The Gilgamesh Conspiracy Read Online Free

acquainted with Ali Hamsin. My Arabic’s not up to much, so it was a good idea.’
    ‘Of course; he’s very good at his job. And he also has wife and small son, and relatives, who all have the high regard for him.’ Hakim Mansour smiled up at the rear view mirror and this time spoke in Arabic. ‘We know that we can count on you, Ali Hamsin.’ He saw the fear in the young interpreter’s eyes. ‘Good. Now you begin to translate for us.’ He smiled and turned towards the American.
    ‘Although with God’s help we are confident that we will win the war against the Iranian hordes, we wish to make certain contingency plans should some catastrophe occur.’
    Ali Hamsin translated, wondering what twists and turns this conversation would take.
    ‘Are you threatening to use your stockpiles of chemical weapons?’ asked the American Colonel. ‘We know you are manufacturing mustard gas and nerve agents, and we have to warn you that their use would jeopardise our support for you.'
    Ali Hamsin was taken aback by this startling revelation, but he managed to deliver the Arabic version smoothly enough.
    ‘Oh I’m sure we will never have to use those; I expect the mere threat of their use will have a salutary effect, a powerful bargaining tool.’ He paused briefly, but before Ali Hamsin could begin to translate Mansour spoke again.
    ‘What we have in mind are other contingencies, matters that might arise if the war does not progress so well. It will be necessary to protect long term positions.’
    ‘Go on,’ said the Colonel.
    Hakim Mansour described the proposals and Ali Hamsin translated. As the conversation between the American Colonel and the Party Central Committee member progressed he found it more and more difficult to keep the emotion out of his voice. He gripped the steering wheel to stop his hands trembling and felt the sweat beading on his forehead while the more he learned the more fearful he became.
    The two men finally shook hands and Mansour ordered Ali Hamsin to drive back to the US Embassy. ‘Have a good Christmas, Colonel,’ Mansour called as the American climbed out of the car. After they had watched him display his ID card and disappear through the security gates Mansour climbed into the front seat next to Ali and offered him a cigarette.  The two of them sat in silence for a minute smoking, and then Mansour spoke. ‘If news of my meeting with the Colonel ever leaks out, you will wish you had never been born.’
    Ali swallowed nervously. ‘I understand sir,’ he managed to say.
    ‘Good! But of course these obligations pass both ways and you can expect further rewards in some form or another while you work in the Ministry.  Now you can drive me home, and then you’ll have to walk, or find a taxi back to your house.’
    ‘Thank you sir!’ Ali replied, trying to force some enthusiasm into his reply. He climbed out and watched Mansour shuffle across to the driver’s seat and then set off into the traffic. Ali stared after him for a while before walking slowly home.
     
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    ‘I worked in the ministry for the next twenty years,’ said Ali, ‘and I must admit I was well off compared with most people. I was paid on time and allowed extra privileges, but I can also state with confidence that I was good at my job. The ultimate reward was that my son Rashid was able to study English at the University of Southampton. Of course there was a downside; we spent our working lives under scrutiny and fearful of making some blunder either real or imagined that would have us thrown into prison. You cannot imagine what stress that puts you under, spending your working life under those conditions.’
    ‘Oh I don’t have to imagine it,’ Gerry replied. She leant back against the side of the raft and stared up at the sky, thinking back to her first meeting with Ali Hamsin and Hakim Mansour and her