Barry Lando: Deep Strike

“That is bullshit,” barked Kozlov. “A transfer to where?”

“To a numbered account at the Banco del Pueblo in Panama.”

“To who?”

“I have no idea. I said it was numbered.”

“You dickhead! And the second order?”

“For $100 million to the same numbered account.”

“And you, donkey’s ass, put them both through?”

“No, thank God.” Sasha’s voice was quavering. “Only one, Kotzy. Only one. I suspected there might be a problem.”

“You suspected! You motherfucker. How long ago did you request the first transfer?”

“About an hour.” Sasha mumbled. He didn’t add that he’d told Cepeda to make the transfer immediately.

“What was the fucking account number?”

“107865.”

There was a pause. “It must be Stokes, that shithead!” Kozlov exploded. There was a crash, and the line went dead.

A minute later, Sasha’s phone rang.

“What happened?”

“I threw my fucking phone at the wall,” said Kozlov. “I would have thrown you if you had been here,” His fiery tone had turned to ice. Sasha recognized the flat, metallic pitch as the voice Kozlov always took when crossed and when he contemplated vengeance.

“I’ll call immediately to cancel the transfer,” said Vasiliev, petrified. Kozlov would naturally suspect him of being part of the scam.

“Do it,” rasped Kozlov.

Two minutes later, the violinist called the president back. “The transfer went through more than an hour ago. No way to recall it.”

“Of course there isn’t, you prick,” said Kozlov.

The president’s judo trainer stared open-mouthed at Kozlov as the president ended the call, then turned and ordered the trainer out of the office. Kozlov went next door to his private bathroom to take a shower. He breathed deeply. He had to think for a few minutes, stay calm, and carefully plan his next moves. He would deal with Sasha later to find out if he was involved with Stokes or not. The violinist was his oldest friend. He had trusted him implicitly. But these days – who knew when money was concerned? Who knew what unscrupulous men would do?

Kozlov had contacted Stokes a few hours ago. He was concerned by the flurry of news reports citing Stokes’s vague references to money he said he was owed by the Russian president. Stokes had told Kozlov to ignore the stories. “Fake news, Vasily, all fake news, believe me. Believe me. Everything’s good.”

“And the hundred fifty million you still claim I owe you?” asked Kozlov, “That is fake news too?”

“Vasily, that’s a business disagreement between you and me. We are going to have a beautiful relationship, beautiful. But as far as the hundred fifty million is concerned, I’m right and you’re wrong,” Stokes chuckled, “but, like I said, that’s business. Look, I’m a great businessman – the best. I am going to get that money back one day. But the other stuff – like I said, fake news.”

Stokes was lying now, Kozlov knew it. The transfer that went through totaled one hundred and fifty million dollars, exactly the amount Stokes claimed he was owed. The second order was just Stokes seeing if he could get away with more. Kozlov had been robbed in broad daylight. Everyone said Stokes was a crook, and this was the proof.

He immediately called Major Sergei Mikhailov, the official in charge of cyber security for the presidential office. Without going into details of the fake emails that had been sent to Vasiliev, Kozlov demanded an immediate investigation. “This is an outrage. I want to know how the hell some criminal was able to send false messages that appeared to have been sent by me, the president of Russia. Get me the answer – now!”

Half an hour later, the major called back. “They didn’t hack your line, Mr. President. I can swear to that. They hacked Alexander Vasiliev’s. “There is no real security on his line. He’s not part of the presidential office. Your own security is excellent.”

“But who the fuck did it?” said Kozlov.

“I can’t be certain, but the hack bore the digital fingerprints of the U.S. cyber command.”

Those fingerprints had been purposely left by Sarah when she originally hacked into Vasiliev’s mobile. Kozlov, however, had no way of knowing that. Instead, he was trying to comprehend why the U.S. military would hack the phone of Sasha unless they’d been ordered to do so by the American president. Kozlov couldn’t believe things had progressed to the point where the American president would be able to use military hackers to steal one hundred and fifty million dollars from the Russian president. Perhaps the hacker was from the U.S. military, but worked in some freelance capacity for Stokes. But who knew? Nobody could figure out what was going on in Stokes’s America these days.

At the same time, in London, Steve received another encrypted message from General Borovik: “ Everything on track. Source in Kozlov’s office reports that the president erupted in fury after a personal phone call about an hour ago.

“Also, I have confirmation that Maya Chertkova is in the Lubyanka, likely facing a charge of treason. Believe her children and mother are also being held, but they are safe for the time being. I was questioned by the FSB on the special exit pass issued to Maya & family. The officer seemed to accept my defense: “What else was I supposed to do for an old family friend?” But we will see.

“Depending on how the next phase of your plan goes, I may have to disappear shortly.”

Meanwhile in the Kremlin, President Kozlov had decided how he would take his revenge on Stokes. He fired off a smoldering message to the American president. “Your brazen thievery is an outrage. Our business dealings are at an end. You already owe our banks more than one billion dollars. I am ordering those loans immediately cancelled, on grounds that they were based on fraud.

“Either you repay the loans immediately or we will begin proceedings in U.S. and international courts to seize your assets.”

President Stokes was completing a game of tennis on the south lawn of the White House when he received the message. He was stunned. Was this some bad joke? “I have no idea what you are talking about,” he immediately texted back.

“ Talking about the $150 million you ordered your military hackers to steal from my company and transfer to your Panamanian account.”

“Are you out of your mind?”

“Just look in your account.”

“What account?

“107865, Banco del Pueblo, Panama.”

“Not mine!”

“Bullshit! That is your bank. That is the exact sum you claim I owe. The digital fingerprints on the hack are from your military.”

“Believe me, I know nothing about it.”

“You are lying.”

“Cancelling Russian loans would destroy me,” texted Stokes. “You can’t do that.”

“Just watch.”

Panicked, Stokes lashed out on Twitter. Since he didn’t want to reveal the existence of his offshore holdings and his huge indebtedness to the Russians, he kept his message vague, but still threatening: “ Russia playing dirty games again. U.S. will react with more tough sanctions against Chiseler Kozlov unless he immediately ceases provocations. DIRTYBUSINESS! @PresStokes”

President Kozlov tweeted back in kind: “ American president is thief and liar. Russian banks immediately cancelling all outstanding loans to Stokes. GOOD RIDDANCE. @VKozlov”

And so it went:

“ Klepto Kozlov must immediately cease & desist & reverse actions. Otherwise…!!! WATCHOUT @PresStokes”