Baghdad Green Zone, temporary headquarters of the Alliance Army.
Local Ti: 00:38.
The slight "click" sound as the encrypted phone receiver touched the base marked a temporary pause in the conversation.
The office was brightly lit, but the atmosphere was heavy.
Duke turned around to face Captain Miller, his adjutant, and Colonel Anderson, the Intelligence Chief, who had been waiting by his side.
"You all heard the general situation."
Duke regained the calm and decisiveness unique to a Battlefield Commander.
"Langley has confird that their direct action resources cannot handle the high-intensity ambush scenario we're facing. However, Director Simon has suggested an alternative approach—trying to leverage Song Heping's power."
Miller quickly processed this information, while Anderson furrowed his brows even tighter.
"Sir." Colonel Anderson spoke, his tone full of concern, "Requesting help from Song Heping? Isn't that too risky? His background is complex, and his motives can't be fully understood. We have no command or reliable control over him. Once he intervenes, the developnt of events might completely deviate from our expectations."
Duke walked to the huge tactical map table, scanning the terrain marked between Elbil and Kirkuk.
"Anderson, you're right about everything. But let's face reality! A coup is imminent, Masood may face death within hours. We are bound by approval procedures, conventional military intervention channels are nearly blocked. The CIA lacks the personnel to complete the task."
His finger heavily pointed at the location representing the ambush valley.
"Song Heping is currently the only one on the chessboard who has both the ability and motive, and whose actions are not restricted by our rules."
He looked up sharply at his two subordinates:
"This isn't 'asking for help,' Frank, this is 'utilizing,' a high-risk transaction based on urgent needs during a crisis. Song Heping needs Masood alive to maintain his chessboard; we need Masood alive to prevent regional collapse. For this specific goal, our interests temporarily align. As for risks and control..."
Duke paused, "We can't control him, but we can encourage him to help solve the problem through intelligence sharing and implied benefits. anwhile, as Director Simon pointed out, his actions provide us with a layer of 'deniability' buffer."
Miller interjected, her thoughts more focused on action implentation:
"Sir, if we decide to pursue this route, what kind of authorization do we need? What level of intelligence support should we provide?"
"I'll handle the contact personally, using my private channel, with so technical asures taken at the ti to avoid leaving any evidence, preventing us from being implicated in trouble later."
Duke had clearly made up his mind, his tone leaving no room for doubt.
"This will be defined as an informal disaster avoidance option based on on-site judgnt. No need to wait for higher-level authorization, ti doesn't allow it."
He looked at Anderson.
"I need you to be ready. Once I've reached a preliminary agreent with Song Heping, we may need to provide his action unit with limited, real-ti battlefield intelligence support, mainly monitoring images and dynamic updates of the target area. Plan the encrypted data transmission channels and ensure any such support is strictly recorded as a temporary extension of 'battlefield intelligence sharing,' aid at maintaining regional stability, with the target being 'local cooperative forces.'"
Despite having reservations, Anderson imdiately switched to execution mode as a professional officer: "Understood, Sir. I'll imdiately coordinate intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) assets to prioritize coverage of Highway One target in the Kirkuk region's hilly area, and prepare secure data stripping and forwarding protocols. I will also notify relevant air control units of possible 'non-Alliance Army aerial activity' in the area to avoid misjudgnt."
"Miller," Duke turned to the adjutant: "Prepare a temporary private encrypted satellite phone and connect Song Heping's ergency contact thod. Now."
"Yes, Sir!"
Miller imdiately walked to an independent secure communications station on one side of the office and began operating skillfully. Her fingers quickly tapped on the electromagnetic shielded keyboard, inputting a series of complex access codes and dynamic encryption keys.
Anderson also returned to his terminal, starting to deploy resources and draft necessary notification docunts.
Duke picked up another new encrypted phone dedicated to this call, checking its power and signal strength.
He took a deep breath, trying to temporarily suppress the complex interests calculations, risk assessnts, and political consequences in his mind, focusing on the upcoming negotiation.
He was facing Song Heping.
This person was a tough nut, seizing every opportunity to grab his own benefits.
Every sentence, every promise (or hint), needed to be carefully asured.
A few minutes later, Miller looked up and said in a low voice: "Sir, the technical line has been established, the highest-level encrypted handshake is complete. The other end has responded and is in standby mode. We can connect."
Duke nodded, then pressed the answer button on his phone and brought the phone receiver close to his ear.
After a brief sound of line connection noise, Song Heping's voice ca through the handset.
"Major General Duke. Calling at this hour... there's surely sothing very urgent you need to discuss with ?"
The voice was calm, seemingly casual, even slightly teasing.
Duke had neither the ti nor the patience for official verbiage.
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