The White Feather- A story of infinite worlds

An Offer He Can't Refuse

“It’s way too risky. I mean there ARE multiple weak spots which we can exploit and use to enter the base, but there is no way in hell that we can come back with the general without being shot at. It makes no difference even if we go in stealthily or with guns blazing.” Gabriel said and pushed the map away in frustration.

“We could hold him hostage and use him as cover while we escape.” Emma said.

Everyone looked at her like she was a stupid eight year old standing in a group of adults.

“This is not an action movie dear, it is real life. There will be snipers at the ready who will drop us at a moment’s notice. Anybody else has a plan that could actually work?” Gabriel asked.

“Yeah, we will go in from the front door.” Tony said. He was standing at the window as usual, and looking at the traffic outside.

He turned around and saw everyone’s surprised faces. They thought he was stupid, and he was indeed a little stupid to propose something like that when it was already mentioned that the mission was strictly covert.

“What the f**k did I just say? We CAN NOT go in with guns blazing!” Gabriel said once again, calculating the possibility that Tony had actually gone mad.

“I never said we will go in with guns blazing. Our mission is meant to be covert, so it will be covert. I have a plan, and I need all of you to carefully listen and tell me about the parts I might have forgotten to figure out.” Tony said, taking a chair and sitting down while the suspense built around him.

“Go on, we’re listening.” Olivia said. I know that I said she was ignoring him, but business is business.

“I had thought of this plan from the very beginning, but there was a major barrier in the way. And that barrier was removed a few days ago. We now have an ace in the hole, and he goes by the name of Captain Jamal.

We will go in as American arms dealers. Now we know that the terrorist side is winning, but their only advantage is the knowledge of the terrain and sympathy of the people. Combine these with the state of the art firepower and no one can stop them from ruling over the country which rightfully belongs to them. We are not selling them the guns, we are investing in them. The guns are just a medium of investment.

That is the kind of crap we will say. I will be the businessman and Olivia will be my wife. Gabriel will be my driver and Emma will be my secretary. Now people will raise questions as to why I brought my wife to a warzone. The solution is her acting like a honey trap. I will pretend that I’m using her to conduct business deals with ease.

But all that would come across like a pile of bullshit. So how do we make them believe that we are real traders?” Tony asked.

“We use a middleman!” Gabriel said. He was slowly starting to understand what Tony was trying to say.

“Yes! And there are very few middlemen with more credibility than a captain with his fame spread across the ranks. Captain Jamal will be our mutual friend, and he will vouch for us. I was trying to let us pass unseen, but the condition requires us to show our faces.” Tony said.

“Yeah, we will have to kill Jamal after the work is done.” Gabriel said and sighed.

“It’s a shame that we have to kill him, he seemed like a loyal soldier.” Emma added.

“What about his family though? Do we kill the little girl and her innocent mother too?” Olivia asked.

“We’ll see about that. Right now, we have more important things to discuss. So get up, pump up some coffee in your bodies and get those big brains working.” Tony said and got up.

Next morning, Tony was sitting inside an abandoned building. Most of the rooms were destroyed and walls had large cracks on them, but somehow, this room seemed to be completely unaffected. And hence, Tony decided that it would be his office for today.

“No! You can torture me all you want , but I will NOT give up my honor.” Captain Jamal was screaming outside.

“What did he say?” Tony asked Gabriel, who had just came in from the same room as Jamal.

“He says that his honor is most precious to him, and he would die before he lets the general die due to his betrayal.” Gabriel answered.

“Looks like I will have to handle this myself.” Tony said and got up from the armchair.

He cracked his knuckles and moved out of the room like he was going to fight a wrestler. Gabriel saw this as the perfect opportunity to seize the armchair and rest while he could.

“What is it, Captain Jamal? I thought we had an understanding.” Tony said while frowning.

Jamal was standing in the middle of the empty room, in a defensive position.

“I never knew you people were Americans. Americans ruin our beloved country, and now you expect me to stab my army in the back? Never!” Jamal said and clenched his fists.

“Clear the room.” Tony said calmly and gestured Emma and Olivia to get out.

They followed the order and closed the door on their way out. Now it was just the two boys, face to face and staring at each other.

“I will nev…” Jamal opened his mouth to whine again but Tony’s words outpitched his.

“First of all, I have no interest in take your or your general’s life! There is something I want to know and only your general can tell me that. And secondly, if I was smart enough to have you abducted and fool you into thinking that we are Afghans, do you think I would be stupid enough to go into an army base and kill their prime officer?

I must say, I am deeply hurt and surprised by your poor judgment.” Tony said nodded his head in fake disappointment.

“Then what the f**k do you want from us?” Jamal said. He was confused, you could tell it by looking at his face.

“I just want to talk to your general for fifteen minutes. And I want YOU to fix the meeting for us. Remember, if anything goes wrong or we are accidently killed, the people in slums will be eating the meat sandwich made from your wife’s flesh. Your family is safe as long as we are safe.” Tony said sternly.

“No, I will not destroy the reputation I spent my life making up.” Jamal said, still unsure. Now Tony knew that he had got Jamal into the corner. Just the right words, and Jamal would be a puppet on his fingertips.

Tony walked up to him and grabbed his collar. Jamal was shocked by the change of Tony’s behavior from warmly modest to excessively aggressive.

“This is not a f*****g negotiation, you f*****g dog. You will do what I say and when I say it, or you will not have those hands when you go to bury your family. I have reminded you again for the sake of your younger one, but I am at the tip of my mercy. Question my decision one more time, and you’ll know how dearly one can pay for just a few words.” Tony said and shook Jamal, still not letting go of the collar.

“Ye…..Yes, sir.” Jamal said and shivered.

“He will do as you instruct him to do.” Tony said, coming into the room where the armchair was placed.

“Wow man. What did you say to him? I thought he was never going to get along with us.” Gabriel asked.

“I proposed an offer which was simply too tempting for him to refuse.” Tony said and smiled.