Chapter 339: Shall We Wrap This Up?

It was only natural for the Iraq War to end in victory for the U.S.

Thus, the reconstruction contracts for war-torn Iraq were a chance to earn astronomical sums. It was clear that most of the benefits would be monopolized by American companies.

My terms were something the U.S. could never accept.

“Rice!”

“No, Secretary. This isn’t worth discussing. Asking for half of the reconstruction contracts as bait for negotiations with Putin is absurd!”

“Just sit down for a moment.”

“Absolutely not. President Bush wouldn’t allow it, either.”

“That’s why I told you to sit down.”

Rice, visibly agitated, finally sat back down, glaring at me.

Ignoring her fierce gaze, I waited for Powell’s reply.

“Charlie, do you understand how unreasonable your terms are?”

“Is that so? I consider it a bargain.”

I had no sense that my conditions were excessive.

Starting a war by the U.S. and its allies was entirely different from starting one under the UN’s banner.

It was a brand new playing field.

“We cannot accept those terms.”

“Then I have no reason to go through the trouble of persuading Putin.”

“Charlie, this isn’t a simple matter. It’s about world peace…”

World peace. I could almost laugh at the arrogance of extending America’s security to the entire globe.

I shook my head slightly and interrupted Powell.

“Let’s not indulge in nonsense like peace or justice. When has there ever been peace in war, and when has there been justice? They’re just insulting modifiers. The Afghanistan War happened because of America’s casualties, but the Iraq War is driven by America’s interests. You wouldn’t deny that, would you?”

“…”

Powell, a general who had commanded the invasion of Panama, understood the nature of war more than anyone else here.

That invasion set a precedent of holding a nation’s leader accountable in an American courtroom and served as a symbol of American power.

Since then, Powell had emerged as a war hero, leading various conflicts like the Gulf War.

He undoubtedly knew that all wars were fought for America’s interests.

Just like the invasion of Panama, the Iraq War aimed to hold Saddam Hussein, the president of a sovereign nation, accountable in an American courtroom.

“If Russia abstains, it amounts to endorsing the U.S. No matter how much the Cold War has faded, it’s still hard for Russia to support America. You understand the political burdens Putin would face and the repercussions, right?”

I had already received full authority from Putin. However, no one present was aware of that.

That’s why I planned to leverage this situation to gain as much as I could.

“If things don’t go well, I might even lose my connection with Putin. How can I accept a promise for half of the reconstruction contracts? If I don’t stand to gain anything, I won’t get involved in this. Powell, I’m a businessman. Businessmen don’t engage in unprofitable ventures.”

“Even so… half of it is outrageous.”

The Iraq reconstruction project could generate hundreds of billions, if not trillions of dollars in economic benefits.

I knew it sounded ridiculous to ask for half of the profits from such a massive project.

The essence of negotiation is boldness. I always needed to keep in mind the chance my proposal would be adjusted.

Thus, in negotiations, one must initially present demands that are absolutely unacceptable.

“Alright then. What kind of stake can you acknowledge?”

“Hmm…”

Powell hesitated to respond. Quick to seize the moment, Rice interjected.

“Do you have any confidence in persuading Putin? It makes no sense to set conditions without doing that.”

Her point wasn’t entirely wrong, but persuading Putin had been settled long ago. Instead of responding, I simply smiled and nodded.

“If I can’t persuade Putin, I have nothing to gain. Just remember, the more I can secure, the higher the chance Russia will abstain from a vote.”

“You’re brimming with confidence. Even being friendly, it’s not an easy task. First, convince Putin, and then tell us what you want! The Iraq reconstruction project is a no-go!”

As soon as I exited the ambassador’s office, I’d need to investigate that woman.

I shrugged at Rice, who kept making nuisances.

“Then I don’t see the point in persuading Putin. Shall we wrap this up?”

“…”

Rice bit her lip tightly, glaring at me with fierce eyes, clearly enraged.

But I held the upper hand.

They must have drawn upon diplomatic means with Putin, only to be outright rejected.

So now they had come to me as a last resort.

“Secretary Powell, what will you do?”

“I need a moment to think.”

As Powell furrowed his brow in contemplation, I too fell into deep thought, relaxing my posture.

‘Maybe 10%, 15% at most?’

That was the maximum figure the U.S. could concede. Beyond that, even President Bush couldn’t promise it.

The Bush administration needed to eliminate two anxieties as soon as they took office.

First was preventing retaliation from international terror groups and eliminating them. The second was recovering from the economic downturn caused by the Nasdaq crash, terrorism, and the recent accounting scandal.

While the Afghanistan War aimed to address the first anxiety, the Iraq War was meant to tackle the second.

After deep contemplation, Powell finally spoke up.

“I can’t say anything definitive right now. However, I will make sure to support the bids of Charlie’s associated companies for the Iraq reconstruction project.”

I shook my head at his empty promise that was no better than a blank check.

“Really? You honestly think a fair bid is possible? That a competition between U.S. companies and others can take place?”

“I’ve already made this level of concession; if it continues like this, the negotiations will stall.”

“Concession? Powell, I’m a businessman. I want a guarantee. I don’t want to hear you’ll do your best. Tell me the exact figure you can let go of.”

“Hmm… are you really confident you can persuade Putin? I’ve reported to the president, and if you fail, it won’t bode well for you, either, Charlie.”

It seemed Powell had made up his mind with words that felt like an ultimatum.

I responded to his words with a smile.

“As long as Russia is certain about what they want, that will be enough.”

“What is that?”

“I’ll tell you once I get a guarantee.”

“What if you fail?”

“Then I’ll acquire Enron without any conditions. That would be a significant concession from me as well.”

It was the last bet I laid down. Surprise flickered across Powell’s face.

“Is that true?”

“I’m someone who lives by trust. Once an investor loses trust, nobody will deal with them again.”

“… The acquisition figure will be rather substantial.”

“If you give Russia what it wants, I’m confident I can persuade him without fail.”

Though I mentioned it was conditional, there’s no way the U.S. government could just pass on all that debt.

If it were me, I’d likely file for bankruptcy instead.

What Washington wanted was Enron’s stabilization.

“Please hold on a moment. I’ll step outside to call President Bush.”

“Yes, anytime.”

As Powell stood up to leave, shock washed over Rice’s face.

“Secretary!”

“Rice, I won’t let this slide. Whether Bush knew or not, disregarding me is still the same.”

However, Powell left with only the chilling remark, taking the U.S. Ambassador along.

I was left alone with Rice in the ambassador’s office. Her demeanor radiated a chill as fierce as Siberia.

I just smiled at her. This situation could leave a mark on her career.

“Charlie.”

Rice called me in a cold voice.

“What is it?”

“Why are you acting this way?”

“What do you mean?”

“This could have gone smoothly. We could have reached a reasonable agreement. Presenting an unacceptable term is equivalent to saying you have no intention of conceding.”

Her words made sense; a resolution at a reasonable juncture was possible. But their manipulation erased any desire for compromise.

The unsought invitation to attend the gala and everything that followed had soured my mood.

If this wasn’t what I’d anticipated, I would have stood up and left immediately.

I erased the smile that had been on my face in an instant.

“Rice, you seem to think I’m easy to manipulate. Do I come off as someone who can be pressured into compliance with your requests?”

“What are you saying?”

“If you hadn’t provoked me, I wouldn’t have acted this way. It’s not my desire to clash with you. Your side threw the first punch.”

“I said I know nothing about it!”

This woman continued to deceive me to the end. I smirked, raising one side of my mouth in mockery.

“Alright. Let’s say you didn’t know. But just because you were oblivious doesn’t erase the fact that it happened.”

Jessica, whom I met yesterday, likely had no knowledge of this situation.

If she had known and still chose to meet me, she surely would have felt a sense of unease.

Either Jessica came to meet me without it being reported above, or she was unwittingly used.

“I’m just seeking a fair exchange. I refuse to be used as a puppet, dancing to your strings.”

“…”

“James Han and I spared no effort to get Bush elected. What’s returned is tax audits on companies in America, surveillance, and following…”

Rice interrupted me, her voice laced with panic.

“That’s only natural! We couldn’t possibly overlook your actions…”

I locked my cold gaze on Rice. She flinched, momentarily stopping her words at the weight of my stare.

“Don’t cut me off. There won’t be a second time, Rice. I know full well that you’re observing me. But don’t think of using that to threaten me. If you do, I might become your ally instead. You have to aim for a higher position.”

I deliberately glanced at the door where Powell had exited.

“Powell became the first Black Secretary of State, and there’s no reason you, as a Black woman, can’t aspire to the same role. Who knows? I might just help you achieve it…”

I trailed off on purpose, watching her eyes widen, the pupils flickering with uncertainty.

Now Rice would have to contemplate: Should she remain hostile towards me, or find a way to accept me?

“But the choice remains yours. You can decide whether to keep this uncomfortable relationship or to develop a friendly one where you can benefit from my backing.”

If she wasn’t foolish, she would know which direction to choose. I smiled gently, and I saw greed flicker in her eyes.

It’s convenient to deal with someone who unveils their greed so openly.

Just then, the door swung open, and Powell re-entered.

“Ahem.”

Perhaps due to the awkwardness lingering in the ambassador’s office, Powell cleared his throat as he entered.

He sat down and slowly began to speak.

“I finished speaking with President Bush. Half of the reconstruction contracts are off the table. The one thing we can promise is to exclude the business rights of our allies, such as the U.S. and the UK, and give you priority bidding on the rest. This is confidential, so do not leak it.”

It was a surprisingly generous offer. Perhaps Rice realized it too, as she turned her head towards Powell.

“Then, Charlie, it would be good to see what you have in hand now.”

A request for a performance. I nodded and stood up.

“Let me make a quick call.”

I left the ambassador’s office, made a quick call to Putin, then returned.

“What’s the outcome?”

I answered with nothing but a smile.

At that moment, the phone in the ambassador’s office suddenly rang.

Ambassador Thomas quickly stood to unplug the phone line, but when I spoke, he halted.

“Answer the phone. It’s Putin.”

At those words, Powell pressed the call button with a startled expression.