01-The Waters of Hormuz

The Waters of Hormuz by Rajuan Ahmed opens on a morning when the sea itself seems to hold its breath.In August 2026, a naval mine detonates in the Strait of Hormuz, severing one of the world's most vital arteries of energy. Nearly twenty million barrels of oil pass through these waters each day. Now the route is silent. Crude prices race toward $200 a barrel, markets convulse, and the tremors of a distant conflict begin to reach ordinary homes.Aboard the Iranian tanker MV Ardeshir, Captain Reza Karimi watches the Gulf change from a familiar sea into a landscape of suspicion and fear. At his side is Younus, an elderly sailor whose long life at sea has taught him that every war begins with certainty and ends with questions.In Washington, US National Security Advisor Catherine Woodward stands inside the Situation Room as military pressure builds. Intelligence reports arrive with frightening regularity. Every decision seems capable of closing the door to peace.