It was Tom Walker, Rimona’s counterpart from the Agency, who answered. “Then Iran could produce enough enriched uranium to build an effective nuclear arsenal in a matter of months. They could throw the nuclear inspectors out of the country and go for nuclear breakout. And if the chain of secret facilities is well hidden and fortified, there would be almost nothing we could do to stop them.”

“Correct,” said Rimona. “But what if those centrifuges aren’t wobbly, unreliable pieces of junk like the IR-1? What if they’re similar to the P-2 models used by Pakistan? Or even better than the P-2? What if they’re European designed and calibrated to the highest standards? What if they’re manufactured under conditions where they don’t end up with bothersome impurities like dust and fingerprints?”

This time it was Adrian Carter who answered. “Then we would be staring down the barrel of a nuclear Iran in a very short period of time.”

“That’s also correct. And I’m afraid that’s exactly what’s happened. While the civilized world has been talking, dithering, delaying, and wringing its hands, the Iranians have been quietly working to achieve their long-held nuclear ambitions. They’ve engaged in the time-honored deceptive practices of khod’eh and taqiyya. They’ve bluffed, deceived, and stalled their way to the doorstep of a nuclear arsenal. And Martin Landesmann has been helping them every step of the way. He’s not just selling the Iranians the centrifuges. He’s selling them the critical pumps, valves, and vacuums that link the centrifuges into a cascade. In short, Martin Landesmann is supplying the Islamic Republic of Iran with everything it needs to build uranium-enrichment plants.”

“How?” asked Adrian Carter.

“Like this,” said Rimona.

THE NEXT MAP that appeared on the screen depicted the Eurasian landmass stretching from Western Europe to the Sea of Japan. Scattered across Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Belgium was a constellation of companies, more than a dozen industrial and technological firms, including Keppler Werk GmbH of Magdeburg. All the firms were connected by dotted lines leading to the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, headquarters of XTE Hardware and Equipment.

“And guess who owns XTE Hardware and Equipment?” asked Rimona of no one in particular.

“Global Vision Investments,” replied Adrian Carter.

“Through many fronts and subsidiaries, of course,” Rimona added with a sardonic smile. “Mr. Landesmann also has a powerful partner, a Chinese private equity firm based in Shanghai that we believe is nothing more than a front company for the Ministry of State Security.”

“The Chinese intelligence service,” murmured Steven Clark of the FBI.