The Spy Who - The Spy Who Rode with Warlords | Afghan Math | 2

Episode Date: September 22, 2026

CIA Team Alpha and the forces of Afghan warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum are closing in on the crucial city of Mazar-i-Sharif. But what will it take to convince the Taliban and its allies in al-Qaeda to surrender?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of The Spy Who, ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. A note to listeners, this episode contains graphic depictions of violence and strong language. November 4, 2001, Kobaki, Afghanistan. It's day 19 of Team Alpha's mission inside Afghanistan. From a hillside, CIA officer David Tyson and Northern Alliance warlord, Abdul Rashid Dostoum are monitoring the route ahead. Team Alpha and Dostom's forces are heading for the strategically vital city of Maza-isharif.

Their mission is to push the Taliban out and by doing so establish control over northern Afghanistan. But just a few miles up ahead, a large Taliban unit is blocking their path. They will need air support to clear the road if they want to proceed. Over the radio channel, Tyson hears air control relaying the Taliban's position to a female US Navy bomber pilot. Roger, Dad. Dostom looks confused and points to the sky. Amaphrodite?

No, that's a woman. You have a woman flying a plane? Before Tyson can reply, Dostom's eyes widen. He's clearly just had what he thinks. is a brilliant idea. Give me the handset. I want to talk to her. By now, several of Dostom's fighters have gathered around.

Dostom takes the handset and radios the pilot. Lady, recite some poetry. Where the fuck is this guy? Tyson snatches back the handset. That's Abdul Dostom, our colleague in the Northern Alliance. Could you just go along with it? Poetry? That's no any fucking poetry, okay?

Dostom grabs the handset back from Tyson. Then sing a song! A song? Tyson takes the handset back. Please, uh, just to you, ma'am. I could do anchors away, I guess. Perfect, thank you. As the F-18 Hornet pilot attempts to sing the unofficial U.S. Naval Academy song,

Naval Academy song, Dostom routes the broadcast through to the Taliban's radio channel. In the distance, Tyson sees the Taliban fighters looking confused as the singing pilot comes through their speakers. Then Dostom grabs the handset to address them. Attention, Talibs. This is Dostom. You hear that singing Taliban? Since you're stupid and don't know English, I will translate. She is singing, I am going to fuck you up. I am going to drop my bombs on top of your men because they are so weak and have such tiny dicks that even a woman can kill them. Moments later, the pilot's bomb was rained down, clearing the path to Mazza Aish Sharif and control of northern Afghanistan.

Hey, I'm Cassie de Peckle, host of Against the Odds from Audible originals. In our latest series, it's 1910 and a train full of past. is trapped in Washington's Cascade Mountains, with an avalanche headed straight for them. Listen to Against the Odds on Audible or wherever you get your podcasts. James Arthur Ray was a charismatic self-help guru who promised his followers a path to wealth and enlightenment by becoming the best versions of themselves. But not all who followed him finished their journey. For the best bingeable series, listen to the Audible True Crime podcast wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Razor Jaffrey, and this is

The Spy Who, an audible original. In the last episode, following the 9-11 terrorist attacks, Dave Tyson and the CIA's team Alpha headed into Afghanistan. Their mission, to join up with the Northern Alliance, to overthrow the ruling Taliban and hunt down al-Qaeda. Now, they're heading for the city of Maza-I-Sharif, alongside the forces of warlord Abdul Rashid Dostoum. If they can take this pivotal city, they can control all of northern Afghanistan.

But first, they have to reach it. This is episode two, Afghan Math. November 9th, the White House, Washington, D.C., Mission Day 24. In the Situation Room, CIA Director George Tenet is trying to control his temper. He's watching as Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld holds court in front of President Bush. and a gathering of intelligence personnel. Mr. President, the Defence Intelligence Agency's assessment is Dostom's armies are unlikely to take Maza y Sharif until 2002.

Tenet knows that Rumsfeld is fond of the sound of his own voice, but there's something personal to these attacks too. Rumsfeld's clearly still annoyed at the CIA taking the lead on the initial invasion. This is why he's so eager to criticise the plan. Tennant sighs to himself as Rumsfield produces a copy of the New York Times. We're making news, but for all the wrong reasons. The word being used, the word I'm hearing, Mr President, is Quagmire. We are facing a new Vietnam.

Tenet reaches for his glass of water as President Bush looks to Hank Crumpton, the counter-terrorism special ops chief at the CIA. Hopefully, he can bring a little balance to the discussion. Hank, when do you think we'll take Mazay Sharif? Crumpton takes a second before responding. Mazah is Sharif will fall in the next 24 to 48 hours. Tenet almost spits out his water. He wanted Crumpton to undermine Rumsfeld, but he wishes he'd offered a caveat too.

As he scans the faces in the room, many of whom look distinctly unconvinced. Tenet just hopes Team Alpha can deliver what the press is. The President has just been promised. The next day, Mission Day 25, about 150 miles from Mazar-I-Sharif. David Tyson and Team Alpha leader J.R. Seeger are in the back of a rustic, 10-ton Soviet truck that's now part of a Northern Alliance convoy closing in on Mazar-I-Sharif. They found the truck after taking control of a nearby town. Seagas already named it the Magic Bus after the song by The Who.

His washing now hangs above their heads, dripping on a makeshift line. With them, inside the truck are several Afghan fighters and a few green berets. Everyone stinks. Since arriving in Afghanistan, they've had to make do with airdropped wet wipes and splashes of water for personal hygiene. Tyson dreams of a long hot shower. Then he feels the truck starting to slow before learning. searching to a stop. The Afghans open the doors and jump out. Tyson follows them and is confronted

by a scene of utter devastation. Craters in the ground, decapitated bodies, the mangled remains of a BM12 rocket launcher, stray limbs, smoldering vehicles upended like children's toys. These are the remains of a Taliban convoy that was fleeing to Kabul before being shredded by US a Northern Alliance fighters comb the area for anything they could salvage. One of the green berets gets out-of-pocket camera. Another crouches down by a charred body with a blackened arm pointing to the sky. Hey, get one of me next to this guy! Tyson looks at one of his US colleagues who just shrugs.

Don't get involved. Just then, a Russian four-by-four rattles up from behind the convoy. Tyson turns and sees a familiar face inside. CIA Special Operations Man, Mike Span. He broke off from Team Alpha's main group several days ago to help coordinate an attack on a city to the south. The hope is the assault there will further stretch the Taliban's already strained forces. Tyson greets Span with a hug.

I wasn't sure you'd make it back here in time. And didn't come all the way out here to miss out on the main event. I had everything go in Bamihan. Span, beams with pride. Mission accomplished. Should fall any moment. What's the score here? The latest report saw that the Taliban are pulling out of Mazah is Sharif.

We're getting close. Several hours later, just outside of Mazar y Sharif, Team Alpha is bedding down for the night. The Taliban have fled the city, and tomorrow, when the sun rises, Team Alpha and the Northern Alliance will enter it. But not everyone is happy.

Team Alpha leader J.R. Seeger looks up as Northern Alliance commander Dostom storms over to him. His face full of fury. That pig, Atta, has broken our pact. Whoa, slow down. Seagher braces himself. He's become something of a therapist for the temperamental warlord in recent days.

Arta is a dirty swine. He broke our deal, your deal. We agreed to enter the city together. Us, Atta and Dostum, at dawn, together! Siga tries to motion Dostum over to a crate to sit down, but he remains standing and pacing. And now? And now I heard he is already in the city,

creeping in under the cover of darkness by himself. And now? He says he is the man who liberated Maza'i Sharif, that pig, Atta, a new... You were a fool to trust him! Seeger knows he needs to deal with this grievance before the fragile alliance ruptures. Ata and Dostom are allies of convenience.

They needed each other to get the Taliban out of Maza'i Sharif. But now that's done, they are reverting to their old rivalry. But to finish the Taliban, the CIA needs them working with, not against each other. An idea comes to him. Siga smiles and takes Dostom by the shoulder. calmed out take it easy this is playing out perfectly dostum kicks at a stray stone deep in a sulk

perfectly for otta no perfectly for you think about it hatter sneaks in at night no one sees him but you he will be the guy riding in on a truck before the welcoming crowds with the world's TV cameras on you arthur will say he was there first but no one will be

believe him. Dostom shuffles back and forth, thinking about this. Grouse and TV cameras? What make it happen? Have faith. You, Dostom, will be the one known as the liberator of Maza'i Sharif. The next morning. Dostom stands on the back of a white Toyota land cruiser as his forces roll into Maza'i Sharif. Delighted crowds mobbed the vehicle. A few youths try to jump onto a car.

its flatbed as it passes. Others throw money into the air for good luck. Team Alpha follows behind in the Magic Bus. In the front of the cab are Tyson, Span and a few Green Berets. The elation of the Taliban's fall is clear. Already, citizens are casting aside the oppressive rules they've been living under. He sees men without beards, people playing music, and women emerging from homes not wearing their burgers. One of the Green Berets leans to get a better look at the large fortress built into the mountainside. It's a massive structure of baked mud and wood with walls 60 feet high and it dominates the city skyline. Its walls are topped with parapets and firing slits. Around the walls are six triangular bastions. The Green Beret stares in awe. God damn, what is that place?

Tyson smiles It's Kali Djangi Built in the late 1800s The British paid for its construction To help counter Russian invasions It's changed hands a lot since then The Russians had it Then Dostom and until today

The Taliban Span is ejected Yep Now it's our turn The first mission is accomplished With Maza is Sharif Now in alliance's hands and within the 48-hour window the CIA promised,

the White House now has the big win it needed to shore up support for the war. And with that done, Team Alpha's focus will shift to finding Osama bin Laden and destroying his terrorist network. Al-Qaeda. In 1969, when police tried to shut down a gay bar in New York City's Greenwich Village, they expected little resistance. Instead, patrons rose up in a series of demonstrations that would ignite a movement. Hi, I'm Lindsay Graham, the host of the podcast American History Tellers.

We take you to the events, times, and people that shaped America and Americans, our values, our struggles, and our dreams. In our latest series, the police raid on the Stonewall Inn marked a turning point in the fight for LGBTQ rights. But activists had already been hard at work pushing for gay rights for decades, and their battle is still being fought today. Follow American History Tellers wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers convince all episodes.

episodes of American history tellers early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts. Hey, it's Mike Corey, the host of Against the Odds from Audible Originals. In each episode, we share thrilling true stories of survival, putting you in the shoes of the people who live to tell the tale. And sometimes we get to hear from survivors themselves, in their own words. On our next episode, Sujo John will tell his story of September 11, 2001, that day, he clocked into his job at the World Trade Center's North Tower. Sujo's wife, Mary, pregnant with their first child, worked just next door in the South Tower.

Suddenly, an explosion rocked the building, collapsing cubicles and walls. But as Sujo and his office mates raced to escape the smoldering building, they heard another massive explosion. And Sujo realized his wife, an unborn child, were also in grave danger. Follow against the odds wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all episodes of Against the Odds early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts. 11th. 11 days later, November 21st, Kalajangi Fort, Mazur-Sherif. In the headquarters of Kalajangi Fort,

team alpha leader J.R. Seeger is sitting in as an observer on a high-stake summit between the Northern Alliance and its sworn enemy, the Taliban. Under discussion is the future of Kunduz, a city 100 miles to the east and the Taliban's last northern stronghold. The Northern Alliance has the city surrounded and with no way out the Taliban want to negotiate a peaceful handover. So now, Northern Alliance commanders Dostum, Atta and Mohakik are face to face with Mullah Faisal, the Taliban's commander in the north. They sit on frayed armchairs. Faisal sits on a battered sofa flanked by bodyguards. He is plump and cruel, but can he with it.

Mohakik, the commander of the Hazara faction, stares at Faisal with unconcealed hatred. It is said that Faisal oversaw the mass slaughter of his people. Siga just hopes this won't destroy these talks. Not that the CIA will intervene if it does. This is the alliance's war, and everyone here, knows that the surrender of Kunduz must be on terms it can accept. Leaning forward to make his points, Faisal seems to be pushing for a swift agreement. If you do not accept the Taliban surrender now, you know what it will mean.

But Dostom, the alliance's lead negotiator, seems to be enjoying the moment. He will not be rushed. And what is that? You will have to fight. House by house, street by street to take the city. It will be a bloodbath. And all of this in front of the world's cameras. Dostum bristles.

Siga knows that Dostom and Ata both dislike the idea of more bloodshed. They are eager to show to the world they aren't the murderous warlords they are made out to be. Faisal leans forward again. This time, eyes fixed on Dostom. Dostum. If you agree, you and your forces would enter Kunduz as the conqueror of the last Taliban's stronghold in northern Afghanistan, just as in Masei Sharif. All they ask is that our men are allowed to return to their home villages. Siga knows Dostrum will be tempted by this.

If the Taliban surrender now, it'll be his soldiers that will be his soldiers that will be. take the city. But if the city has to be taken by force, Dostum will need help from Atha's Tajik soldiers. Doing a deal now ensures Dostom's Uzbek army gets the glory and strengthens his case for a key role in the post-Taliban regime. It will also please Pakistan's president Pervais Musharraf, who's been pushing Dostum to sideline Atta because the Tajik oppose Islamabad's influence in Afghanistan. Oh! Dostum's son. theatrically. This is all very nice to hear, but there's a problem.

We cannot let the foreigners who are fighting with you just walk away. Our American friends won't accept that. Siga catches Faisal glaring at him with contempt, but it's gone in a second. Faisal softens. We can be flexible on these matters. Perhaps we are willing to hand over the foreigners. Tyson settles back to watch the real horse trading unfold. It's close to midnight before the talks end.

But it ends with a deal. The Taliban will peacefully surrender Kanduz. Their Afghan fighters will stop fighting and be allowed to return to their villages. The foreigners suspected of being al-Qaeda will be brought to the fortress in Maza'i-Sharif. for interrogation. As Dostom and Faisal pose and shake hands in front of the world's media crews, Siga wonders if the Taliban will stay true to their word. Six hours later, November 22nd, Wawona, California.

Shannon Span hurries to the ringing phone in the cabin her family's renting in the woods of Yosemite National Park. Mike? You know it, on time as always. Happy Thanksgiving. Mike is calling from the CIA's new base of operations in a former school in Mazai Sharif. How's our boy? He's good, smiling a lot now, also he's discovered his feet. Well, give him a help from his dad.

I will. All going okay, you get any Thanksgiving rations? And not for much longer. What do you mean? I've got news. The replacements for the team should arrive in December. Once they're here, I'll be heading home. Shannon needs a second to take this in. For real? That's wonderful news.

For a few precious moments, they trade warm trivialities. Mike explains how he named a landing zone after five-month-old Jake, much to the annoyance of the bosses at Langley. Shannon asked him to look for the moon tonight. Whenever you see it, where 7,000 miles, and 12 time zones apart, 12 and a half. But we're both seeing some little piece of the same thing. They say they goodbyes.

But as Shannon hangs up, something shifts inside her. She struggles to understand the sudden sadness she feels. As she heads back to her family, she finds herself crying. Two days later, November 24th, Mazzari Shire. Masari Sharif. Twilight. Tyson and Span watch as truck after truck pulls into Kalijangi Fort. Each one is filled with the foreign fighters the Taliban agreed to hand over.

The hope is these prisoners will provide intelligence that will lead the U.S. to Osama bin Laden. David Tyson and Mike Span are the only members of Team Alpha present. With their colleagues busy elsewhere, they've been tasked with kicking off the interrogations of the Al-Qaeda prisoners. The only security is a platoon of Northern Alliance soldiers. Kalijangi is vast. It's a circular space being enough to fit three soccer fields and surrounded by thick walls with ramparts and towers. A central wall divides the interior into two halves.

The fortress headquarters sits at the top end of the northern half, while in the middle of the southern half is a large pink building that everyone calls the pink house. And it's about to become a prison for the fighter. for the fighters handed over by the Taliban. As the sun sets, the alliance guards start unloading foreign fighters from the trucks and carrying out slapdash searches before leading them down into the basement of the pink house. Span and Tyson watch from a distance as more and more prisoners are unloaded.

Span looks concerned. How many were we told to expect? Tyson doesn't even try to count. Not as many as this. There must be three or four hundred. Tyson laughs, mainly to help break the tension. Afghan math. They're imprecise, they say 100, but really they just mean a lot.

And this is a lot. The searches seem pretty haphazard too. There could be weapons going down there with them. This time, Tyson doesn't laugh. It's an Afghan custom. People aren't searched. They're taken to their word. He gestures to the guards.

Also, these people all fear Al-Qaeda. They don't want to be near them. At the far reach of the growing line of prisoners, Spann sees one of the men being searched, pull a grenade from his clothes. He yanks the pin and shouts. Hello! Jesus! When the smoke clears, the man, the soldier who is searching him, and several nearby prisoners are dead. The Alliance soldiers respond by hurrying the prisoners into the basement even faster.

and with even less searching. The next morning. Out in the fort's southern yard, Tyson and Span are ready to start the interrogations. They're dressed informally, Span in blue jeans with a rifle slung over his shoulder, Tyson in a grey Uzbek tunic that reaches down past his waist.

The alliance guards start bringing out prisoners from the Pinkhouse. They're all young men. Guards watch from the walls overlooking the grounds. overnight trouble broke out in the basement of the pink house another grenade was let off there was gunfire everyone is on edge the prisoners are brought out one at a time they are searched and their guns grenades and knives are removed and piled in a corner by the entrance next they have their arms tied at the elbows with cloth before being made to kneel in rows on the dirt and parched grass Soon, there are around 50 men kneeling, then 100.

Nearby, in the ditch, flies buzz around the remains of the fighter who blew himself up yesterday. Span and Tyson start trying to identify where the foreign fighters are from, aided by Dostom's intelligence chief, Sayyad Kamal. And these three? Arab, Tajik, Bengali. What about him over there with the long matted hair? The guy who keeps shouting, Aiyya. Indonesian, he wants water.

Tyson and Span have already planned their interrogation approach. Tyson will play bad cop, accusing people of being terrorists, and Span will be good cop, trying to build rapport. They're both home in on an overweight Arab, suspecting his weight is a sign of his importance next to his underfed companions. I am a reporter, Al Jazeera. I am not Mujahid American passport. Where in the US?

I know the United States more than you. Span walks off. They're going to get nothing from this guy. The Iraqi next to the overweight arrow pipes up. I'm just a student. Ask the US Embassy in Islamabad. Tyson responds as he follows Span. But don't you worry, we'll find out everything.

They then spots a white-skinned prisoner, being led out of the Pink House. He's barefoot but seems unused to walking on rough ground. He's also wearing a British military pullover with shoulder patches. Span marches over to him. Hey, you. You with your head down. Look at me. I know you speak English. Where does you get the British sweater? The prisoner doesn't reply. He just keeps his eyes down so his shoulder length hair covers his face. Tyson looks around. There must be about 150 prisoners in the courtyard now. The pile of confiscated weapons is getting larger. There are now brass knuckles, rocket launchers and pistols among them. The sheer volume of weapons is unnerving.

The Iraqi, who claimed to be a student, shouts out to Span. The white man is Irish. Ireland? Yes, Ireland. How many others like him? Just him. He's the only one. Spann wonders if this is a sign that dissident Irish Republicans who oppose the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland are working with Al-Qaeda. Tyson and Span continue to wonder along the lines of men, asking questions whenever they get eye contact. Tyson checks again. There must be almost 250 prisoners lined up now. The noise levels are rising. Some of the men have fresh wounds from the night in the cellar. Dostom's intelligence chief, Kamal, requests some medics to attend to them near the entrance to the pink house. Span goes back to the suspected Irishman.

How did you get here? You're going to talk to me? The man says nothing. Tyson tries to provoke the prisoner into talking. You always need a time with this guy. They need to decide if he wants to live or die. He's going to die here, because we're just going to leave him. and he's going to fucking sit in prison the rest of his short fucking life.

The act fails to solicit a single word. Nobody else wants to talk either. There are now over 300 captives out in the yard. Span has taken a Russian to one side. As Span talks with him, Tyson heads over to the medics near the Pinkhouse to see if they know of any other English speakers. A few minutes later, Span finishes talking with the Russian and returns to the rows of prisoners.

He begins questioning the nearest one. Where from? Turkey. And you? Algiers. The kneeling prisoner inches towards him. Algiers? You're a long way from home.

Others start moving closer. Span locks eyes with one of them. Why are you here? The man stares back, eyes full of hate. To kill you. The man lunges at him. Span pulls his pistol and fires. The Roomba became a billion-dollar product, not by being the smartest robot, but by being the dumbest. And then, the company that made it ended up nearly losing everything.

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He thinks he's found a way to rig the system until an unrelated FBI investigation inadvertently exposes the largest college admissions fraud in American history. Follow American Scandal wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all episodes of American Scouts. scandal early and ad-free right now. Join Audible and the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple podcasts. Tyson spins round on hearing Span fire his pistol. Several of the tied-up prisoners are attacking him. Span calls out. Day, Dave! Day! Tyson hears more gunshots. They're coming from the Pink House. He sees several armed fighters run out from the building towards Span. Span

opens fire with his rifle, hitting three of the men. But then, the overweight, arrow. who claimed to be a journalist jumps on his back and pulls him to the ground. The prisoner's attack, kicking and jumping him. Tyson pulls his gun from its holster and runs to help. An armed fighter charges at him. The fighter fires and misses. Adrenaline kicks in. Tyson shoots twice and the man crumples to his knees.

Tyson reaches span, but there are four men on it now, including the overweight arrow. Almost without thinking, Tyson takes all of them out. Span lays face down in the parched grass and earth. He's not moving. There's blood pulling around him. Tyson kicks his legs hard to make him stir. Mike! Mike!

But there's no response. Tyson looks around stunned. He sees prisoners untying each other and raiding the pile of weapons at the Pink House. He shakes himself back to the moment. He reaches down, grabs Span's AKMS rifle, and switches it to. semi-automatic. Tyson runs towards the gate in the central wall. The headquarters building is on the other side. If he can reach it, maybe he can call for help. From the ramparts above, Northern Alliance soldiers are firing down in prisoners, most of whom are still bound

and unarmed, although a few are now shooting back. Tyson raises his rifle and shoots two charging prisoners. Then he feels something thump against his back. Kofir! Kofiya! Kfair! He spins round to see the wild-haired Indonesian, arms still bound, screaming madly and head-butting him. Tyson steps back and fires. The Indonesian's head comes apart. Tyson resumes running as the body falls to the ground. He sees another prisoner racing towards him, holding a hand grenade.

He pulls the pin. But before it can explode, the man is shot in the head. The grenade drops at his feet and against the ground. He hops in his feet and explodes, spraying dirt everywhere. Tyson turns in the direction of the shot and sees Dostom's intelligence chief, Kamal, with a pistol in his hand. Kamal yells at Tyson. Go! Run!

Tyson doesn't argue. He's back running towards the headquarters building as the gunfire and shouts behind him intensify. Tyson bursts into the fort's headquarters and finds himself face to face with a German TV news crew. The reporter is a man named Anim Steyer. Stout, who Tyson has seen around the fort. What's going on outside? We heard the shooting.

What are you doing to the prisoners? Stout's cameraman moves in close. Camera pointed at Tyson. Sweating and heart pounding, Tyson can barely process the words he's hearing. He tries to holster his pistol, but his trembling hands make it a challenge. All he can think is Mike is dead.

Stout and his cameraman keep pushing. Where do you work for? Are you CIA? Tyson mutters he's a military advisor, but his eyes are drifting around the room, trying to make sense of where he is. The fear is starting to ease, allowing him to think clearly. Were you here to infiltrate them? Tyson realizes that they have to get out of here

before the Al-Qaeda fighters assault the headquarters. But the only way out of the fortress is the east gate, and to reach it, they'll have to head towards the fighters. He turns to Stout. a satellite phone. Stout seems to briefly hesitate. But then he hands Tyson the phone. Tyson retreats to a corner. He can only recall two numbers. One of them is CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia. But it's a Sunday and people might not answer. So he calls his wife. The U.S. Embassy compound, Toshkent, Uzbekistan. Tyson's wife, Roseanne, answers the phone.

Happy Thanksgiving! But her blood runs cold as she hears the strain in her husband's voice. She can also hear distant gunfire on the call. Roseanne turns to face away from their two kids. They're both sitting at the top of the stairs waiting to speak to Dad. Charlie is the local CIA station chief. He's Tyson's boss when he's in Toshkent. She grabs a sheet of paper.

Rosanne writes it down. Yeah. He hangs up and then Rosanne immediately calls Charlie. Two hours later, the Earth. Erganak mountain pass, just west of Kanduz, Afghanistan, around 160 miles away from Maza'is Sharif. Team Alpha leader, J.R. Seeger, is on a muddy knoll, standing next to the northern alliance commander, Dostom. Together, they're overseeing the Taliban's departure from its last stronghold in the north, the city of Kanduz. With them is Team Alpha's third in command, Scott Spelmeyer.

The surrender of Konduz is taking much longer than the city. and SIGA anticipated, he turns to Scott. Why the delay? They've already handed over the foreign fighters. The Muller's really dragging this out. They don't look like a surrendering army to me. What am I missing here? Spelmeyer nods.

Yeah, feels off. We better stay frosty. Seeger's satellite phone rings. It's a member of his team. He listens in horror as his colleague relays the news of the Al-Qaeda uprising. at the fort. He hangs up and turns to Spellmeyer. There's been an uprising at M. Zahari Sharif. Mike is M.I.A. presumed dead. David's trapped in the fort. Seeger stares at the Taliban

troops below, and the missing pieces in this puzzle come into view. Mullah Faisal gave them the Al-Qaeda prisoners, not out of weakness, but as a Trojan horse. It was a ruse, a way to get Al-Qaeda inside the fortress. If those fighters can seize the fort, Mazai Sharif will be vulnerable to a counterattack. And if the city falls, the Taliban will reassert control over northern Afghanistan and the US coalition's entire invasion plan will unravel.

One of Seeger's team is already dead and Tyson is trapped and running out of time. Follow the Spy Who on the Audible app or wherever you get your podcast. You can listen to all episodes of The Spy Who, add free by joining Audible. You've been listening to The Spy Who, an Audible original. Have you got a spy story you'd like us to tell? Email your ideas to the spy who at audible.com.

A quick note about the scenes you've been hearing. In most cases, we can't know exactly what was said. Those scenes are dramatizations, but they're based on rigorous research and the best available sources. If you'd like to know more about this story, we recommend First, Casualty by Toby Hardin and the documentary Situation Critical Taliban Uprising. The Spy Who is hosted by me, Raza Jaffrey. Produced by Audible with Yellow Ant. This episode was written by Christian Donlan and researched by Louise Byrne.

The senior producer was Jay Priest. The sound designer was Damian Pace. The lead sound designer was Joshua Morales. For Yellow Ant, the story editor and executive producer was Tristan Donovan. For Audible, the executive producers were Estelle Doyle and Theodora Leludes. Head of Production, Audible Europe, Chris Jones. Senior Director of Originals, Lisa Higginson. Head of Audible Originals International, O'Ali de Troje.

Sound recording, copyright 2026 by Audible Limited. James Arthur Ray was a charismatic self-help guru, who promised his followers a path to wealth and enlightenment by becoming the best versions of themselves. But not all who followed him finished their own. journey. After Ray appeared on Oprah, thousands flocked to his events. But what many people didn't know about were his more extreme methods, methods that push his followers to their limits, giving some the transformative experience they envisioned and killing others. For the best bingeable series, like the one I just told you about, listen to the Audible True Crime podcast wherever you get your

podcasts. Audible subscribers can get all episodes early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts. Hey, I'm Cassie Depeckel, the host of Against the Odds from Audible Originals. In each episode, we share thrilling true stories of survival, putting you in the shoes of the people who live to tell the tale. In our latest series, it's 1910 and a blizzard has stranded two trains carrying more than a hundred people on an isolated stretch high up in the Cascade Mountains of Washington. The relentless snowfall has made it impossible to clear the tracks, but it snow piles up,

the threat of a massive avalanche grows. The passengers and crew will have to rely on their wits and luck if they hope to escape alive. Follow Against the Odds wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all episodes of Against the Odds early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.