“Yes, it is. We’ve watched it for weeks.”

“Why did you select this particular base?”

“Call it payback for the Trail of Tears.” Kicks Iron replied.

“If you are successful, it will be obvious to all Americans that if the military cannot protect itself, it is powerless to protect the people. Only then will they respond ideologically and demand abandonment of the policies that led to a strike against their country. Only then will they realize that bullying the world, refusing even to restrain Israel’s apartheid, guarantees more hatred of America and even worse terrorism later. The kernels of misdirection are these: Two ‘Afghans’ must accompany your attack team.”

“There are no Musket members of Afghan ancestry,” Carl said. “That will be a problem.”

“I did not mean to imply that they must be Afghans, only that the government believe they are. And, they must be casualties of Milk Truck. They must be seized and forced to assist you. Beyrouti has a device which he believes will make any man completely cooperative. He will instruct you in its use as part of your exercises in the countryside. It will be necessary for them to be brought onto the base by a high-ranking officer whose authority will not be questioned. They will not leave the base of course and will not survive to inform your government officials of the ruse. The bomb must be detonated in an area distant enough from the gate and downwind of it to ensure that the guards at the gate will not be casualties and will later report the presence of Afghans on the team.”

“Brilliant! A la Milk Truck.” Christof said. Kicks Iron nodded, no longer oblivious to the import of Fahad’s misdirection strategy.

“You say Afghanistan will be the scapegoat. Do you mean al Qaeda in Afghanistan, or the country?” Carl asked.

“It is my wish that your government will ask themselves the same question!” Fahad smiled. “I have another meeting I must attend. “Carl, would you accompany me? Kicks Iron and Christof, I will leave the two of you in the astute care of a great military strategist. Beyrouti will work with you from this point. He has pondered the Milk Truck operation in great detail. Will you excuse me? Carl will rejoin you for the meal tonight. Then tomorrow, all of you must relocate to the Amran Hills north of here for training. Nahud will also accompany you there. Eric and Tiffany will remain with me. Remember that only the three of you should be privy to the details of the misdirection strategy.”

After circling the table, bowing, and shaking every hand, he left with Carl.

“We must now focus our attention upon a discussion of the actual strategy for Milk Truck,” Beyrouti said. “This is how I believe we should proceed . . .”

As Fahad walked along the hall with Carl in tow, he paused momentarily and another man spoke to him from within a darkened office.

“Was your first layer of misdirection successfully applied?” the man asked in a whisper.

“As planned.”

“That will do.” the shadowy figure replied.