From nob le mt l dot com
Late May, Kandla City, Gujarat, India.
The moment I left the airport after a 22-hour flight via Amsterdam and Mumbai, I burst into laughter.
“It’s as thin as Congo, but this… … ?”
It was because the hot, sticky air invaded his body, entered his nostrils and filled his airways.
It feels like Korea during a heat wave.
Just the other day when I was in the US, I had worn a long-sleeved T-shirt and even a windbreaker in the morning, so I could feel the change in temperature even more clearly.
Jose, who was by his side, also wrinkled his expression, as if he felt the same way.
“Maybe it’s because of the humidity at the beach, but it’s hard to breathe… … ? Congo would be much better.”
By the time I nodded at his complaint.
Fortunately, an air-conditioned van arrived to pick us up before there was more noise.
It is also a vehicle with firearms loaded by US military aircraft.
While getting into the car and naturally equipping each person with their guns and ammunition, something came out from behind the driver’s seat.
It was a pitch-black bag presented by a driver who must have come out of cooperation with the CIA.
aka 007 bag.
Jake, who finished checking the gun before he knew it, opened his mouth.
“What is this?”
“I was just instructed to deliver.”
Instead of asking more for textbook-like answers, Jake took it and opened the bag.
Since I had already finished exchanging dirty words and identifying friends, there was nothing suspicious.
It was only rare that a separate bag was given.
Before long, Jake’s thick thumb pulled back the lock on the bag.
Click.
It was around the time I was looking at what was inside my heart while inspecting my gun.
The inside of the bag was soon exposed.
‘cellphone?’
At first glance, there was an enormously large phone that seemed to have had various security measures in it.
It is slightly smaller in size than the PRC-999K, the representative communication device of the ROK Army, but it looks much more sophisticated.
Soon the bell rang.
Tiri riri— T riri li—
Jake answered the phone, and after talking for a while.
Suddenly, he handed me a receiver.
“Me?”
“Yes, Lee. take it.”
“Ah, yes.”
When I answered the phone, I heard a familiar voice that I hadn’t heard in a while.
Director of External Relations Robert.
He was supposed to be present at the meeting with the Secretary of State, but now he was able to meet him over the phone.
-I just finished explaining the operation to Jake, Lee. I asked you to call me… … .
while waiting for what to say.
-Probably the guy you talked about at the end of this operation, Pikal, is involved.
“Ah, good… It’s not that it’s going well, but it’s going well anyway?”
-Yes, proof that things are going well. After this operation, we will be able to gather information, so we will be able to disseminate related data in the near future.
“Yeah, that’s great.”
– And depending on the outcome of this operation, it will be possible to report directly to the president from future operations.
“oh… That went well too.”
While he was answering, he hesitated for a moment as if he was taking a break, and then the voice came over.
-I should have met you during this vacation, but it’s a pity that I couldn’t. I was going to tell you about the reward I told you about, but since I’m busy with work… … .
“Ah, that… Yes, it happened like that, but it’s not urgent, it’s okay. It’s been a while since I said it… … .”
Around the time Harry had mentioned the enormous lot and the private helicopter came to mind.
Robert’s explanation continued.
-Maybe there will be some progress after this operation. We are checking the site, and securing it will be done soon… Helicopter sales and license completion courses are also prepared.
“Aww, thank you.”
-no. I’m rather grateful. Good luck with this operation, Mr. Lee.
“Sure. I will do my best.”
The phone call, which seemed to have added some small talk, ended, and at the same time the car stopped.
“You’re here, get off.”
At Jake’s words, I handed over the 007 bag and got out of the car.
The firearm was exposed, but fortunately it did not attract attention or be stopped.
Since it was a cargo port, there were few civilians, but it was thanks to a CIA agent disguised as a local broker who showed up and guided us quickly.
A man with semi-curly, dark skin, and even speaks Indian English.
If it wasn’t for the obscene language promised in advance, he would have been difficult to recognize at all.
“I’m done here, you just have to go up on board.”
“… … ?”
I looked at it with a hopeful face.
The ship is the expected large cargo ship, but all the CIA undercover agent did was deliver it a few hundred meters.
I wondered if this was the end, but as if my prediction was correct, I turned my back and left.
Jose shook his head as if he felt the same way.
“Hmm, this operation seems to have a high security level. Those high-nosed guys would split the role of driver and guide. In addition, there is no explanation of the operation until now, even to our team leader… … .”
I naturally looked at Jake at those words, and only then did I hear the answer.
“Exactly, Jose.”
“also. Come on, Harry! You should learn this too. me, no… Could it be that you guessed it too?”
“Sure, I also had a year at the CIA.”
While Jose asks Harry, he answers.
Jake quietly continued his explanation.
“Everyone, check your PDA. I have target information.”
As he said, when I checked my personal PDA, two people came to mind.
One is Giandro Basicanal and the other is a figure who appears to be his subordinate.
Various personal information such as photos, names, ages, and concise personal history were written on it, but I realized it the moment I saw it.
As I initially anticipated, maritime security was just a pretext and formality, and the day I stayed in Italy was the proper date and time of the operation.
It was the same with what Jake said next.
“In the two weeks between the ship docking in Italy and the unloading and loading going on, some of the personnel will be out of the loading and carrying out the operation.”
“The weather will be better than here.”
After José’s choo-im-sae-like words acted as a comma, he hesitated at the words that followed.
“As expected, contact between the target and an outsider is made, so move in the direction of kidnapping all of them at that time, but if it is impossible, shoot them.”
The word abduction was different from the fact that most of the operations were simple battles or captures.
It was similar, but couldn’t be the same.
This is because the place we were going to was not a civil war zone, but Italy, which is considered an advanced country.
Of course, such an assault rifle armament would be impossible.
Soon, the expected words were heard.
“When disembarking, it is necessary to conceal only the secondary armament and subdue the enemy with minimal fire… If it is discovered, it will be regarded as an individual deviation, and a lawyer will be attached at the company level.”
It was a different story from Al Jamash, Camarnia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Of course, I’ve played a similar game in Lareple before, but of course it was completely different from now, so it wasn’t a topic to discuss.
It would be helpful to know a little bit about the story, but it wasn’t at all.
In a word, it was tough.
Then I remembered the phone call I had with Robert.
‘Ah, maybe… … .’
Even if it was about Pikal, when I asked why the words related to the president’s direct notification and rewards came out, it was because of this.
‘I gave you carrots in advance.’
It was very likely that Robert would soothe me over the phone in order to withstand the whipping that was to come.
The reason was obvious.
My skills are also treated because of my skills, but it must be because my patriotism is much lower than my skills.
‘I don’t love America… Still, I don’t choose a job.’
I shook my head.
I was the one who played Lareple.
I was well aware that the work of the Foreign Cooperation Agency was not legal, and I was well aware that many missions were carried out like secret operations.
More than anything, I was now in the game.
This means that nuclear war must be prevented.
Kidnapping was no big deal.
I just had to.
Pursuing Pikal was because the Foreign Cooperation Bureau was the only one in the game’s setting, and it was also the closest institution.
The CIA or the NSA could do it, but I didn’t know anything about it.
There is a possibility that the organization is large and there is a spy.
It was the same as what Jake said next.
“It is said that local agents assist, but it will be difficult to play a large role. For security reasons, we’re the only ones with the full context of the mission, and they’re only on short-term missions. Just like a driver or broker.”
“Mmm, then the weather is nice in Italy, damn it. If local support is also lacking, the work will not be easy.”
While Jose shook his head.
I climbed the stairs and arrived on board, and met several people who came to meet me.
Key crew members such as captain and boatswain.
Among them, the captain, who had finished his voice, had a smile on his face.
To be precise, it was immediately after hearing that we are an American company and that we are Americans.
“Looks like you’ve finally come to your senses at work. I never thought they would send the right people!”
Before I could ask why, the captain started talking as if releasing a lump.
“You don’t know how annoyed I was, especially the last time I sailed. Here, local Indians, Pakistani, Taiwanese, and some idiot Asians set up a mess… Ahh! Gee, I’m sorry.”
The captain who continued talking was surprised to see me and apologized.
“no. I understand.”
It was because I was well aware of the side effects caused by the development and expansion of the PMC industry.
For example, re-subcontracting, re-subcontracting, and even labor cost shucking.
I couldn’t not know because I heard and saw things myself while living in Lareple.
Soon the captain flinched and continued.
“that… American right? Or where you’re from… … .”
“Yes, I am American. I am from Korea.”
“after… That’s right, I’m glad I didn’t say that, no… Anyway, sorry for my mistake.”
“it’s okay.”
I stopped him from apologizing again, but I soon understood why.
Before sailing, I walked around the deck and identified the main boundary areas and blind spots, because the sand gunnery posts made here and there were a mess.
location, shape, and so on.
“Just looking at this, I think I can understand why the captain welcomed us. It sounds like you really didn’t want to work. Or I just didn’t know how to do it.”
As Jose shook his head, Harry, who was listening intently, asked a question.
“Doesn’t the fact that there is no harm even after doing this mean that the number of pirates has really decreased?”
“Oh, Somalis? It was less than before. Those who used to be pirates act as maritime security agents, and sometimes rob them among themselves.”
“It looks like it’s still there.”
“Why would you hire these guys to work like this? There are still assholes chewing on Khat (a narcotic plant) and attacking. They couldn’t even recognize warships and fired AKs. ah! Harry, was this your first time in maritime security?”
“Ah, yes.”
“Ha ha ha, yes. Learn a little from me this time, I’ll tell you a lot. Lee, is this your first time too? Right?”
José smiled and looked around and nodded.
“Oh, this is the first time.”
I looked away as I spoke.
It was because the vastness of the Arabian Sea was finally in sight beyond the deck railing.
From the deep blue of the sea to the stretched horizon.
It seemed so calm, somehow calm like the eve of a storm.
I wasn’t nervous, but I was worried.
‘How tough is this… … .’