Chapter 10
To our President
In the bar are full of the celebrating the New Year people, in the double stimulus of the alcohol and the good news broadcasted earlier in the news, people are talking loudly something, had the cheers to the people they don’t know.
Sheilor was very difficult to walk to a relative quiet corner of the bar, saw those two empty liquor bottles in front of Shielding, he couldn’t help to shake his head.
Shielding is still wearing his that crumpled suit, the whole people is sending out a stream of sour taste, the table in front of him has several bottles of amber spirits and two glasses on, besides a bucket of ice, there is nothing else.
“Charming not coming with you?” Shielding opened his eyes lazily, although he had already had two bottles of spirit down, but this looks more like a elegant rascal FBI official, the eyes are still clear, doesn’t have any sighs of getting drunk.
Sheilor admire Shielding’s drinking capacity the most, he heaved a sigh and pour himself a shallow layer of the liquor, but added seven pieces of ice, the he replied, “her family has a party today, so she went back there first.”
In fact, Charming didn’t want to go back to that full of stale air, only knows to keep having the social intercourses in the high society home. But she admitted her spy identity frankly to Sheilor today, of course Sheilor wouldn’t bring her to come to meet Shielding, after all, Shielding is the FBI official. Thought of Charming, the expression of Sheilor became heavy gradually. About the girl’s heart, no matter what, he couldn’t fully understand.
“Haven’t seem you for some days, how would that woman come back to your side?” Shielding looked at his that expression, the delicate eyebrows were wrinkled. He knew that Charming was with Sheilor together from the phone, he immediately thought of the senator Medellin that aspect. Thought of that girl student, perhaps wants to get close to Charlie Tai through coming back to Sheilor’s side, he couldn’t hide the antipathy in his heart, so he said coldly, “didn’t you forget the thing happened before the dancing party?”
Sheilor had a smile honestly, although he couldn’t guess what specific thing Shielding worried about, but he still could hear it out, the other party was caring for him. He avoided this matter and said, “tell me about yourself, what FBI secret mission, let you go away for this long. I went the section four to look for you, even your clerks all don’t know where you went to.”
“Well, since it’s the secret mission, those little bastards of course don’t know it clearly.” Shielding raised his eyebrows a bit, had the unspeakably merry proud, “nominally I just had two months vacation, go to the south tropical area to have the vacation.”
“Since so, of course this mission you also can’t tell me.” Sheilor said with a smile.
Shielding shrugged his shoulders, approved tacitly this statement. He lies down on the sofa very comfortably, while he was drinking the spirit, he was watching the TV in the bar. The TV light screen still kept repeating that breakout news, the walked up on the gangway ladder senator Palmer seems so composed on the screen, the Greening mountains wind was blowing on his that dust coat, made it had some “Foo Foo” noise.
Looked at this picture, Shielding took a sip on his thin lips, and narrowed his eyes as well, then fell into the meditation. In the last tens of days, he was very busy. The connection between the Tai family and the anti-government army, all were completed by him alone, the bargain condition of both sides, the back and forth transaction of the information, the collides of the wills of each other… let him work very hard.
The number two character of the anti-government army, had already left the Coastal state long ago, all of these need him to finish independently. He used the secret line, dedicated his heart and soul to this blockbuster backstage deal. Not only needed to avoid the attention of the federal government, but also needed to prevent the monitoring of the Tai family aspect. The pressure is heavy like a mountain, pressed him almost couldn’t breathe, he even didn’t have time to take a bath.
Now everything is over temporarily, the two sides reached an agreement, the tens of days hard work and nervousness seemed to get a very good result. Watching the complexion dark as black the senator Palmer on the TV that graceful bearing, he could help to feel some mental and physical exhaustion for a moment.
“Do you know? On the picture this like a rock guy, next year will be our sir President.” Shielding put down the glass, lit a cigarette, took a deep smoke enjoyably, he heaved a sigh contentedly, added a sentence in his heart bitterly, at least before this guy officially elected the President, he should be safe in the federation.
Watching on the light screen that the senator Palmer was shaking hands with the leaders of the anti-government army, Shielding couldn’t help to feel wonder at the influence which the Tai family has in the federation.
Chose in the New Year’s time, in this sudden news event way, to let Palmer appear in front of the whole federal public eyes, have to say… this is a kind of operation way which can maximize the interest.
But the key is, the Tai family must have to have this kind of control to the media, and the judgment ability to the countless forces and factions inside of the federal government, then they could let this news event caught everybody unprepared.
If the federal citizens really could get rid of the shadow of the civil war, then they must will remember in a very long time, when everyone was in celebrating the New Year, a respected identity federal senator took the great risk, went to the anti-government army controlled mountains secretly, reached the reconciliation agreement with the other party. From this day onwards, people will be difficult to forget, that moment picture which the wearing dust coat, having the composed expression senator Palmer walked down the gangway ladder of the transport plane.
“It’s this year.” Sheilor reminded Shielding that it’s already passed twelve o’clock at this time, he shook his head and said, “although I like the senator Palmer as well, but the political things are too far away from us, I also don’t know whether he could be elected successfully.”
“Believe me, he is already the President.” Shielding had a smile, slightly seemed tired, he thought that if in such public opinion agitation, the senator Palmer still can’t seize this opportunity, it only shows that the upper people of the organization and the Tai family all look at the wrong people at the same time.
He also thought of, the federal ordinary people, only watch this scene of today’s news, but they don’t know for this scene could be happening on time in the New Year time, how many times of negotiations both sides of this event had already had secretly, and how many rounds of consults they had already had, then finally they could be able to sign the agreement.
The ordinary people, even have no idea behind this seemingly legendary senator reconciliation journey, how many unknown inside stories are hidden inside.
Shielding knows all these inside stories, because he is one of the party. He looked at Sheilor quietly, thought of that conversation in the dancing party in the Bi-Moons Festival, thought of that this good friend in front of him, probably never know the important role he played in this event, then he couldn’t help to had a smile slightly.
Pressed the cigarette butt off, Shielding raised the glass, said to Sheilor, “to the peace of the Federation.”
Sheilor raised his glass, responded with a smile, “to our future President.”
Shielding took the shot in gulp, he had a flicker of strange smile on his face, “yes, too… our… President.”
……
The busy workers had already left, the connected by the optical fiber light screen also had been dismantled, and was ready to be shipped out. Charlie Tai stood on the second floor, looked at the cold and cheerless hall below, but he seems that he still can look at the computer screens, which could present the important intelligence of all the federal big forces, and those staffs how were responsible for the studying the specific steps, and the analyzing the reactions of all parties after th
e event.
This is a villa at the suburban of the Coastal state, it’s the real estate of the Tai family. In the last more than ten days, this villa becomes a temporary decision room, specifically responsible for processing the negotiation matters with the anti-government army. In the past these days, that light screen had been turned on all the time, those staffs had been busy all the time, even they walked like running.
Charlie Tai warped up the corners of his mouth and had a smile.
After the adult ceremony, he finally has all the limits of the authority, really began to operate a big event which could affect the whole federation independently for the first time.
In lady Tai paying close attention, in the help of the countless staffs of the whole family, after paid the energy overdraft of many days, he finally saw with satisfaction, his work had a very good result.
He just watched the news on the light screen only once, but actually he watched this news four minutes earlier than anybody in the federation, even the sir President. Because this news needed to be passed his examination originally, then it could be sent to the Department of Public Information of the federal TV station.
The federal TV station is the national TV station, any enterprise, rich man, even the legendary seven big families, all don’t have the ability to control it completely. But countless forces will be trying to reach out their hands in the federal TV station, and the always low-key and composed Tai family, to the most important Department of Public Information of the federal TV station, has the most powerful influence.
Charlie Tai holds the rail with his both hands, recalls that news scene in his mind, he is very satisfied with the performance which the Mr. senator Palmer showed in front of the camera. He believes in the near future, the campaign office of the senator Palmer, must will choose that picture for the main poster cover, posts it to the entire federal streets, and win him over countless votes.
Thought of this, the youngster couldn’t help laughing up, he felt very satisfied with the work he had in this many days.
The negotiation with the anti-government army was particularly difficult, because to the most important three conditions which were proposed by the federal government, the other party never was willing to concede. And if Charlie Tai couldn’t persuade the other party to give in on this aspect, then even they could managed with an effort to sign the intention of settlement agreement, it’s afraid of one thing that in front of the President and the Management Committee, it’s still impossible to get a trace of recognition.
The negotiation was conducted until the last moment, at that time, the senator Palmer had already taken the private airship of the Tai family secretly, arrived the four states surrounding the mountains of the S2 Region, that not eye-catching conveyor had already been filled up the oil, the aged engine has begun to roar, but the both sides responsible for the negotiation still didn’t reach the agreement.
To reach the settlement agreement is very important, actually the time and place to reach the agreement are more important. Both sides know it very clearly, to choose New Year this moment, what it means to the senator Palmer. So the anti-government army has been delaying, it is rather having the idea to exchange the time for the interest.
Finally, the senator Palmer issued the statement under the conveyor, if the anti-government army still insist, then he would rather to take the risk, which he would become the political laughingstock of the federation after the thing is exposed, he would go back to the Capital by the airship directly.
Just through this little episode, Charlie Tai once again confirmed that his view to the senator Palmer was right, this senator really have sincerity and insistence which are seldom seen in the federal politics-- Charlie Tai would love to see such people to become the President of the Federation.
“Master, we should go now.” the steward Ken walked to behind him, looked at the side of face quietly and had a smile. He knew it very clearly, after completed this kind of political operation independently for the first time, a young man will be how satisfied and tired.
“Yes, that’s right, finally I can relax.” Charlie Tai said with a sigh, “what schedules and arrangements will I have for tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow will be the concert for the new song releasing of Miss Jane Sue, it will be held in the comprehensive gymnasium of the university town.” the steward Ken silenced for a moment and then said, “but according to the information and news from different channels, I suggest that you don’t attend it, because it may have the danger existed.”