Novel (Airplane Madness)
“Airplane Madness” is a novel from the “Future File” series.
- How can a metal plane go crazy?
- Who is responsible for what hit the plane?
- Do you think… Will Nour and his team succeed in solving this mysterious puzzle?
Read all the exciting and fascinating details…and join Nour and his team in solving the mystery.
1_ Sudden madness. .
Silence fell over the spectators, as they watched with interest what was going on on the stage of the newest opera house, while the voices of the actors rose powerfully as they performed their greatest roles in this wonderful play, which has been presented for ten years with unparalleled success.
As soon as the curtain came down on the first act, the applause of the audience rose warmly and with admiration. Captain Nour turned to Salwa sitting next to him and said:
– What a wonderful play!! I’ve been wanting to watch it for a long time.
Salwa smiled and said:
– It is strange that an intelligence officer like you has this artistic sense.
Ramzi, who was sitting next to Nour, laughed and said:
– This is because your knowledge about psychiatry is weak, my dear (Salwa)… I personally do not see anything surprising in this.. Isn’t the scientific intelligence officer human like us?
Nour leaned to Ramzi’s ear and whispered:
– It seems that your knowledge about scientific intelligence is also weak, my dear (Ramzi). You speak as if you want everyone to know that I am an officer in scientific intelligence!
Ramzi felt ashamed, so he said in a whisper:
– It seems I forgot that. I apologize, Commander.
Here Mahmoud said, trying to change the direction of the conversation:
It is strange, my friends, that scientific development has included all fields of art except theatre, as it has remained the same since its inception.
Nour raised his finger and said:
– Who said this? If you followed the history of theater since ancient times, you would find that scientific development is constantly serving it. The construction of theater in ancient times depended on special methods that helped spread sound, such as the Roman circular theater that resembled a trumpet.
With the invention of audio devices such as loudspeakers, this construction became unnecessary, and sound became easy to reach in all directions.
With the development of lighting methods, lighting effects also began to be used, and this is considered one of the clear points of scientific development in the field of theatre.
In our time, you find that holographic lighting has become an important component of theater decor, and it has also been possible to create what is now called (theatrical tricks) through it, whereas this was not possible until the end of the twentieth century.
– It is true that science has not changed the style of theatrical performance itself; Because this is the core of theatre, but as you can see, it has developed many methods that help it.
Everyone smiled when Nour finished speaking, and Mahmoud said:
– You are very knowledgeable, Commander. You must be sitting in front of the cultural computer a lot.
Nour answered with a smile:
– I have loved theater since my childhood, and I have been…
One of those interested in the system interrupted him, leaning over his ear and whispering:
– There is a gentleman waiting for you outside. He says he is coming from the office.
Nour thanked the man, then turned to his companions and said as he was about to get up:
– Guys, it seems that I will not find enough time to watch this wonderful play.
Everyone looked at him anxiously, and he said as he left:
– If I do not return before the end of the last semester, please meet me at my house.
Everyone nodded their heads in agreement, without any of them saying a word. Salwa followed Nour with her gaze until he left the stage, then she turned to Ramzi and said:
-I think we should prepare for a new journey, guys.
When Nour arrived at the entrance to the theater, he found his colleague Captain Samir waiting for him, who greeted him cheerfully and pointed to his car, saying:
– I will lend you my rocket car, my dear Nour… You previously told me that you would like to try it… Come on, I will wait for you until you make a complete revolution.
Then he winked his eye and said:
– I made a few modifications to the launcher, an additional blue button.
Nour got into the car in silence, then drove it at a moderate speed to the deserts of City, and soon the silence in those still deserts enveloped him… so he stopped the car quietly, and looked at the launching device…
Next to the traditional yellow button was an additional blue button that Nour pressed without hesitation. An intermittent buzzing was emitted, and the speedometer began to light up with a faint blue light. Then its signs disappeared, and in its place appeared the face of the Supreme Commander of Scientific Intelligence.
Nour sat up in his seat and gave the military salute with great interest. The Supreme Commander smiled and said:
Hello Captain, you must be feeling upset because we interrupted your viewing of this wonderful play, and I know that you love theatre.
Nour smiled lightly and said:
– The play can wait, sir, but the security of the country cannot tolerate that.
The Commander-in-Chief’s smile widened as he said:
– That’s why I prefer to rely on you in particular, Captain.
Then his features took on seriousness as he said:
– Tell me, Captain, what information do you know about the new fighter (I-7)?
The question was surprising, so Nour was silent for a while to organize his thoughts, then he answered:
My information in this field is limited, sir. All I know is that it is a new type of combat aircraft. Tests are being conducted with the utmost secrecy in order to increase its flight speed, flight time, and armament. But I know nothing about the details of that.
The Supreme Commander shook his head carefully as he followed Nour, then said after listening to everything he said:
– This plane is the latest product produced by the brain of our scientists, Captain, and it is a nuclear fighter. Its speed has reached seven times the speed of sound, or what is scientifically called (Mach-7), and it can fly for sixty continuous hours without the need to refuel, and with this Speed can also simply penetrate the atmosphere; To fight laser-armed satellites.
This plane is equipped with two M-ray cannons, in addition to four gamma missiles. It performs skillful and sharp military maneuvers using only the computer, and without the need for a pilot. Then it rises vertically like helicopters.
The Supreme Commander was silent for a while to swallow his saliva, and Nour respected this silence, and began to think about this dangerous information that the Supreme Commander had told him, and he wondered to himself what prompted the Supreme Commander to tell him all this information, and his question did not take long, as the Supreme Commander continued to say:
– At dawn this day, the first test of the fighter (I-7) took place. It was scheduled to take off at its maximum speed to orbit around the globe at a high altitude, maneuver and destroy some structural targets.
Then, penetrating the atmosphere, destroying one of the test satellites, and returning again to the launch base in the Western Desert, west of the city of Beni Suef.
The plane’s itinerary has been carefully drawn up, as it always passes over friendly or neutral countries, after obtaining the approval of these countries, of course.
The Supreme Commander became silent again, leaving Nour eager to know the results of this experiment, then he continued:
– But what happened was that the plane, after leaving the launch base, suddenly took a different path, and when officials were unable to control it using automatic control, it was decided to destroy it with the backup bomber. Because this path would have pushed it into the airspace of one of our hostile countries, but….
The Supreme Commander shook his head sadly before continuing:
The plane was supposed to explode as soon as the reserve detonator was pressed, but what happened was that instead of exploding, the plane went crazy and returned to launching its missiles at the base.
– Despite the extreme surprise, the defense system succeeded in destroying the fighter, before inflicting heavy losses on the base.
Nour’s face expressed extreme astonishment as he listened to these amazing details, and his mind began to work quickly… How could a plane go crazy? What prompted her to do this strange behavior? His questions were interrupted by the voice of the Supreme Commander, who said:
– We believe that this strange event has something to do with scientific espionage. Scientific espionage methods have advanced, to the point that it is difficult for a person to imagine these methods. Generally, you will travel tomorrow at dawn with your team to the aviation research base called (The Eagles’ Den)…
– I will grant you full powers to investigate this incident, and to take all measures that you deem necessary. I place the confidence of the entire nation in you, Captain.
Then he smiled and said:
-I am confident that you are worthy of it.
The message ended, so Nour pressed the blue button again, then pressed the yellow button, and drove off back to the Opera House. Captain Samir smiled when the car stopped in front of the Opera House, and said to Nour as he was leaving:
– Do you like my car, my dear friend?
Nour smiled and said:
– Yes, especially that extra blue button, it gives it great potential.
Samir said as he sat in front of the steering wheel:
– It’s evolution, my friend.
Then he drove off, waving his hand in greeting to Nour, who headed into the opera and took his seat next to Salwa, while the actors were performing the final scenes of the last act.
Salwa turned to him and whispered in a worried voice:
– Is there anything new, Commander?
Nour smiled and said:
– Of course, I hope your bags are packed. We have a new flight ahead of us early in the morning.
An almost smile appeared on Salwa’s face, as she leaned back in her seat and said:
Our bags are always prepared, as long as we are accompanied by Captain Nour.
★★★
2_ At the Eagles Center…
While Nour’s missile car was traveling at its maximum speed, across the suspended road linking the cities of Lower Egypt and the cities of Upper Egypt, Salwa said:
– In the past, this trip took at least two hours, as my father told me, but now, with the invention of these rocket cars, it takes less than half an hour.
Mahmoud said with a smile:
Scientific development is very rapid, my dear Salwa.
Nour smiled and said as he veered his car right onto a side road crossing the Western Desert:
– We will soon pass through the Bahariya Oasis, guys, to reach (The Eagles’ Den)… Get ready.
After about ten minutes, the car stopped in front of a huge gate. Everyone got out of the car, when a security officer approached them. Nour gave him their cards. The man gave the military salute to Nour, saying with respect:
– Welcome to the Aviation Research Base. Please allow me to take personal verification procedures.
Nour nodded his head affirmatively as he entered a small room. He stopped quietly in the middle of it, and a purple strip of light crossed Nour’s body at great speed, then lit up a green panel in front of his face. Then he smiled as he left the room. Personal verification methods always impressed him.
He watched (Salwa) enter the room, while one of the security men was inserting the team members’ cards sequentially into a small cylindrical device. Moments later, the car was crossing the gate to the aviation research base.
Nour got out of the car and shook hands with the man who was waiting for them, saying:
– Captain Nour from Scientific Intelligence… I think I am in front of Dr. Shawqi Abdel Hafez, right?
Dr. Shawqi, the director of the base, smiled and said:
– Exactly, Captain, we were waiting for you. Are these young men members of your team?
Nour introduced his team members to Dr. Shawqi, who received them warmly, and said as he led them inside:
– The Supreme Commander told me that he would send me the strongest team affiliated with the administration. It is true that you are young, but I trust the Supreme Commander… and as long as he says that you are an excellent team, then you must be so.
Salwa smiled at this compliment. It was the first time that an official received them without a look of doubt in his eyes about their ability to complete the mission successfully.
Everyone moved behind Dr. (Shawqi) into the main building, and after a few moments they were sitting in the director’s room… After exchanging some expressions of courtesy, (Nour) said while leaning on his seat:
Sir, you must have conducted a comprehensive and accurate investigation into this strange incident.
Dr. Shawqi shook his head sadly and said:
– This is true, but… Unfortunately, we did not achieve anything at all. If we had not had to destroy the fighter (I-7), we might have been able to examine its programs to find out who was responsible for this deliberate sabotage.
The team members exchanged glances, then Nour said:
– Do you mean, sir, that there is more than one scientist who develops flight programs for the fighter?
Dr. Shawqi said, shrugging his shoulders:
– Of course, and do you think that one scientist can develop such complex programs? Five of Egypt’s greatest scientists in calculators and computers developed the fighter programs (I-7).
Mahmoud asked with interest:
– Is it not possible to infer the identity of the person responsible for this transformation? I mean, who could manipulate his program so that the plane takes this strange path?
Dr. Shawqi pursed his lips and said:
We asked ourselves the same question, young man, and the answer was that any man who knows computer language can do that.
The question was clear in Nour’s eyes. Therefore, the doctor completed his answer by saying:
The computer program, Captain, consists of several complex mathematical equations, but one step of it is enough for the plane to destroy itself when it receives a special signal from the base.
– This step is a command directed to the computer to go to step number (X), for example. If you had changed this step so that the computer went to number (Y), for example, the plane would have taken a different action when it received the signal.
– This procedure is the information contained in step (r)… Even if this information was specific to combat, the aircraft, upon receiving the signal for self-destruct, would be diverted to combat instead.
Nour was silent for a while, then he said quietly:
– This means, in short, that replacing one equation in the computer program is enough for the plane to behave this crazy way.
Dr. Shawqi said, raising his index finger:
– Exactly, and this also applies to the plane taking a different path immediately after taking off.
Nour said, furrowing his eyebrows in thought:
This also means that any of the five scholars could have changed this step at the last minute.
Dr. Shawqi also furrowed his eyebrows and said:
– But what is strange is that these five scholars were chosen very carefully, and it is not logically acceptable for one of them to be a traitor.
Mahmoud said as he looked at his companions with interest:
– Couldn’t this have been done via remote control, for example? There are some types of rays, such as infrared rays, that can carry operating orders to the computer.. This may explain the plane’s insanity after it took off from the base, and not before that, I mean after it became within reach of the rays.
Salwa turned to him and said:
– I do not agree with you on this theory, my dear (Mahmoud). To use remote automatic control, you need to add a special infrared receiver to the plane, and this is of course more difficult than changing the equation.. but I think……
Then she was silent, as if hesitating to express her opinion, and Nour said, urging her:
– What do you think, Salwa?
Salwa hesitated a little before saying:
– Well, I think it is easier to develop a program that is contrary to what is expected. I mean for a scientist to develop a program that is contrary to what he should establish.
Dr. Shawqi smiled and said:
– This is impossible, miss. All programs are reviewed minutes before the fighter is launched.
Ramzi, who had been silent since the beginning of this conversation, cleared his throat and said:
Is it not possible that one of these scholars is one of those who reject the principle of war? I mean that he deliberately changed the equation, so as not to bring a weapon of destruction into existence.
Dr. Shawqi raised his eyebrows in astonishment and said:
– If so, why did he accept to work on this project from the beginning?
Qal (Ramzi):
– To find sufficient opportunity to spoil the project… If he had refused the work from the beginning, Al-Qaeda would have sought help from another scientist… But when he accepts the work pretending to be convinced, his chance to spoil the work will be better.
Dr. Shawqi leaned against his desk, held his chin in his hand, and said:
– Did you know, young man – despite the strangeness of your theory, that you have brought to my mind the name of one of these five scientists? He is Dr. Adel Attia.
He is a world expert in computer language, and at the same time he is a quiet young man who hates violence and destruction.
Then he raised his head and said:
– You have laid out all the possibilities, ignoring an important and strange possibility.
Everyone turned to him with interest, so he continued saying:
– You ignored the possibility that the plane might actually go crazy.
Everyone stared at him in astonishment, and Nour asked him:
– What do you mean by this strange possibility, sir?
Dr. Shawqi leaned back in his seat and said:
– It seems that they did not tell you in the Scientific Intelligence Directorate, Captain, that the control devices of the fighter plane (I-7) are equipped for the first time with living biological cells… and that it is possible for them to be afflicted with… madness, like humans.
★★★
3_ The five scholars. . .
Everyone was sitting in the room allocated for them at the base, when Salwa said:
– This is the most amazing thing I have ever heard in my life…a plane equipped with living biological cells?
Nour said as he turned to her:
I read research in this field about one month ago, in one of the scientific journals specialized in medical engineering.
Ramzi interrupted him by saying:
I also read this research, but I did not imagine that this would be implemented in our current era.
Experiments on this subject are old, dating back to the year one thousand nine hundred and eighty-four, and they are not living cells in the strict sense, but they are the same biochemical materials that transmit orders to and from cells.
The Japanese made progress in this field in the late twentieth century, but we preceded them with the scientific renaissance that Egypt witnessed at the beginning of the twenty-first century.
Adding biological cells to the fighter does not mean that it will become a living machine in the understandable sense, but rather that it will benefit from the speed of response of living cells, which is thousands of times faster than electrical cells.
Nour turned to him and asked him carefully:
– Do you mean that a plane cannot go crazy, as Dr. Shawky told us?
Ramzi answered confidently:
– This is impossible, of course; Madness is not just an organic change in the functions of living cells. It is true that this forms part of it, but this is in addition to some other psychological and moral factors.
If these living cells had been infected with some microbes, for example, this would have led to their weak reception and response, not to their madness. The specialists in the Scientific Intelligence Department must know this well, otherwise they would not have neglected to tell you about it.
Nour smiled and said:
– This is true, they do not neglect even the smallest details, no matter how trivial they may seem.
Then he nodded a little, and said again while looking at (Ramzi):
– You will accompany me, my dear (Ramzi), on my tour to meet the five scientists, while (Mahmoud) and (Salwa) visit the launch center and the control room, and we will all meet in this room after the end of our tours, to discuss what we have achieved.
Moments after this conversation, in front of Dr. Adel Attia’s room, Nour turned to Ramzy and said:
– Pay close attention, my dear (Ramzi), to every word and every movement. I want from you a comprehensive report on the psychological rhythm of each of the five scientists after the end of this tour.
Ramzi nodded his head in the affirmative, while Nour knocked on the room’s door.
A quiet voice came from inside, inviting them to enter.
The two entered the room quietly. Dr. Adel Attia was sitting in front of a modern computer. He greeted them with a gentle smile and invited them to sit before he introduced them.
(Ramzi) looked at Dr. (Adel) intently. He was a quiet young man wearing glasses, with a white face, and handsome features. The area of hair covering his head had shrunk, giving him a dignified appearance, tall, with calm tones. (Nour) said, introducing himself to Dr. (Adel). ):
– Captain (Nour) from the Scientific Intelligence Department, and this is my companion, Dr. (Ramzi), a doctor specializing in medicine……..
Dr. Adel interrupted him angrily, saying:
-You came to investigate the fighter accident, right? I expected this kind of harassment.
Nour smiled and said:
– We won’t bother you much, sir. We just need some information about the plane’s program.
Dr. Adel pointed to the computer placed in front of him and said:
– Perhaps Dr. Ahmed Sabry could have benefited you better.. I only set the program for the itinerary, while he sets the combat program.
Nour said, interrupting him in a dry tone:
– Do not forget that the plane took a different path immediately after it took off, Dr. Adel.
Dr. Adel furrowed his eyebrows and said angrily:
– I have developed a sound program, it has been carefully reviewed, and there is no doubt about its efficiency. Perhaps the officials in the automated control room were not proficient in using their devices.
Nour said, with a smile on his face and trying to color his tone with friendliness:
– I did not come to accuse you, Doctor, but to consult you.
Dr. Adel smiled and said in a skeptical tone:
– Are you playing with me, young man?
Nour answered him in a serious tone:
-And why? I really came to consult you.. Who can help me when I search for computer programs, except a great scientist like you, Dr. Adel?
Dr. Adel smiled a sarcastic smile and said:
This hypocrisy will not help me, Captain, as I am only one of five scientists who are good at dealing with computers in this base.
Nour said, feeling upset about wasting time in these conversations:
– Well, I will ask you a direct question. Do you think it is easy to tamper with a computer program after it is installed?
Dr. Adel furrowed his eyebrows in thought, while complete silence prevailed in the room until he said:
– Yes, I think this is possible, by adding one extra equation to the program, or deleting another equation.
Then he leaned over the computer, pressed several buttons and said:
– I will tell you exactly the equation that can be deleted, so the plane’s path changes completely.
Nour interrupted him, pointing with his hand in denial:
– I do not want to know the equation, sir, and knowing it will not help me, but I ask if that is possible.
Dr. Adel straightened his seat and said while taking off his glasses:
The answer is yes, Captain, it is very possible.
Nour said as he was about to get up:
One last question: Do you really hate wars and destruction as I heard?
Dr. Adel put his glasses on his eyes again, and answered while looking at Nour:
– Yes, Captain, that is true.
Nour came back and asked him:
– Why then did you agree to work on the project to invent a destructive aircraft?
Dr. Adel smiled and said:
A malicious question, Captain, but the answer is very simple. If we had not built these highly destructive fighters, young man, our homeland would have become a target for the occupiers. Imagine two men, each carrying a laser pistol, standing face to face.
– Do you think either of them would risk trying to fire a gun at the other?
– Impossible, but if you removed one of them’s gun, or replaced the other’s weapon with a stronger weapon, he would have the idea of destroying his rival..
This is how the world is, my friend. The best way to spread peace in it is to make all countries strong, and thus each of them is afraid of igniting war with the other.
Nour smiled and said before leaving the room:
– Wonderful logic, world. I wish everyone believed in it.
As soon as Nour and Ramzy left Dr. Adel’s room, Nour turned to his companion and asked him:
– What is your opinion ?
Ramzi answered after a while of thinking:
– Like most scientists, he likes to work alone, and he is very confident in his work, and does not like others to interfere in it… He is intelligent, of course, but his hatred of wars is not as clear as I imagined before meeting him.
Nour asked him:
– And this opinion that he told us about the balance of power in the world and its relationship to peace… Couldn’t this have prompted him to change the plane’s course?
If it had continued this path that it had taken, it would have reached the countries most hostile to us. This achieves the balance of power that Dr. Adel Attiya believes in.
Ramzi shook his head and said:
– This is possible, but why would he push the plane to fight Al-Qaeda, if he hates destruction as he claims?
Nour furrowed his eyebrows and said:
– That is, if he really hated him.
Then he turned to (Ramzi) and said:
– Well, we will now go to visit Dr. Safwat Obaid, perhaps we will reach something new.
After several minutes, in Dr. Safwat’s room, who received them with some distress, Nour said:
– We came here to consult you about what happened to the fighter jet (T-7), Dr. Safwat.
Dr. Safwat turned his head away and said with clear distress:
– To consult me or to interrogate me, Captain?
Nour ignored Dr. Safwat’s statement and said:
– How do you explain what happened to the plane, sir?
Silence fell over the small room, while Ramzi looked intently at Dr. Safwat. He was large, had a bald head, and had thick eyebrows. He was constantly fiddling with the buttons of the computer placed in front of him, and after a long period of silence he answered:
– I think someone changed the fighter program, Captain.
Nour asked him:
– Who do you think did this? I mean, who can change the program?
Dr. Safwat smiled sarcastically as he said:
– This is your mission. How can I answer this question?
It was clear that he was completely refusing to cooperate, so Nour asked him one last question before leaving:
– What programs do you put in place, Dr. Safwat?
Dr. Safwat answered him, without turning to him:
– The main collection program, Captain, which connects the rest of the programs to each other.
Nour and Ramzi left the room feeling upset, and Nour asked his companion about his opinion of Dr. Safwat, and he replied:
– He is an arrogant man. He hates dealing with those who he believes are less intelligent than him, and he feels that he is more important than everyone else. Because it sets the main program that connects all their programs.
Nour said while thinking deeply:
– This makes him the most capable of changing programs… Ok, let’s do our next round.
The next tour was in the room of Dr. (Omar Abdullah), a man in his forties, with a red face, sharp looks, and a harsh voice. He received them coldly, then he engaged in complex equations with the computer, and after a period of silence, (Nour) asked him:
– What program are you setting, Dr. Omar?
Dr. Omar answered him without looking up from the computer:
– Space program, young man. Nour raised his eyebrows in astonishment and said:
– I thought this followed the fighter’s itinerary.
Dr. Omar smiled and said without leaving work:
This is because your scientific information is incomplete, young man. Flying in space is completely different from flying above the surface of the Earth. If this fighter had taken off at a speed of Mach 7 in outer space, it would have found itself fighting on the surface of Mars or Neptune.
Speed increases more than twenty times in outer space due to the almost disappearance of resistance.
Nour exchanged a look with Ramzi, then said:
– What do you think about what happened to plane (I-7), Dr. Omar?
Dr. Omar left the computer and turned to Nour and said:
– I don’t have any information, young man, and I don’t have a clear idea yet.
Nour asked him:
– Is it possible for someone to replace one of the program equations?
Dr. Omar returned to his work and said in a dry tone:
– Possibly, I can’t say for sure.
Nour and Ramzy left the room immediately after this statement, and Ramzy said while they were outside:
– He is a simple man. Despite this dry manner, he is not the type who would commit such an act. This is my initial analysis, of course.
Nour smiled and said:
– As long as each of us agrees with each other, I will completely exclude him from the list of suspects. Let’s go, we still have two men in front of us.
The fourth meeting was with Dr. Ahmed Sabry, a young man of relatively short stature, with short, curly hair and a well-groomed beard. He welcomed them warmly and answered their questions simply, and Nour asked him:
– I learned from Dr. (Adel Attia) that you are preparing the combat program for the plane (E-7), so what do you think about what happened to it?
Dr. Ahmed pursed his lips and said:
– interesting !! It is not easy to explain, although I believe that someone has changed the computer program.
Nour thanked him and left the place, and outside, Ramzi said:
– This man is not easy. His style reminds me of the softness of a snake.
Nour asked him:
– Do you think he is the type of person who would undertake such work?
Ramzi shrugged his shoulders and said:
– I do not rule this out at all.
Nour shook his head and said:
– Well, there is only one left in front of us, Dr. (Fawzi Atallah)… and he is the oldest of them.
Minutes later, they were sitting with Dr. Fawzi, who received them calmly. He was a simple man in his sixties, speaking simply and calmly in the world, and advanced age had given him sobriety and wisdom. Nour asked him about his opinion of what happened, and he answered simply:
– I cannot be sure of the reason, my son, and I do not think it will be simple or clear. This incident reminds me of the beginning of my work in the computer. I used to stay working on a program for a long time, and I thought that my steps were moving in the right direction, and suddenly it became clear to me that the first equation in The program is wrong.. That’s why I used to not move to a step before making sure of the previous step.
The meeting was simple and calm. It restored calm to Ramzi and Nour, and they left the place in high spirits. Before Ramzi spoke, Nour pointed to him with a smile, and said:
– Don’t tell me anything, I’ve decided to exclude him from the list of suspects
★★★
4_ Surprise of vital cells. . .
Salwa said as she headed with Mahmoud to the launch center:
– Do you think we will find anything interesting at the launch center, Mahmoud?
Mahmoud answered her with a smile:
– God knows best, do not rush things.
The security man stopped them for a few moments, then allowed them to enter the center. After verifying their identity, Salwa looked at the devices spread out and the men who were working on them diligently and energetically. Then she said to Mahmoud:
– I think we should go to the person responsible for launching the plane. He is the only man who matters to us here.
Mahmoud answered her while looking around with interest:
– I think we will gain some time, if each of us does something.. I will go to the automated control room, since all work there depends on the uses of rays of all kinds, and this is my field, of course..
– As for you, you should investigate here at the launch center. I see that all the devices around us operate electronically, and you are an expert in communications and tracking, and this…..
Salwa interrupted him, saying:
– Well, go to the control room.. I will prove to you that I am more efficient than men.
Mahmoud laughed and said as he left the place:
– Great, my dear colleague!! I mean, my dear colleague.
Salwa muttered a few angry words until Mahmoud left the launch center, so she went to the closest men next to her and asked him:
– Excuse me, can you tell me who is responsible for launching the fighter (T-7)?
The man looked at her silently, then asked her:
-Are you one of the team investigating this strange accident?
Salwa furrowed her eyebrows. The news was spreading quickly in this center of the Eagles’ Den, but she nodded in the affirmative. He smiled and said:
– welcome .
Then he pointed to a tall man, standing in front of a small screen with a large number of buttons, and said:
– This man is responsible for launching the fighter (T-7). His name is (Hamdy Abdel Fattah).
Salwa thanked the man and headed to Hamdi, but she heard the man’s voice muttering behind her:
– They send a team of girls to investigate the accident! ..What a farce!!
Salwa wished she could go back and slap him in the face, but she suppressed her anger and went to Hamdi, who greeted her with disdain and said:
– Yes, my girl. I am responsible for launching the fighter (I-7). Do you ask for my autograph?
Salwa made a tremendous effort to control her nerves. She ignored Hamdi’s words and asked him:
– Was the release normal? I mean, haven’t you ever met anything strange?
Hamdi smiled sarcastically and said:
– Very normal. The launch angle was 40, the frequency of the devices was 612 cycles per minute, and the electronic rhythm was 16 microtons/second. Do you understand something, my girl?
Salwa stared at him coldly, and said defiantly:
– You are wrong, you arrogant one. The launch angle here is zero, because the plane (I-7) rises vertically. Then the frequency of the devices cannot rise in this case to more than 318 cycles per minute, otherwise the fighter will be unable to receive the automatic control signals.
– Also, the electronic rhythm of this fighter is about 90 microtons/second. Do you understand why?
Hamdi stood staring at her face, and every expression in his expression expressed extreme astonishment. After a period of silence, he was able to say:
– I thought you were just a policewoman, this is amazing.
Salwa ignored his statement, even if it gave her some confidence and comfort, and she asked him again:
– Was the release normal, Mr. Hamdi?
Hamdi cleared his throat and said:
– Yes, I think so.. We can say that it was almost normal.
Salwa raised her eyebrows in surprise and said:
-What do you mean you think so? Why almost? Was the release normal or not?
Hamdi hesitated a little, then said:
-At first the release was normal, then …….
Salwa said, urging him to continue:
– so what ?
Hamdi said after a period of hesitation:
Then something happened that I cannot be sure of, as if the plane was disobeying orders. I thought at first that the control room equipment had malfunctioned again, but I was surprised that this fighter had gone crazy.
Salwa shook her head in denial and said:
– Airplanes, even if they have biological cells added to them, are just machines that never go crazy.
Hamdi waved his arm and said:
– Your knowledge about vital cells is limited, girl.
Salwa smiled and said:
– Are we back again to reviewing information?
Hamdi pointed to a small red metal cube placed on the opposite table, and said:
– Well, we won’t go back to that. Pick up this red cube.
Salwa extended her hand to pick up the cube, but she was frozen and astonished appeared on her face when the cube moved away from her reach. She furrowed her eyebrows and stubbornly tried to catch the cube, which continued to move away and maneuver. Salwa finally removed her hand in despair and said in astonishment:
– This is the most amazing thing I have ever seen in my life. It looks like… like…
Hamdi smiled as he said:
– It’s like he’s alive, isn’t it? Have you seen how amazing it is? Although it is nothing more than a simple device for measuring temperature change, it is equipped with vital cells that are affected by the temperature of the human body.
– This, genius, is a simple experiment that confirms the ability of machines equipped with biological cells.
Salwa’s features were once again stubborn, as she was about to leave the place… Hamdi bid her farewell with admiration, and headed out of the place… Before she passed the door, she suddenly stopped as if she remembered something, and turned to Hamdi and asked him:
– Wait a minute, you told me that the control room machines once malfunctioned. When exactly did that happen?
Hamdi stared for a moment, then said:
– About ten hours before the fighter was launched.
As soon as she heard this answer, Salwa rushed to the automated control room, saying to herself:
– What news!! This must have a special meaning…
– I must tell Mahmoud about this immediately.
At the same time, Mahmoud was standing in front of Ismat Khaled, the engineer responsible for the control room. He was saying to Ismat:
– Do you mean that the plane refused to obey the control room orders?
Ismat shook his head and said:
– Exactly, as I previously told you, after the fighter launched, I pressed the direction button, but it did not respond to it at all. Rather, it took a different path, and when I pressed the self-destruct button, I was surprised by it returning to fight Al Qaeda. I could not believe at the time that a plane was going crazy.
Mahmoud said with a smile:
Planes don’t go crazy, Mr. Ismat.
Ismat said in a confident tone:
– Not when it is equipped with vital cells, even if you…
A quiet voice interrupted him and said:
Have your devices suffered other malfunctions, my dear Esmat, or is this a peaceful dialogue?
Mahmoud turned to the source of the sound. There was a handsome young man standing, with calm features, dark skin, tall, and smiling. He introduced himself to Mahmoud, saying:
– Engineer (Jamal Suleiman), fault expert.
Ismat laughed and said:
– Seven months in this job, and you call yourself a breakdown expert.
Jamal smiled and said:
– Seven months full of work, my friend, making a bird an eagle of prey.
Mahmoud interrupted him carefully:
Did these devices malfunction before the fighter was launched?
Jamal furrowed his eyebrows and said:
– Yes, approximately ten hours before the launch… and for an inexplicable reason.
Mahmoud turned to Ismat and asked him:
– Why didn’t you tell me that, Mr. Ismat?
Ismat avoided looking at Mahmoud’s face as he said:
– I didn’t think it was that important. Jamal fixed it right away.
Mahmoud said sharply:
Isn’t it possible that it malfunctioned during launch?
Jamal smiled and said while patting Mahmoud Mahdana on the shoulder:
– We thought about this, young man. I examined it carefully after the strange launch accident, and I can confirm that it was working efficiently during the launch test.
Mahmoud asked with interest:
– Can you determine the exact cause of the malfunction, Mr. Jamal?
Jamal furrowed his eyebrows in thought, then said after a period of silence:
– This malfunction was not natural. I mean, it could not have occurred except through external intervention. This is what I believe, of course, but I cannot be certain about anything.
Mahmoud turned to Ismat, who was pretending to be busy at work. He looked at his confused fingers. Then he turned to Jamal and asked him:
– What exactly happened on the day of the launch, Mr. Jamal?
Jamal shook his head and said:
– I cannot advise you on this matter, sir. I was working on repairing the ventilation devices for the bunkers, two hundred feet below the surface of the ground, when the fighter was tested.
But engineer Ismat can tell you everything that happened. He was here alone. You know, of course, that these modern devices do not need more than one man to operate them.
Mahmoud said while looking at Ismat with a secret glance:
– Yes, one man.
At this moment, Salwa entered and immediately went to Mahmoud and said:
– (Mahmoud), did you know that the control devices malfunctioned before the fighter was launched?
Mahmoud looked at Jamal, then they both burst out laughing.
★★★
5_ A surprise in the investigation. . .
The team members gathered in their room, exchanging the information they had obtained from their tours of the base. After each of them finished narrating what he had to say, silence fell over the room, until Nour broke it by saying:
– So our list includes a large number of suspects, three scientists and three engineers.
Ramzi said with astonishment:
-Do you consider the three engineers to be suspects?
Nour said with a mysterious smile:
– Don’t you think each of them could have done that?
Ramzi furrowed his eyebrows, trying to focus his thoughts, while Salwa said:
– The only one who could be suspected is the engineer (Ismat), according to (Mahmoud’s) account.
Nour pointed with his index finger as he said:
Mahmoud previously told us that a person can control the missile using radiation. Don’t you think that Jamal can do that while he is sitting alone in the bunkers?
Mahmoud smiled and said:
– This is impossible, Commander. These bunkers are equipped to withstand an attack with neutron bombs. Therefore, their walls prevent radiation from leaking inside, and therefore they prevent it from leaking outside. Whoever sits inside these bunkers becomes completely isolated from the outside.
Salwa laughed and said:
– This is amazing. Captain Nour made a mistake for the first time.
Nour smiled and said:
– I have not decided on the solution yet, my dear (Salwa), but I am laying out the possibilities of the situation, no matter how strange they may seem, the important thing is that they be logical.
Salwa said maliciously:
– Of course, of course. When Captain Nour puts forth a solution, it must be logical and sound.
Nour laughed and turned to Mahmoud and said:
– Have you concluded that the theory of radiation control is not possible?
Mahmoud raised his shoulders and relaxed them, then said:
– I cannot be certain that it is not possible, but this requires experimentation.
Nour shook his head in denial and said:
– This is not possible. It is impossible for me to ask Dr. (Shawqi) to take the risk of launching a new plane, before arriving at the reason for this madness that befell the first plane.
Qal (Ramzi):
– What do you think if we carried out this experiment, while exploiting the psychological factor?
Everyone turned to him with interest, and Nour asked him:
– What do you mean by exploiting the psychological factor, Ramzi?
Ramzi leaned back in his seat and said with a smile:
– I mean, launch a skeletal plane with a limited program and empty fake shells, and pretend that it too has gone crazy.
Mahmoud pursed his lips and said:
Where is the psychological factor here?
Ramzi leaned forward and said:
The psychological factor will appear when the new plane becomes falsified. The one responsible for the failure of the first experiment is the only one who will refuse to believe it completely.
– Because he is the only one who knows exactly that planes do not go crazy.
After a period of silence, Nour said:
– A wonderful idea, my dear (Ramzi)… but this requires the help of one of the computer scientists, and the approval of Dr. (Shawky).
Mahmoud said:
– I think that Dr. (Fawzi Atallah) is the best person to help us in this matter.. I do not think that Dr. (Shawqi) will refuse this.
Nour said while thinking deeply:
– It depends on our ability to convince him, perhaps if…
They were interrupted by the buzzing of the video television machine. Nour went to it and pressed a small button, and a picture of Dr. Fawzi with his calm dignity appeared on the screen. Nour smiled and said to him:
– You must be reading our thoughts, sir. We were talking about you right now.
Dr. Fawzi interrupted him, looking serious:
– We have previously discussed, Captain, about the possibility of changing one of the equations of the computer program, and I told you that this is possible, if someone has the computer knowledge and sufficient opportunity to replace the equations, right?
Nour said, his thoughts all focused on this point:
– Yes, but what prompted you to remember this dialogue now in particular?
Dr. Fawzi said calmly:
– I have now remembered the only person who was able to replace the computer program… the only person who had sufficient knowledge to simply replace the required equation, and who knew all the programs by virtue of his position.
Surprise appeared on Nour’s face as he said:
– do you mean ? ……
Dr. Fawzi interrupted him, saying:
– It is him, without a doubt, and he is the only one who could have approached the program without suspicion being directed at him, and without anyone daring to ask him what he was doing.
Nour said in a skeptical tone:
– Dr. Fawzi, did you know that you are being accused of…
Dr. Fawzi interrupted him stubbornly:
– I speak only with logic, young man, and I do not care about the personality of the accused. Yes, the only one who could have done that was the director… Dr. Shawqi Abdel Hafez.
★★★
6_ The error. . .
Dr. Shawqi jumped out of his seat, shouting:
-Are you accusing me, young man? Do you know who I am? I am Dr. Shawqi Abdel Hafez, winner of the Horus Scientific Prize and the Nobel Prize, who is admired by the highest scientific circles in the entire world…
-You come and accuse me of treason?! You accuse me of trying to destroy the base I head?! You are crazy, Captain… crazy… crazy and foolish too.
Captain Nour swallowed these insults and tried to remain calm as he said:
– My asking you about your whereabouts before the fighter was completely launched does not mean accusing you, sir, but…
Dr. Shawqi interrupted him angrily:
But what, Captain? Your tone completely implies that you are accusing me… Do you think your rank protects you here?
– Have you forgotten that I also hold the rank of Major General? Or should I remind you of that?
Nour’s tone was cold and dry as he said:
– This does not prevent you from answering my question, sir. Moreover, military ranks have absolutely nothing to do with what we are looking for, and I regret having to remind you that I only receive my orders from the Supreme Commander personally.
There was a little silence, then Dr. Shawqi said in an angry tone:
– What exactly do you want, Captain?
Nour said calmly:
– I want to know where you were exactly before the launch, sir?
Dr. Shawqi straightened his seat and said in a dry tone:
– In the launch center, Captain, a full hour before the launch and until the fighter was destroyed. I did not leave the center for a single moment, and I was standing in front of all the center’s employees, Captain.
Then he hit the desk with his fist angrily, saying:
– You should have investigated, Captain, before coming to my office and pressing charges against me. You should have taken the right steps.
The answer was a shock to Nour. He closed his eyes and did not dare to say a single word. After a moment of silence, he muttered in embarrassment:
– I don’t know how to apologize, sir? I made a mistake. I should have investigated first. Someone led my mind to that without realizing it, and this is the first time I have made this shameful mistake. I apologize, sir. I sincerely apologize.
Dr. Shawqi raised his head and looked at Nour, who was standing in a firm military stance. His face was streaked with a blush of embarrassment, as Dr. Shawqi’s features brightened, and he smiled and said:
– You are brave, Captain, and your courage is represented in your ability to apologize when you are wrong. Many of those who claim to be brave do not possess this ability, but rather replace it with stupid stubbornness. Well, we will erase the past hour from our memories as if it had never happened.
Nour smiled and said:
– You are also brave, sir. Few people have the ability to forgive.
Dr. Shawqi patted Nour on the shoulder while smiling tenderly, and after a period of silence, Nour said:
– I have another request, sir.
Dr. Shawqi motioned for him to speak and said:
– I have a plan that might lead to catching the traitor, but it requires some effort and financial resources.
Dr. Shawqi listened to him as he recounted the plan that Ramzi had drawn up. As soon as Nour finished explaining the details of the plan, silence descended on the atmosphere of the room, until Dr. Shawqi interrupted him, saying:
– This plan will cost us a million pounds, Captain. Do you think it will bring a benefit equal to its cost?
Nour hesitated before saying:
– I cannot say for sure, sir, but the desired result is equal to this amount or more.
Dr. Shawqi was fiddling with some papers on his desk for a long time before he said:
– Okay, Captain, I will agree to your plan, and I will bear the consequences.
Nour smiled and said with admiration:
– You are truly brave, sir, and I am pleased to deal with you.
Shawqi smiled back at him and said:
– I am also pleased to deal with you, Captain.
Meanwhile, Salwa was touring the base with Ramzi, and she asked him while looking at the place around her:
– Why did they call this base (Eagles’ Den)?
Ramzi smiled and said:
– Because it includes the greatest aviation and space scientists, my dear.. It also includes Egypt’s most brilliant pilots, and the most modern planes and fighters.
Salwa smiled and said:
– I was supposed to conclude that simply, and after all, every horse has a setback.
Then she asked him carefully:
– Do you think that Nour will reach something with Dr. Shawky?
Ramzi shrugged his shoulders and said:
– I do not know, but I do not believe that a man like Dr. Shawqi could commit this heinous act. This is the opinion of an expert in psychiatry, not a personal opinion.
Salwa interrupted him, pointing to a short man, walking with sneaking steps into the automated control room:
– Isn’t this Dr. Ahmed Sabry? What is he doing in the control room?
Ramzi furrowed his eyebrows and said:
– This is interesting. What do you think if we follow him there?
Without answering, she headed to the automated control room, and before they entered, they heard Dr. (Ahmed) say to (Ismat):
This mistake cannot be overlooked, Ismat.
Ismat answered in confusion:
– I don’t understand how this happened, sir. I swear to you.
Salwa interrupted them, saying:
– What is this mistake, Dr. Ahmed?
The two of them turned to her in astonishment, then Dr. Ahmed’s features quickly turned cheerful, and he said:
– I was talking with (Ismat) about the defect that befell the automatic control devices, and how he did not report the matter to the officials, so that they could take the necessary measures to prevent this malfunction from recurring.
Ramsay said in a skeptical tone:
– Just ?
Dr. Ahmed laughed as he said:
– Of course, do not let your fertile imagination lead you to wrong interpretations, young man. Sorry, I have to go back to my room, as I have a lot of work that I want to finish.
As soon as he left the room, Ramzi said:
This man is either very diplomatic, or soft as a snake.
Salwa said, furrowing her eyebrows:
– I tend towards the second interpretation, Ramzi. Then she turned to Ismat and asked him:
Is what Dr. Ahmed says true?
He gestured with his hand and said:
– Of course, he stormed into the room suddenly, as if he wanted to catch me red-handed. Why does everyone insist on considering me as suspect number one?
The two neglected to answer his question, and left the control room silently. Outside, Salwa asked:
Where is Mahmoud?
Ramzi replied:
– He went to Dr. Adel Attia’s room, wanting to watch him create the computer program.
At the same moment, Mahmoud was opening the door to Dr. Adel’s room. As soon as he crossed into the room, it remained in place. There was a red ball hanging in the air, and a small missile was launching towards it. Mahmoud fell back when the missile hit the ball. It exploded with an automatic sound.
Mahmoud’s astonishment disappeared immediately, and he laughed as he said:
– So, you like holographic video games, Doctor.
Dr. Adel smiled shyly and said:
-It’s just fun when I hope to work in front of the computer.
Mahmoud laughed and said:
– There is no need to be shy, Doctor. I am one of those who are fond of holographic video games, perhaps because they rely on laser beams, and I am always fond of all uses of radiation.
Dr. Adel pointed to a nearby seat and said:
-We’ll be friends then.
Then he sat up in his seat and took off his glasses, and said while looking at Mahmoud’s face:
– Tell me honestly, young man. Did you come here to interrogate me?
Mahmoud shook his head in denial and said:
– Not at all, sir. I just wanted to watch you create the computer program.
Dr. Adel smiled and said:
– In this case, I will be happy to receive you in my room.
About an hour later, when Mahmoud returned to the team room, he found everyone there. Nour was talking to Dr. Shawqi via the television, while Ramzi sat talking to Salwa with interest. Mahmoud greeted them and sat on a chair. close ..
As soon as Nour finished his call, he turned to his companions and said:
– It seems that the plan drawn up by (Ramzi) needs a radical amendment, guys. Dr. (Shawky) has noticed what we all missed.
Everyone turned to him with questions clearly visible on their faces. He said, looking away from them:
– He noticed that it was impossible to know what the traitor would do if we pretended to be crazy about the new plane; Because it is impossible for all the suspects to meet in one place, given their work conditions and vital positions during the launch, which make each of them isolated from the others.
Then he closed his eyes and said:
-I don’t know why I made so many mistakes this time? How did I not notice this point?
Salwa felt sadness in her heart as she saw Nour in this state, while Ramzi said in an affectionate tone:
– If you had looked in the mirror, you would have known the reason, Commander. Your face clearly shows signs of fatigue. You need to rest. These successive tasks assigned to you by the Supreme Commander have exhausted you. You must get some rest. Take advice from a doctor. .
Nour ignored his colleague’s advice and said:
– Well, we will make an amendment to the plan. We will gather them all in one place, and then……
Ramzi interrupted him, saying:
– You need enough sleep, Commander. Believe me, this is better. We will make a plan as soon as you wake up.
Without saying a word, Nour nodded in the affirmative and left the room. Ramzy turned to his two colleagues and said:
– I fear for Captain Nour, guys. If he fails in this mission, he will never forgive himself
★★★
7_ Nour’s surprise. . .
Ramzi said, resting his chin on his hand:
– Are you saying that you saw Dr. (Adel Attia) playing a game of war?
Mahmoud laughed and said:
– Yes, he loves 3D video games.
Ramzi leaned back in his seat and said:
But he hates wars and destruction, according to his claim.
Sahat (Selvi):
– This man is a deceiver… How can he hate war and destruction, and enjoy a war game?
Ramzi said after deep thought:
– This is often a kind of emptying of feelings, rather than resorting to actual destruction.
Salwa said stubbornly:
– I do not understand these terms, Ramzi, but I feel that this point must be known by Nour.
Before (Ramzi) could answer her, everyone was surprised to see (Nour) entering the room and heading to the video machine. (Ramzi) said, objecting:
– What is this, Commander? Didn’t we agree that you needed some sleep?
Nour smiled as he pressed the buttons on the machine and said:
– I tried, my dear… believe me… but my mind refused to respond, my body… it remained awake in spite of me.
Before Ramzi could comment a single word, Nour was speaking to Dr. Fawzi on the video, saying:
– Hello Doctor, I have a plan to expose the traitor, but it requires your help.
Dr. Fawzi smiled and said:
– I am pleased to assist you, Captain.
Nour began explaining his idea to Dr. Fawzi, while Ramzi turned to Salwa and said:
– Did you know, my dear, that the ancient scientist (Newton) used to come up with solutions to complex equations while he was asleep?
– And that Napoleon was drawing up complex war plans during his short sleep?
– The scientist (Homer), who invented clothing that prevents radiation leakage, designed it while he was asleep, and he even called it (Homer’s Ugly Dream)… and that..
Salwa interrupted him, pursed her lips, saying:
– All of these people don’t mean anything to me, Ramzi, and I think that Nour is more genius than them all.
Mahmoud and Ramzy laughed, while she furrowed her eyebrows. Before she could speak, Nour, who had finished speaking to Dr. Fawzi, turned and said:
– Have you guys seen? The new plan is a modification of Ramzi’s plan, so that we ensure that everyone is in one place, when we surprise them with the madness of a machine..
– According to Ramzi’s analysis, only the traitor will not believe this claim.
Then he turned to Salwa and said:
– You, my dear, will invite the engineer (Esmat), the engineer (Jalal), and the engineer (Hamdy) to a special meeting in Dr. (Shawky’s) room, at eight o’clock this evening.
Then he turned to (Ramzi) and (Mahmoud) and said:
You, Ramzi, will invite Dr. Adel, Dr. Safwat, and Dr. Ahmed, while you, my dear Mahmoud, will attend with Dr. Omar and Dr. Fawzi.
Ramzi said while looking at Nour’s face:
– I still insist that you need to rest, Commander. Signs of extreme exhaustion are clearly visible on your face.
Nour smiled and said:
– I will enjoy sufficient rest, my dear (Ramzi), after the traitor falls into the hands of justice.
About an hour later, in Dr. Shawqi’s room, Nour was preparing the place, while Dr. Fawzi said:
– Do you think that the man who commits this betrayal is psychologically weak enough to be exposed by such a trick?
Nour said:
– This is what I hope for, sir.
Dr. Fawzi shrugged his shoulders and said:
– i don’t think so .
Nour smiled and said:
– Let us consider it an experiment, then, an experiment to test the strength of the traitor’s nerves.
At eight o’clock, everyone was in Dr. Shawqi’s room, and silence was hanging over the room when Dr. Adel interrupted it, saying:
– Am I going to waste my valuable time for a ridiculous meeting like this?
Dr. Shawqi furrowed his eyebrows and said:
– This is not a ridiculous meeting, Doctor. Captain Nour will arrive in a few moments.
Before the phrase was completed, Nour entered the room and greeted those present, and Dr. Ahmed Sabry quickly said:
Perhaps our invitation to this meeting is so important that it is worth the time we are wasting.
Nour smiled and said:
– Of course, we’ll have a light drink first, and then I’ll tell you why I invited you.
Nour pressed a small button that was in front of Dr. Shawqi, and a table moved from the middle of the room, and from its center emerged a tray filled with cups of cold drink. Nour said as he pointed to the table:
This is Dr. Fawzi’s latest innovation: a table equipped with biological cells that can obey commands and determine the degree of coldness of the liquid.
Question and anticipation were evident on everyone’s faces as they sipped their drinks. Nour smiled at them and said, crossing his arms:
– I have gathered you here, gentlemen, to inform you of the character of the traitor.
Everyone turned to him in astonishment, and there was complete silence.
★★★
8_ Who is the traitor? . . .
Dr. Adel Attia said, after a period of silence:
– Do you claim, Captain, that you have discovered the traitor?
Nour turned to him, smiling, and said:
– You will know everything soon, Doctor, but let’s start from the beginning. Since our team arrived at the base, we have been searching for whoever changed the computer equation, but it was clear that the plane (I-7) had violated orders in two points..
The first is the direction of the travel line.
– Secondly, fighting instead of self-destruction. After investigations, we learned that Dr. (Adel Attia) sets the itinerary program, while Dr. (Ahmed Sabry) sets the fighting program.
The two scholars tried to object, but Nour silenced them with a wave of his hand, as he continued his speech, saying:
– Accordingly, it was necessary for both of them to participate in this betrayal, so the first of them would change the equation of the itinerary, just as the second would change the equation of fighting.
Dr. Ahmed jumped from his seat and shouted:
-Are you accusing us, Captain?
Nour looked at him with a firm look and said in a dry tone:
– Wait a minute, sir, until I finish what I’m saying.
Dr. Ahmed sat and rubbed his fingers tightly, so Nour continued saying:
– Since the selection of scholars was made with extreme precision, it was difficult to imagine the presence of two traitors at the same time; That’s why we went back to thinking again, and we found before us Dr. Safwat Obaid, who was setting the main collection program. That’s why it was easy for him to change one equation in the main addition program.
Dr. Safwat furrowed his eyebrows and said:
– This is stupid thinking.
Nour swallowed the insult, and continued, saying:
– But I remembered a phrase that Dr. (Fawzi) told me, when he said that he often reveals that the initial equation with which he started his program is a wrong equation, and here the whole program becomes wrong..
– I then realized that we were looking in the wrong way, when we assumed that someone had changed one of the computer equations… It suddenly became clear that this assumption was fundamentally wrong, and here…
Nour stopped continuing his conversation, and signs of panic appeared on his face, as he pointed to what was behind the people sitting, shouting:
– Oh, my God !! The table went crazy, just like the plane.
Everyone turned to the automated table that was moving nervously, throwing empty cups on the floor of the room, then moving towards the seats and violently colliding with them. Everyone jumped, avoiding this crazy table, and they were all astonished and astonished, except for one who shouted in a skeptical tone:
– This is impossible.. Impossible.. Machines do not go crazy. Suddenly the table stopped, and everyone listened to Captain Nour’s voice as he said:
-You’ve hurt yourself, my friend.
Everyone turned to where Nour was standing, with his arms crossed, and a smile appearing on his lips. The man who uttered the phrase said:
– What is this, Captain? Have you been infected with madness?
Nour smiled sarcastic and said:
We agreed a while ago that machines do not go crazy. Isn’t that your opinion, my dear Ismat?
Ismat’s face turned red and he said:
– What is this ridiculous method? What do you mean by that ?
Nour sat at Dr. Shawqi’s desk and said quietly:
The control room was repeatedly accused, my friend, when the plane deviated from its course. Everyone thought at first glance that the control room had made a mistake, or that its equipment had malfunctioned for the second time. This is what you meant when you caused the first malfunction. Isn’t it?
Ismat shook his head forcefully, and shouted: Wrong… wrong.
Nour smiled and said:
– She deliberately damaged the controls ten hours before the plane was launched, and it was natural for everyone to think that she had malfunctioned a second time when the plane violated orders..
– And when launching, you were alone in the automatic control room, and you could press the wrong button that would deviate the plane’s path, and then press the fight button instead of the self-destruct button, and you could swear after that that you pressed the correct buttons, and no one would be able to disbelieve you..
Thus, from the beginning, we were looking for an error in the computer program, and we never imagined that the program was correct, but the guidance was at fault.
Ismat began pounding on the seat forcefully and nervously, shouting:
This is wrong… wrong.
Nour ignored him and said:
– Dr. Ahmed Sabry came up with the same explanation, and confronted Esmat with it, and he denied it completely, and this is normal. But Dr. Ahmed was not convinced by that, and began to surreptitiously watch Esmat. Isn’t this true, Dr. Ahmed?
Dr. Ahmed smiled and said with admiration:
– Absolutely true, Captain. When your comrades surprised me, I was trying to pressure Ismat to confess, but I did not want the police to know about it, before I obtained the evidence.
Nour pointed to the table and said:
The traitor gave us this evidence himself when he saw the table going crazy. He knows very well that machines do not go crazy, even though he declared to my companion (Mahmoud) that he thought the plane had gone crazy.
Ismat shouted:
– But after thinking about it, I became convinced that machines do not go crazy, and this is the reason why I bemoaned the insanity that befell the table. Believe me, I am innocent… innocent.
(Ramzi) was standing silently contemplating the whole situation with his eyebrows furrowed, while (Salwa) began following Nour’s conversation with (Ismat).. (Mahmoud) smiled in admiration for the genius of his leader, and heard him say:
Why did you do that, Engineer Ismat? You had a bright future here in Eagles’ Den.
Tears flowed in Ismat’s eyes, as he said brokenly:
– I am innocent, I swear to you, this is a mistake.
Dr. Shawqi said firmly, as he pressed a red button in front of him:
-You can pursue this allegation at the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Moments later, the security men were leading Ismat outside while he was collapsed. Hamdi turned to Nour and asked him:
– How did you come to this solution? The simplicity with which you list the solution makes us feel stupid. Because none of us thought about that.
Nour smiled as he picked up his cup filled with iced drink and said:
It only requires arranging the information. If you had succeeded in arranging all your information, you would have found that things were proceeding logically and smoothly.
– I am one of those who believe that matters, no matter how complex and ambiguous they may seem, must follow logic. If you had followed this logic, you would have arrived in the end at the correct solution.
In these cases of betrayal, things seem ambiguous at first, and as soon as you grab the first thread, you find the solution jumping into your hands and mind, while the traitor sits reassured that he is safe from……..
Suddenly, Nour stopped talking, and signs of panic appeared on his face. Then he staggered and leaned against Dr. Shawqi’s office, and put one of his hands on his eyes, as he said:
– Oh, my God !! How did I not notice that? What a mistake I made!! I almost oh my god!!
Then he pointed to (Mahmoud) and said:
– Hurry, Mahmoud, bring Ismat. You were wrong, he is not the real traitor. Hurry, for God’s sake.
★★★
9_ The fall of the traitor. . .
While Mahmoud rushed to catch up with the security men, Nour sat on a nearby bench, muttering:
– Oh my God !! I will never work again when I am tired.
Salwa rushed to him in alarm, and asked him while patting his shoulder affectionately:
– (Noor), what’s wrong? I have never seen you in such a state.
Nour said in a regretful voice:
– You almost claimed the life of an innocent person, Salwa. Do you know the punishment for treason? It’s execution… and I was going to send an innocent to the gallows.
Ramzi smiled and said:
– I almost swore that he was innocent, his psychological emotions were sincere, and he was screaming about it.
Dr. Shawqi shouted angrily:
-What does this mean, Captain? Did your plan fail? Who is the traitor then?
Nour raised his head and said:
– You were right in part of my conclusion, sir, which is the part that the error was not in the computer program, but I forgot a very important point.
One of the attendees reached into his pocket and felt the laser pistol he was carrying, while Nour continued, saying:
– When the fighter returned to attack the base, it could have completely destroyed it, especially since it was carrying two M-ray cannons and two gamma missiles. This means that it would also destroy the building that houses the scientists’ rooms, as well as the launch center and the control room. ..
– If one of those in these centers was the traitor, the matter would turn into something similar to suicide, as the fight would destroy him as well. That is why the traitor had to be the only person sitting safe from all of this.
Then he pointed to one of those present and said:
– It is you, man. You are the only one who was safe from the attack, and you are sitting in the bunkers equipped to withstand the most severe types of attack. You deliberately corrupted the ventilation devices in them to ensure your presence there during the attack, just as you did in the automatic control devices.
Jamal shook his head and said:
– This is a fertile imagination, Captain. How did the plane go crazy? If I am the traitor?
Nour smiled and said:
– Machines do not go crazy, engineer (Jamal), but an automatic control machine can have its circuits tampered with.
Jamal said calmly:
– you are crazy .
Nour continued, ignoring that:
– I damaged the control devices, and when I went to repair them, I replaced the wires. A simple and effective idea. When (Ismat) presses the course button, the signal goes through the wires of the deviation button, and the plane is deviated from its course..
When he presses the self-destruct button, the plane receives the combat signal. Ismat swears that he pressed the right buttons, and he is right. Because he does not know that the buttons are correct, but the signals they trigger are not what are required.
Jamal laughed coldly and said:
– Then let’s examine the control devices, and you will find that I am innocent.
Nour smiled sarcastically and said:
Of course, they are intact. You pretended to check the devices after the plane accident, and returned the wires to their proper places. You will not miss anything like this, of course.
Jamal threw his arms around him angrily and said:
-So how do you prove what you say? You don’t have a single piece of evidence…just conclusions.
Nour said calmly:
– Your papers, Mr. Jamal. You have only been working here for seven months, and we will definitely find your papers forged.
Jamal smiled a mysterious smile as he said:
– You are very smart, Captain… Indeed, the papers are forged.
Before anyone could notice what was happening, Jamal took a laser pistol out of his pocket and pointed it at those present while saying sarcastically:
– I am pleased to introduce myself, gentlemen, Youssef Moshe, a first-class intelligence officer, but not in this country of yours, but in one of the most superior countries in the field of intelligence.
– It is enough that we have deceived the identity verification devices here.
Then he shrugged indifferently and said:
– I regret having to kill all of you. Captain Nour did not leave me an alternative solution.
Nour cupped his hands and said without interest:
How will you leave the base after you get rid of us all? Have you forgotten the security men that Mahmoud went to bring back?
Youssef Moshe smiled sarcastically and said:
– I’m glad you reminded me of that. I almost forgot it.
Then he turned to Salwa and said:
Close the room door, beautiful woman, with the electronic recorder, and light the red lamp… The base director is in an important meeting.
Nour laughed and said:
– Do you think Mahmoud will believe that?
Joseph Moshe looked at him maliciously and said:
– You are trying to waste time, Captain, and you will not succeed.
Nour looked indifferently at what was behind Youssef, and said without interest:
– Well, be careful, the table has returned to its madness, and it may collide with you.
Youssef laughed hard and said:
The use of this naive trick has been outdated since the beginning of the twentieth century, Captain. Is this the latest thing you have learned in your intelligence services?
To his surprise, the table actually collided with him, and at the same moment, while he was staggering, Nour jumped nimbly to hit the laser gun with his right foot, then directed his left fist at Youssef’s jaw, which staggered backwards. Then he straightened up and wiped the line of blood dripping from the corner of his lips, and said:
– Be careful, Captain, we are learning modern means of combat with ordinary hands in our intelligence.
Nour smiled and said indifferently, as he kicked the laser gun to the edge of the room:
– A strange coincidence… Our intelligence services do the same thing… Imagine.
Youssef furrowed his eyebrows and pursed his lips, then spread his legs apart, placed his fists in a fighting position in front of his face, and said:
– For the second time, I warn you, Captain… I have an advanced black belt.
Nour smiled as he took a fighting stance and said:
– Another validation, I also hold an advanced black belt.
Youssef muttered angrily:
O arrogant one, you will see what happens to you at the hands of Youssef Moshe.
The attendees all moved away to the outskirts of the room, while Youssef jumped like a leopard, directing his right fist at Nour’s jaw. Nour received it on his left forearm, then directed several quick, successive powerful blows with his right fist to Youssef’s face, which was relieved. He tried to regain his balance
When another punch hit him in the stomach and a kick in the face, the man fell on his back. He opened his false eyes to see Nour standing tall like a giant, and he said in a sarcastic tone:
Unfortunately, my friend, your intelligence fell in the first round. Perhaps you will now be convinced that our intelligence is the strongest.
At this moment, Salwa was opening the door for the security men, and accompanied by Esmat and Mahmoud, Salwa explained to them what happened, and Esmat raised his face to the sky and shouted happily:
– thank God .
While the security men were escorting Youssef outside, Nour went to Ismat and put his hand on his shoulder, saying:
– Accept my apology, friend. I almost sent you to your death.
Ismat shook his head and said:
-I don’t know what to say? You also saved my life when you exposed the real traitor, and I must thank you.
Their conversation was interrupted by the shouting of one of the security men. Nour rushed outside and found Youssef lying on the ground. He quickly raised his head, and Youssef said as he took his last breath:
– Another thing we learned in our intelligence, O Egyptian… Our falling alive into the hands of the enemy is a very dangerous matter… Goodbye.
Youssef breathed out in Nour’s hands, who pursed his lips and said:
– He committed suicide.
Then he stood up, folded his arms and said:
We did not lose anything by his suicide. This case has been closed, and it will be added to the cases in which the Egyptian Scientific Intelligence succeeded.
★★★
10_ Conclusion. . .
The audience’s applause and cries of admiration rose when the curtain came down on the final act of that play, which has been successfully presented on the stage of the most modern opera houses for ten years.
Salwa turned to Nour, who was sitting next to her, and said:
– You have finally watched this play until its end, Nour.
Nour smiled and said:
– It is truly a wonderful play, and it is based on a cute mystery.
Salwa furrowed her eyebrows and said:
– Don’t tell me that you solved the puzzle in this play before you watched it.
Ramzi laughed and said:
– I bet you he did.
Mahmoud smiled and said:
– I bet on that too.
Salwa turned to Nour and asked him carefully:
– (Noor), believe me, did you do it?
Nour smiled and cleared his throat before saying:
– Actually… erm… at the end of the second chapter.
Salwa interrupted him, shouting:
– Is this the leave that the Supreme Commander granted you to rest? Are you watching a play and looking for a solution to its puzzles?
Nour raised his palm, pretending to protect his face, as he said, laughing:
– This is happening despite me, my dear.. Believe me.
She pointed at him with her index finger and said:
– In spite of you? laugh !! Listen, dear one, I will give you honest advice that differs from the advice of doctors.
Ramzi turned to her with a smile as she continued saying:
– You are not fit for rest. Your treatment is work. Work.
Nour silenced her with a wave of his hand, and he said, laughing:
– Okay, my dear, but there is no need for everyone to know the nature of my work.
Salwa suddenly fell silent and looked at the place around her, then she burst out laughing as she pointed around the place and said:
– Fear nothing, Commander. Everyone has left, and only us remain.
The three of them turned in astonishment, looking at the stage completely empty of audience, then their gazes met, and they burst into laughter.
It was done, thank God
★★★
