other-side-of-deception-victor-ostrovsky

ealize how bad things are in your mind until a moment like this."Okay, I can live with that." I now wanted to put a lid on myhigh. "So what is it we're getting into this time?" I could feel myselfgrinning."You'll volunteer to work for a foreign country.""Work?""Intelligence. You will volunteer as an ex- mossa ad officer. You'lloffer to work for them, tell them how we do things, structure personnel,and so on.""You mean sell out, become a traitor." I found saying the wordhard."Yes, that's exactly what you'll do.""Who for?" I raised my hand as if to say, Let me guess. He didn'tsay a word. "Okay, who could it be? The NSC? No, they wouldn'tdeal with me. CIA? I don't think so. Must be FBI; for sure it's the FBI.I could be valuable to them regarding the A1 department.""No. You're going to have a chat with the KGB." He got up andfaced the large window. The glass was wet; it hadn't stopped rainingfor the last twenty-four hours.I was stunned. It hit me like a ton of bricks. "No, really?" I said,trying to keep my composure. I was barely able to talk.Ephraim stayed by the window, only turning his head slightly. Icould see his profile; he wasn't smiling. "I told you. The KGB, theSoviets. %'hat's so hard to understand?""I don't get it, that's what. Why would I want to do that? I mean,what makes you think they would buy me?""If you do it right, they will. Think about it. How could they turnyou down: Fresh out of the Mossad, you're an asset. With all the Arabpartners they have, they will swallow you like gravy.""What if they want me to go to Moscow or something? Theymight just work like we do.""So you go. Just remember you are doing it for the money, alwaysthink about that or they'll suspect you. You will use your real nameand your real story to back yourself up.""What if they just pump me for information and then throw meout? I mean, what will we have gained then? Think about it. I have noaccess to information anymore. What good will I be to them?""Well, you tell them you are still working.""What are you say~ng? You want me to tell them about you?""No, of course not. Tell them your story, but instead of saying youwere canned, tell them you're on probation, just so they think you stillhave a way back. Then they'll try to recruit you.""Ephraim, listen to me." I wanted to do the job if it would cripplethe Mossad, an organization that as it stood was a danger to the stateof Israel as a democratic entity. But, on the other hand, I was notgoing to walk blindly into anything anymore. If I was to be killed orlocked up forever, it would be because of something I agreed to do. "Ineed to know what it is I'm doing." I knew he was listening. "Youmust trust me, Ephraim. My life is in your hands, and you say yours isin mine, so let me in on the secret."He thought about this. I got up and headed for the washroom. Ihad to get rid of the coffee that was filling my bladder. When I cameback, Ephraim was opening a new pack of cigarettes. We lit up."Okay," he said finally, placing the smoldering match in the overflowingashtray, "Okay. We'll do it your way.""Thank you." I was watching his expression as he spoke. It wasvery possible he had anticipated that I would react this way and had astory ready that would make me feel good. If that was the case, therewas little I could do about it. but at least he would have to make uo agood story; that elevated me in my own eyes from a robot to a humanbeing, although how vulnerable remained to be seen."To be honest with you," he began-I was never happy when peoplesaid that, but I reserved judgment-"this job is not as hard as youmight think. The only obstacle is the FBI observation station overlookingthe Soviet embassy. They will photograph you and then send thephoto to reference. They will try to match your picture to their files,and if there is no match they'll file it away electronically." Heshrugged. "That's no big deal. If it were an Arab embassy, they mightsend the photos to us; I mean the people we have there would do that,nothing official of course.""So there won't be a need for a disguise or anything?""No, no, you can just go in. Don't forget, the Soviets are lookingtoo, so don't take your time casing the place; once you get there, justgo in.""Well, I'd probably do that anyway.""Good. Now to answer the question of why. I know from a friend1 have in the FBI that they've found information they gave us in thehands of the Soviets. My friend was sure the Americans gave thatinformation only to us. We were the only possible source for the Soviet~.''"A mole in the Mossad?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing; Inever believed that could be possible."Well, that's what it looks like. And if we could flush him out, thescandal would force the top brass of the Mossad to resign."