How I Got US Aid in South America (2)
It was two days later that I met with the people from the US government.
"Hey, you idiot. If a civil war's about to break out, you tell people in advance. Who ships someone off to America on the day of?"
"Sorry, sorry. I was in a panic too."
I'd gone out to greet Minsik and the other Koreans we'd sent to the United States right before declaring war...
"...And who are those two?"
A pair of Americans were standing there with Mr. Moon of Daeho Trading.
"Ah... well..."
When I asked, they turned out to be people I never would have expected.
"They're from the US government."
"The US government? Which part?"
"That's as far as I know. Mr. Moon said he had to introduce them to you and asked me to bring them along."
"You let people you don't even know onto the plane with you? Without my permission?"
"What was I supposed to do? Mr. Moon begged me. Without him, this drone export deal never would've happened."
"...What the hell is Mr. Moon's deal, anyway? He knows people in the US government, he makes the impossible possible..."
At my question, the guy scratched his sideburns.
"I don't know the details either. He just told me his great-grandfather was with the NIS."
"You've got to be kidding me."
You don't just bring an intelligence agent into someone else's country.
I wanted to scissor-kick that idiot Minsik's legs out from under him for trying to play it off like it was nothing, but I was a Post-Gandhi now. I settled my temper.
"Fine. I'll meet them. You go on ahead."
"Let's grab a drink when you're done. Bring Isabella too."
"In your dreams."
I sent Minsik inside and approached the Americans standing with Moon Sung-moon.
Moon held out his hand when he saw me.
"Shall we make introductions? This is—"
I ignored him and walked right past. I had no desire to show respect to a man who'd brought guests into my house without the owner's permission. I ought to just have him deported on the spot.
I approached the Americans and offered a greeting...
"So... who did you say you were?"
"Ellen Evans, Director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research at the US State Department."
"John Brown, FBI International Operations Division."
They were far more important than I'd expected.
"Would you like some coffee?"
"No, thank you. We had some before we left."
"A shame. It's the one specialty San Marcos can actually boast about."
"Haha, as it happens, I brew San Marcos beans at home. Rich aroma, a nice acidity — it suits my palate perfectly."
Director Ellen declined politely and adjusted his posture. Beside him, FBI agent John Brown watched me without so much as a twitch, still as a stone statue.
I crossed my legs, affecting an air of ease as I regarded them.
"You've come a long way. Let's get straight to the point."
"Gladly."
Director Ellen laced his fingers together on the table and began.
"We're here because of the Cevron matter."
"I figured. It'd be inconvenient if it came out that one of your own companies instigated a civil war in another country. So? Are you here to cover it up? Or to threaten me?"
A provocative question. But contrary to my expectations, Director Ellen let out a short laugh.
"I think there's been a misunderstanding."
"A misunderstanding?"
"We didn't come here to save Cevron."
"Then?"
"We came to take responsibility for the crimes a US corporation committed in San Marcos."
"...Come again?"
I doubted my ears. Not covering it up — taking responsibility?
I was still blinking in bewilderment when Director Ellen spoke, his eyes gone cold.
"As you know, Cevron is a critical pillar of America's energy security. But their conduct over the past few years has gone too far. They've been funding rebels in Africa and the Middle East, propping up dictatorships — acting in direct opposition to our government's foreign policy."
"......"
"That's why John and I have been investigating Cevron. But they've been so clever about slipping through the legal net and destroying evidence that we haven't been able to get a hold of them."
John added from beside him.
"Then things started happening in rapid succession. Right here in San Marcos, which happens to be in a contract dispute with Cevron."
"So the two of us launched a proper investigation, and we became certain that this entire series of incidents was Cevron's doing."
"I see."
A reasonably convincing explanation. From the US government's perspective, a mega-corporation they couldn't control would certainly be a headache.
But.
"Then why come now? Dozens of people are already dead, and a civil war already broke out."
"That's..."
It was also an explanation I could see right through.
"Let's be honest. You used your connections to get in here for a different reason, didn't you?"
Ellen closed his mouth, looking flustered, and John Brown stepped in.
"That's right. We don't want this incident going public."
"John!"
"What, just because you're State Department you think you can come all the way here and talk in diplomatic-speak? You think that's going to get us any help?"
John Brown silenced Ellen, then asked:
"We understand you have evidence that can prove Cevron's crimes."
"......"
"You don't need to deny it. We've already confirmed that Douglas & Hoffman's senior counsel was kidnapped—transferred, rather—to San Marcos."
"Ahem."
"You've secured the evidence, haven't you?"
John Brown looked at me with serious eyes.
"Even if we're certain of the perpetrators, we can't prosecute until we have evidence. And because illegally obtained evidence isn't admissible, we can't conduct a more aggressive investigation. But here in San Marcos, it's different. Kidnapping, torture — you don't have to be particular about your methods."
The look in his eyes, as if he knew everything, sent a chill down my spine.
If they knew Lucio had brought in the lawyer, that meant they'd been watching Douglas & Hoffman's attorneys from the start.
They let it happen on purpose. They wanted us to find the evidence.
I cleared my throat and changed the subject.
"So?"
"Hand that evidence over to us. We'll impose severe punishment on San Marcos's behalf."
"I don't know about that. We don't have any evidence, and I don't see why I should trust people who want to quietly bury this."
"I think there's a slight misunderstanding."
John Brown leaned toward me.
"We said we don't want the Cevron incident going public. We did not say we want to bury this case."
"What's the difference..."
"It means we'll leave Cevron itself alone and punish the executives involved in this affair."
He's not wrong.
They may have done it under the Cevron banner, but that didn't mean the entire company had committed terrorism. Honestly, most of the employees were just doing what they were told.
"The executives did it, the company itself isn't involved... well, that's not wrong."
I nodded, and John Brown pulled out a document and slid it across.
"This is a list of the executives and operatives who led this incident. I intend to catch every last one of them and permanently isolate them from society."
"You mean lock them up until they die?"
"That's right."
"Hmm..."
I crossed my arms, and he asked, a little flustered:
"You don't seem pleased."
"I'm not."
"Even though they'll be in prison for the rest of their lives?"
"It's America."
In America, the world's largest and greatest capitalist nation, money can buy anything.
I can't let Ian's enemies live comfortably.
The official channels were gone, but places like Osterville Prison had nicer facilities than a cramped Seoul goshiwon.
John Brown seemed to grasp my meaning and nodded. He glanced at Ellen beside him, and Ellen launched into something unexpected.
"Recently, the United States has seen an explosive increase in crime committed by illegal immigrants. As a result, the State Department and the Department of Justice have jointly been pushing a policy of overseas prisoner outsourcing. Simply put, we incarcerate our own criminals in foreign prisons in exchange for a set fee. Think of it as a kind of subcontracting."
"And?"
"We're considering San Marcos as our first partner."
I couldn't quite follow. They'd pay us to take illegal immigrants?
Why is he bringing this up all of a sudden?
There's a saying in Go: every move is caused by the one that came before it.
The reason they were making this offer was because, just now, I'd said I didn't like the idea of the people involved being imprisoned in the United States.
Which meant...
"Are you saying you'll hand the people involved over to us?"
"Exactly."
"Is that even possible in the United States? These are people with serious clout."
Cevron was an industry giant that pulled in over two hundred billion dollars in operating profit a year. I couldn't believe they'd transfer that company's executives to a foreign prison against their will.
"You don't need to worry. This already has the President's approval."
"President Drump, you mean?"
"Yes."
Ellen answered with a confident smile.
"Cevron has been openly opposing the energy policy the administration is pushing. We were going to deal with them eventually, and the perfect opportunity just landed in our laps."
"You've got to be kidding me."
You send people to a foreign prison because they opposed a policy?
This guy is terrifying...
How does someone like that get elected president in a liberal democracy?
I was shuddering, genuinely frightened by the thought of such a vicious dictator, when Ellen asked, concerned:
"Are you all right? You suddenly..."
"Ah, I'm fine. I was just shocked by how cruel President Drump's decision is."
"If we're talking about cruelty..."
Ellen hurriedly cut off John Brown's retort and asked:
"Ahem. So, may we have your answer?"
"One last thing. Did the major shareholders agree to this as well?"
"We finalized the negotiations before coming here."
I thought for a moment, then nodded.
"All right. I'll accept the proposal."
Ellen and John Brown's faces lit up.
"On one condition. We decide where they're imprisoned and how they're treated."
"Do as you like. Just keep them alive."
"I like that."
The thought of avenging Ian put me at ease.
"So that's how we'll handle the criminals..."
I tapped the desk with my finger.
"How do you plan to settle the damages?"
Director Ellen's face stiffened slightly.
"An American corporation carried out a terrorist attack that killed a nation's entire executive branch and cabinet. On top of that, they provoked a warlord into attempting a coup."
"......"
"Our government suffered enormous economic and human losses from this civil war. How are you going to compensate for that?"
"Of course we feel a moral responsibility, but..."
"Not moral responsibility. Actual responsibility."
"I'd have to go back and check on that..."
"Then check and we'll talk again. I'll give you the evidence then."
"No, wait, there's no need to—"
"Oh, come on. We're all people who know how this works. Why play games? Shall I start leaking this to the press and filing lawsuits in earnest? Splashed across the front page? You know what, I might as well short Cevron while I'm at it. If the stock crashes I could even 4x my money."
I started turning the screws in earnest.