The Armenia Caper Read Online Free PDF Page B

their information was not correct.
     
    There was an open invitation to the Russians to simply take them. What was the Armenian government going to do? What could they do? Russian agents were everywhere in Yerevan. Between the American and Russian agents Armenia had to fight for their place in the spook world. Yerevan is the traditional crossroad to the Greater Caucasus including Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iran, and Eastern Turkey. An area of historic intrigue. As quickly as these people showed up they departed. No threats. No timelines. Nothing. My deduction is they really knew nothing. It was all suspicion and conjecture.
     
    I pulled myself together then walked over to the inviting watch store in the hotel lobby. The Armenians were now creating masterpieces of their own as the factory continued to produce watches they once produced for name brand companies overseas. Now they were under their own titles and as such were selling for a fraction of the internationally known name. They were beautiful, well built, and like a siren song tempting. I just liked good watches so amused myself with the pretense I might buy one. In hindsight I should have bought. Exquisite time pieces. Another time.
     
    That night I was into the Norwegian Spratts again. Really. They were a great substitute for a meal. Okay. I am stretching it. With a bottle of Armenian wine anything was good. Even morning cereal in wine was a better option than the coagulated milk parts floating in the past dated carton .

Chapter 15
    Blank Look
    The next morning I caught up to Artem. Without violence I exhibited genuine hostility questioning how he could leave me trapped with the blond crazy and her pet goons. The real question to Artem was, how did he not know the recipient of the stones at the government offices was a double agent? He knowing all about Russia and such it made no sense he was oblivious to the situation.
     
    Artem never blinked. It seems he never does. Artem stood there and asked did I want sugar in my coffee.  I looked at him in disbelief and was immediately deflated. No way would I get into a confrontation with this guy. He just had too much control and far too many associates to deal with. Besides I had heard he was an ex international Rugby player. Those guys usually ate two or three people before noon.
     
    We sat down and I soberly asked him what the hell happened? Artem looked over and said he really did not know. Something in his DNA suggested he was telling the truth. The blank look told me somebody was working outside his circle of influence and he was as miffed as everyone else.
     
    Artem said he had been on the phone to Moscow all night trying to narrow down the story on the inside double agent. Moscow swore to him the person was not one of theirs. Right away my thoughts went to the Albanians. They were huge in facilitating the movement in human trafficking but diamonds did not seem their style. They were actually far too stupid to be playing at this level. Where and who would fence them?
     
    Artem and I racked our collective heads in the attempt to figure this thing out right away.  Nothing seemed plausible. We just had a missing Dick who seems to be an independent or perhaps handled by an Albanian mob or Bulgarian connection. The question begs was he Armenian or Russian or what?
     
    The Israelis were getting impatient. Four of them found me walking the Square and asked me to join them for a conversation. What the hell. It seemed more civil than the Blond ugly and her Gorilla’s.  Away we went. I really liked these guys. Their approach, their honesty probably covered a more sinister form of business acumen however there did not seem any danger for me.
     
    They agreed they were duped by the inside recipient. Two previous encounters went like clockwork. This, being a much larger investment was far too attractive considering nobody could really follow any trails over the product. Government people were highly embarrassed and really could