Emeralds and dust.
Milan
Airport- An attractive young journalist, Ariel, and a handsome stranger meet in
the lounge. They end up sitting next to each other on the flight to London.Once
in London, they arrange to meet up the following evening. Passions run high and
inevitably the couple end up in bed.
Next stop for
Ariel is New York where she stays with
some old friends. Here she plans to meet the local jet set and may be interview
some famous people even the Mayor of New York.
Meanwhile the
handsome stranger, John Khanlary Taggert, known as Khanlary, and of
American/Persian origin is in Casablanca, where he meets an old friend Reza
Ciro Pahlevi, the Shah of Persia’s son. Backed by the CIA, the two plan to
overthrow Ayatollah Khomeni and put the Shah back on the throne. In doing so,
John Taggert will also revenge his sister’s death. She was a lawyer fighting
for women’s rights in Iran. This had caused her to be killed by the Ayatollah
regime . A military group led by Reza Ciro is already preparing for such an
assault.
Back in New York,
Ariel is among the partying jet set and
manages to secure some interviews and important meetings. John is also in New
York. While he is waiting to meet up with a CIA agent to finalize his plans, he
is surprised to see Ariel outside the same bar. Khanlary reveals particulars
about his life and tells her about his futures plans. Once again they succumb
to their passion.
However, despite
these “distractions”, Khanlary meets up once again with the CIA agent who tells
him that he has to continue on his own and will have no help from the CIA.
Ariel, on the other
hand, realises that she has a dilemma: should she convince Khanlary to give up his plans or should she help him to
fulfil them?
A decision made
more difficult by the fact that he
gives her a magnificent diamond and emerald brooch before yet another
party. The situation becomes more
dramatic when after the reception, an attempt is made on Khanlary’s life and
only Ariel’s quick intervention saves his life.
The military operation
is suspended. Ariel and Khanlary go on holiday to St Moritiz at first, unaware
that Iranian agents are keeping them under constant surveillance. When Khanlary
finally realises they are being watched, it is arranged for two substitutes
take their places so they can leave the country with no problems.
Meanwhile plans for
the assault are still continuing. Ariel undergoes a radical transformation so
that she won’t stand out during the military operation. There she follows
preparations at the training camp. However the Iranian secret police are still
keeping an eye on the couple and have secret agents within the rebel group. One
of these is Fatima, a beautiful new employee who tries to seduce Ariel in order
to get information out of her. Ariel is obliged to kill Fatima when she
discovers that she is actually a secret agent working for the Iranian secret
police.
The military
operation begins with various attacks on strategic points. Not all are
successful and some men die in the attempt. Despite some of the group trying to
warn the others that something is amiss, the leaders of the group, including
Khanlary and Ariel, are captured and taken away to be questioned. Their
capturers,however are not the secret police but another group against the
Khomeni regime. Some of the group members are tortured and executed in an
attempt to make the others talk. In fact, Ariel breaks down and tells them
everything. The rebel leader likes
their plan. Not long after, Iranian soldiers attack the camp but Ariel and the
leader of the rebel group manage to escape. The aim of both groups is to
destroy the Khomeni regime so despite mistrusting each other they decide to
join forces. Ariel finds herself attracted to the leader of this new group,
Eskander, and under the influence of drugs has a wild lovemaking session with
him. Ariel reflects on her situation. Who will she choose? Will she stay in
Iran and raise a family with Eskander? Her relationship with Khanlay is not so
clear.
The day of the
assault is drawing near. Eskander is hoping that the mission will be successful
but also that his rival in love will die in the attempt.
The men set off to
kill Ayatollah Khomeni. All is quiet. They find “ Khomeni ” at his desk. What
they don’t expect is that this is only a stand-in as the real Khomeni had died
a month before. He is killed just the same.
Ariel is asked to
leave the room so her two rivals in love can be alone. Khanlary kills his arch
rival and then his rival’s two bodyguards. He leaves the bodies near the
“stand-in” ‘ s so they will be blamed for the massacre.
Khanlary and Ariel
manage to escape into Turkey though Ariel is delirious with a high fever and
keeps repeating Eskander’s name. From there they are picked up by a
helicopter.
Finale – this time
Fiumicino International airport – a couple saying goodbye. Ariel and Khanlary.
Khanlary realises that he can’t live without
her but Ariel is making no promises and flies back to Milan.
On the plane she
reflects on her adventure. In her bag there is the emerald brooch from
Khanlary.
Eskander didn’t give her any jewels but something
just as precious. Both are nothing more than dust.
Anyway tomorrow is
another day.