Page 60 of Prisoner of War
“And every other western nation,” he agreed.
She thought some more then abruptly her frown cleared and shesmiled. “You’re thinking too large,” she said. “You’re thinking on a national scale.”
“It is a whole nation we’re dealing with,” Josh pointed out.
“No, you’re not. You’re dealing with a lack of money. Bring it down to that. And find something to secure loans with. Any loans.”
Nick shook his head. “There is nothing.”
“Not at the level you’re thinking, of course there isn’t. But you have tochange the way you look at it. What have you got going for you right now?”
Both men stared at her and she gave an impatient click of her tongue and turned to Josh. “Josh, your company, Eastcore Mining. How many billions in infrastructure, investment and research would they have sunk into the silver mines on Las Piedras Grandes before the revolution closed them down? How many millions in personnelrelocation and training?”
“Plenty,” he said. “I couldn’t give you an estimate without a lot of thought, though.”
“Ballpark. Five billion?”
“Oh, easily.”
“Think they’d like it back?” Calli asked softly.
Josh snorted. “They’re a business, not a country,” he said dryly. “They don’t like red balance sheets.”
“Exactly,” she shot back. “Nick, you start up a dialogue with Eastcore Mining’s parentcorporation--”
“Astra Corp,” Josh interjected.
“Right. Explain to Astra Corp how you’re guaranteed to win back Vistaria if only you have enough resources to do it. If you win back Vistaria, they get back their mine, their revenue and their big chunk of change in investment, plus whatever interest they care to charge Vistaria for the stake money they’re going to give you to raise your counter-revolution.”
“They’d never go for it,” Nick said. “It’s too big a gamble.”
“Bullshit they won’t,” Josh shot back. “This is exactly the sort of odds they gamble with in every venture they sink billions into every year. This is better odds, too—they get to reap profits from a mine that was already producing before they lost it and they get lending interest out of Vistaria. Oh, they’ll try to bleed you dry whilethey’re negotiating terms, but they’ll give you the money. Take Calli with you. She’ll pick off the leeches and spot the hairy clauses as they’re coming at you.”
Nick’s expression was an almost comical mix of astonishment and wariness, but beneath it was a growing excitement. He had studied economics himself. He understood the forces that worked on world economics and he recognized the accuracyof Calli’s assessment.
“But not just Astra Corp,” Calli added. “Keep it an open market and let the forces of competition work for you. Approach every other multi-national who had interests in Vistaria before the war and offer them the same sort of deal. Be careful to let them all know you’re shopping around.”
“It’s a matter of scale,” Joshua said softly. “You just have to pick the right scaleto look at it.”
* * * * *
It was dark when he came back.
Minnie was awake this time and heard the door open. The subdued light from the office beyond flared before the closing door extinguished it. She heard him moving around the room. The blind at the window had not been drawn and moonlight and starlight made his silhouette glow in the dim light. He did not turn on any lights. There was awhisper of cloth, the metal clink of a belt buckle and her heart thundered. Duardo was back.
Then she remembered the microphone beneath the bed. She must still play the role.
The mattress moved and cool air bathed her back as he lifted the covers and slid beneath.
With a convulsive jerk, she surged from the bed. She threw the covers aside and slid from the mattress like an otter from a pool.As her feet hit the floor, she pushed off with one foot, heading for the door to his office.
Only to be yanked to a standstill by the chain around her wrist.
She hissed at the strain on her shoulder and wrist and grabbed at the cuff digging into her hand. He was pulling on it.
“Oh, no you don’t, my little spit-fire,” he said, in English. “You are staying on this bed.”
Slowly, relentlessly,she was drawn back to the bed, her cuffed hand held out before her almost in supplication. She resisted every inch, throwing her bodyweight into it, even though she knew he was far stronger than she. He reeled her in liked a fish, onto the mattress until she was kneeling before his dark outline. He reached for her other hand and wrapped the chain around both wrists. His movements were slow and deliberate.She sensed he was using just enough power to complete his task and no more.
