The Lion and the Sun -- Christmas 1994

“Are you with me, Dan?”
Conte turned and looked at Scigliasi, who was looking at Conte with his head tilted to one side and a slight scowl on his face.
“What?”
“I said, you need to read this.” He handed Conte a brown envelope. “Eyes only. Reseal it when you’re through, will you?” Scigliasi tossed Conte a roll of heavy paper tape, then walked over to a desk in the corner, sat, and started sorting through papers.
Conte tore open the envelope. There was another envelope in it marked with an If lost, return to stamp, with a name Conte didn’t recognize written on the line. He opened the inner envelope and took out a cable with a TOP SECRET//COMINT cover sheet. The document itself had other caveats and restrictions on distribution, including UMBRA -- the blackest part of the shadow, where absolutely no light penetrated. Conte rested his backside against the table and read.

Subject: Russian Agent Planned Defection
Summary: A Russian intelligence service agent, code name, Tetris, contacted a United States intelligence officer and stated a desire to defect to the U.S. Tetris is a known SVR officer with a long history of working some of Russia’s highest priority operations, including the recent joint operation with U.S. special forces to recover a Russian plutonium pit that found its way into terrorist hands in Iran. Bonafides provided check out. Tetris has placed certain demands on his defection, including specifying who will bring him into US hands. Tetris’s current situation is tenuous, as he is being pursued by the Russian FSB and has been unable to leave the country. The DCI requests immediate action to extract Tetris and acquire this high-value target.

Conte skimmed the rest of the document, looked over at Scigliasi. He was watching Conte now. Conte held up the document. “You’ve seen this?”
“Yeah,” he said dismissively. “No secret who it is, or who he wants to bring him in from the cold.”
Conte tossed the document on the table. “Shit.”
Scigliasi walked over and began repackaging the document.
“Oh, sorry.” Conte handed him back the tape.
“Look, Dan, I don’t think you’re in any shape to do this. I told Corbin Bishop that. He said that Bala… Tetris is a dead man if we don’t get him out now, and thinks that if you’re well enough to travel over here, you’re well enough to go the extra mile to pick up Tetris. But you know, you can just say no.”
“And then what?”
“They’ll find someone else that’s acceptable.”
“You think so?”
“It doesn’t matter what I think, but it doesn’t have to be your problem.”
Conte sat back down, raised his one good arm, and rubbed his forehead. Balakirev was counting on him to come and get him. He trusted Conte. And he’d made sure that Conte owed him. The tape had saved Conte’s ass. Then again, who set up Kaitlyn? He’d asked that question twice now and no one seemed to know.
Conte looked up at Scigliasi. “What’s the drill?”
Scigliasi walked back to the desk and picked up his briefcase. He put it on the table, entered the combination, and snapped the locks open. He took out an envelope and handed it to Conte. “Passport, identification papers, cover materials, itinerary, airline tickets, et cetera, et cetera. You’ve been through it all before.”

Conte fingered the envelope. Looked at Scigliasi and then down again.
Scigliasi shook his head. “You’re going to do it, aren’t you?” he asked, with a look of disbelief.
“I don’t know.” I don’t know.
Scigliasi sighed. “Well, you’ll need to read the plan here and give it back to me. The rest of the stuff you can take.”
Conte looked at the airline tickets. The flight left Vienna International the next day at 1117. He read the plan. It was a typical pickup operation. Dead drops, test runs, diversions, hand offs – tradecraft; the advanced course.


The Lion and the Sun, Published May 2013

Merry Christmas

The Rathaus came into view, its four spires and soaring campanile lit by floodlights, the square in front filled with booths and milling people. The whole effect like a combination outdoor sale, flea market, and county fair all garbed in Christmas decorations (The Lion and the Sun).

The CIA Admits Role in Overthrow of Iran's Freely Elected Prime Minister -- But We Knew That!

The CIA has released documents which for the first time formally acknowledge its key role in the 1953 coup which ousted Iran's democratically elected Prime Minister, Mohammad Mossadeq.

CIA Documents Acknowledge its Role

Excerpt from The Lion and the Sun:

Conte remembered meeting Anatoly Balakirev for the first time at this reception. He wore the dark blue Parade uniform of a USSR Air Force officer, with epaulettes, a gold sash at the waist, and calf-high black leather boots. His chest was covered in medals, only a few of which Conte recognized, including medals for combat service, and for bravery. By comparison, Conte’s black Air Force mess dress uniform was drab, and Conte wore only a few medals, including the Air Force Cross, the Purple Heart, a National Defense Service Medal, and the Vietnam Service Medal.

Balakirev was direct with this new American, who seemed so sure of himself. The Russian blamed Britain and America for the overthrow of Iran’s elected Prime Minister, Mohammed Mosaddeq in 1953, claiming that the US was threatened by Mosaddeq’s plan to nationalize oil and acted accordingly.

Conte was very familiar with the CIA’s botched operation to overthrow Mosaddeq, but pointed out to Balakirev the Communist’s role in undermining Mosaddeq. Conte told Balakirev that he was sure the USSR was behind the Tudeh Party’s subversion. Balakirev countered that the USSR’s only interest in Iran was to aid a developing nation and create a future trading partner. This sparring was in reality cover for each trying to determine what the other was really up to in Tehran at that critical time in the Shah’s rule. But it was true. The seeds of discontent in Tehran today had been planted by the CIA and the British SIS in 1953, and before that, the occupying forces of the USSR in 1946.

The Lion and the Sun; Self Published

My novel, The Lion and the Son, has now been published in paperback and e-Book form, and is available from Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de, Amazon.it, Amazon.in, and Amazon.fr.

‘The Lion and the Sun’ is a story of intrigue, betrayal, and regret set against the threat of nuclear terrorism. The story spans the years 1978 to 2008, although the main action takes place in 1994 during the rise of the Russian Federation from the ashes of the Former Soviet Union, and immediately after the CIA agent Aldrich Ames was found to be a Russian mole. The story centers around Daniel Conte, a CIA field agent tracking the whereabouts of a missing Russian plutonium pit; a softball-sized hunk of plutonium that serves as the core of a nuclear weapon. Conte’s quest takes him first to Vienna, then Istanbul, and then Tehran, where a personal tragedy in 1979 still haunts him. Along the way he will come face-to-face with a shadowy group of terrorists that may be linked to Iranian intelligence. Conte’s mission will uncover repressed memories of past betrayals and lead to new ones that will challenge the very core of his beliefs in his mission, his country, and in himself. The author’s experience in intelligence and counter terrorism shows in this all-too realistic tale of nuclear smuggling, terrorism, and espionage. The plot is topical and engrossing, the characters well-developed, and the descriptions of Vienna, Istanbul, and Tehran could only have been written by someone who was there. ‘The Lion and the Sun’ is one of the books you continue to contemplate well after you’ve turned the last compelling page. The story will appeal to readers who enjoy espionage novels by Alan Furst, Charles McCarry, and John le Carre´.

Self-Publishing: Proof Copy of The Lion and the Sun

I received the physical "proof copy" of my novel, The Lion and the Sun, from CreateSpace last week. I'm too busy preparing my tax return to go through it, but here's what it looks like.

Self-Publishing Update

Cover for my soon-to-be published book.

I selected the cover I wanted after making a minor modification to the first cover concept sent to me by my CreateSpace team. Now I'm working with the team to finalize the interior body text font. I've narrowed fonts down to New Baskerville, and Garamond 3. Next step is to look at samples in these two fonts, at 11 pt and 12 pt, with 122.5% leading.

Leading (pronounced 'ledding') is the space between the top of one line and the top of the next line (i.e.,  line spacing). My feeling is that something greater than the standard 120% will make the book easier to read, even if increasing the number of pages slightly.

In order to see what the body text will look like in the actual 6 x 9 book, one has to print using the "Actual Size" print setting, not the setting that's automatically selected by your printer driver. Because most of us are printing on 8.5 x 11 paper, printing actual size will run over margins, but the text will look the way it will look in your 6 x 9 book. Thus, my initial reaction that Garamond 12 pt was too small changed when I saw it actual size. Looks okay now (although still not in love with the font itself).

The 12 pt New Baskerville and Palatino look too large. If I were to use one of these fonts, I would downsize to 11 pt.

The leading used by CreateSpace designers for the 12 pt Garamond was 14.4 (120%). I'm going to ask to see a leading of 122.5%.

According to my CS consultant, Garamond, Baskerville, Palatino, and Hoefler are the most "popular" fonts used by self-publishers. My guess is that this has more to do with what the design team offers up than what authors choose on their own.

I'm told that CreateSpace provides a resource on its web site that will help authors estimate how many pages their books will run, and that will help determine approximate printing costs. From what I was told, choosing between the fonts I mention above will not alter page count to any great extent (unless I really jack up size and leading). Thus, my primary concern is the reading experience.

Self-Publishing Update

In an earlier post, I wrote about embarking on a project to self-publish my novel, The Lion and the Sun.  I'm using what is essentially, a publish on demand (POD) service, CreateSpace, which is an Amazon-owned company.

I choose to use the Total Design Freedom Standard publishing service offered by CreateSpace. This was my first novel, and my first experience at self-publishing, and I thought it wise to get a little experience under my belt before tackling the process on my own.

The self-publishing process using CreateSpace employs the computer, the phone, and the postal system. To date, I've used only the first two -- everything is being done digitally, with telephone conversations for added detail and/or clarification.

I uploaded my manuscript to the CreateSpace last Thursday, January 17, 2013. At the same time, I filled out an on-line questionnaire about my novel that was meant to provide the CreateSpace "project team" information to assist them in designing the interior and cover of the novel. I've reproduced the questions and my answers below.

What is your book's tone, and how do you want readers to perceive your text? 

(For example, a light-hearted and easy-to-use guide to home finances, or a romantic fiction comparable to Nicholas Sparks, etc.)

The Lion and the Sun is a story of intrigue, betrayal, and regret set against the threat of nuclear terrorism. The novel will appeal to readers that enjoy books by writers such as Alan Furst, Charles McCarry, and John le Carre'. 

Submitted on 2013-01-16 14:13

Provide a brief summary of your book. 

(Fiction: list the main characters, plot, storyline and any quotes from the book that are particularly telling. 

Non-fiction: state your main objective, how you differ from others of your genre.)

The Soviet Union's house of cards finally came crashing down in 1991, sending the West near euphoria. Unfortunately, there were thousands of nuclear weapons stored in various locations in Russia and, as with the Russian ruble, security at Russian weapons storage sites collapsed. The US spent hundreds of millions of dollars trying to shore it up. Despite its best efforts, something slipped through the cracks three years later; something that in the wrong hands, would put a great big crater in the middle of Manhattan. Daniel Conte, a veteran of 25 years with a covert unit attached to the CIA, is getting old, he's burned out, and he's on the razor edge of being divorced. Conte has promised his wife he'll participate in marriage counseling to get their troubled relationship back on track just in time for Christmas. But Conte is assigned the mission of tracking down the missing nuclear weapon component, and like the good soldier he is, he drops his domestic agenda and once again does the bidding of his CIA masters. Conte's mission takes him from Vienna, to Istanbul, to Tehran, where he's in serious danger of returning home in a body bag. Along the way he reconnects with an old adversary from Russian intelligence, becomes involved with a beautiful MI6 agent, and comes up against a smart-mouthed Turkish intelligence intern who seeks advice from him on her love life. Conte heads off on his globe trotting tour in November of 1994; just nine months after Aldrich Ames is revealed to be a Soviet mole in the CIA. The implications of Ames' treachery will be felt by Daniel Conte in more ways than he can imagine as he puts his life at risk in the service of his country; ways that will challenge his core beliefs and test his courage and his values. 

Submitted on 2013-01-16 14:13

Describe your book's theme(s).

The Lion and the Sun deals first and foremost with the human condition in all its many forms and facets; love, betrayal, courage, vulnerability, duty, honor, patriotism. These facets of human nature play out against the terrifying prospect of nuclear terrorism, the crumbling of the former Soviet Union, and the revolutionary fervor that is the old and now the new Iran. 

Submitted on 2013-01-16 14:13

What is your book's genre?

Mystery/Thriller - Espionage 

Submitted on 2013-01-16 14:13

Describe your target audience by factors such as age group, interests, education, gender, etc.

This book is meant for a mature audience interested in foreign affairs, intrigue, terrorism, and nuclear weapons. Readers who enjoy an international flavor to their mystery/thrillers will enjoy the book. 

Submitted on 2013-01-16 14:13

What inspired you to write the book?

The book is based on my personal experience in intelligence, counterintelligence, and counter-terrorism, as well as direct experience in the countries depicted in the story. 

Submitted on 2013-01-16 14:13

What distinguishes your book from others?

First-hand knowledge of events, organizations, and locales. 

Submitted on 2013-01-16 14:13

Describe any specific design ideas for the interior of your book.

For example, "I would like my interior to look modern" or "I would like my interior to look like my manuscript."

The interior of the book should give weight to the seriousness of the topic -- nuclear terrorism. Documents/correspondence depicted in the story should be set in different font to distinguish them from narrative. 

Submitted on 2013-01-16 14:13

Do you plan to submit an index? 

If you would like to include one, we will request that you upload the paginated and completed index later on in the process.

No 

Submitted on 2013-01-16 14:13

Describe any specific design ideas for the cover of your book.

Are there particular color(s) or types of imagery that you would like to see on your cover?

I would like to submit my ideas for the cover during the upload process. 

Submitted on 2013-01-16 14:13

We recommend that all images be submitted at 200 DPI as images under 200 DPI may appear blurry or pixelated in print. Would you like to be notified if we find images under 200 DPI in your submitted files? 

Note: If you choose to not be notified of low resolution images we will be unable to replace any printed books that do not meet your satisfaction due to image quality.

Yes, notify me 

Submitted on 2013-01-16 14:13

Additional Comments (Optional):

My novel has three parts, as well as a preface, a prologue and an epilogue. I have included a Table of Contents in my manuscript. I have several quotes in the document, with the sources noted in the Acknowledgements. 

Submitted on 2013-01-16 14:13

Would you like to have a phone consultation about your book? 

If so, please specify your preferred time of day. Phone consultations are offered between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. eastern time, Monday through Saturday. Please refer to the Phone Consultation FAQ for more information.

Yes - Afternoons are best 

Submitted on 2013-01-17 21:36

If yes, provide the phone number at which you would like to be contacted for your consultation.

509-586-6142 

Submitted on 2013-01-17 21:36

I received a phone call from "Kelsy," a member of my CreateSpace project team 7 days later, who called to tell me what would transpire in the coming weeks and to discuss further details of the book design. She told me I'd receive a mock-up of the first few pages of the book within 7 days and would be allowed two rounds to finalize the interior design. Following that, I receive a cover design, and likewise would have two chances to modify it. It would take the design team 10 days to produce a physical copy, which I could expect to receive 15 days after agreement on the mock-ups. They would be one more round of changes before the design was locked in.

I received the mock-up last Friday, February 1, 2013. My review resulted in several comments, which I was required to make in an on-line questionnaire. My main problem with the mock-up was with the font used for the body of the novel, Garamond 3. I found the text difficult to read, small and compressed, in this font. My belief is that the design team will "default" to a font that, although it will suffice for readability, is primarily meant to reduce page count, and thereby reduce the cost for producing the book. This benefits the author, by reducing what they have to establish as the book's retail price. However, I want to ensure that my novel is easy to read.

My comments on the mock-up are shown below.

Are alterations required on any charts or graphs?

N/A 

Submitted on 2013-02-02 11:11

Does the placement or sizes of any images need to be adjusted?

Images okay. 

Submitted on 2013-02-02 11:11

Do any decorative elements used for fleurons, chapter title art or footers need revision?

I don't know the name of the typeface used to separate the scenes within chapters, but I like it. 

Submitted on 2013-02-02 11:11

Does the placement of page elements such as headers, footers or page numbers require modification?

Placement of page elements okay. 

Submitted on 2013-02-02 11:11

Additional Comments:

Submitted on 2013-02-02 11:11

Select a Digital Rights Management (DRM)option:

1. Select Enable DRM if you would like DRM added to your Kindle-Ready file
2. Select Do Not Enable DRM if you do not want DRM added to your Kindle-Ready file

DRM is intended to inhibit unauthorized distribution of the Kindle file of your book. Some authors want to encourage readers to share their work, and choose not to have DRM applied to their book. If you choose to enable DRM, customers will still be able to lend the book to another user for a short period, and can also purchase the book as a gift for another user from the Kindle store.

Once you publish your eBook, you cannot change its DRM setting. 

Enable DRM 

Submitted on 2013-01-17 21:39

If you would like us to upload on your behalf, please provide the email address associated with your KDP account in the provided text box.

Once you've set-up your Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) account and accepted the Terms & Conditions, please visit the "Getting Started & FAQs" section at https://kdp.amazon.com for additional information about setting up your account. 

If you have questions relating to your KDP account, please contact Kindle Direct Publishing via email at kdp-support@amazon.com

rbad2@charter.net 

Submitted on 2013-01-17 21:39

Would you like your project team to upload your converted Kindle file directly to your Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) account?

If you do not want us to upload your Kindle file to KDP, and you would like to upload your Kindle file to KDP on your own, select No, Do not upload on my behalf. Once this service is complete we will provide you with a Kindle-Ready file to upload to KDP at https://kdp.amazon.com.

Yes, Upload on my behalf 

Submitted on 2013-01-17 21:39

Are adjustments needed with the text styles? Text styles include line spacing and font choices for your chapter titles, body text, page headers and footers.

I find the body copy font (Garamond-3) difficult to read. I like a serif typeface, but one without too much difference between the ascender and descender letter lines, and not as compressed as Garamond. Palatino might be a better choice. I like having the material that's separate from the narrative, e.g., quoted messages, in a different typeface to set it off, but the typeface used on Pg-7 of the mockup will be too large for later material. Also, it should be justified, not centered (use margin adjustments to set it off). Use the same method from other such material. 

Submitted on 2013-02-02 11:11

Are changes needed with your front matter? 

Are changes needed to the front section of the book; such as your title page, copyright page, dedication, table of contents, acknowledgements, or foreword? (Not every book includes all of these elements) For a description of your book's contents, refer to your Design Mock-Up Summary.

I like the idea of setting off the words "Lion" and "Sun" in the title with an italic font, but I don't like the font used -- too "feminine," for lack of a better word. I like a bolder arabesque, like Zapfino. TOC needs to be formatted to line up chapter headings when chapter #s change from single to double digits. Also, Chapter 22 is missing the term "Chapter," and the chapter title may be too long to fit on one line. Change the title to, "Near Chabahar, Iran, December 11, 1994." I prefer that the TOC be contained on one page, if possible. If this can't be accomplished, I prefer that there be a blank page after the TOC and the preface. I like the typeface for the preface. It's a different typeface than the prologue and epilogue, but I think this is okay, given that it is not part of the story. There's a quote on the page that delineates Part 1. At the end of the quote is a number (1) in parentheses. Please delete that number. 

Submitted on 2013-02-02 11:11

If you selected "I have my own eBook ISBN", please enter the ISBN and Publisher/Imprint Name in the provided box.  

Submitted on 2013-01-17 21:39

The Kindle edition of your book requires a unique ISBN that is unrelated to your paperback. 

Select "CreateSpace ISBN" if you would like us to assign an ISBN for your Kindle Book or select "I have my own eBook ISBN" if you would like to enter your own ISBN. 

CreateSpace ISBN 

Submitted on 2013-01-17 21:39

After I'd submitted my reaction to the mock-up, I went to the CreateSpace web site and asked to be called by a member of the design team. I wanted to make sure my comments were clear. I received a phone call almost immediately. It was Kelsy again, and she was very open to my suggestions and we discussed a few other points, which she promised to pass on to the designers.

That's where things stand to date. I'm looking forward to seeing the next iteration of the interior, and hopefully, a cover design concept within the next 7 days. I'll let you know how it goes.

Self-Publishing my Novel

I have embarked upon a journey of discovery; another one. I wrote previously about publishing on Amazon.com's Kindle Direct Publishing platform. I discovered that, with some effort, it could be done. And it's fine for those satisfied to see their work represented only in the electronic ether. For those for whom a book in the hand is worth more than a potentially infinite number in digital space, self-publishing is becoming the preferred alternative to endless rejections from the brick and mortar world of harried agents and risk averse publishers.

In self-publishing, one may work almost entirely on their own to create his/her book, or use one of many services to do so. I've chosen to use CreateSpace, the publishing engine of Amazon. Although there are other Do It Yourself (DIY) publishing engines, Lulu, for example, I found CreateSpace to be the most intuitively straightforward, with their step-by-step process. In addition, even for those competent enough for an all-in DIY effort, help is available. As an added benefit, the CreateSpace team will make my physical book available on Amazon.com alongside its Kindle cousin. A very detailed rundown on the CreateSpace process can be found here.

I chose CreateSpace's Total Design Freedom Standard package ($728) because I want help formatting and designing the interior of my novel, The Lion and the Sun. I read a great deal, and I know how important the right choice of typeface is, both to facilitate reading and to convey the theme of the story. Whereas your romance novel might look terrific in Emanuela, the same font would look silly in your hard-boiled, noire crime novel.

For the Total Design Freedom Standard process, I submit my manuscript as a Microsoft Word file, with the manuscript written in Times New Roman 12 pt. font. My CreateSpace project team will design the book interior using a font that they feel reflects the genre and general tenor of my novel. I filled out a questionnaire on the CreateSpace web site that provided my input on this.

I had my first consultation with a member of my design team today. Seven days from now I'll be sent a mock-up of the interior of my novel to review and approve. I'll also be sent a cover design. I was given ample opportunity to provide my ideas for the cover (see above), and will have two rounds of review before coming to a decision. After the mock-up and cover concept are settled, it will take the team 10 days to fully format the novel, and I should receive a physical copy of the book 15 days after mock-ups have been approved. After that, I have one more chance to provide feedback.

I'll document my experience using the CreateSpace service here, just in case anyone is interested in self-publishing and would be interested.

From The Lion and the Sun

From Chapter 6 of The Lion and the Sun

Conte waited for Kaitlyn on the platform at Heiligenstadt Wednesday morning, his arms wrapped around his shoulders to ward off the chill. He and Kaitlyn had arranged to visit the ancient monastery of Klosterneuburg in the Wienerwald. It was Kaitlyn’s idea to combine work with a pleasant outing. Unfortunately, the weather was chilly, overcast, and threatening rain. It matched his mood perfectly.

Conte thought about his meeting with Harold Wiggham the next day. He went over in his mind how much he would tell Wiggham about the missing Plutonium Pit. Certainly the US should continue to monitor the situation, as Conte wasn’t convinced that Balakirev was telling him the truth.

Conte also thought through yet again the prospects of recruiting Balakirev. The effort and cost involved in doing so would be worth it if he came over; Balakirev had a wealth of information about KGB tradecraft and details on the Russians’ transition of their intelligence services. Conte was fairly sure that the Russian also knew where some of the really scary skeletons were hidden in US intelligence closets. America was still losing agents; some right out of training. On the other hand, Balakirev continued to strike Conte as a dedicated and conscientious servant of Mother Russia. And he had a wife in Moscow that would have to be extracted along with Balakirev. What would it take to turn him?

Finally, Conte’s mind, or more accurately, his imagination returned to Kaitlyn. He was conflicted between professionalism and sexual longing; or was that all it was?

The rumble of the U-Bahn woke Conte from his reverie. He spotted Kaitlyn and watched her brisk, purposeful walk along the platform towards him. She was wearing a tan trench coat, closed at the waist with a belt, and she carried a huge handbag. Her heels clicked on the concrete. A smile formed on her lips as she approached. She looked gorgeous. Conte smiled back at her.

She walked right up to Conte and leaned forward to kiss him. He turned his head and kissed her on the cheek and again on the other cheek. Very European, but rather perfunctory.

“Hey,” she said, “You’re supposed to act like we’re lovers going on a holiday.”  

“Oh yeah? Who says? Maybe we’re just friends, or brother and sister.”

“Ha! With my peachy complexion and blond hair and your swarthy, Latin looks? Who’d believe it? Let’s get our cover story straight, Nathan.”

“Nathan?”

“The first of your kind we Brits hanged.”

The Schnelbahn pulled into the station with a whoosh, the doors slid open, and Conte and Kaitlyn boarded. Given the early hour and the lousy weather, it wasn’t surprising to find they had the car to themselves.

The train moved away from the station and Kaitlyn scooted over against Conte. “I’m cold,” she said with a shiver.

Conte offered to give her his scarf. She refused it. “You can put your arm around me, though.”

Conte slid his arm around her shoulder and she scrunched up closer. Looked up at him. “What’s your problem?”

“I don’t have a problem.”

“Well, you aren’t acting very friendly.”

“I’m just a bit preoccupied, Kaitlyn. I need to get to the bottom of things and I need your help doing it.”

“Okay. That’s my job.” She sat back from him. “You want to go over things now? Maybe if we get through this before we arrive at the monastery we can have a nice walk in the Vienna woods, look around the monastery, and eat a nice lunch at the Stiftkeller. A glass of wine might make you less grumpy.”

Conte’s head was killing him. Probably a result of the gluwein Anatoly bought the previous night. He wasn’t sure he wanted more wine. “Um hmm,” he mumbled.

“So how did your meeting go?” Kaitlyn asked.

“I’m not sure. Balakirev is playing both ends against the middle, but he doesn’t see it that way. I have a hard time believing he’d knowingly help supply Iran with the wherewithal to develop nuclear weapons, but the information given me by my people points to someone doing just that.”

Kaitlyn turned and looked out the window. “Balakirev’s been meeting with Demitri Protopopov on a fairly regular basis. Protopopov’s division is responsible for the Middle East. He’s been working out modifications to the safeguards agreement with Iran. Balakirev may be trying to influence that somehow.”

The IAEA’s safeguards regime was burdened by a Kafkaesque system of political agreements, regulations, endlessly negotiated inspection plans that limited what portions of a facility IAEA inspectors could view, and other bureaucratic red tape that belied the Agency’s message of “assurance” against diversion of nuclear material for weapons purposes.

“Well, Russia is practically frothing at the mouth over getting the contract to finish Bushehr. Maybe Anatoly is just trying to figure out what inspections are going to be permitted under the new facility attachment.”

Kaitlyn just murmured “Hmm.” Conte looked over at her. She turned to him, sensing his scrutiny. “Dan, our intelligence service has information that Balakirev’s company, AET, is funneling nuclear weapons equipment to Iran and believes that Balakirev is involved.”

“We know about AET, but our people don’t think Anatoly knows what’s going on. And I know something about the top guy at AET. He’s a former scientist who headed up one of Russia’s premier weapons labs and he’s got a good rep with us. We’re puzzled about the AET connection.”

The train slid into the Nordbruck station. Doors opened. A blast of cold air hit their feet. No one got on the car.

“Kaitlyn, do you think you can find out what Balakirev really knows about AET’s play in this thing? Are they supplying weapons components to Iran? Is Balakirev the go between? How are they doing it? They’ve gotta be using a front company. Who is it?”

Conte knew what the CIA had concluded, but he wanted independent corroboration. Kaitlyn was in a position to get it for him.

Kaitlyn looked at her hands. Conte could imagine what she was thinking. She was acting as Balakirev’s secretary. How was she supposed to pump him for information on such sensitive matters? She looked up at Conte. “Okay, Daniel. I’ll see what I can find out.”

Conte looked at her. She had beautiful eyes. He thought he could read the look there, but he didn’t want to acknowledge it then. He wanted to say ‘don’t take any chances,’ or ‘don’t put yourself at risk,’ or ‘forget it, don’t do what I just asked you to do,’ but he didn’t say anything. He told himself, She’s a professional; she can handle it.

#

The train pulled into Wiedling; the last stop before Klosterneuburg. A couple with two young children boarded the train and took seats at the far end of the car. The woman had her little girl by the hand and carried a string bag. One of those great European inventions that scrunches up into nothing, but expands to hold an entire picnic. Conte could see bread, cheese, apples. It was a good bet there was a bottle of wine somewhere.

The man carried his little boy aboard, bounced him in the crook of his arm, pointing out the window, watching the boys face. The woman smiled at her husband and down at her excited daughter. Kaitlyn watched them, a gentle smile on her face. The doors slid shut and the train moved down the track towards Klosterneuburg.

They were passing through open country, the Wienerwald to the left, the tall trees snaking upwards in neat rows, and the Danube to the right, its grey waters reflecting the overcast sky.

Kaitlyn was looking out the window. “This reminds me of the town where I grew up.”

“Where was that?”

“Fairford, in the Cotswold. Northwest of London. It’s just a tiny village. You wouldn’t have heard of it.”

“I’ve heard that the Cotswold is a beautiful area.”

“Yes.”

“Still have family there?”

“Me mum. And my uncle Pete and his family.”

“What about your dad?”

“Dead and gone.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“Happened a long time ago. I was just a kid. But I remember him.” Kaitlyn paused, and then as if to herself she continued, “His feel, his smell, the sound of his voice; husky like.” She looked at Conte. “I felt happy when I was with him.”

“I’m sorry, Kate. What happened to him?”

“Killed in Belfast. He was Special Air Service, CRW. Went in on some black op. We never found out what. Only that something went wrong.”

“It’s a rotten business that way.”

The Special Air Service was the Brits principal special forces organization. It was one of the most elite military organizations in the world. And the Counter-Revolutionary Warfare unit, the CRW, pulled some of the most dangerous, most secretive, and in some cases, most controversial assignments of any military or intelligence organization.

“How did your mom handle your dad’s death; must have been awfully hard on her?”

“She was amazing. Sat me and my sis down and told us things would be okay. We’d make it. We’d work together, the three of us.” She paused. Looked at her hands. “Didn’t happen that way, though.”

“What happened?”

Kaitlyn dropped her head and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “My little sister took it hard. Got into drugs. Caused ma all kinds of grief. Then OD’d. Pete came by the house to tell mum. I can still see the look on her face.”

“Jesus, Katy.” Conte touched her shoulder.

“Yeah. My fault really. Should’ve paid her more attention. But she was into grunge and punk and all that shite and I was…” Kate did the quotation mark sign with her fingers. “…the good daughter. Truth is, my sister embarrassed me. So there it is.”

Conte wished he hadn’t been so nosy. “Kate, even when both parents are there to raise a child, things go wrong. Kids get it in their mind that they aren’t loved, or they’re different, or they’re just sad, and they do stupid things. You can’t blame yourself.”

“Yeah, well…” Tears had pooled in her eyes. She looked out the window. Let the phrase hang. “But my uncle was a saint. He helped us out. Helped me out. Got me into university. Found a spot for me after graduation in the firm. After that I made my own way.”

Conte studied Kaitlyn. “Remember that CT workshop we participated in years ago?

Kaitlyn smiled. “Counterterrorism? Yes. I had a bit of a crush on you.”

“Really?”

“It didn’t last,” Kaitlyn added, smiling.

#

The train pulled in to Klosterneuburg and Conte and Kaitlyn followed the family out and down the platform to the bus stop. The bus took only a few minutes to get up the hill and drop them at the Abby.

The dual towers of the abbey were in silhouette against a bank of high clouds; lit golden on top but dark, almost black underneath. Conte squinted up at the clouds. A vine of lighting snaked out and down towards the undulating vineyards.

They walked into a heaving wind past the Abby and on to the grotto and up behind it deeper into the woods. The beech trees were swaying and moaning as the last of their leaves were ripped from them. Wind-blown, the yellow and brown leaves skittered across and down the path in front of Conte and Kaitlyn.

The path branched back down towards the village and up again into the woods. There was a low rock wall along the side of the path. Beyond it, the woods climbed into darkness.

Conte climbed up. Kaitlyn followed him. The way was steep and as they turned into the woods towards a rock outcropping, Conte reached back to help Kaitlyn. Holding onto his hand tightly, she came up into his arms. Conte pulled her close and kissed her hard on the mouth.

Conte pushed Kaitlyn back against the rock outcropping. He undid her trench coat and reached inside pulling her hips against his.

“Yes,” she told him. “Yes.”

She had her hands around the back of his head. Now she moved them down and Conte felt her unzipping her slacks. Conte began working at his, but she took his hand and pushed it inside her slacks. He moved his hand down the smooth flesh of her stomach, down the mound, into the silken hair and then the wetness between her legs.

Conte heard Kaitlyn say things and felt her breath on his cheek, but everything was a blur. He stepped back and looked into her eyes. She remained with her back against the outcropping, foot braced against the rock, her white flesh exposed. Her eyes seemed more green than blue. Cat eyes. Her mouth was open.

Conte knelt in front of her, took her hips in his hands. Her hands found the back of his head. Her voice seemed far away. “Oh god, Danny.”

Conte rose to his feet and pressed against her. He felt her hand in his jeans, then she had his sex in her hand, and he was so hard it hurt as she guided him into her.

#

They leaned into each other waiting for their hearts to stop ramming against their chests. They heard talking. Two older women rounded the bend below them and walked on by, using their walking sticks and yakking in unison. Conte and Kaitlyn stood very quietly, pressed against each other.

Kaitlyn whispered in his ear. “If those alte frau had looked up and seen your bare behind. That cute, tight arse of yours, they would’ve been climbing up here after you, and I’d have to fight em off.”

She pushed him away. “Now turn around and give me some privacy. I want to get dressed and be taken to lunch. I’m starving!”

They pulled on their clothes and brushed each other off as best they could. As they made their way down the path towards the monastery Kaitlyn said, “We’ll eat in the keller. It’s dark there. Maybe they won’t notice the stupefied look on my face, or see the dirt on your knees.”

Excerpt from The Lion and the Sun

Diplomats, attaches, military assistance advisory group personnel, field agents, and other government foreign workers are taught to vary their routine in order to make it more difficult for potential adversaries, especially terrorists to kill or capture them. I was trained to do this. My training was decades old. My mind was elsewhere. I left for my morning jog from the same side entrance of my Istanbul hotel every day, thinking how clever I was to sneak by the horde of street vendors.

From The Lion and the Sun, a Novel