[Chapter 527: CIA Caught Up Again]
Every man has his sentiments, whether good or evil. When those sentiments are expressed through the art of film, it is undeniably captivating.
"William, are you really sure you want to screen an action movie in IMAX?"
"Forget it, I can't talk about this right now. Honestly, only IMAX can do it justice."
The nonsense from those two didn't hinder their subsequent actions. Lucas's risks paled in comparison to those faced by William White. No matter how much the cost of IMAX was reduced, it remained exorbitant.
He had seen that massive machine. It came with all kinds of strict limitations, like temperature and humidity. The personnel needed specialized training; you couldn't have just anyone operating it.
And a nearly two-ton behemoth certainly wasn't cheap. This was not something that could be widely adopted. George Lucas was certain that if he didn't place a bulk order of a hundred units, it would never be affordable.
...
"Damn it, can someone explain to me what these two metal lumps are?"
"Director, I think we got played by those guys."
"Played by the Soviets? Well, you guys are indeed formidable, but how am I supposed to manage this $500,000 expense?"
If William White had been there, he would have laughed hysterically. $500,000 here might be whittled down to just $200,000 by the time it reached the next level. And counting the middlemen who got involved, realistically, there might be only 30 to 50 grand left.
Honestly, if someone could hand over something resembling the real deal, that would be considered generous.
William White also got wind of the news. The damned idea had originated from them. The initial plan was to launch this thing into space. Whether it failed to launch or became unmanageable was not his concern.
Now the situation was that the Soviets clearly had no intention of launching. They were out of funds and wouldn't spend more on it. Thus, the CIA had entered the picture.
What came next was pretty much exactly what led to this situation. Once the satellite landed in the CIA's hands, you could say nothing -- whatever it was, it was all bad.
...
"Master, two Trojan horses were bought off."
William White spit his coffee out; what Tanner said was just too hilarious.
"Cough, what do you mean? Who bought them?"
"Master, we didn't dare to press too hard; the equipment entered the U.S., so if nothing weird happened, it's likely the CIA bought it."
"My goodness, what kind of fools are these? What about the Soviets? Did we expose ourselves?"
"On that very night, they encountered a major fire. Even if there was some evidence left, there probably wouldn't be much. The most important thing is that nobody is paying attention now."
"Well, I wonder what those idiots spent. Ugh, that's taxpayer money! I just don't know how the big boss at the CIA is going to explain this."
"Yeah, boss, they are just so unprofessional. Even a detergent salesman knows to randomly grab a pack to test it out, and yet these idiots..."
[T/N: Detergent powder refers to cocaine, or any similar white powdered drugs.]
"Ha, who knows how the rest are reacting, but the big boss at the CIA must be crying -- it's downright embarrassing."
While William White relished the CIA's misfortune, chaos erupted within the agency, with mutual blame flying around.
Going back to settle the score?
Come on, that's just ridiculous. The factory has been burned to the ground -- who are they going to confront?
If they provoke the Soviets again, there'll be no defending themselves. Losing some money isn't a big deal; they've done worse before. As for the money problem, they have alternative revenue streams.
A great deal of the laundry detergent in the U.S. is brought back home by the CIA. As for whether or not someone might die because of this -- it's honestly not something they cared about; in their view, those are just minor costs.
Of course, this matter couldn't be kept under wraps within the CIA. At most, they would modify a few details. For instance, that $500,000 was just a prop.
We used fake money to acquire a fake satellite. Hmm, while it may be a bit embarrassing, it doesn't go too far.
"Master, from satellite surveillance, we found that Saddam is getting a bit restless. The possibility of military threats exceeds ninety percent."
"Tsk, this guy really does have a lunatic's audacity. I get it, just keep an eye on him -- we can't be bothered with other people's fates. By the way, pull our people back; something is bound to happen here sooner or later."
"Understood, master. Iraq has become this poor; I wonder what they are planning."
"Ha, it's precisely because he's poor, Tanner. If you had that kind of power in your hands, you'd take a risk too."
What William White insinuated was that if Saddam didn't pull a big job, his men would go rogue. A struggling populace would cause trouble anywhere.
In fact, what Saddam initially did was barely acceptable, but his later actions became rather peculiar.
He could have learned from the Soviets, just like when they invaded Afghanistan. You must never admit to any aggression or even make territorial demands. The most appropriate description would be that we were using outdated maps.
...
"Director, word from Gaddafi is very unfavorable for us. They've tied the diamond mine debt to us."
"Damn it, what is that private security team doing?"
"Director, they abandoned all peripheral outposts and are hunkered down in the Congo; it seems they're not planning to show their faces again."
"That bastard! He clearly operates under these guys' banner -- how did it become our problem? We have people in that security team, don't we? Any news from them?"
"None. Those two are just living it up, completely carefree. Oh, and now there are a few more special ops people."
"Tsk, now that's a problem; what are those special ops doing getting in our way? This isn't their jurisdiction."
Executive Outcomes Security is undeniably powerful, that's without question. The problem is, that power doesn't fall under the CIA's control.
If you dared to act like that on U.S. soil, sure as hell someone would be ready to make a fuss. In Africa, however, no such rules applied.
If you managed to annoy the locals enough, the CIA would also meet with disgrace. Laws and moralities don't thrive there. Your might makes your word law; otherwise, no one cares about your background.
...
"Dad, William White is really something. He pulled a big score and then went back into hiding. If he's this scared of casualties, what does he need an Apache for?"
"Ha, your old man wouldn't want to wade into murky waters either; why should that businessman stir things up? It's correct that it's optimal as it is now. The greatest threat comes when fists are retracted."
"Tsk, those darn frogs are pushing it too far; the Soviets haven't even taken a dive yet."
"For them, Africa really is important. Last century, they plundered people; now, their target is resources."
*****
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