[Chapter 727: Out of Control]
Lucas didn't receive any answers, but he wasn't particularly disappointed. William White's attitude towards Jewish people hadn't changed noticeably, which was exactly what others had asked him to investigate.
These guys felt pretty constrained; whenever the economy took a downturn, someone would pop up and say it was all the fault of those bastards.
Well, that wasn't really fair. If making money could be deemed a crime, then forget Jewish people -- William White was equally guilty.
The important thing was that making money was just in their blood. You rarely spotted them in monopolized industries, anyway.
William White wasn't interested in playing hardball with this film. Lucas understood that much. Truth be told, he had probably overthought it; William White didn't seem bent on a vendetta against anyone, nor did he have the guts to pull that off.
The other guys remained on edge, caught up by superficial appearances. The real dangerous beasts rarely showed their teeth; they preferred an ambush instead.
As for William White, rather than being arrogant, he seemed fearful.
...
"Master, there's been some progress regarding the World Trade Center situation. That guy named Laden seems to be the prime suspect."
[T/N: For those who don't know, there was an attack on the World Trade Center on February 26, 1993. A truck bomb was detonated in the underground parking garage of the North Tower, causing significant damage and killing six people, while injuring over a thousand others.]
Hearing the name again struck a chord with William White, though he tried to suppress his emotions.
"Cough, Tanner, what did this guy actually do?"
Even among the closest people, some things had to remain hidden.
"Master, this guy was originally a desert tycoon; his family had some weight. When the Soviets occupied Afghanistan, he chose to assist them. It was a full-on commitment; he even had to participate in battles himself. Then, the CIA found him and provided help and training..."
Tanner's next words left William White dumbfounded. "Damn, this guy turned out to be a CIA prodigy."
"Tanner, are you saying we helped them kick out the Soviets, and now they're planning to turn on us?"
"The Soviets are finished, and that territory has lost its value. Without aid being provided, Laden and his cronies are struggling quite a bit. The most important thing is that Washington hopes for democracy, and that's the only way they'll receive support. Clearly, they've had a falling out."
"Seriously? They're planning an attack over all this? What kind of twisted logic are these guys operating with?"
"The specifics are a mystery, but as for methods, they probably learned that from the CIA. Their original idea was to unleash these folks on the Soviets. Cough, master, the White Center is also one of their targets. Because our security level is high, they opted for the World Trade Center instead."
"Crap, did I provoke him? These bastards are truly reckless. I mean, what gives? There had to be a reason."
Cough, "Master, they oppose anything modern. TVs, games, you name it -- they've banned everything. They're out of their minds."
BAM! A beautifully crafted crystal ashtray shattered on the floor. Though Tanner jumped at the noise, he didn't take it too seriously. In fact, he himself was pretty angry. "Damn it, if you've got the guts, go hassle with Washington yourself."
"Send word to him; if my interests come under attack, anyone related to him will face the consequences. And find out his family situation -- get that detailed info sent over. Damn it, I'm not a politician like Bill Clinton, and I don't know anyone in Geneva."
"Sure thing, master, I'll get someone on it right away. Master, wouldn't it be easier just to take him out?"
"Ah, it's not that simple. It's tough to deal with faith; it can get complicated. If we take him down or wipe out his entire crew, it won't solve everything. In a few years, Laden might be gone, but there could be a new player on the scene. This guy has ties and probably wouldn't make a reckless move. But if a lone wolf shows up, we wouldn't even know who to retaliate against."
"Understood, master, I'll start digging."
Tanner had no notion of how tricky this guy could be, but William White certainly did. Eliminating him wouldn't solve the overall issue.
The current strategy William White had devised was something he borrowed from Israel. No matter your motives, if you dared to show your teeth at him, he'd be coming for you, pronto.
What? You think there might be collateral damage?
Cough, "Sorry, but that's unfortunate and doesn't concern me."
What? That sounds like a thug's mentality.
Actually, the best way to deal with a thug was to be even more of a thug yourself. If you worried about innocent people, while they didn't, you'd never win, no matter how you fought.
Don't think for a second that William White was just talking tough; if those bastards didn't give a clear answer, he wouldn't mind getting his hands dirty. To put it bluntly, he could very well sweep all of this under the rug and pretend he was unaware.
Whenever he went to church, he'd have to confess; it was kind of humiliating.
Of course, what William White currently hated most was that gang of idiots in the CIA.
If they were all clueless, that might have been tolerable, but the fact was, most of the time, they weren't. Even with the 9/11 incident later, they had known about it long in advance.
After watching too many films about personal heroism, sometimes people started losing their grip. Taking preemptive action allowed them to showcase their greatness in saving the world.
As for things going wrong afterward, cough, wasn't revenge also a way to show personal heroism?
Depending on your perspective, the approach to situations could differ greatly.
William White was living quite well; anyone who dared to disrupt that would become his permanent enemy -- there was nothing more to say on that.
Was there really someone innocent in this mix?
He could only offer a sincere apology. But honestly, it wouldn't change a thing; next time it happened, he'd likely be just as ruthless.
William White's mood was terrible. That CIA group was truly a disaster. The most ridiculous part was that they dug holes without even considering how to fill them back in.
Wasn't this exactly what was happening? They caught a low-level guy and strutted around proudly. With their buffoonish protection, America seemed safer than ever.
They could spin such utter nonsense until they believed their own lies. Was this what was meant by a con artist? Of course, many others shared William White's thoughts. For various reasons, nobody was stepping up to voice them.
Why did Bush Sr. move to the sidelines?
There were likely many reasons, but the most significant one was that Operation Desert Storm ended too quickly.
With oil prices plummeting to rock-bottom levels, military budgets couldn't rise either. That Star Wars initiative had honestly become a half-finished project.
For many, finding a rival for America became an obsession. World peace and such didn't hold a candle to their wallets.
...
"Ben Affleck? Have you made up your mind?" Nastassja asked curiously. This guy had only made a splash in the campus scene and not much else.
"What's wrong? Is there a problem? Isn't this guy a catch? At least the leading lady for him is easier to find."
"His fame pales in comparison. You know, Tom Cruise was the dreamboat for many girls back then."
"Ha, I know; you're probably dreaming of only me. And as for those silly girls, I could care less about them."
Giggling, "You really are a bit petty. I mean, didn't he actually poach you?"
"Pfft, do I really care about that? I even sent a gift when Demi Moore got married."
Nastassja shot him a look, thinking it was just his novelty that faded. The big sheep from Australia wasn't likely in that category.
*****
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