Eastern part of Berlin, Germany.
12th March, 2024.
POV of Rez
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Once upon a time, Germany was divided into two countries. And a wall was made to seperate the two countries. This wall would be known as the “Berlin Wall”. Second famous to the Jerusalem Wall.
But on November 9, 1989. The wall came crashing down. The people of East Germany as were in the words of a anti-communist person would have put it, “Freed from tyranny”. The people cheered in the streets all over Germany. But it was just a stepping block in the decline of the Soviet Union.
As I walked passed a old guard post and went right. And into a alley way. Taking a shortcut, I guess. I was going to a ballet studio in downtown Berlin. The ballet studio was set up in a former Stashi or east german intelligence service safehouse. A four story building that was a clone of the other buildings around it. No one would even notice. A shadow per se. In modern day Germany , it's the perfect place for a business front for a german criminal organisation.
Bunch of thugs teaching dancing. Now that's a hilarious idea to think about.
I was only a few yards away from the studio when I encountered my colleagues. Two men and one women.
Standing infront of his car’s front was Shuvo. Beside him was Naim. And on the phone talking to someone right beside the car was Tanha.
I cross the last few meters and came to them. Shuvo encountered me and said.
“For christ sake, can't you just for once drive a car to a business deal? We waited for 12 minutes, for you to show up!”
And I replied,
“Walking is better for your health. You should try it sometimes instead of humping your car.”
Naim burst into laughter at my comment. While, Shuvo was more than a little angry.
Suddenly, Tanha yelled out, “I don't care, what it takes. That ship should leave port by tomorrow. Or I’ll go down there myself and next, you probably know!”
Then she hung up the phone. Leaving the other person on the other side leaving no chance to explain himself.
“What happened, Tanha?”(Rez)
“Oh, nothing. Just a fucking problem in Marseilles. Someone messed up the shipping documents. And now, deliveries are late. I’m so gonna kill those guys in the management division. I’m so pissed, right now. I really wanna punch something now.”(Tanha)
“Well, keep your head calm. If this meeting goes sideaways. You can punch all the guys, you want.”(Rez)
We all stood on the other side of the building. Where the car was parked. We discussed the scenario of the deal going sideaways.
“Guys, ever heard the french saying, “Don't bring a non-lethal weapon to a gunfight.” (Naim)
“Well, don't worry about it. We gotta a trump card in our hands. If it goes sideaways. Then we can count on the guys in right beside that red building up ahead. ”(Rez)
“You thought this through, didn't you.”(Naim)
“Well, You know the american saying, “Don't go into a house filled with bad guys without taking a platoon of heavily armed soldiers.”(Tanha)
Shuvo scored a smile and said,
“Then let's get going.”
We entered the building. The studio was on the 1st and 2nd floor were ballet studios. While, the other 3 floor were office spaces for the Durham Dancing company. Also a front for the Stadia. A german criminal organisation known to the public. As the 4th largest supplier of illegal prostitutes in central europe. They also have a sizable investment in the Balkan sex trade and in the European slave trade.
The company makes their black money look white. They also own several other companies in
Germany, Austria, Belgium, Slovenia.
In this day and age, these kinds of businesses are needed if you want to get away with crime. And get to spend it without any repercussions.
As we progress to the 3rd floor. On the 3rd floor, You would see the first visible signs of foot soldiers in this building.
Some in T-shirt and jeans had Five-seven handguns tucked in their pants. While the others were discreet showing no weaponary on them. But that was just because they were wearing suits.
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One thing to know about the Stadia is that the leadership is former Stashi. All in there 70s. The foot soldiers are mostly former police, Bundeswehr or the German ground forces.
They may look like normal thugs. But they are more than capable of handle professionals like us.
A woman, who's probably the head honcho’s secretary greets us and told us that her boss has been waiting for us. She asked us to follow her to the company president’s office and we did.
About the business deal, we’re here for. It was for a proposal to supply them with large amounts of young girls from south east asia instead of their competitors. This would be beneficial for them. Because, the current market demand is for young asian girls. And they would likely accept this proposal. If they want to compete with the Chinese Triads and the Africans. Currently, they are facing a large profit deficit. In the last 5 years, Police Raids and competition has seen their profits cut by 52%. They are barely making money. And most of their foot soldiers are in their 40s and loyal to the organisation. The younger members left for the other groups.
Selling people to is not generally what I do. It’s not what a ethical would do. it's just what my work provokes me to do. But, I don't feel the guilt of doing it. Maybe, it does get numb after a few times. But any man could leaves his work and back to the home, he came from. This job of mine, I’m chained to it. It is the price of being a patriot, I guess.
What does it, even mean to protect your own country? Does it, include killing innocent people? making people’s lives, who did nothing our homeland miserable?
I don't even know the answer anymore.
After almost an hour, we got outside of the building. They accepted the proposal. If they didn’t. The Ambrosians were ready to eliminate them and takeover their businesses. Shuvo told them about the ramifications of not accepting this proposal would be. And they agreed to it quickly.
It seems for them the peril of crisis has passed. But we all know, that is a farce we tell to the children to sleep soundly. There is a war going on. A war that may not end.
As we make our way to the car.
Tanha gets a call. She answers it. After a few seconds, the call is over. We all look towards her.
That was probably from command for our next assignment. I say to her,
“Where next?”
She replies to my question with a photo sent to her phone and the destination, “Oslo”
Shuvo opens driver's seat door while Naim gets in the seat beside him.
While Tanha and I take a taxi to our individual places to pack for our trip.
We all decide to meet up at the airport.
After a few minutes, we reach the heart of berlin. The bustling capital of Germany.
Ah, the bustling night streets. The streets were filled with people from many walks life and ethnicities. As the taxi stops because of traffic. All around us were luxury stores and a couple of restaurants. Above you could see corporate skyscrapers. But even though this was a country with a prosperous future. There were still people left in the past. Just infront a jewellery store was a old man begging for alms. But no one even paid any attention to him.
This world like time, waits for none. Those who can't keep up. Just get left behind and left to their own suffering. This is just how this cruel world works. This reminds me of a guy in his 40s who I met. when I attended South East Asian College.
“Once we were children and we thought we would be children forever. But we've grown up. We've faced Reality. We learned to accept the harsh truth of this world. Nothing stays the same. Everything keeps changing.
This world moves so fast. That I just wish I could slow it down for a moment. So that I can appreciate it for once. So I could look beyond it's flaws. So that I could get a rest from running with it. But that's not how this unjust world works.”
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Oslo, Norway
Today was the opening of a Clean energy Expo in Oslo. Many people from the public and energy sector were attending. Also attending was, Sir David Attenborough. The CEO of Attens Energy Company. A rising energy giant in the Middle east and Asia. The main focus of the firm was clean energy. Sir David was in company of George Eckert at the Expo.
They both discussed many things at the Expo opening and took a couple of glasses of wine at a later party hosted by the Saudi state owned oil company.
The party was hosted in a huge hall of a hotel. The hall was filled with big company execs. Looking at this crowd. Sir David said to George,
“Look at these bloody swines. Look at their oil written suits and mouths stuffed with money which was made with the suffering of the arab people. And they still say they support clean energy and saving the world. Hmmm.. what a bunch of superior hypocrites.”
George replied to his comment,“Well, as long as there is a need for oil. These execs can keep making money and get awarded medals for doing so.”
“That's Capitalism for you.”(Sir David)
“The Americans and the Chinese are taking over the middle eastern markets. No need for british traders anymore.”(George)
“You know, that's funny because if the british weren't around. The Middle east would be just be piles of sand. There wouldn't be advanced cities like Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Doha or clean water to drink. The way, I see it. If the british didn't come to the desert. There wouldn't be much developments in that part of world. They wouldn't even have the goddamn weapons created by Israel. The Iron Dome wouldn't be invented. And they still say that the british empire is evil.”(Sir David)
“Well, you have a point. Cheers to that.”(George)
“Cheers!”(Sir David)
“So, During the opening. You said you wanted to talk about some urgent matters?”
“Is this place secure enough to talk about some important matters?”(Sir David)
“Well, it depends on the subject.”(George)
“I know about your little European power struggle. The Hapsburg won't ever let the Accord take Europe. It's where there base of operations are located.”
“Well, A couple of man and women can try, right?”(George)
“Let’s just say hypothetically, if you can back up that claim and provide some favourable terms for a few lucky man and women. You could have some considerable support in this struggle.” (Sir David)
“And if hypothetically, I could provide such terms of agreement. Then could the Accord get some backing in it’s ambitions in Europe”(George)
Sir David forwarded his glass and said.
“Cheers to our new relationship then. I look forward to it.”
“Cheers!”(George)