English is not the strongest language for all of you, but since I’m dealing with several clients at once, I feel it is the most appropriate selection.” Kotto took a sip of Oyo wine, a local beverage made from the sap of palm trees, then continued. “In order to give everybody a sense of who they’ll be bidding against, I’d like each of you to name the country that you’re representing. Each of you has been assigned an auction number. When your number is called, please tell the group where you are from.”
As Kotto’s assistant read the numbers, heavily accented voices emerged from the speakerphone, each announcing his country of origin. Algeria, Angola, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Namibia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo were all represented.
“If you were listening,” Kotto stated, “I am sure each of you realizes that Africa is the only continent that Mr. Drake and I are dealing with. We’ve had several offers from Asia and South America as well, but we’re not ready to deal with their politics. At least, not yet.”
“When do you expect to broaden the operation?” asked the Ethiopian delegate.
“That’s a decision we haven’t made. If all continues to go well, there’s the possibility of expansion within the next few months.” Kotto took another sip of wine while waiting for further questions. When none came, he changed the course of the discussion. “I realize that some of you were disappointed with the last shipment. Mr. Drake and I discussed the issue, and I apologize for any problems it might’ve caused. I would like to assure you that you will have no such problems with the next delivery. It is the best quality we’ve ever prepared.”
The Kenyan spoke next. “What will that do to the price? I imagine we will have to pay more for the increase in caliber, will we not?”
Kotto grinned. “I would imagine, like in any business, that an increase in quality will cause an increase in price, but to what extent the price will rise, we’ll find out shortly.”
JONES settled into the soft leather seats of the Payne Industries jet and closed his eyes for a moment of retrospection. During his military career, he’d been on hundreds of life-threatening missions, but this was the first time he’d ever felt hopeless before a flight. For one reason or another, he knew he was completely unprepared for what he was about to do.
And it was a feeling that he didn’t like.
When he was a member of the MANIACs, they were always given advanced reconnaissance before they were dropped into enemy territory. Maps, guides, safe houses, and specific objectives were always provided before they were put into danger. But not today. No, on this mission Jones was willing to ignore every protocol he had ever been taught because his best friend needed his help. He was flying to a city he’d never visited to look for a girl who probably wasn’t there, and the only thing they had to go on was a tattoo of the letter P .
“This is crazy,” he said to himself.
As he opened his eyes, he saw Payne hang up the phone at the front of the cabin and return to his seat, which was across the aisle from Jones.
“Go on. Get it off your chest,” Payne said, knowing his friend wasn’t happy.
“Are you sure this trip is wise? I mean, don’t you think it’s a little bit impulsive?”
“Not really. As I told you before, Levon talked to some of his boys in the city, and they assured him that Holotats are used by several of the local gangs.”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t guarantee that Ariane is going to be down there. For all we know, the gang could have members in cities across America like the Bloods or the Crips. It could be a local thug from the Hill District that we’re looking for. Heck, the P could stand for Pittsburgh .”
“True, but that doesn’t explain the Louisiana license plate, now does it?”
Jones shook his head. He
As Kotto’s assistant read the numbers, heavily accented voices emerged from the speakerphone, each announcing his country of origin. Algeria, Angola, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Namibia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo were all represented.
“If you were listening,” Kotto stated, “I am sure each of you realizes that Africa is the only continent that Mr. Drake and I are dealing with. We’ve had several offers from Asia and South America as well, but we’re not ready to deal with their politics. At least, not yet.”
“When do you expect to broaden the operation?” asked the Ethiopian delegate.
“That’s a decision we haven’t made. If all continues to go well, there’s the possibility of expansion within the next few months.” Kotto took another sip of wine while waiting for further questions. When none came, he changed the course of the discussion. “I realize that some of you were disappointed with the last shipment. Mr. Drake and I discussed the issue, and I apologize for any problems it might’ve caused. I would like to assure you that you will have no such problems with the next delivery. It is the best quality we’ve ever prepared.”
The Kenyan spoke next. “What will that do to the price? I imagine we will have to pay more for the increase in caliber, will we not?”
Kotto grinned. “I would imagine, like in any business, that an increase in quality will cause an increase in price, but to what extent the price will rise, we’ll find out shortly.”
JONES settled into the soft leather seats of the Payne Industries jet and closed his eyes for a moment of retrospection. During his military career, he’d been on hundreds of life-threatening missions, but this was the first time he’d ever felt hopeless before a flight. For one reason or another, he knew he was completely unprepared for what he was about to do.
And it was a feeling that he didn’t like.
When he was a member of the MANIACs, they were always given advanced reconnaissance before they were dropped into enemy territory. Maps, guides, safe houses, and specific objectives were always provided before they were put into danger. But not today. No, on this mission Jones was willing to ignore every protocol he had ever been taught because his best friend needed his help. He was flying to a city he’d never visited to look for a girl who probably wasn’t there, and the only thing they had to go on was a tattoo of the letter P .
“This is crazy,” he said to himself.
As he opened his eyes, he saw Payne hang up the phone at the front of the cabin and return to his seat, which was across the aisle from Jones.
“Go on. Get it off your chest,” Payne said, knowing his friend wasn’t happy.
“Are you sure this trip is wise? I mean, don’t you think it’s a little bit impulsive?”
“Not really. As I told you before, Levon talked to some of his boys in the city, and they assured him that Holotats are used by several of the local gangs.”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t guarantee that Ariane is going to be down there. For all we know, the gang could have members in cities across America like the Bloods or the Crips. It could be a local thug from the Hill District that we’re looking for. Heck, the P could stand for Pittsburgh .”
“True, but that doesn’t explain the Louisiana license plate, now does it?”
Jones shook his head. He
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