Harold Fischel

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is

entirely coincidental.

©2018 Harold J Fischel. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication

may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any

means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or

mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author,

except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and

certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

PART ONE

Matt

Chapter One

Pungent smoke burned his nostrils as he gazed at the rubble that minutes before had been his office. He had just returned from a meeting with General Edelman. During the drive back to the secure compound they called Centri 4, he received a warning that the compound was under attack by ISIS. He told his driver to speed up. They flew through the main gate which had been reduced to a smoldering heap of rubble. When they reached his office building the intense firefight was over. The attacking rebels were dead. Ambulances with screaming sirens arrived and medics started searching among the rubble in hopes of finding survivors. All he could do was watch as the bodies of five of his men were recovered and loaded into an ambulance like cordwood. The chief medical officer came over and informed him that the remains of the other members of his staff had been located but were so mutilated that they would have to be recovered by a special team.

Major Mathaeus (Matt) Ramsey returned to his vehicle. He looked for his driver. At first he could not locate him. After a short search Matt found the young private hunched over between two buildings. He had been sick to his stomach and was crying. Matt knew that Billy Daniels had just arrived from the U.S and had not seen combat before. He went over and put his arm around the young soldier’s shoulders. Slowly he walked Billy back to the jeep and loaded the youngster into the passenger seat. Matt got behind the wheel and drove over to Headquarters Troop with jaws clinched tight.

Master Sergeant Martinez was in the dayroom when Matt escorted Billy in. Sarge, Billy was with me when I inspected the remains of HQ and he saw the bodies being carried out. Please take care of him. Without waiting for the sergeant’s response Matt turned around and left. He returned the jeep to the motor pool, retrieved his car and drove directly to Lagoon Bar located downtown right along the river. The bar was crowded with locals discussing the ISIS assault on the military base which the Americans shared with the Kurdish Peshmerga. Matt found a seat at the bar and ordered a shot of scotch. Make that a double, he threw in as an afterthought.

When he took his first greedy swallow of scotch Matt heard a female voice coming from his left. Major that scotch is too good to gulp down like that. Take it easy and enjoy it.

Matt turned to his left and looked at the smiling face of a woman sitting next to him. She was dressed in dark green old-fashioned fatigues. How did you know I’m in the military? he asked.

Major Ramsay you’re still wearing your uniform and I can see your rank and name. You’re not supposed to wear your uniform in downtown Irbil and certainly not when drinking in a bar. So I suppose you’re very shook-up about the ISIS attack on your base.

Matt stared at the woman. Who the hell is she and what does she want with me? The fatigues and cap she was wearing looked like old leftovers from the East German army. Under the cap her hair was tightly drawn back into a large bun. Her features were definitely not Iraqi or Kurdish. He could only guess at her age. Matt was curious about who this dame could be. Judging by her accent she was definitely not American. He couldn’t place her accent but it sounded sexy.

He decided on a non-committal response to her approach. Sorry, I don’t recall meeting you but do I know you?

Not likely. I have seen you before, here in the Lagoon. I don’t think you noticed me.

Your uniform has no markings.

She laughed. It’s not a uniform. I wear this outfit when I’m out in the field. You’re right it has no markings. But to be fair, since I know your name and that you’re in the US army I’ll show you my I.D. badge. She pulled out a small plasticized I.D. and laid it on the bar in front of Matt. He looked at it and read:

IEDC

International Engineering Design and Construction

Senior Project Manager

Helga Kozlov, Ph.D

We’re in the process of restoring a hydroelectric power plant along the River Zab near Makhmour. ISIS wants to disable the power station located on the river. They make almost daily attempts to infiltrate through the Kurdish lines which are strung out along the river. So I’m no stranger to attacks by those bastards. Were you on base when they made that surprise attack today?

No I wasn’t.

Oh, what’s your job here in Irbil?

I check the quality of the ice cream served in the PX.

Helga laughed and the serious look disappeared from her face. Okay, I should have known better than to ask. I’m sorry! But there is no rule that you have to drink alone. Bartender, please give me a Vodka Sour and give my friend here a refill.

Matt found her somewhat forward but saw no harm in talking to her. She seemed friendly enough. You’re over here to inspect the work at the dam?

No such luck. That project is my baby. I live here in Irbil and will be stuck here until the Peshmerga fully control the area here and around Mosul. As long as there is concern that ISIS fighters break through the lines and attack the dam, my assignment will be to stay put.

So you live here. Interesting. What does a foreigner like you, a woman, do for entertainment here in Irbil?

Read books, lots of books. Sometimes I come here looking for someone to talk to.

Don’t you have any friends here in town?

Woo. That’s a lot of questions coming from a guy who can’t even tell me what he does.

Fine! Okay, so I won’t ask. I respect that. You’re Helga and we’ll leave it at that.

Hey, I didn’t mean it that way. No I don’t have any friends here in town. All the foreign nationals hightailed it out of here when ISIS advanced within thirty miles. The locals are nice to me, but I get tired of hearing how this war has ruined life here in the Kurdish capitol, Erbil as the international press calls it. Did you see this newspaper article? Helga showed Matt an article in an old newspaper she pulled from her purse.

Yesterday President Obama authorized the use of air strikes in Iraq—if the terror group ISIS moved on the Iraqi city of Irbil. Early this morning, the bombs started falling, the first offensive action by the US in Iraq since it withdrew ground troops in 2011, says the Guardian.

This morning two F/A-18 fighter jets bombed ISIS artillery that was advancing on Irbil. The city of 1.6 million, also known as Arbil or Erbil and as  Hewlêr in the local Kurdish language is the regional capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, an autonomously governed region in northeastern Iraq.

Just a few months ago Irbil was seen as a safe haven from ISIS' incursions into Iraq, and the city and the surrounding region have been swarmed by refugees. Irbil is also the temporary home to American troops and advisers sent to Iraq to help with the ISIS incursion, and the site of the U.S. consulate in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Yet modern military targets are not the only thing in Irbil worth protecting. Irbil is, according to the United Nations, among the oldest continuously inhabited human settlements in the world. The city has been touched by ancient civilizations, says the U.N., such as the Sumerian, Babylonian, Greek, Islamic, and Ottoman. The massive citadel at the heart of the city was added to the U.N.'s World Heritage list not even two months ago.

Irbil is a layer cake of civilizations that have come and gone for an estimated 7,000 to 10,000 years, says the New York Times. The city has seen continuous occupancy since 5,000 B.C., though its history might go back further, said an archaeologist to the Times. Archaeological digs within the city have turned up human bones that are 7,000 years old.

For the most part Irbil has been able to stay out of the fray for most of the past seven years. Now, as ISIS continues to expand the territory it controls in the Middle East, it is right in the middle.

It's a sad story for the region. Just a few years ago local leaders were talking about how to drive tourism

What about the folks in your company? Don’t you hang around with them?

Come on, as an army officer you know damn well that you don’t get too palsy-walsy with the people you supervise. I’m their boss and I have to prevent any of the guys getting too romantic with me.

If you don’t mind me saying so, that sounds a little conceited.

Okay, I get it. Sorry I bothered you. Just trying to make some small talk. Helga got up and started to move away.

As she slid off the bar stool Matt reached over and stopped her. You’re right. I’m acting like an ass. I’m upset. That ISIS attack today; my men got killed. Helga turned to face him and Matt continued, If I apologize will you sit down and finish your drink?

Helga got back onto the bar stool. I guess a bad beginning is better than no beginning. I just wanted to talk to someone, and sitting next to a handsome soldier seemed like a good opportunity.

"Let me start this time. Hi, I’m Matt and I wouldn’t mind taking to this nice lady sitting next to me."

That made for a much better start and when the bartender announced last call they were still deeply engrossed in conversation. All through the evening they kept the liquor flowing, ignoring the bartender’s gentle warning to take it easy. Not too long after last call the bartender approached them. Major, Madame, I’m sorry, but we’re closing and I have to ask you to leave.

Matt reached for his keys. I hope I can remember where I parked my car. I’ll give you a lift home when we find it. He slurred his words and wobbled on his feet when he got up. Helga was clearly quite tipsy but in better shape than Matt.

No way. You’re in no condition to drive. She grabbed his keys away from him. Bartender please call a taxi. Matt objected. At this time of night they won’t allow a taxi on the base.

Don’t worry, I’ll take care of that. Helga took him by the arm and gently led him outside. Moments later their taxi arrived.

Chapter Two

The noise coming from the street below woke him. He felt something leaning on his chest and when he opened his eyes he saw a woman was lying next to him with her arm slung over him. It took Matt a moment to realize who it was. Oh shit Helga! What the hell, where am I?

Helga woke with a start. She sat up and smiled at Matt. Calm down, honey. It’s okay, we’re in my apartment.

Your apartment? How did we get here and … Matt pushed himself to a sitting position. How did we get into this bed?

Helga burst out laughing. Well, I must say worse things could happen to you!

Matt jumped out of the bed but when he realized he was wearing nothing but his underwear he grabbed the sheet to cover himself. By doing that he left Helga uncovered and to his consternation she was only in her bra and panties.

Helga continued laughing; she found the whole thing hilarious. Don’t worry; my parents are not home. When she stopped laughing she said, Just joking. I love the shocked look on your face and the way you turned red when you saw I was half naked. You’re obviously a respectable man Major Matt. Seriously, we were sauced when we left the bar. I could not let you drive so I called for a taxi. You were sober enough to tell me that a taxi would not be allowed on base that late. So, I told the taxi to take us here to my apartment.

Matt looked questioningly at Helga. Did we . . . ?

Nope. You were the perfect gentlemen. You did not try to take advantage of this drunken lady! I was perfectly safe; you couldn’t have done anything if you’d wanted to; you were much too drunk. The taxi driver helped drag you up here to my apartment. As soon as we put you on the couch you fell asleep. I did not want you waking up stiff as a board in a rumpled uniform. I managed to get you over to my bed and I removed your uniform. I went to undress and get ready for bed myself, but I heard you groan and I went to check on you. With all that liquor we drank I must have been pretty far gone too and I passed out on top of you.

If I was in your bed where were you planning to sleep?

Wouldn’t you like to know? Sorry sweetie, that will remain a secret. But stop worrying. There was no sex, and as far as I know, you did not even get to touch me. Actually, I think I was the one hugging you. Now get in the bathroom and take a quick shower. While you’re dressing I’ll make us breakfast.

Matt dropped the sheet. With Helga standing there in her panties and bra he felt a little foolish covering himself with the sheet. He looked at Helga. She looked different from the woman in fatigues with her hair in a bun under a uniform cap. Freed from the bun, her long blond hair fell freely across her shoulders. With her bright misty green/ blue eyes, round face, full cheeks and high forehead Matt thought she looked captivatingly Slavic. He was sorry that last night he had failed to ask where she was from.

Helga caught him staring at her body. The tight bikini panties accentuated her strong athletic thighs and firm belly. Coyly she asked, Well, do you approve?

Yes, very nice. Matt relaxed a little and laughed at her seeking approval of her body which she obviously kept in shape.

Helga returned the compliment. You’re not so bad yourself. Do you like to work out?

Yeah, I would if we had some exercise facility on the base.

Go look in the room next to the kitchen.

Matt forgot that he was walking around in his underwear and went to look. Helga followed closely. She was anxious to hear what he thought about her well-equipped gym. The room next to the kitchen was filled with exercise equipment. The obvious quality surprised Matt. Hey, you have a professional gym in here.

Yes, I’m addicted to my daily workout. I imported all this equipment from America. When it arrived, the Iraqi government impounded it. I had a hell of a time explaining why I needed it. I showed them the mail-order magazine I ordered the stuff from. It was advertised as commercial quality adapted for home use. They were impressed with how expensive the equipment was. You’re more than welcome to come over some time and use it.

Helga noticed Matt was paying more attention to her breasts than the exercise equipment. Yoo-hoo! I invited you to use the exercise equipment. Not to come play with my boobs.

Yeah beautiful equipment, Matt said while he continued to admire her breasts which were pushing out of the top of her bra exposing most of what she had.

Helga clearly enjoyed the attention her breasts were getting but decided to cool things down when she saw movement in Matt’s briefs. Too soon for that! Now be a good boy and go and take a shower. Your uniform is hanging in my closet. By the way, I noticed the scars on your side. Did you get hurt in the army?

Yeah I got wounded while serving in Afghanistan. No big deal. Some flesh wounds that’s all.

Matt dressed himself in the bathroom and when he entered the kitchen he was surprised to find Helga also already fully dressed. Sit down; I made you some fried eggs. I left them in the pan, and they’re pretty well done. I hope you like them that way.