Chapter 1337
A Plea for Help from Duke
Chapter 1337 A Plea for Help from Duke
The Green Zone in Baghdad, the interim headquarters of the coalition forces.
Local time: 00:38.
The soft "click" of the encrypted phone handset hitting the base signaled a temporary end to the conversation.
The office was brightly lit, but the atmosphere was heavy.
Duke turned to face his adjutant, Captain Miller, and intelligence chief, Colonel Anderson, who had been waiting by his side.
"You've heard the general situation."
Duke regained the composure and decisiveness characteristic of a theater commander.
"The Langley side confirmed that their direct operational resources were insufficient to handle the high-intensity armed ambush scenario we were facing. However, Director Simon offered an alternative approach—to try leveraging Song Heping's capabilities."
Miller quickly processed the information, while Anderson's brow furrowed even more.
“Sir,” Colonel Anderson began, his voice filled with worry, “ask Song Heping for help? Isn’t that too risky? His background is complex, and his motives are difficult to fully fathom. We don’t have command authority or reliable means of control over him. Once he gets involved, the situation could deviate completely from our expectations.”
Duke walked to the huge tactical map stand and glanced at the terrain marked between Erbil and Kirkuk.
“Anderson, you’re right. But let’s face it! A coup is imminent, and Massoud could face death in a few hours. We’re tied by approval processes, and conventional channels for military intervention are almost completely blocked. The CIA doesn’t have enough manpower to complete the mission.”
His finger pressed heavily on the spot representing the ambush valley.
"Song Heping is currently the only person on the chessboard who has both the ability and the motivation, and whose actions are not restricted by our rules and regulations."
He looked up at his two subordinates, his eyes sharp:
“This isn’t a ‘plea for help,’ Frank; it’s ‘exploitation,’ a high-risk deal based on urgent needs in a crisis. Song Heping needs Massoud alive to protect his chessboard; we need Massoud alive to prevent regional collapse. On this specific objective, our interests temporarily overlap. As for risks and control…”
Duke paused for a moment, then said, “We can’t control him, but we can get him to help us solve problems through intelligence sharing and hints of benefits. At the same time, as Director Simon pointed out, having him act also provides us with a layer of ‘denial’ buffer.”
Miller interjected at this point, her thinking leaning more towards implementation:
"Sir, if we decide to take this path, what kind of authorization do we need? What level of intelligence support do we require?"
"I will make the contact myself, using my private channel. I will take some technical measures to avoid leaving any evidence and prevent us from getting involved in any trouble later."
Duke has clearly made his decision, and his tone leaves no room for argument.
"This will be defined as an informal disaster-avoidance option determined on-site. There's no need to wait for higher-level authorization; time doesn't allow it."
He looked at Anderson.
“I need you to be prepared that once I reach a preliminary agreement with Song Heping, we may need to provide his operational units with limited, real-time battlefield intelligence support, mainly surveillance footage and dynamic updates of the target area. Plan encrypted data transmission channels and ensure that any such support is strictly documented as a temporary extension of ‘theater intelligence sharing’ aimed at maintaining regional stability and targeting ‘local cooperative forces’.”
Although Anderson still had reservations, as a professional officer, he immediately suppressed his doubts and switched to execution mode: "Understood, sir. I will immediately coordinate intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) assets, prioritizing coverage of the hilly area targeting Highway 1 in the Kirkuk region, and prepare secure data stripping and forwarding protocols. At the same time, I will report any potential 'non-coalition air activity' in the area to the relevant air traffic control units to avoid misjudgment."
“Miller,” Duke turned to his adjutant, “prepare a temporary private encrypted satellite phone and connect Song Heping to emergency contact. Now.”
"Yes, sir!"
Miller immediately walked to a separate secure communications console on one side of the office and began operating it skillfully. Her fingers rapidly tapped on the electromagnetically shielded keyboard, entering a series of complex access codes and dynamic encryption keys.
Anderson returned to his terminal and began allocating resources and drafting necessary notification documents.
Duke picked up another brand-new, encrypted phone specifically designed for this call and checked its power and signal strength.
He took a deep breath, trying to temporarily suppress the jumble of calculations of interests, risk assessments, and political consequences in his mind, and focus on the negotiations that were about to begin.
He was facing Song Heping.
This man is a difficult fellow who will seize every opportunity to take what is rightfully his.
Every word, every promise (or hint), needs to be carefully considered.
A few minutes later, Miller looked up and whispered, "Sir, the technical connection is established, and the highest level of encrypted handshake is complete. The other party's terminal has responded and is in a ready-to-answer state. The call can be connected."
Duke nodded, then pressed the answer button on his phone and held the earpiece close to his ear.
After a brief period of static, Song Heping's voice came through the microphone.
"Major General Duke. Calling at this hour... you must have something very important to discuss with me?"
His voice was steady, seemingly casual, and even slightly sarcastic.
Duke has neither the time nor the inclination for roundabout official rhetoric.
Every second that passes could mean the end of Masoud's window of opportunity for survival.
"Mr. Song, I apologize for disturbing you so late at night. The situation is urgent, so I'll get to the point."
Duke spoke slightly faster than usual.
"We have received reliable intelligence that General Salahuddin Barzani plans to launch a coup against Chairman Massoud Barzani today. The specific method is to plan an ambush disguised as an 'Abuyu Brigade rebel attack' in the hilly valley area about 20 kilometers from Kirkuk on Highway 1 while Massoud is on his way to inspect Kirkuk. The intention is to eliminate Massoud in the chaos and frame the Abuyu Brigade, using this as a pretext to launch a full-scale war and seize power."
He paused for half a second, allowing the other party to digest this bombshell information, while simultaneously organizing the next wave of more specific "evidence" to enhance persuasiveness.
"The ambush was planned by Barzani's confidant, Rashid. They deployed a special operations team equipped with Russian-made Kornet anti-tank missiles. Massoud's convoy was expected to depart from Erbil at 10:00 AM local time and enter the ambush zone around 2:00 PM. At the same time, Barzani's troops in Erbil began unusual troop movements and seized control of key communication nodes. We believe that Chairman Massoud may have been cut off from the outside world and is effectively under house arrest, with external communications being monitored or blocked."
There was a brief silence on the other end of the phone.
Duke could almost picture Song Heping sitting in front of his laptop screen in a hotel room in Baghdad's Green Zone, his eyes scanning maps, troop deployments, and networks of relationships, his brain like a high-performance computer assessing the authenticity, motives, and potential impact of the information.
About five seconds later, Song Heping's voice rang out again, still calm, but with a hint of inquiry:
"Major General Duke, thank you for providing this...intriguing information. However, allow me to be direct: why tell me this? The U.S. military possesses formidable intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, as well as rapid reaction forces, in northern Iligo. Theoretically, you are better positioned than I am to directly intervene in dealing with this internal threat."
coming.
The expected rhetorical question went straight to the heart of the matter.
Duke had already prepared an answer, one that had to be truthful enough to be believable, while not revealing all of the U.S.'s predicament and calculations.
"Because the political and legal risks of direct military intervention have exceeded the threshold that we can currently bear, Mr. Song."
Duke chose a frank but polished expression.
"Without a clear request from the central government of Iligo and authorization from our highest levels, the US military's proactive intervention in the internal power struggle among leaders in the Kold'd region would be considered a serious violation of sovereignty. This would provide countries such as Persia, Turkey, and Russia with pretexts to attack us, and would also trigger an uncontrollable political storm domestically. We are trapped behind procedures and red lines."
He slowed his speech slightly, steer the conversation toward a potential point of convergence of interests between the two sides.
"However, Chairman Massoud's survival is crucial to maintaining stability in northern Iligo, particularly in the Kirkuk region. If he is killed and Barzani comes to power, a full-scale conflict is inevitable, and the fighting is likely to spread, disrupting oil field production. This would provide an opportunity for the remnants of the 1515 extremist group, ultimately undermining the security and stability of all parties with legitimate interests in the region. This naturally includes the negotiations you are currently conducting with Samir and Abuyu. After all, Massoud is a moderate and easier to deal with than Barzani."
There was another brief silence, this time a little longer.
“So…” Song Heping finally spoke, his tone devoid of emotion, “Your proposal is for me to intervene, to stop this assassination, and to save Massoud.” “It’s a cooperation proposal, Mr. Song.”
Duke emphasized, “You have the capability to do it. The Abuyu Brigade and your elite mercenary battalion are currently deployed near Kirkuk, and they are not subject to the political constraints we face. More importantly, as I said, Massoud’s survival is in your interest. If Barzani succeeds, he will not recognize any agreement with Abuyu and will only launch a full-scale attack on the Abuyu Brigade, which will disrupt your plans there and will not benefit you.”
"An interesting chain of logic."
There seemed to be a hint of playfulness in Song Heping's voice.
"Let me explain—the Americans have intelligence about the coup, but they're tied up and unable to act, so they approached me, an 'independent contractor,' hoping I would carry out this high-risk mission. If successful, regional stability will be maintained, and your interests will be protected; if it fails, or causes even greater chaos, the responsibility will fall on an 'uncontrolled third party.' And what I get in return is... a verbal statement about 'it's in my interest.'"
I'm coming!
Duke thought to himself.
This is addressing the core issue when discussing risks.
Behind this, of course, is the desire to seek personal gain!
As expected of a mercenary leader, he wouldn't get up early for nothing.
“This is not just a verbal statement, Mr. Song.”
Duke responded quickly, deciding to offer some more tangible "sweeteners":
"If this crisis can be resolved with Chairman Massoud unharmed and the coup thwarted, then it is obvious that Chairman Massoud himself and the forces within the Kold'd regional government that still support him will be extremely grateful to the party that offered assistance. This gratitude, in certain future arrangements... may translate into a very pragmatic attitude."
He paused, then added more, but remained cautious in his wording:
"From a longer-term perspective, a stable and predictable Kold's region aligns with the long-term aspirations of both of us. For those partners who have made key contributions to maintaining such stability, the United States will naturally be more willing to listen to their concerns and seek constructive ways of interaction without compromising core principles when formulating and implementing relevant regional policies."
It's just another bureaucratic monologue!
Song Heping sneered inwardly.
Verbal promises, empty promises.
Anyone can do that!
“A constructive approach to interaction…that’s very diplomatic, General.”
Song Heping's tone carried a hint of contempt.
"But I'm dealing with bullets and missiles on the battlefield, and I need precise, minute-by-minute operational orders and reliable intelligence support, not future policy inclinations. If I'm going to move my men to that valley, facing Barzani's well-prepared ambush and risking the loss of elite members, I need to ensure that my operation has a chance of success, and not just send them to their deaths or make them the scapegoats for a bigger mess."
"what do you need?"
Duke immediately pressed for more information.
After all, Song Heping's words were a positive sign, indicating that at least the possibility of action was being considered.
"First, real-time and accurate intelligence support."
Song Heping's demands were clear and specific.
“I need U.S. theater-level intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) assets, including at least one synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite or a Global Hawk-class high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) unmanned aerial vehicle, to continuously monitor Highway 1 from Erbil to Kirkuk, especially that valley area. I need real-time footage, the precise location, speed, and estimated time of arrival (ETA) of Massoud's convoy. I need to know the exact coordinates of Barzani's ambush team, how many men they have, and what weapons they are equipped with. This data must be shared in real-time with my designated command node via a secure, low-latency data link.”
Duke's rapid assessment.
Providing tactical-level real-time ISR support is a significant step beyond a simple verbal request, signifying that the U.S. military will be substantially involved in operations.
However, compared to directly deploying troops, this is still a gray area, and it is technically feasible.
He glanced at Anderson, who was quickly checking the status of available assets, and gave Duke a "coordination is possible" gesture.
“It can be arranged,” Duke replied in a deep voice. “We will establish a temporary, encrypted data-sharing channel. But after the operation is over, the channel will be shut down immediately, and all data records will be destroyed according to procedure.”
“Second,” Song Heping continued, “I need freedom of action and a tacit understanding of how to handle the aftermath. My team entering the area may engage in firefights with Barzani’s men. If the operation succeeds and Massoud is rescued, Barzani himself may be captured or wounded. How to deal with him must be determined by the on-site commander based on the situation. I need to ensure that by dealing with a coup plotter, we will not be accused by some parties of ‘violating Kold’s internal affairs’ or ‘using excessive force’ afterward.”
This is a more sensitive issue.
Duke pondered for a few seconds: “Our core objective is to prevent the assassination and protect Chairman Massoud’s life. In the process of achieving this objective, any unavoidable firefights would fall under the category of self-defense or protecting VIPs. As for General Barzani… if he was indeed involved in the coup plot and resisted during the operation, his fate should first be determined by the laws and procedures of the Kold’s own people. Our focus is on avoiding large-scale conflict and maintaining regional stability.”
This response cleverly avoided a direct commitment, but implied that the US would not blame Song Heping's side for specific tactical actions afterward, especially if Barzani was "dealt with on the spot."
This is actually close to the boundary of what Director Simon called "flexible handling".
“Third,” Song Heping said firmly, “regarding future ‘constructive interaction,’ I need a more concrete signal. I don’t need a written agreement, but I need you, Major General Duke, to play a ‘constructive’ role in the upcoming negotiations on the Kirkuk situation, especially the status of the Abuyu Brigade and the reorganization of the Samir forces, not just empty words, with your personal reputation and position as a guarantee.”
This is the real price.
Song Heping directly linked this one-off rescue operation to his long-term strategic plan in northern Iligo.
He demanded that the United States provide covert support in key subsequent political maneuvering.
Duke felt the pressure.
This commitment is more specific than any before, and it relates to the future direction of policy.
But he also knew that if Massoud were really killed and Kold was plunged into civil war, the loss of American interests there would far outweigh the risks of making some vague promises.
“I understand your concerns, Mr. Song.”
Duke carefully chose his words: “I can assure you that my personal interests, and those of the U.S. military command I represent in Iligo, are at the core of our interest in maintaining security and stability in northern Iligo, particularly in the Kolde district. Any framework for a solution that is conducive to this goal will be taken seriously and supported with due care. Your interests are aligned with our goal of promoting lasting stability.”
This remains a statement full of diplomatic language but with a clear intention.
The line fell silent again.
The silence lasted for nearly ten seconds.
“Very good.” Finally, Song Heping’s voice came again. In those two simple words, it seemed that some important decision had been made. “Then, based on our shared concern for regional stability and the ‘constructive’ attitude you just expressed, I will take action.”
Duke felt a slight relaxation on his shoulders.
"What do you need me to do?" Duke asked immediately.
"Activate your intelligence support immediately. I need real-time satellite or drone footage of that valley area within five minutes. My operator will immediately send you the data link port information, including the data link encryption protocol and receiving frequency, and then we'll connect with your personnel."
Song Heping's instructions were clear and swift, instantly switching from negotiator to operations commander: "At the same time, keep this voice line open; I need to be able to communicate with you at any time."
"Understood. My people will coordinate immediately."
Duke looked at Anderson and Miller, who had already begun their intense work.
“Now, General Duke,” Song Heping’s voice came through the radio waves, calm yet with an undeniable determination, “to ensure the operation goes smoothly, I will personally go to Kirkuk, so please keep the lines open.”
After saying that, Song Heping hung up the phone.
Second update, 10,000 words completed.
(End of this chapter)