[Chapter 816: Wildfires Never End]
"Sir, we finished the job with Israel, but there might be some loose ends left."
"Yeah, keep your guard up. Heh, this isn't the time to relax," was Tanner's reply.
"Understood. The European team is swamped with this too. By the way, we found out that the security advisor for Gaddafi was spotted in Berlin."
"Ha, that guy, Moussa Koussa, right? Gaddafi didn't feed him to the lions; he must be lucky."
"Sir, it seems like he has some connections. If he were just a random guy, he would've been dried up by now."
Tanner rolled his eyes at the guy and said, "What kind of talk is that? Whether it's Gaddafi or someone else, the important positions are always filled by our own."
Military, economic, and diplomatic matters should never fall into the hands of others; if they did, your good days would be over. With a golden toilet, imagine how hated that would be. If someone took you down, the spoils should rightly belong to others.
As for that angel, what the master said was pretty much on point. The folks showing up now are just peripheral players.
...
"They went to Europe? Heh, that's not bad. It's a way to avoid the spotlight, right?"
"Yes, master. The data Israel submitted indicates that this organization has been around for many years."
William White rubbed his temple, feeling a headache -- maybe more than just a headache. His whole demeanor seemed off.
Tanner was familiar with this gesture. It usually meant that the master was grappling with something troublesome.
"Ah, forget it. This group, we probably can't wipe them out in one or two strikes. By the way, what's their mission? They must have some goals."
"Sir, Israel is also a bit perplexed. Our people reported back that many matters are tied to this organization. It feels like they only care about money, not human lives."
"Money? Heh, isn't that unnecessary? The Jewish community loves money, but what's the use if they can't hold onto it? By the way, do they have any particular religious leanings?"
"Master, that's the strangest part. The Moshiach, they believe in the Angel of Death. They think the apocalypse will arrive during the millennium. These folks are completely insane."
William squinted. Fallen angels, also known as angels of death. This Moshiach character would give even Satan a headache.
Cough cough, don't be surprised; Satan is one of the top nine fallen angels -- he's not some devil in disguise. Though, of course, some folks don't acknowledge that.
This wasn't the main point; the real issue is that anything dabbling in religion is bound to be very messy.
"Tanner, why do I feel like these guys are similar to Laden? If they don't plan to live anymore, why not just jump into the ocean? Sinners think they deserve heaven -- if that's the case, hell must be a better option."
"By the way, master, we delivered the message, and they turned on the lights to express their apologies."
"Hahaha, that guy must have been terrified, right?"
"He was indeed shaken. He didn't expect us to dig up his dirt. As for the reason for discontent with the CIA, we haven't figured that out."
"Alright, I got it. This person is very dangerous. Don't let him out of sight."
"Don't worry, master; he can't escape."
William White, however, wasn't reassured at all. He wanted to know what the CIA was up to. Things had been so smooth previously, but now, suddenly, everything was different.
Had his wife gotten mixed up in something? That shouldn't be the case -- the CIA's guys shouldn't be able to get close to real action.
Had the person handling this case for the CIA done something to Laden?
Cough cough, it had to be something like that. What was this, a love-hate relationship?
It wasn't surprising that William was letting his mind wander. It made no sense otherwise.
Laden was clearly CIA people. They wouldn't dare use him without their own little strategy.
A desert tycoon, along with a huge family. These kinds of characters were simply too easy to control. If they dared disobey, they could easily end up dead.
As for what turned into demolition operations later? That was truly a mystery.
However, back then, the U.S. was obviously furious. These out-of-line questions were just too sensitive for anyone to address.
After 9/11, members of the Laden family left the United States in a hurry. Keep in mind, they did so with CIA assistance.
Scary, right?
William White didn't know what had happened. There were simply too many oddities in this matter.
One thing was certain: the CIA had prior knowledge. Or to say, a significant part of the plan. They had received intel ahead of time.
Oh, poor kids, watching too many Hollywood blockbusters.
As long as there was a bomb, it seemed like there always had to be a countdown. If they didn't defuse it at the last second, they wouldn't be able to showcase their abilities.
It's a cliche that just keeps recycling. Only shows like 24 had a bit of a breakthrough with this tired old trope.
Hah, they played the game too many times. Suddenly, hitting them with a reverse play seemed genuinely interesting. High ratings spoke volumes.
When it came to creating a breakout show, they really took that reverse play to the extreme. Any character played by Keaton was practically always a villain. Most inmates were labeled as good guys.
If not for the female lead's miraculous return from the dead, that show could still continue to develop.
The news Tanner brought today was not to be taken lightly. This group, including Laden, were all extremely radical. One misstep could lead to significant trouble.
However, it seemed they likely hated Israel even more. It was hard to figure out; if they were fallen angels, they shouldn't exactly get along with the Jewish community.
Currently, everything seemed just right. Perhaps with their heads a bit bigger, they would encounter more trouble ahead.
"Master, also, that Moussa Koussa took off for Europe. His actions suggest Gaddafi is starting to feel the pressure."
"Hahaha, oil is only seventeen bucks now. The desert tycoon's costs are at least three or two bucks to get by.
We're stuck at around ten bucks. As for Gaddafi, his costs aren't low either. Economic sanctions -- hahaha, that old man couldn't even sell for fifteen bucks -- that's a sure recipe for losing it all."
"With such huge losses, it'd be better to take the blame outright. Clinton doesn't want to go to war now, so it should be negotiable."
"It doesn't work like that; it's not something to admit to, and they can't hand him over to the Americans.
Tanner, how did he rise to power? It's all about pushing back against America, right? If he compromises with us, he's got his own domestic issues to sort through."
Wasn't Hunter Oil seized like this?
Thinking about that unfortunate Hunter family made William White chuckle a little. He didn't know what was wrong with him. He offended everyone he shouldn't have, and now he's ticked off the ones that didn't need antagonizing.
For someone like him to still be alive? That was nothing short of divine intervention.
"Master, I was wondering, he seems to have abandoned Zaire. Buying diamonds has become too much of a hassle. If he goes, we can just rob him."
William White let out a wry smile. Of course, his men would love to loot. This way, they would get extra rewards.
Max was like that; Tanner was the same. Even if they didn't need money, there was that whole crew to take care of.
He now somewhat understood the ilk who played dirty -- those lower ranks needed some excitement to stay fueled. Without chaos, where would the funding come from?
*****
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