DRAUMRS - Dreamweavers - Book Two

25 - Cold Turkey

In Turkey, the time was just coming up to 1:00 p.m. More or less at the stroke of the hour, simultaneous explosions rocked the country's oil and gas infrastructure. Two refineries were set on fire by a series of explosions and the main gas lines were interrupted at two compression plants.

At the gas compression plant at Sivas, the initial explosion, five hundred meters from the main offices, shook the ground like a 500lb. bomb falling right outside the door. Everyone not sitting down was knocked off their feet by the initial thud, ground upheaval and following blast wave. Thinking that there had been a technical fault, most of the employees and managers scrambled to their feet and ran out of buildings to get as far as possible from the massive compressed gas storage spheres. As they dispersed in the direction of the parking lot, they turned to see the 100-meter-high column of flame at the far end of the compound. The heat from the flame was rapidly melting any soft metal or plastic within a hundred feet in all directions. The same heat began to ignite in-line reservoir tanks and the subsidiary gas lines in the area. The continuing series of thuds and visible smaller blooms of flame climbing into the sky, was quickly interpreted as a terrorist attack still in progress.

Barak couldn't believe what was happening. He had been about to start an important call with someone, but had dropped his cellphone in the panic to clear the buildings. Now, he knew that he needed to act not just for the safety of the employees, but also for the security of the facility and its strategic gas supply. But, with no telephone, he felt helpless in summoning any help.

Many of the employees were still tearing around in complete confusion. No more than 30 seconds had passed before someone shouted: "There are gangs of terrorists inside the fences." Barak's only thought was the AK47 at the front gate. If he could get it, he might hold off the attackers long enough for the army to get here. He joined the others in scrambling for his car.

After the shouts announcing armed and deadly attackers, employees were not only running in fear of the continuing secondary explosions, they were also running in fear of being shot by the invisible enemies over-running the facility. As men were running for their cars, some were already on their cellphones. Calls to home spread the panic to the town, where stunned citizens had already stopped everything to look at the huge fireball on the horizon. At least one employee had thought to call the front gate to alert Aydogan to the horde of terrorists overrunning the facility from all sides.

Aydogan had been watching the progression of the fire since the first explosion. That this day was fucked-up met an expectation he had formed early this morning. He was surprised that it had taken so long.

With his military background helping him to remain calm, he had initially called for local emergency response, telling the fire captain to bring every man and piece of equipment they had available. Now, he called the local army base to advise them that the facility was under attack by armed terrorists, who obviously possessed multiple rocket launchers that had been deployed during the attack.

The local army brigade commander called his superiors and asked for immediate air support, including bombing and air-to-ground missile destruction of the fleeing terrorists, who must be using the main road into town to make their escape. Obviously, any car or truck moving erratically on the road towards town should be a target to ensure that none of the terrorists could threaten the town. Jets and attack helicopters were scrambled with an ETA of only a few minutes.

Upstream of Sivas on the gas pipeline, an automated leak detection system had already noticed the pressure drop at sensors closest to the plant. A computer, just doing its job, tripped an automatic cut-off valve at the nearest monitoring station. Within a few minutes there would be no fresh gas entering the line. The awesome pillar of flame in the desert, while spectacular, would be brief.

Still reeling from losing their prime minister in the early morning, the remaining Turkish government cabinet ministers were attempting to sort out what was happening in the terrorist attack and what their response should be. The military was called out in full deployment and told to seal all borders to the west as it was first assumed that separatists were responsible. Senior military leaders were called into emergency meetings in Ankara, while younger officers took charge of the field deployment of troops.

Based on rumors and hazy reports, the country was either under a full-on terrorist attack or there had simply been a few bombs go off with almost no significant loss of life. The cable news channels determined that the full-scale attack scenario made for better news, so they showed the fires and secondary explosions from as many angles as possible, while reporting every rumor and erroneous conclusion as updates to the breaking story. Each network wanted to "up-terror" the other, so field reporters filed shaky video of every whizzing truckload of soldiers, reported as a "massive engagement" of the military. Soon, second-hand rumors of roaming terrorist bands were prompting evacuation of shopping malls and lock-downs of schools and public buildings across the country.

Various actual terrorist organizations were having trouble deciding who should be taking credit. Telephone calls more or less confirmed that none of them had a hand in anything, but it was such good publicity that at least one of them should be taking credit. Finally, a virtual round of 'rock-paper-scissors' was held on a conference call, resulting in the Syria-based caliphate getting this one. Pakistan and Afghanistan-based terrorist organizations were promised the next one. A YouTube video was quickly created condemning Turkish imperialists and their stinking tobacco.

The networks reported that martial law was to be declared and that all citizens with military backgrounds were being called up. Fathers and husbands kissed loved-ones goodbye, knowing that they were heading into full-scale battle, as soon as the phone actually rang for them.

While the mass confusion over the terrorists was a useful means of deflecting uncomfortable questions about Mert Yilmaz going insane and getting himself shot to death, it was becoming a little over the top. Following a quick PR assessment of how the public might view some calming words, the prime minister was on his way to the television station to make a nationwide broadcast asking everyone to chill out a bit.

He had to admit mixed feelings on the day. Certainly, the sudden loss of Yilmaz was tragic and a great blow to the country. But, on the other hand, his turn as president was long overdue and the old-fart Yilmaz had shown no indication of planning to leave any time soon. His nationwide speech would be both consoling for a country in mourning and bravely upbeat about a future that would be brighter, with him in charge, at least temporarily. Of course, he mustn't forget to curse out the lower-than-dogs Syrian terrorists.

He had already started to make calls to consolidate his position. No reason why it shouldn't be permanent. He was lost in thought when his driver took an unexpected left turn at high speed. He tipped over in the seat and took a few moments to regain an upright position. They were moving very quickly.

"What's happening, where are we going?" The prime minister had ordered a military escort along with several carloads of plains clothes security agents. He looked back and noticed that none of the other cars had turned. Only his car was careening down the side street away from the convoy.

"Emergency situation, sir," the driver said. "I've been told to take a different route. Terrorists in the area."

"Oh, OK then. But, why did no one else come with us?"

"Not needed, sir. You are in no danger."

"Then why the fuck are you driving so fast?"

At that point, the car slammed left again, turning into a seedy-looking parking lot. It headed towards a set-back warehouse, where a curtain steel door rolled up just as they arrived. Once inside the dusty building, the PM's car was greeted by several younger members of parliament, who were backed up by armed junior military officers.

One member opened his car door.

"Welcome sir, please join us. We have been expecting you. This is your retirement party, after all.