Assassin’s Revenge–A David Slaton Novel
Chapter 33: Thirty-Three
by Larsen, WardThe chapter opens with Tarek El-Masri overseeing the unloading of three massive radioactive casks from an Antonov AN-124, the only aircraft capable of transporting such heavy cargo. The shipment arrives at Évreux-Fauville Air Base in France, where French security teams take over for the final leg to the La Hague reprocessing facility. El-Masri reflects on the perilous journey, particularly the tense crossing of Pakistan’s lawless frontier, and expresses relief that his team’s role is nearly complete. However, their return flight is delayed, adding to his exhaustion and frustration as he finalizes paperwork.
El-Masri’s physical condition deteriorates as he signs documents, suddenly collapsing before quickly recovering with Henri’s help. Despite Henri’s concern, El-Masri dismisses his fatigue as mere overwork, though privately he acknowledges his declining health. He reveals this is his final mission, timed perfectly after an 18-month plan following a terminal diagnosis. His thoughts turn to his family—a secret financial legacy, including a Bahamian account and a Red Sea villa, ensures their future. He resolves to retire soon, cherishing the little time he has left.
As Henri arranges their delayed return flight, El-Masri’s impatience and weariness surface. He sends a text to his wife, unaware it is also intercepted by a covert facility in Datong, China. The chapter hints at a larger conspiracy, as the message triggers an alert in a nondescript building housing mysterious operatives. The local community’s ignorance of the facility’s purpose underscores its secrecy, with authorities ensuring its operations remain undisturbed.
The chapter closes with tension between El-Masri’s personal stakes and the unfolding surveillance. His physical frailty contrasts with his determination to secure his family’s future, while the unknown Chinese recipients of his message suggest looming consequences. The narrative threads—El-Masri’s mortality, the radioactive shipment, and the shadowy interception—converge to foreshadow impending conflict or revelation.
FAQs
1. What logistical and security challenges are highlighted in the transportation of the radioactive materials, and why was the Antonov AN-124 specifically chosen for this task?
Answer:
The chapter emphasizes two major challenges: the extreme weight of the Type B shipping casks (each weighing as much as a main battle tank) and the need for secure protocols when handling high-level radioactive material. The Antonov AN-124 was selected because it is the only aircraft with sufficient lift capacity and deck strength to transport three such casks simultaneously. Additionally, the Russian carrier Volga-Dnepr was chosen for their expertise in handling radioactive shipments, despite Western carriers being more reputable. The logistical complexity is further underscored by the nervous journey across Pakistan’s lawless frontier and the meticulous paperwork required for chain-of-possession documentation.2. Analyze the significance of El-Masri’s physical collapse and his subsequent reflections. What do these details reveal about his character and circumstances?
Answer:
El-Masri’s sudden fainting episode and his dismissal of it as mere fatigue hint at a deeper, undisclosed health condition—later confirmed by his internal monologue about his terminal diagnosis. His reflections reveal a man grappling with mortality: he expresses rare optimism about completing his final mission, contemplates his lack of piety (“the relevance of piousness seemed more clear at the end”), and focuses on securing his family’s future (e.g., Bahamian accounts, a Swiss university for his son). These details paint him as a pragmatic yet vulnerable figure, driven by urgency to leave a legacy before his time runs out.3. How does the chapter foreshadow future conflicts or revelations through the intercepted text message and the mysterious building in Datong, China?
Answer:
The interception of El-Masri’s text message—diverted to an unassuming building in Datong—introduces an element of surveillance and impending conflict. The building’s secrecy (with rumors of national-level protection and non-local workers) suggests a covert operation, possibly tied to intelligence or cyber-espionage. The delayed delivery of the message to China implies international stakes, hinting that El-Masri’s actions are being monitored by a foreign entity. This foreshadows a potential confrontation or exposure of his clandestine activities, especially given his mention of future scrutiny (“every page would be scrutinized by intelligence agencies”).4. Evaluate the ethical implications of El-Masri’s actions in securing his family’s future. Is his behavior justified given his circumstances?
Answer:
El-Masri’s actions—diverting funds, arranging hidden assets, and likely bypassing legal protocols—raise ethical questions about the means versus the ends. While his terminal illness and desire to provide for his family evoke sympathy, his secrecy and potential involvement in illicit activities (e.g., the nervous Pakistan border crossing) complicate the morality. The chapter subtly critiques his justification by contrasting his personal gains with the broader consequences (e.g., future investigations). This invites readers to weigh whether desperation absolves unethical behavior or if it merely underscores the fragility of his “guaranteed future.”5. Compare the roles of Henri and El-Masri in this chapter. How do their interactions highlight themes of authority, trust, and vulnerability?
Answer:
Henri serves as a subordinate who embodies concern and diligence—fetching water, rearranging flights, and urging El-Masri to rest—while El-Masri projects authority but reveals vulnerability (e.g., hiding his illness, snapping at Henri’s help). Their dynamic underscores themes of trust (Henri’s loyalty versus El-Masri’s secrecy) and the fragility of authority when personal weakness intrudes. Henri’s attentiveness contrasts with El-Masri’s isolation, emphasizing how leadership can mask desperation. The chapter suggests that true power lies not in control but in the ability to acknowledge dependence, a lesson El-Masri struggles to accept.
Quotes
1. “Truth be told, there was also a more basic logistical reason for choosing the AN-124: it was the only airplane on earth with enough lift capacity and deck strength to haul three Type B shipping casks, each of which weighed as much as a main battle tank.”
This quote highlights the extraordinary scale and secrecy of El-Masri’s operation, emphasizing the unique capabilities required to transport such dangerous cargo. It sets the tone for the high-stakes nature of the chapter’s events.
2. “Now God had granted him just enough time to see it through. God. It occurred to El-Masri that he hadn’t prayed in days. He’d never been particularly devout, yet time was running short to make amends.”
This introspective moment reveals El-Masri’s terminal illness and his sudden confrontation with mortality and spirituality. It provides crucial insight into his motivations and state of mind as he completes his final mission.
3. “The last funds would soon be transferred and put in his wife’s name—even if she knew nothing about it. The Bahamian account, the villa on the Red Sea coast. He had even arranged acceptance into a good Swiss university for his son. A future guaranteed.”
This quote exposes El-Masri’s secretive financial arrangements and his desperate attempt to secure his family’s future before his death. It suggests the illicit nature of his activities while humanizing his character through his familial concerns.
4. “In time, he knew every page would be scrutinized. An internal investigation to be sure, and probably less familiar faces from the outside. Police forces, intelligence agencies. But that would all take time. And time, for El-Masri, was in perilously short supply.”
This passage reveals El-Masri’s awareness that his actions will eventually be discovered, but his terminal condition makes him indifferent to the consequences. It creates dramatic tension about the impending exposure of his scheme.
5. “What El-Masri could not know was that his message, via a bit of cyber trickery, had also been directed to a second receiving number… An alert chimed on a computer in the basement of a blasé building in Datong, China.”
This pivotal moment introduces the surveillance operation tracking El-Masri, dramatically shifting the chapter’s perspective and revealing that his secret activities are already compromised. It sets up future conflict and investigation.