Blood on Desert Sand

David rushed to Robinson's room on the top floor of the west wing of the Pentagon.

The room was filled with smoke. Mr. Robinson was relishing a puff of his precious Cuban collection.

-Sir this is just received from our Cairo agent. He said very exasperatedly and put the paper filled with morse code at his table.

".--. …. --- . -. .. -..- …. .- …

.-.. .- . -.. . -.. .- -

… .--. …. .. -. -..-

"

-Did you decode it? Robinson asked very impatiently.

-Yes Sir!

-Then why the hell you are showing this to me? Do you expect me to decode it?? Just shoot the message.

David gives a sorry look and said

-"Phoenix has landed at Sphinx"

- Holy Mother! Robinson exclaimed. His eyes got transfixed to the code.

He called up Martha, his secretary.

-Martha fix a meeting with Mr. President. It's Urgent.

Within a few moments, the intercom ranged. He put it on speaker.

-What?

-Sir right now Mr. President is in a meeting with Foreign Ministers of Asian and European Countries. White House informed that after the meeting you can meet him for five minutes. 

-Thanks!! He put the speaker off.

-David you are on standby. If needed I'll patch you to brief Mr. President.

He rushed to the White House.

KGB had already had the news of the meeting held at the White House under the aegis of Mr. Nixon. They already docked their nuclear-powered aircraft, Phoenix, at Sphinx and kept vigil so hard that the CIA can never even get a glimpse of it. These planes practically have infinite flying hours and can revolve around the globe continuously until the crew gets fatigued. These are the mean flying machines and no match to any fighter jet of any country. This has put the CIA in a very uneasy state. If these planes take flight, it would be disastrous to US Airforce.

But the Director of the CIA, Mr. Robinson is a very tough nut. He has successfully conducted ops of all kinds in numerous countries and had pulled out his country from situations of complete disaster. He is a true patriot and game changer also. Though the CIA has some black spots in the annals of its history, but from the current perspective overall future of the CIA is appeared to be brighter than KGB. The failure of the KGB in Bangladesh cost Sk. Mujibur Rahman's life and the overall power shifted diametrically to the opposite side. In Czechoslovakia, CIA assisted mass coup had put the KGB off its feat. On the other hand, the CIA failed in Cuba and was forced to take the middle path to save its face.

Robinson entered the White House.  

Nixon was busy in a meeting with foreign ministers of various countries. Nixon was discussing the ways and means to establish peace between the State of Israel and Egypt. He was delivering a speech on the necessity of world peace. Chinese Foreign Minister left the meeting instantly after hearing the peace lecture from Nixon.

"The devil is reciting the Scriptures". 

Robinson had to wait an hour. Nixon met with Robinson after the meeting

-Is Anything important? Nixon asked

-Sir I just got a piece of very disturbing news and came here to ask your permission 

-Be specific and quick. Time is running out.

-Sir Russia has engaged their Nuclear Fleet, Phoenix, to Egypt. They are planning something big.

-We came to know Egyptian Defence Minister is in the possession of Russian battle plan, KGB had kept the blueprint to him and it is being protected constantly. We need the plan at any cost. That plan can turn the table for us.

- But would that be possible? I knew the defence minister personally. He is a very strict and extremely adamant person. He will never buckle.

- I also know but I have a plan

-What's in your mind?

-We could use Jordona, the love of minister. She is at present struck at Italy. We must engage her to carry out this operation.

-Who is this Jordona? What are her credentials?

- She will be trustworthy. Born to an Egyptian mother and Israeli father, in the deserts of Sinai. Her mother died at her birth, followed by her father within a month. He was brutally killed by Egypt's army on suspicion of espionage.  She was brought up by a farmer's family. As time passed Jordona stepped into her youth and became the center of attraction due to her unmatched beauty. During her youth, she came close to one of the rebel guerrilla forces and got training in guerrilla warfare.

Robinson took a pause and continued

-She became the heartthrob of all the desert boys. Her unimpeachable womanhood allured them. The fame of her elegance soon spread like wildfire in the whole Arab. Soon it reached Khaleed Younous, the Defence Minister. They came close and fell in love. Younous was already married and polyandry was the usual practice in that society. They could get married but Younous's father turned south. So they could not get married. They remained as lovers. Younous gifted Jordana a farmhouse at the Nile bank. Jordona experienced bliss first time in her life. Her garden was full of roses and she took care of it personally. Gardening became her hobby.

-She came down to Rome a few days earlier for a trip for a leisure trip. Here she met with one of our agents. The agent had established a romantic relationship with Jordana. The flame of passion between Younous and Jordana had been extinguished long ago. She was tired of playing lover. She expressed her desire to be a housewife, a mother, and a homemaker.

-She wants to marry the agent and live life ever happily. Jordona kept mum about her parental information. Since her father was Israeli and there was eternal enmity between Arabs and Jews.

-Right now she is undergoing financial turmoil and my agent is helping her in secret. The agent is a chief engineer in a private firm in Rome. Israeli blood is flowing within Jordona and she is an Israeli by heart. She will not lose any chance to help Israel to win this war over the Arabs. But due to fear, she claimed herself as an Arab.

-Will she be able to take such a risk? Asked Nixon

-She won't have to take the grave risk. The road is clear. Defence minister Mr. Younous is her old lover. She just has to apply her tricks and brain to smuggle out the plan to us. That's it. Younous is still attracted to her and she has Younous trust. He may be strict and adamant in person but he has a special weakness in girls. He is a womanizer and relishes the company of girls. Recently he got involved in a scandal with an Australian girl. So I believe Jordona can easily get the job done. It is not possible for any male agent.

-OK I agree with your proposal but you should look after the safety of the girl. I don't want to spill innocent blood. Nixon leaves the room.

Jordona agreed but with the proviso that the agent will marry her and she wanted to live in Rome for the rest of her life with a petite home husband and children. The agent also agreed to the condition and the play starts.

Jordona wrote a very heart-warming letter to Younous.

Dear Love,

I can guess the danger that is lurking in my motherland and you by sitting in Rome. Being an Arab by heart how can I sit idle at this hour when my homeland is bleeding? My heart is crying out loud. I know you are under tremendous pressure. I believe if I will be on your side I can make your fatigue drive away. My earnest request is you please arrange a plane to Cairo and make arrangements for my return. I want to be by your side. Take my heart full of love.

Yours and your love blessed

Jordona

Sun had just set in the western sky in Cairo. Twilight rays were larking with darkness. Jordona stepped outside the flight with a trolley in her hand. Cairo International Airport was taken over by the army. Very detailed checking was going on. All the incoming travelers, regardless of male or female, were frisked thoroughly by completely removing clothes. One can only be allowed to go out once the army gives permission. Jordona was no exception in this process. She was also frisked in the same way. But she did not mind.

As soon as she came outside of the airport premises a young man approached her and asked her

- Are you Jordona? Coming from Rome?

-Yes! But I'm sorry, I'm not able to identify you. Who are you? Jordona replied

-I'm the private secretary of His Excellency Defence Minister Mr. Khaleed Younous. I'm being ordered to receive you from the airport and drop you at your home. Mr. Younous has given me a picture of you. That's why I could be able to identify you.

-Ohhh!! how nice. Thank you for receiving me. How is Mr. Younous? I believe he is very tired.

- Well he is good but nowadays his stress level is very. He does not get proper rest.

-Are we able to chase away those heathen Jews of Israel from our motherland?

-Until now we can recapture three villages from them. Only two villages are left. I firmly believe that it's a matter of two to three days. After that Great Egypt will come Victorious driving away those savage Israelis. And if god wishes we will invade Israel.

-Inshallah!! I'm eagerly waiting for that day. I will pray to god he will gift us the day too soon.

-Do you have any more luggage? Secretary asked.

-No just this trolley.

-Please allow me to carry the suitcase. The car is waiting at the parking. Let us go to the car.

Jordona was wearing a blue dress revealing her curves with a blue emerald hanging inside the valley between her breasts. It has created an intoxicating environment. While driving the young man kept on looking through his rearview mirror to have a glimpse of Jordona's beauty.

The car stopped outside a huge mansion Jordona relished the voyeurism of the secretary. The young man opened the car door for Jordona. She stepped outside the car, thanked him, and climbed up the stairs very fast. She knew this house. She has spent many nights with Younous in this house. Fatemah, wife of Younous is not in the house at the moment. When the war started Younous relocated her to Moscow with his 3 children as the state guests of Russia.

-Mr. Younous is still at the ministry. He has an urgent wartime meeting with the president and will probably be late. The secretary informed her and left.

Jordona expressed pseudo glumness and thanked him. She did not waste any time and went to take bath.

Younous arrived a few moments later and hugged Jordana with intense passion.

-You became very thin. Jordana said with a caress in a deep and husky voice.

-It's like a pressure cooker situation at the office. How did you spend time in Rome? Younous asked.

-Yeah it was good but it would have been better if you were by my side.

-I also wanted to go very badly. But those bloody Jews did not have any timing sense of starting a war.

-Why are you taking so much time to chase away these dogs?

-Two powerful countries are standing behind their back and helping them secretly.

-But we have Russia and China with us.

-Right. But we have been attacked unexpectedly and we weren't even prepared. But everything will be alright.

-How is Fatemah? How are your son and daughters?

-They are all good. Enjoying the Russian hospitality.

-Ok enough talking. Please go and freshen up. I have a headache, it's probably due to jet lag. I will have coffee with you.

Younous went on. Jordona started to prepare the coffee. Jordona became self-conscious as she is spying on Younous on behalf of Israel. She is now taking extra caution. She is not here as the lover of Younous but to act and accomplish the mission. Younous loves her but as a concubine, not as a lady-love. There is no dignity to this love. Initially, Jordona enjoyed this play of bodies with a male partner But slowly she realized the consequences. She will never get recognition as a respectable lady in society. That's why she fell in love with the stout figured engineer in Rome. He is a jew and originally from Israel. They have kept this affair very secret. Because if the news would have reached Younous he would become ferocious. He cannot tolerate betrayal. He becomes brutal, with absolutely no mercy no clemency.

Younous came back and started to drink coffee. They started to talk about the war. Jordona listened to each detail very minutely and began taking mental notes.

-My love can I be of any service to the nation in this very hour of distress? Suddenly Jordana asked Younous

-You? I believe it would be better if you work with me by my side instead at the front line. It will also rejuvenate me.

-I know you are feeling very helpless. Your wife is away for an indefinite period. That's why I rushed back from Rome just to be by your side. I'm just asking whether I can be of any help apart from the night.

-You had guerrilla training, Right? I can work as an assistant in the guerrilla warfare department. You'll be in my office and there will be a few very jobs of a very confidential nature which I can trust.

-Ok dear, as you wish. But I wanted to go to the front line and kill those jew maggots. She is exhilarated as got the right job but expressed desperation just to show her fake sadness.

After dinner, they went to bed Younous enjoyed with accelerated strength. Abstinence of three months has made has invigorated his flame of passion. She devoted completely her body to him.

She joined the office after 2 days. But there was no real progress for days in a row. She understood that she has to be patient. On the other side of the desert, Israeli forces are fighting with their last drop of blood to keep control over the last two villages.

A few days more went in vain. She kept on waiting eagerly for the right moment. Jordona used to keep in touch with her handler in the CIA with a morse code transmitter attached to a key ring, powered by atomic energy. CIA also maintained constant contact with her and provide her with necessary advice and instruction. Jordona's days were filled with anxiety and boredom. At night she used to warm her lovers' bed and in day time worked as a secretary. Within a few days, she had created a special place in the heart of the young officers in the Defence Secretariat. She had such an invincible sexual appeal that no one can evade. Jordona used her body to allure these officers. She used to roam around, shaking her breasts and rocking her hips just to create a sensation among the men. Sometimes she just touched her breast slightly upon someone back pretending to be absent-minded. Everyone wanted to spend time with her, wanted to have her body, and wanted to enjoy with her. They became envious of each other.

Not everyone was the same in the army. Few officers became suspicious of her activities. But could not utter a word because of Defence Minister's terror. Jordona could anticipate the hazard and decided to get rid of these elements

At night while making love she made false allegations against those officers who began suspecting her. She claimed that they did not work and kept on annoying her. Younous became fire listening to these allegations and transferred out each and everyone within just a few days.

This had made Jordona at ease and there was practically no resistance to her mission. But this initiated a bigger problem. Those officers became much more suspicious. On the other hand at the battlefront, Israel was not in a very comforting position. The Egyptian army had jumped in with renewed vigor. Both the party had experienced heavy casualties.

One day in the afternoon she was thinking if she was not able to complete the mission in time her life will be doomed. Her dream would never be fulfilled and she had to live as a mistress throughout her life. Would she ever have a family? Would she ever taste the joy of motherhood? Would she ever have her child in her lap? wanted a family. The questions moistened her eyes.

Another two days went by haplessly. Third-day fate had presented her a golden chance rather in a very unsolicited way. 

Younous went out of the office due to some exigency. He returned hurriedly after lunch and called Jordona in his cabin. Initially, Jordona became petrified in terror assuming she got caught. Soon she realized that it was procrastination and her fear was baseless.

-Jordona. Open the safe vault. Younoous handed over the keys to the vault.

Jordona opened the vault. All her nerves were trembling with excitement.

-This must be the place. The plan is here somewhere. Jordona thought

She observed that within the vault some files were kept along with a small iron safe. She understood that the plan was within the safe itself.

-open the safe with this key. Younous guided with his deep voice.

Jordona bent down and opened three of the buttons of her blouse. More than half of her bare breast became open. She wanted to weaken Younous. She opened the safe.

-What is in it? Jordona asked inquisitively.

-Fate of Egypt!

-What do you mean? Amazed Jordona asked Younous.

-Our plan of attack. Russians had prepared this.

-What would you do it now?

-I'll smuggle it out to Israelis. Don't you trust me?

-Don't say nonsense.

-You seemed to be an ideal Arabian Lady. You don't even trust me with this. Listen after 15 minutes I've to attend an urgent meeting. Commander In Chief of the Egyptian Army and some of the top brass from the Russian Army will also attend the meeting. Please be very vigilant. He kissed her deeply on the lip.

After a few moments, she observed that defence secretariat was filled with the Egyptian Army and Commander in Chief entered the office premise followed by Russians. The meeting started under closed doors and ended after nearly 2 hours. Everyone left one by one. She went to the loo and transmitted the information using the key ring.

Younous called upon Jordona in his chamber.

-Jordona please put the file and the plan in the safe and lock it. You go home. I'll be late. Don't wait for me for dinner.

-Why you'll be late? Are you going out?

-Meeting is not over yet. Still many things left to be discussed. I've to be on ready mode if the President orders.

She stepped towards the safe vault with the file and plan in her hand. The plan was drawn on a very strange paper of one square foot area. If folded it would be even smaller than a chicken egg. Very comfortably it would fit into a small bottle and smuggle out. Suddenly an idea struck her. There were a few empty bottles of vitamin pills lying here and there in the office. She hid one of the bottles instantly. She put all the files into the vault and kept the plan inside her breast. She accomplished the job very neatly and locked the safe vault. Guard came, examined, and gave the green nod. Younous put the key in the secret chamber on his desk and went to his convoy.

Jordona called a taxi and went straight home. She transmitted the signal that she owned the plan. She received the instruction on what to do next. Each moment passed with high voltage excitement.

As per the instruction she got hold of a bag and went to market. The cashier of the government co-operative store was a CIA field agent. He was originally from Canada but had spent over a generation in Egypt. Jordona's job was to hand over the plan to this cashier.

Upon reaching the store she came to know that the cashier was arrested by Army a few minutes earlier due to some unknown reason. This was a serious blow to her plan. "Drowning of the boat at the shore". She sensed danger but was unable to comprehend the future course of work. She transmitted the news but received none. Suddenly her handler went cold.

She came back home and suddenly she watched that the whole house was cordoned by an army jeep. She understood her cover was blown and she was compromised. She could not find any way out and swallowed the bottle where she hid the plan.

She could hear the sound of heavy boot marching and knocking on the door. She opened the door with a very normal face.

-Are you Miss Jordona? The Colonel asked with a commanding tone.

-Yes.

-Where is His Excellency Mr. Younous, The Defence Minister?

- He told me that he has to go to the Presidential palace after office.

-You are under arrest on the charges of espionage

-Am I a spy!!! Unbelievable, I have to even hear this after so many days of serving this nation. Jordana replied very angrily.

- Don't fool us you dirty cunt. We know everything about you. You are an Israeli. Your father was an Israeli. At Rome, you were engaged with a jew engineer who was a CIA agent. You are sent here to spy on us. We have every detail about your where about. The cashier had spilled the bin. What do think if you stay close to defence minister we would not be able to catch hold of you? Your biggest mistake was to transfer those officers out of the secretariat. And you thought your way was clear. My dear that won't happen in this life. The honorable Defence Minister was already on his way to attend a meeting at United Nations headquarters. Will he be present at this moment even if he would not be able to save you.

Jordona kept on pleading about her innocence. She cried her heart out but in vain. But she felt easy that they were not able to find out about the battle plan. She was brought to Army Head Quarter. She kept on trying to prove her innocence- even described how she has killed so many Israelis during her early life as a guerrilla commando. Nothing could move the mountain. Nobody listened to her plea. They wanted to know her objective. But Jordona only said she was innocent. Not a spy.

The officer lost his nerve, summoned the guard, and ordered him to rip her every bit of her clothes, make her bare naked. They did as ordered. Even then she did not utter a single word.

The officer shouted in desperation.

-In that case, we will send your dead body to Israel tomorrow morning. They will know the consequences of spying in this country. This is your last chance to say the truth. At least you will live

-I'm innocent. I'm not a spy. Jordona replied with all her plea.

The officer ordered the guard to put her in the barrack for the night. She would be the food for the rest of the night.

Her blood-drenched body was brought out from the barrack at dawn and loaded in a truck. A piece of paper was stitched to her body. Written to it "Least punishment for a spy". The truck moved towards the border.

It stopped near the border and her body was thrown out of the truck. Israeli troops were waiting nearby. They carried the body with full honor and loaded it in their truck. They recovered the plan inside the bottle from her stomach. Their eyes moistened. They offered their Guard of Honour to the supreme sacrifice made by Jordana.

This changed the course of war dramatically and the Israeli Force advanced very close to Suez. Egypt appealed for the cease-fire at United Nations.

Jordona is no more today. She is sleeping in peace. Even today her grave is offered fresh flowers with the first ray of sunlight.

When stars started to appear in the evening sky even today someone wept silently for her.

She is the mother of all Israelis or the Jordon river.

And the Egyptians?

They might also sigh in silence thinking their name was also entangled with Jordona.