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Grihtened “Ah, yes” He looked around the room at his inner circle “Gentle for a response, he rose and made his way down the hall, trailed by Deb, who had to practically jog to keep up with his long strides

“Line two,” she said as he entered his office, and he nodded as he closed the door behind hiundy calfskin executive chair and raised the handset to his ear

“Hello,” he said

The caller’s voice was flat, genderless, robotic, run through souised it, as it had been each time he’d spoken with his mystery accomplice

“The first step in escalating our conflict has been taken By the end of the day there will be articles in the Australian and Solomon papers about the aid workers’ disappearance, as well as the militia’s demands”

“Finally, soood news How do you intend to resolve the situation once the tension’s built sufficiently?”

“Unfortunately, the workers won’t e, demands for retribution, and travel advisories Most i administration, whose approach so far to unrest has been to do nothing”

“Will that be sufficient?”

“Only time will tell”

“I presume you have an alternate course of action if this doesn’t do the trick”

“Of course But you don’t want to knohat it entails”

“Very well Do what you must”

“Just don’t forget the next transfer I’ll be watching for it”

“Consider it done”

The caller hung up, leaving Griement he’d ever had and that made him uncomfortable but also exhilarated He’d been approached the year before by the caller, who’d had a unique proposition: participate in the for jurisdictions and have them salt the Solomon Islands’ parliament with donations to pliable officials so that in the event of any societal upheaval the companies would be in first position to receive any new leases or prospecting rights for oil, gas, and minerals