quick succession by his replacement. Interestingly, their disappearances coincide exactly with Baptiste's anti-government movement gaining momentum over there."
"Sounds like there's a time issue at stake, for someone," observed Morgan.
"Seems that way, and these old Soviet-Bloc weapons have been turning up in the hands of Baptiste's rebel forces for some time - confiscated stuff that the Americans collected in Bosnia and Serbia, intended for issue to the Iraqi security forces."
''I've heard around the traps that the Pentagon's been forced to come clean," said Morgan. "Their bookwork hasn't been up to speed, or something, and they lost thousands of these weapons."
"About 200,000, actually," concurred General Davenport. "Some of which you found on that fishing trawler, transferred from the Marengo; God only knows what else has made its way our into the marketplace. Hence, this elusive and, to date, unidentified consortium operating out of the Middle East and Africa that has drawn my attention."
"Well it's got to be someone with an established connection in Iraq who can get their hands on those weapons," Morgan mused. "Especially on that scale. Takes real resources and contacts to move those kinds of numbers around."
"Agreed," Davenport replied. "It's no secret that the rutile mining concessions alone in Malfajiri are worth billions of pounds. Hard to believe that this rock is the basis for the production of titanium, but there you have it. Malfajiri rutile accounts for 65 % of their exports and 30% of the world market, and with a projected mine life of 20 to 30 years, the fortunes to be made are astronomical. When you throw their projected diamond reserves into the mix, there's more than a fleeting incentive to be playing for the right team when the shooting eventually stops."
"So, what happens now, Sir?"
"Well," replied Davenport. "That's where you come in. Two days ago I met with the Chief of SIS, Dame Violet Ashcroft-James." Davenport smiled at the sound of her name. "She came with hat in hand to seek my assistance in tracking down her lost agents. To sweeten the deal she let on that her people have been monitoring a Foreign Office official who's come to their attention as a result of certain unexplained funds making their way through accounts linked to him - conflict of interest as a civil servant and so on. Given that this aspect is very much a British problem, she was reluctant to divulge his name - not keen to air Britain's dirty laundry to INTERPOL, she said. However, she did reveal that this man's position within the Foreign Office immediately raised alarm bells which rang all the way across the Thames to her office at Vauxhall Cross. So, through a series of telephone and computer intercepts - bloody techno gobbledygook to me - SIS identified an association between this Foreign Office man and an unknown person, a Briton, operating in Malfajiri. The information to date is largely circumstantial. Most of the communication was encrypted and, despite all of the state-of-the-art technology at their disposal, SIS apparently haven't had any luck deciphering it. So, they're yet to confirm the identity of his contact. Astonishing." Clearly unconvinced, Davenport took a drink. "Fortunately, this Foreign Office person has absolutely no idea that they're interested in him. Or, so I'm told."
"What does he do at the Foreign Office?" probed Morgan.
"Well, it seems he's the man to know if you're a private military company and you want a British Government contract," answered the General.
"And you think his contact in Malfajiri is with Chiltonford?" Morgan asked.
"It's highly likely. That said, I doubt Chiltonford are behind it. As you say, they are well regarded and to all intents and purposes, a good outfit. But I've been wrong before, so we can't discount it. Let's say that it would be reasonable to surmise that a couple of the in-country people may be implicated in some way."
"Whoever he is, he'd have to be supported
"Sounds like there's a time issue at stake, for someone," observed Morgan.
"Seems that way, and these old Soviet-Bloc weapons have been turning up in the hands of Baptiste's rebel forces for some time - confiscated stuff that the Americans collected in Bosnia and Serbia, intended for issue to the Iraqi security forces."
''I've heard around the traps that the Pentagon's been forced to come clean," said Morgan. "Their bookwork hasn't been up to speed, or something, and they lost thousands of these weapons."
"About 200,000, actually," concurred General Davenport. "Some of which you found on that fishing trawler, transferred from the Marengo; God only knows what else has made its way our into the marketplace. Hence, this elusive and, to date, unidentified consortium operating out of the Middle East and Africa that has drawn my attention."
"Well it's got to be someone with an established connection in Iraq who can get their hands on those weapons," Morgan mused. "Especially on that scale. Takes real resources and contacts to move those kinds of numbers around."
"Agreed," Davenport replied. "It's no secret that the rutile mining concessions alone in Malfajiri are worth billions of pounds. Hard to believe that this rock is the basis for the production of titanium, but there you have it. Malfajiri rutile accounts for 65 % of their exports and 30% of the world market, and with a projected mine life of 20 to 30 years, the fortunes to be made are astronomical. When you throw their projected diamond reserves into the mix, there's more than a fleeting incentive to be playing for the right team when the shooting eventually stops."
"So, what happens now, Sir?"
"Well," replied Davenport. "That's where you come in. Two days ago I met with the Chief of SIS, Dame Violet Ashcroft-James." Davenport smiled at the sound of her name. "She came with hat in hand to seek my assistance in tracking down her lost agents. To sweeten the deal she let on that her people have been monitoring a Foreign Office official who's come to their attention as a result of certain unexplained funds making their way through accounts linked to him - conflict of interest as a civil servant and so on. Given that this aspect is very much a British problem, she was reluctant to divulge his name - not keen to air Britain's dirty laundry to INTERPOL, she said. However, she did reveal that this man's position within the Foreign Office immediately raised alarm bells which rang all the way across the Thames to her office at Vauxhall Cross. So, through a series of telephone and computer intercepts - bloody techno gobbledygook to me - SIS identified an association between this Foreign Office man and an unknown person, a Briton, operating in Malfajiri. The information to date is largely circumstantial. Most of the communication was encrypted and, despite all of the state-of-the-art technology at their disposal, SIS apparently haven't had any luck deciphering it. So, they're yet to confirm the identity of his contact. Astonishing." Clearly unconvinced, Davenport took a drink. "Fortunately, this Foreign Office person has absolutely no idea that they're interested in him. Or, so I'm told."
"What does he do at the Foreign Office?" probed Morgan.
"Well, it seems he's the man to know if you're a private military company and you want a British Government contract," answered the General.
"And you think his contact in Malfajiri is with Chiltonford?" Morgan asked.
"It's highly likely. That said, I doubt Chiltonford are behind it. As you say, they are well regarded and to all intents and purposes, a good outfit. But I've been wrong before, so we can't discount it. Let's say that it would be reasonable to surmise that a couple of the in-country people may be implicated in some way."
"Whoever he is, he'd have to be supported
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