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.“I told you we had a deal when Belac was in the bag.He ain’t in any bag.”“That’s no fault of mine!”“You know what I think, Mr Shepherd? I think we’d better have a closer look at your whole operation here.Make sure everything is kosher.You get the idea?”Belac had taken the Phoenix flight.He spent the entire journey tensed for any sudden interest from the crew and was wet with apprehension on arrival, but there was no check at the debarkation gate.He moved on immediately, waiting only an hour for a flight to Mexico City, where for the first time he felt able to relax.From Mexico he picked up the overnight service to Madrid, where he rested properly before moving on to Paris.He’d thought everything out by the time he reached France.He’d lived well, by his own frugal standards, and successfully even with two American indictments outstanding against him.And he could continue to do so in the future, providing he did not again attempt to enter the United States.For the moment, maybe for a long time until he built up the proper connections, he’d better stay away from American hi-tech, which was distressing because it was most profitable.If the Americans were investigating him and the VAX order, which they clearly were, then they had to know of Rivera.Belac wished he could say nothing and let the bastard sink in whatever morass he was in.But there was too much money outstanding.Rivera had to be told, told the VAX was impossible.He.Belac, would agree to refund the sum advanced for its purchase if Rivera would agree to a settlement for everything.And that would be the end.Belac tried to make the telephone conversation fittingly businesslike.Overwhelming problems had arisen, he said, when he was connected to Rivera in London.They had to meet at once, and Rivera had to come to him in Paris; Belac was confident he’d escaped surveillance, but was unsure about the other man.Rivera attempted to question but Belac refused to answer, repeating the need for a personal meeting.Rivera stipulated the George V and the still nervous Belac agreed at once, despite the price.“And be careful about being followed,” he warned.Rivera took no precautions at all, angrily suspicious of Belac’s melodramatic approach, but the CIA watch had already been suspended, on orders from Washington.The flight was on time and Rivera entered Paris against the outflow of rush hour and reached the hotel ahead of the hour arranged.They met in the ground-floor bar.The ambassador sat without drinking, letting Belac recount what had happened over the preceding few days, his disbelief becoming positive conviction.Clearly unimpressed, Rivera said when Belac finished, “So where does that leave us with our arrangement?” without any expression of concern.“The VAX is impossible,” Belac said.“I’m not sure now about the tank auction—”“I must have the tanks!” Rivera cut in.The indispensable middleman who always delivered ahead of time, he thought.He wasn’t that anymore.By relying absolutely on Belac, who’d failed him, he had no way now to buy elsewhere and still meet the deadline, even the Havana schedule of six months.The fucker of pigs!“I’ll try for the tanks,” Belac said.“I have fifteen Stinger missiles.… The third ship, the City of Athens, is chartered to pick up from San Diego, if the tank deal comes off.” For a brief moment Belac was warmed by a private thought.“So I don’t get the VAX!”“That’s all,” Belac agreed, hurriedly.“But there’s the money you’re keeping back.As well as the percentages; and there’s four million I’m owed on the transportation costs.It comes in total to fifteen million.At the moment I am something like five million out of pocket—my own money.” He felt something like heartburn having to say the words.“And three million in pocket from the money already advanced for the VAX purchase,” Rivera pointed out.“No!” tried Belac, reluctant to sacrifice anything.“I had to pay that for the portions of the system that were supplied, before the ban.”“Rubbish,” Rivera said.“You might have had advances and staged payments to other dealers, for most of the stuff, but the VAX was from a bona fide supplier and you would have dealt with them in the normal way, payment on completion at ninety days.”“I have a proposal,” Belac said, retreating.“I will refund the VAX money, as a gesture of good faith.In return I ask you to relax this penalty situation; release the other money.”Rivera did not respond at once.It was unthinkable that he should trust the man.Thank God he had withheld the money and retained a lever to gel the tanks.Just yesterday he’d received detailed delivery instructions.He said, “We had a deal.You broke it.”“I didn’t know I was under investigation, did I!” Belac said, exasperated.“Are you under investigation?” Rivera asked quietly.It was Belac’s turn briefly to remain unspeaking.“I see,” he said, controlled himself.“Let me return your question.Where does that leave us, with our arrangement?”“Short of forty tanks, fifteen Stinger missiles, and a computer,” Rivera said.“I will supply the tanks and the missiles,” Belac said.“I have specific instructions,” Rivera insisted.“After loading in San Diego, the City of Athens has to sail direct to Lobito; it’s a port in Angola, West Africa.The American departure must be reported by the master direct to Havana.When I receive confirmation of the sailing, I’ll release the money you are owed.Less the VAX payment.So, how long?”“A week,” said Belac.He knew the way to screw the bastard! Screw him and end up with more profit than he’d imagined possible!“The fifteenth, then,” Rivera said [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]