Price of a Bounty - By S. L. Wallace Page 0,19
President gestured to the chairs, and we all sat. “Let’s get right down to business, shall we?”
“Yes, sir. Have you had a chance to read our proposal?”
“We have.”
Some of his advisors nodded in agreement.
“You’re a member of the Terenian military, are you not, M. Maddock?”
“I am, but you must understand that I am not here in that capacity, nor do I represent the Gov of Terene.”
“You are a brave man, M. Maddock, to bring this proposal to our attention. Just by coming here today, you are placing yourself in danger. You understand that if we agree to this, you will likely be considered a traitor to your realm. Are you willing to sacrifice so much?”
“As long as there’s a chance it will save others, yes.”
“Are the rumors true?”
I hesitated.
“M. Maddock, are the rumors about genetic engineering true?”
I looked down as I thought about how best to answer his question. Rumors had been circulating for decades. Were they true? I just didn’t know, but every so often a soldier would go missing. We’d been told they’d gone AWOL, that they had deserted, but I just didn’t believe that. I’d known some of them personally. And all the tests they continued to give us, especially those of us in Special Ops…I raised my head and looked him in the eye. “I have no proof, but it’s likely.”
He nodded. “It is my understanding that you would only bring certain people into Mediterra, people who would be trained and then returned to help your cause.”
“That’s correct, as well as certain individuals who may require sanctuary. Obviously, there is no way to anticipate who would fall into that category. We plan to provide all funding.”
“We must agree upon a cap. I will not allow undue strain upon the communities of Mediterra.”
“Of course, if you’ll turn to page 38, you’ll see that we plan to be extremely selective. Our goal is to keep Terenian citizens safe within our own realm. However, we also recognize that it will not always be possible.”
The President and his advisors took a moment to review page 38. Then he looked at me and asked, “Who is the other contact?”
“My partner, Guy Bensen. He has a better handle on the financial aspects, and I’m in charge of transport. We are equally invested in this opportunity. Our contact information is on page 5.”
The President turned to page 5, reviewed the information, and then pushed the proposal away. He closed his eyes and thought for a few minutes.
Then he spoke, and everyone listened. “M. Maddock, I am impressed by your courage and by your selflessness. I did not expect that from a Terenian. You must know that the citizens of Mediterra generally make a practice of keeping to themselves. We do not want the problems created by others to become our own.”
I nodded. We were not unaware that we had already achieved a victory just by being granted a meeting with the President.
“Because your organization is working to better your society, and based upon your character.” He looked at each of his advisors in turn. All but one nodded. “We accept your proposal.”
I let out a breath of air and smiled. “Thank you, M. President.”
“There is one more matter to discuss before I make this official. This side venture. Explain it to me.”
“I’m sure you realize, M. President, that illegal activities such as this occur on a daily basis in realms throughout the world. It’s a lucrative way to fund our rescue operations. We want to make it legal on your end. We’re offering the Mediterran Gov 15% from the sale of such items.”
He paged through the proposal to that particular section. “And you are only agreeing to bring such items into the realm, not to export them without governmental authorization?”
“It’s stated as such on page 56.”
He turned to that page and suddenly looked up. “Who is Danielle Bellami?”
I smiled at her as she stood and moved forward. “M. President, I’d like to introduce you to Danielle Bellami, a highly respected Mediterran citizen and owner of Art Fantastique.”
“Building bridges right from the beginning. I think your organization just may bring about the change you’re hoping for.” The President picked up a pen and signed the proposal in its entirety. “I wish you luck, M. Maddock, you and Guy Bensen. And you as well, Mme. Bellami.”
The meeting had been a complete success – far better than we had dared to hope.
After the room cleared, I put my arms around Danielle and smiled at her. I