Lt. Col. Ragham's doubts were put to rest when he heard the release of the waves suggest that he could arrange for fighters to accompany the ship.
"You're right, if we can negotiate a deal then we'll arrange for personnel to escort the ship!"
The two men walked into the dining room as they spoke, and it wasn't long before they sat down. elrond saw that Mr. Coburn had also arrived at the door of the dining room, and hastily got up, waving his hand in greeting. Seeing Elrond get up, Mr. Colonel knew that his guest had arrived and could only pull his butt out of the seat not very willingly.
Looking at the visitor, he saw that it was a middle-aged white man with meticulously combed hair, a calm and collected bookish demeanor, and wearing a suit.
Elrond went forward to shake hands and greetings for the two were introduced, the three were seated, the restaurant staff began to order the dishes already ordered on the table. Foreigners are not very used to talking business at the table, so at first they were talking about some Italian scenery and other gossip.
Soon after the meal was over, Lieutenant Colonel Ragham spoke up impatiently, "Mr. Coburn, I have heard from Elrond and I that you have three ships on hand right now that have no shipping assignments, is that correct?"
"Yes there are three ships, but it can't be said that there is no transportation mission, it is the side of the US head office that requested us to sail our ships to New York to help transport some military supplies over, however, we are not too willing to travel to the US with empty ships, that's why we didn't make the trip right away. But since Mr. Elrond found me, then the business of helping your army transport supplies back to Brazil is something we can take on, only that the price on top might be a bit higher, so I hope Mr. Graham can understand." Mr. Coburn said lightly.
Originally Ragham heard Coburn said that the United States need this side of the ship over to transport military supplies, but also thought that there is no chance, later heard that you can pick up, mainly because of the price problem. This can be what problem freight is the Brazilian government to bear, but transported back to the supplies is their own and the army chief, this kind of loss of public interest operation is not too simple, so Lt. Col. Ragham easily opened his mouth: "Mr. Coburn please rest assured that the money problem are not a problem, you open price I do not return the price."
Listening to Lt. Col. Graham's bravado reply, Elrond thought that this officer died a tycoon from Saudi Arabia! Mr. Coburn was also flabbergasted, so ready with his price negotiation routine that he surprisingly didn't know how to speak for a moment.
It took a few moments of thought before he said, "Commander Graham, we now have three freighters of five thousand five hundred tons capacity, and if you're sure you want to use the charters, we're quoting thirty thousand dollars a ship one way to Brazil."
Despite the fact that Lt. Col. Graham stated that he wasn't poorly paid, he couldn't help but be staggered to hear thirty thousand dollars a trip for shipping, and glanced at Elrond, making a wink, wanting Elrond to help put in a good word. Unfortunately, Elrond acted as if he was an outsider from the moment they started talking business, eyeballing around the restaurant, looking for beautiful women to brighten one's day, and completely dismissing Graham's wink as an eye cramp.
Graham saw Elrond's performance, also very helpless, cowhide was blown out by himself again, now a little down. With a twinkle in his eye, he said, "Mr. Coburn, this price of yours is also considered reasonable, and I am not unable to accept it, but we do not know if we can discuss it, your fuel and living materials for the round trip will all be provided by our Brazilian Navy, and I do not know if we can offer a slight discount on the price."
Mr. Coburn thought for a moment, "If that's the case we can accept a minimum of twenty-eight thousand five hundred dollars per ship. But let's make it clear that we are not responsible for the safety of the cargo, and no insurance company is willing to underwrite sea freight at this time. The main reason is that the Germans' submarines are indefensible, and the risk we need to take is so great that the ship may be destroyed at any time. I hope you will understand."
"I understand that this is a special time, and I agree with the price. We don't need your company to be responsible for any loss of cargo due to the war, but if it's for any other reason, you are responsible. In addition, because our cargo is the army's logistical materials, we need to arrange escort personnel on each ship, and we hope that your side can provide convenience." Lieutenant Colonel Graham also made his request at the right time.
Such a request was of course more than enough for Coburn, having the military on board to provide protection would also allow for more security. Therefore, he did not hesitate to say, "Of course, it is normal procedure for the cargo owner to arrange personnel to accompany the ship to supervise the safety of the cargo, and we will definitely cooperate actively."
In this way, the two quickly reached a preliminary intention, as for the specific details of cooperation is agreed to arrange a person to the Global Trading Company tomorrow to discuss in detail. Finally, the two ended the talks in a relaxed and happy atmosphere.
Elrond wanted very much to follow Mr. Coburn home to see Miss Lilith, but unfortunately he was no longer free until he reported to the Brazilian Navy, and there were still soldiers under his command to manage in the barracks, so he had to follow Lieutenant Colonel Graham's jeep back to the barracks.
Unbeknownst to Elrond, who had returned to the barracks, Mr. Coburn, who had returned home by this time, was carrying his family around to cross-examine him about his first day on the job.
"How do you feel about your first day on the job today, dear, and is your son-in-law's company large?" Mrs. Coburn looked at her husband with an eager face.
Coburn's head was filled with black lines when he heard his wife address Elrond, while Lilith beside him instantly blushed. Causing her sister to giggle.
Looking at the family's expectant eyes, Coburn had to relate what he saw and heard in the company today, and heard that Elrond was even uncle and nephew with the U.S. Commodore, and at once directly received three five thousand tons of cargo ships from the U.S. Army, but also made Mrs. Coburn's eyes golden light.
I also heard that the ship just arrived immediately have business door to door, a freight is even higher frightening when, but also repeatedly praised, turned his head to Lilith said: "I say Lilith, you on Elrond in the end there is no idea ah! I can say goodbye to you, this son-in-law I have my eye on. If you can't get it down, I'll arrange for your sister to step in!"
If Elrond had been here he would have shaken his mother-in-law's hand and called her his mother-in-law, not for Lilith's sake, but mainly because he really didn't want to change his mother-in-law.
Unfortunately, the father and daughter few people on the scene were just straight up not going to be able to make it, staring dumbfounded at the woman in front of them. Lilith even blushed, "Mom, what are you talking about!"
Next to the younger sister Vivian is still a young girl who has just turned sixteen years old, and has already fallen out of a ting ting ting, looks like her sister is very outstanding, except that unlike her sister who has inherited her father's black hair, she has the same blonde hair as her mother, and looks very similar to the Italian anchor Dilita Leotta in the latter days, except that her skin is a bit more white.
As a sixteen year old girl, Vivian was of course able to understand her mother's meaning, and she and her sister had a very good relationship before picking up the conversation from the side, ''Mom, how can you say that! I won't steal my sister's man. We are good sisters, if my sister can't take it down, I will join my sister, the two of us can definitely take it down."
Listening to Wei Wei An's words, Mr. Coburn's mouthful of old blood was almost spewed out in anger. Mrs. Coburn, on the other hand, began to nod her head thoughtfully and said: ''What Wei-Wei An said is also reasonable, the war has drastically reduced the male population in Italy, in the future there might be a lot of women who can't get married, and even though my daughters are all very beautiful, they can't just find a random man and get married. Vivian your idea is very constructive, I agree. If your sister can't take the bottom alone, I'll support your proposal, I just don't believe that there's still that man who can resist the temptation of a sister flower."
At this point Lilith was already numb, how else could this be, it seemed like she couldn't even take Elrond without taking him down now, her mother had already arranged for a back-up plan, but remembering the lovey-dovey words that Elrond had said to her last night when he drove her home and the way she looked at her, she couldn't help but feel a surge of sweetness rise up in her heart again.
It's not clear if Lilith has really fallen for Elrond or if she's been influenced by what her own mother and sister have said, but in her heart, she's actually begun to think of Elrond as her boyfriend.
"I don't want to care about you guys!" Lilith shyly ran back to her room, and her younger sister, Wei Wei An, also hurriedly got up and followed her over to whisper to her sister.
Mrs. Coburn was still on the sofa continuing to think about the feasibility of the scheme, and I could tell by her expression that she must have thought of something good, and was full of smiles.
Poor Mr. Coburn, on the other hand, was left with a bewildered look on his face in the wind, his mind recalling Socrates' Three Questions of the Soul, Who am I, Where did I come from, and Where am I going?