A secret operation had finally turned into a news conference with a touch of farce.
Thomas stood grim-faced next to Song Heping, who had his arm hooked around Thomas's neck, his expression like someone constipated for over ten days.
After the event ended, Thomas stomped back to the Chinook, clutching a photograph in which Song Heping stood next to him, one arm hooked around his neck and the other throwing a V-for-victory sign.
The photo was taken after Song Heping asked the reporters present if any of them had a Polaroid and requested those who did to take the picture.
Just before the camera's shutter clicked, Song Heping provocatively whispered in English into Thomas's ear, "Smile, don't look like your father just died."
"Motherfucker!"
Thomas violently threw the photo to the ground.
On the ground, watching the Chinook slowly lift off, the cook said, "Looks like we settled our score with this guy."
Grey Wolf interjected, "And with the Suicide Squad too."
Then, turning to Song Heping, he said, "Damn, we should have worn masks."
Song Heping said, "Are you scared?"
Grey Wolf said, "Not scared exactly, but a bit worried about trouble coming our way."
Song Heping sighed and said, "We had no choice."
The cook seemed quite optimistic and scornfully said to Grey Wolf, "You're just afraid, but what we should fear most in this line of work isn't death, it's obscurity! Just getting on the news today is like free advertising, and I have a feeling we're about to strike it rich!"
Song Heping didn't seem very excited.
The cook was right.
Grey Wolf was also right.
The gamble today was out of necessity, whether it was good or bad was debatable.
But then, nothing in the world is perfect.
Let's survive first!
"When will we get our five million US dollars?"
That was Song Heping's main concern now.
The cook said, "Based on previous cases, it should be sorted within a week."
After a pause, he added, "Do you need the money urgently, Song?"
Song Heping didn't immediately answer the cook's question.
After thinking it over, he finally said just before leaving, "When I get the money, I'm going back home."
After saying this, he turned and got into the vehicle.
This stunned the cook and everyone else.
Once everyone was in the vehicle, the cook started persuading Song Heping to stay.
He talked about how the current momentum was excellent, and they were likely to get loads of business after the news went out.
He also went on to describe an ideal scenario where they would establish a PMC company based on orders received, buying weapons and equipment and expanding their crew.
He had even figured out the source of the personnel. For regular tasks, they would use locals, because with unemployment rampant in Iligo Country, hiring an ordinary security officer needed only 150 US dollars a month plus a gun and ammunition, costing no more than 400 US dollars.
As for the core combat personnel of the company, the cook had a plan for that too. He would post recruitment ads within the mercenary circles in Baghdad, aiming to recruit former special forces members from various countries.
If satisfactory recruits were not found, he would himself fly back to Russia to recruit paratroopers or the like from Gru, as Russia was also struggling with high unemployment rates, and it was better to recruit idle veterans rather than let them be scooped up by gangs to wreak havoc on society.
He even discussed the potential profits with Song Heping.
As an example, he cited a security task Blackwater International once took from the Iligo Temporary Management Committee. The task required recruiting 300 mercenaries as security personnel in charge of safeguarding certain agency buildings and important officials during travel.
For this job, Blackwater International quoted a price—
Fifty vehicles, including thirty Nissan 4x4s for field and desert tasks and twenty sedans for city commuting. Even a conservative estimate of 20,000 US dollars per vehicle meant the committee shelled out one million US dollars just for transportation equipment.
The 300 mercenaries cost 400 US dollars each just for guns and ammunition, amounting to 120,000 US dollars, not including mission consumption and other expenses like uniforms, helmets, and ammo belts.
Add to this the expenses for setting up a dedicated office with office supplies like computers, printers, desks, chairs, air filters, purified water, and salaries.
Plus, there were costs for tire and fuel consumption, vehicle maintenance, and so on…
The Black Water Company employees assigned to this project were paid a basic salary of US $1,000 per day. Additional commissions and various allowances were calculated separately, just for this item alone Black Water quoted the Temporary Management Committee US $1.3 million a month.
He spoke with such fervor that spittle flew and drool was nearly dripping down.
Song Heping had to admit that the chef was a very provocative agitator. When he sought to persuade you, he could go on endlessly and passionately pull out one theory after another. Most fatally, he didn't lack factual support, not an exaggeration at all.
It made you see the grand vision he painted as hanging right in front of you, barely two inches from your mouth, ready for you to just reach out and take a bite...
Of course.
Song Heping was no fool.
He may have been tempted,
but he remained very calm. When the chef got to the point where he was intoxicated with his own words, Song Heping threw him a soul-searching question.
"I say, chef, if you're so eloquent, why were you struggling so badly before?"