Thorpe's Candle

CHO

“You're looking well, my friend,” Escandoza said as General Cho Dal-Yun entered his office. The North Korean was a small, dapper man in his mid-fifties with bush-cut hair. Dressed in civilian clothes, he smiled as they shook hands.

“You of course know my Financial Counsel, Teresa Castillo, and my Director of Special Operations, Colonel Felix Blackstone.”

The general nodded to Teresa. He glanced at Blackstone who sat on a couch paging through a copy of Guns and Ammo. Motioning the officer to sit, Escandoza then settled into a high-back leather chair behind a mahogany desk. Simon Bolivar, the great liberator of Colombia, once used the piece of furniture. The office was inside Escandoza's headquarters, a fortified underground bunker he fondly called “The Keep” after his favorite horror movie. It was located north of Bogota in the Andes Mountains near Lake Guatavita. Legend had it that centuries ago, El Dorado, the mythical Amazon king, coated himself in gold dust, sailed out to the middle of the lake on a golden ceremonial barge and bathed in the cool mountain waters. When the DEA proclaimed Escandoza the most wanted man in the world, and Forbes Magazine declared him the richest, the press started referring to him as the new El Dorado. To celebrate his notoriety, he coated his nude body in cocaine, sailed onto Lake Guatavita in a boat laden with the white powder and swam in the waters of his ancestors.

Escandoza's office was decorated with colorful Indian art, an extensive collection of pre-Colombian pottery, and a mix of paintings by some of Colombia's best-known contemporary artists. “What progress has been made on locating and recovering the korium?” he asked once everyone was seated.

“Our freighter passed through the Panama Canal twelve days ago and headed west.” Cho said. “It was caught in a typhoon mid-journey. The last communication stated that the vessel was floundering and the captain ordered the crew to abandon ship.”

“What are you going to do to find it?” Teresa asked.

Cho gave her a quick glance. Escandoza knew the General was not used to having a woman address him with such casualness.

“The area where we think it went down would take weeks to search. We have neither the manpower nor the technology. We believe the ship and its cargo are lost.”

“We don’t have weeks. Our buyers grow impatient,” Escandoza said. “They have already started calling. A few have asked for their deposits back.”

“What do you intend to do?” Cho asked. His voice was not as assured as before.

“You are going to move your lab and technicians here to Lake Guatavita. I will take over its management and security. Nothing changes but the location of the lab. Your scientists will build the devices and I will handle sales and distribution.”

“This is not negotiable.” Teresa asked.

Escandoza enjoyed the obvious irritation shown by the General each time Teresa spoke.

“The korium is lost,” Cho said. “First we must search for another source.”

“Colonel Blackstone is doing just that.” Escandoza motioned to the mercenary.

“Any progress?” Cho asked without turning around.

“My operatives have discovered an obscure source,” Blackstone said. “I will know more in a day or two.”

“Where is it and how soon can we get it?” This time Cho swung around to face the mercenary.

“It is located in a remote area near the Arctic Circle on the Greenland icecap.”

Escandoza swept the hair from his eyes. “Retrieving it will present a considerable challenge, but one that the Colonel is more than capable of, isn't that so, Felix?”

Blackstone diverted his eyes from the pages of the magazine for only a second, then continued reading.

“You know I cannot approve this without the Chairman's permission.” Cho almost rose from his chair.

“Then get it,” Escandoza said harshly. “In the meantime, prepare to set up the new lab here. As I said, our customers are starting to doubt our ability to produce a product. We must do something to calm their nerves. I am going to have Colonel Blackstone arrange for a simple sales demonstration.”

“How can you do that?” Cho asked. “The korium is at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.”

“We have the original sample taken from Cuba. It is enough to construct one Candle, maybe two. What I have in mind will convince our customers that our product is well worth waiting for.”

“Do you think it wise?” Cho asked. “Why show our hand to our enemies before we are ready to deliver the merchandise?”

“Because, General, we have two newcomers to the party — a Neo-Nazi group from South Africa, and our old friends in Iran. But because of the freighter sinking, they are sitting on the fence, to borrow an American saying. If they place an order, that brings our total to ten billion dollars. As far as I'm concerned, it's worth the risk for an additional two billion.”

“I must remind you that we are equal partners in this operation,” Cho said. “Do nothing until I discuss it with the Chairman. I feel it is a risky move.”

“Discuss it all you want. But for two billion dollars, I plan on a convincing demonstration and I don't intend to wait long.”

“What will you do?” General Cho asked.

“Let's just say it will be like wishing on a star.”

The room fell silent for a moment. Then General Cho said, “There is another matter.”

“Which is?”

“Our agents have discovered that the individual who witnessed the drugs being off-loaded from the cruise ship happens to be the Director of OceanQuest. He carries a great deal of weight with the U.S. government and has already started stirring the pot about the existence of a functioning nuclear missile sub.”

“His name?”

“Matt Skyler.”

“Is he a threat?”

“Possibly. He has a reputation for solving problems.”

“Colonel Blackstone,” Escandoza said, brushing the hair from his eyes. “Are you familiar with this man?”

“No, but he will be easy enough to locate.”

“Fine.” Escandoza gave the mercenary a nod. “Then when the time is right, kill him.”