SATAN'S SPY André Le Gallo Also by André Le Gallo The Caliphate The Red Cell SATAN’S SPY Copyright © 2021 André Le Gallo Original copyright © 2014 All Rights Reserved Published in the United States of America by D Street Books a division of Mountain Lake Press Cover design by Jutta Medina This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, except for certain historical figures, is unintentional and coincidental. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote brief excerpts in a review. To Cathy, Thérèse and Craig, Elise, Brittany and Preston for your support and encouragement Contents Foreword Introduction 1. Manama, Bahrain 2. Tehran: Detention Center for Revolutionary Guard Corps 3. Tehran: Early January 1979 4. McLean, Virginia: The Present 5. Marin County, California 6. Langley, Virginia: CIA Headquarters 7. Langley: National Clandestine Service 8. Tehran: Former American Embassy Grounds, Mousavi’s Office 9. Alexandria, Virginia: Old Town 10. Langley: Office of the Director 11. Tehran: Hotel Tehran, Chamber of Commerce Breakfast 12. Washington: Four Seasons Hotel 13. Shemīrān, Iran 14. Tehran: Imam Khomeini International Airport 15. Navārān, Iran 16. Tehran: The Persian Esteghlal International 17. Tehran: Canadian Embassy 18. Langley: Director’s Office 19. Tehran: Mousavi’s Office 20. Washington: House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence 21. Tehran: Farah’s Apartment 22. South Tehran 23. Tehran: Canadian Embassy 24. Tehran: Al Quds Safe House 25. Tehran: National Computer Center 26. Tehran: Tuesday 27. Tehran: Ministry of Intelligence Compound 28. Tehran: Esteghlal Hotel 29. Washington: Tribune Building 30. Washington: White House Situation Room 31. Tehran: Ketaki Restaurant 32. Tehran: Swiss Embassy, U.S. Interests Section 33. Tehran: Al Quds Safe House 34. Tehran: Grand Bazaar 35. Tehran: Farah’s Apartment 36. Tehran: Friday-Saturday 37. Tehran: Al Quds Safe House 38. Tehran: Swiss Embassy 39. Persian Gulf: Aboard the U.S.S. Allen Dulles 40. Washington: U.S. Capitol Building 41. Tehran: President’s Office 42. Outskirts of Tehran 43. Tehran: Crossley Residence 44. Tehran: Farah’s Apartment 45. Tehran: Crossley Residence 46. Langley: Director’s Office 47. Yazd, Iran 48. Yazd: Yazdi House 49. A Street in Tehran 50. Yazdi House 51. Persian Gulf: U.S.S. Dulles 52. The Qanats 53. The White House: Oval Office 54. On the Road to Shiraz 55. Shiraz, Iran 56. Andrews Air Force Base: CIA Hangar 57. Firuzabad, Iran 58. Qashqai Camp, South of Firuzabad 59. Nayband Marine Coastal National Park, Iran 60. Manama: U.S.S. Dulles 61. Zagros Mountains, Iran 62. Zagros Mountains 63. Manama 64. Zagros Mountains 65. Persian Gulf: U.S.S. Dulles 66. Persian Gulf 67. Tehran: Mousavi’s Office 68. Persian Gulf 69. Mousavi’s Office 70. The White House: Oval Office ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ABOUT THE AUTHOR Foreword André Le Gallo’s Satan’s Spy is a refreshing break from the usual pattern in American pop culture when dealing with American espionage. We are spared the usual cartoon of bumbling incompetence or anti-Constitutional malevolence. Rather, here we get to see a CIA that, despite its fair share of human failings, is generally populated by conscientious, capable citizens. We see a fair measure of courage and intelligence, along with some lesser virtues and an occasional vice. And we see how the agency must operate in the dangerous and morally ambiguous world created by clashing personalities, policies, cultures, and politics. Le Gallo is able to do this because he has been there. A career case officer, the details of his plot are at times vaguely autobiographical, adding operational realism to the twists and turns of his story line. And what a story line! Le Gallo allows himself to paint boldly, with bright colors and a wide brush. Beginning with a terrorist attack in a Gulf Hotel and ending with a daring escape attempt at sea, Satan’s Spy more than fills its quota for adventure. There is a botched Iranian election, cyber combat, and even an exquisitely timed act of God to complicate events. But with all of its twists and turns, and even with the occasionally unexpected plot event, Satan’s Spy is anchored in reality: a dangerous Iran with aggressive ambitions and deeply felt internal dissent; a cyber menace that threatens catastrophic destruction; an American intelligence community struggling with democratic demands for transparency even while dependent on secrecy for its success. As that reality seems to shape and reshape itself daily in the Middle East, Satan’s Spy gives its reader more than a small edge in penetrating the meaning of current events. Clearly Satan’s Spy does not try to say it all, either about global crises or about espionage. But it does lift the veil a bit and that’s a service, especially since it does it in a way that both informs and entertains. —General Michael V. Hayden Former Director, National Security Agency Former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence Former Director, Central Intelligence Agency Introduction “Are you keeping Steve and Kella in your new novel?” I was asked at a book signing for my first novel The Caliphate. When I said I was, the middle-aged man who had asked the question said, “Great! That Kella is a beautiful girl!” His wife pulled on his sleeve to have him sit down and, in a stage whisper, said, “Arthur, she is only a fictional character.” With encouragement like that, I had no choice but to revive Steve and Kella for Satan’s Spy. “Write about what you know” goes an old saying, so the background tapestry for Satan’s Spy is drawn from personal experience. Intelligence operations do not exist in a vacuum, and the story provides a glimpse into some of these external factors: the friction between the CIA and the Department of
