Chapter 47 Turtle with a wooden leg - 9

"I've been to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia," said Elias Weizman. "George, I can't forget the sight there to this day. He only gave us five thousand places. Even one million is not enough." "It's always been like this," Taalas said. "Nick Petridis, the big ship owner, set aside three boats for us to use for three months. The conditions there were unbelievable. The Gulf of Siam and the South China Sea were full of people fleeing from the Mekong Delta. Poor refugees. You should see these people with your own eyes. We have encountered some small boats, and the people on board starved to death in the drift, and that was not killed by local pirates. And we live in 1977 Year!"

"Pirates will never go extinct." "To screen these refugees and select 5,000 of them, I have never run a more terrible job than this. I approached him several times and begged him to increase the limit, but I couldn't persuade him, not even I can't get mad at him. I know he's incredibly rich, at least a lot of money, but you can't expect him to take all the dying people in the world. I think he's probably the one who chartered the boat from that Greek Bar?" "Nick Petridis is an American. Yes, I think you can say you rented it. Have you ever been to Thailand?"

"Go ahead," Weizman said.He spent two months in a refugee camp on the Cambodian border, aiming to recruit 5,000 Khmers willing to go to Amazonia. "I've even been called a human trafficker, and I can't even defend myself because of the ridiculous secrecy rules Reber imposed on me. Thanks to the foundations you helped me out by referring me to. The newspaper , Billionaire Dunn in the TV industry, and also prompted the US State Department and the French Foreign Ministry to speak for me. Does this Dunn have anything to do with Reber?" "As far as I know, not." Taras was really ashamed of Sarah's sincerity.

"I haven't mentioned Reber to anyone, you can trust me on that." "I don't think it will do you any good to mention his name." "You're right. Ethel has a whole set of opinions about Reb, but she's a person with one set of opinions about everything. She believes Reb is a big deal, even more important than he appears to be." .He was much more than a foreman, but the managing director of a large consortium, perhaps two hundred American or Brazilian companies." "I don't really know much about Reber," Taras said, growing increasingly fidgety.

He had been in New York for a week, meeting with Weizmann as president of a foundation.This foundation is one of several that have recently played a major role in Southeast Asia. In the summer of 1977, Georges Taras gradually formed his team of international law experts.Organizational work is carried out in absolute secrecy.Still using the foundation as a cover, he rented an office on Madison Avenue and hired thirty experts.Only three of these experts knew the ultimate subject of the study: the creation of a new nation. At Reber's request, he barely restrained his fear of the tropical climate and revisited Amazonia.He flies over the Amazon, Negro and Blanco rivers and listens absently as Sobieski introduces his latest project, a massive hydroelectric plant rivaling the James Bay Hydro in Quebec, Canada.Taras had no interest in technical matters, the limit of which he could do was changing a light bulb.Still, the difficulties facing Sobieso's lawyers caught his attention.Brazil has a law that prohibits any foreign company from possessing energy in its border areas.Brazil's National Security Council makes the most of this magic weapon.Not only that, but the proposed ultra-high-power hydropower plant (which can generate millions of kilowatts) is a challenge to the monopoly of the state-run Brazilian electric company.Despite Klimrod's connections in Brasilia, the project caused a stir there.Even if some kind of agreement is still possible, Taalas sees some signs of such headaches. Sooner or later, Reber will confront the Brazilian government, which has not yet intervened.

So time was running out for Taras and his team.Prompting Elias Weizmann to speak was also an integral part of Taras' preparation of the material.The Weizmanns are running around the world with astonishing enthusiasm, selecting immigrants from desperate situations according to the quota set by Leiber.Elias just returned from Asia not long ago.He recruited immigrants from among the Khmer and Cambodians displaced by the annexation of North Vietnam; before that, he had also traveled to India, Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Philippines.At the same time, Ethel came to Africa and traveled to Rwanda, Ethiopia, Guinea (Bissau), Uganda, Angola and other countries, recruiting immigrants from thousands of displaced, suffering and suffering .Unfortunately, there are just too many to choose from.

Fortunately, Leiber had planes and ships, so they were able to transport refugees to Amazonia in the most secret way.As a result, the part of Amazonia where Reber founded his kingdom began to resemble a sort of sprawling international refugee camp. Since things must be seen with the sober, sober, unbiased eye of a jurist, this is a strong argument in favor of those who are trying to create a nation: that nation is truly Unique, as soon as you set foot on this land, all racial and cultural differences, all hatred will be forgotten. It's certainly a dream, but sometimes it can be believed that it will come true...

"You know Ethel," Weizmann said. "I don't know what to say, or even whom to tell, and Ethel and I are a little bit annoyed that we can't get rid of the thought...". "Oh," Talas replied, he had already guessed what the other party was going to say, and felt embarrassed first. "We don't know," Weizmann continued, with a slightly hesitant tone, "whether we will be used, whether those recruited by us and sent to Amazonia will be used as an excuse..." He smiled sheepishly. "Forgive me, but experience has taught us that generosity is often accompanied by its opposite. In the case of Amazonia's reception of refugees, it is so generous that we cannot help but suspect it."

"Have you spoken to David Setiniaz about your suspicions?" "I told him five months ago before I left for Asia. Ethel was there." "How did he say?" This time, Weizmann's tone was less sullen than before. He said: "I have always thought that David Setiniaz is the most honest and straightforward man I know. . . Ever notice that people tend to think of uncontested people as incompetent? Well, let’s get down to business. Setiniaz let us finish first, and then he flew into a rage. That is, he raised an eyebrow and stood up. Got up and walked around his desk a few times. Then he sat down and told us that our concerns were unfounded and he could vouch for it.”

"You want me to give you such a reassurance nine too," said Taras, but he knew that whatever he said to them would not satisfy them. "The organization that Taras, Ethel and I run is semi-secret, but over the years through it we have sent over 150,000 men, women, and children from all over the world to Isla Dorada, Vedin Neo and Diamantina. Every year we are responsible for receiving 25,000 to 30,000 new immigrants. Now it is 1977, three years later, there will be more than 300,000 people on that land. These people In one way or another, it is attached to more than a hundred companies that jointly develop the area. (I don't know if the word 'development' should be used?) These companies get along so well and cooperate so tacitly, it is amazing It's amazing, and it shows that there's an extraordinary coordinating force behind it all. Their purpose is very clear... No, wait, let me finish... At first, Ethel and I thought they were Looking for cheap labor. But there is no point in doing so. They could have recruited from the inexhaustible surplus of Brazilian labor. There are millions of people there who want a good job, and some are even willing to do anything. Later, we Our observations have gone one step further. The people we are responsible for recruiting here will receive unusual preferential treatment once they arrive here: allocating housing, arranging jobs, and providing a civilized living environment. This can be said to be the land of hope.”

"It's too good to be true." "Exactly. There seems to be one person, or perhaps a few, because it seems impossible that a person could have the resources to conceive such a grand enterprise, or even the intellect; So some people are trying to create a country. They're bringing in refugees, making Brazil and the world face a fait accompli, so in a sense the refugees are hostages... It's not just about Brazil. Employ some of our companies, in Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana all own land. And that’s not counting. We found out that the documents these immigrants get are the famous green cards, and with this card, they can enjoy all the benefits that the city has to offer. Others No papers at all. No passports, no ID cards. You know, that means: as far as the authorities in Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia and Guyana are concerned, our people are illegal immigrants." "Israel was built the same way." "My surname is Weizmann (note: a common surname for Jews), and I know how Israel was established. But the illegal immigrants in Israel are all Jews. Their common religious beliefs bind them together, not to mention their common language And thousands of years of long-standing traditions and habits, and a common great dream. Our immigrants have nothing in common with each other, except for one thing, they are all kicked out from their respective home countries." "That's not the worst." "George, American, Brazilian, and French journalists, and all sorts of others, have started coming to us—Ethel and me. They have a little smell. They ask all kinds of questions, and we Always try to avoid answering. Because we have an appointment with Leiber, we have to keep it a secret. But I can't guarantee how long we can keep it. The whole thing is building momentum! Please imagine that I have a surname Nelson's Danish colleague is currently in charge of recruiting 5,000 Palestinians from Lebanon and Syria in Beirut, just like I used to recruit South Vietnamese and Cambodians. In case "An American Jew Sends 5,000 Palestinians to A headline like Amazonia, can you imagine, what kind of impact that would have? Can you imagine it?" "They need to establish some kind of connection between you and Nelson." "I've been following the orders of that formidable Marnie Oakes. In principle, secrets are kept secret. But in fact, George, we have to act like spies. There are twenty or thirty foundations We provide finance, forty shipping companies lend us ships, airlines provide us with planes, companies in Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Liberia, Cayman Islands, Bahamas, Leuvendenstein always ship us It was raining in time, Lianhao Hotel Network gave us accommodation everywhere, and the bank gave us a loan on the spot - all this is incredible... For example, that Chinese man in Hong Kong who is staggeringly rich, that Roger Dunne, that name is Nai Sim Shahadze's Lebanese, the Petridis brothers who seem to be richer than Niahos, Subis who is a minister in their own country, the two Swiss-Turkish bankers in Zurich, Argentina Billionaire Rochas of the United States... I won't lift it anymore. These people are all different, but why are they all so selfless in helping us? And the actions are so seamlessly coordinated? What kind of international conspiracy is this? It's unbelievable. I was in Hanoi three weeks ago and a Russian guy from the Soviet embassy there came to meet me. The Vietnamese government was trying to make things difficult for me to go to Saigon - now called Ho Chi Minh City But it only took ten seconds, not more than a second, for the senior Russian official to arrange everything for me. Ethel told me that Del Hathaway, who presides over seven or eight mining companies, is A personal friend of the governor of California, who may one day be president of his brother country. Ethel also told me that there are often special planes full of senators to visit Hathaway." The thin Weizmann shook his head. "Do you think we can be suspicious?" Taras thought: This is what will happen sooner or later. He murmured, "In other words, Setiniaz didn't convince you." "We don't have the slightest doubt about his honesty. However, he may have been used as much as we have been." "Maybe I'm being used by someone too, isn't it?" Weizmann showed a very annoyed look. "I'm really sorry, but this has gone too far. Just one or two reassurance nines, even if it is given by Setiniaz and you, the medicine is not enough. I want to tell Ethel before You. She doesn't care what she says sometimes." Taras silently counted from one to ten, and he did so purely as a consolation: his decision was not made rashly. "Give me two days." "Ethel is in New York tomorrow morning. She called me yesterday from Nairobi. I can assure you she came here with her fists tight and ready to make a scene. She'll be in She can do this kind of thing by firing bullets in front of reporters. Once, she went to the Secretary-General of the United Nations to talk about the issue of children struggling to die. "National sovereignty" and Ethel slapped him with a wave." "Give me two days," Taras said. "Can you ask her not to have a seizure until the day after tomorrow?" He called the frosty but competent Marnie Oakes and said to her, "I want to talk to him. It's urgent." "I'll be sure to bring your message," Marney said. "He'll call you tomorrow morning at the latest." "Things have to be resolved within hours." There was a short silence. "where are you now?" "The Algonquin Hotel in New York." "Go to East Fifty-eighth Street. Don't mention names on the phone, you know who I mean." She was talking about David Setiniaz. "I see," Taras said. "thanks." He hung up the phone.Despite his excitement at the realization that something important was about to happen, he was as happy as an old boy.He walked to the office on East Fifty-eighth Street at a leisurely pace.On an unfortunate day, "Black Dog" Lierna was in Setiniaz's office.Taras waited outside for a while.The office was established twenty-six years ago, and has since undergone great development and changes. The office now occupies several floors.The key point here is the computer department, which is more closely guarded than the White House (visits are not allowed here).As for the computer, all Taras knew was that it stored the entire list of Wang's fifteen or six hundred companies in a frighteningly complicated set of passwords.He thought: "Maybe there is also an unbelievably detailed resume in it. It even remembers exactly when my first wisdom teeth grew." Lierna didn't even look at the tower when he left. Russ glanced at it. "I didn't even know you were in New York," David said.He seemed very angry, which is a rare phenomenon for him. Taras had asked Reber if Setiniaz should be made aware of the fact that there was a team of international law experts on Madison Avenue.Reber answered in the negative without hesitation. "Not yet, George, please don't tell him. I tell you, I haven't made up my mind. I don't know, therefore, whether there will be a next step in your plan. Don't let a thing probably never happen." What happened distracted David." "Staying in Maine, I'm getting old too fast," Taras said, again embarrassed that Reber had forced him to lie.What's more, at this moment he is lying in front of David, which is the last thing he wants. The phone rang.Setiniaz picked up the phone.He listened with surprise on his face.He hung up the phone. "It looks like that mysterious Jethro is spying on us again," he said bitterly. "George, I just got a call. There's a radio connection over there and here in four minutes. He wants to talk to you. Just you." Tarras searched hard for a decent answer, but could not. "Come with me," Setiniaz said.Behind an ordinary door in his office is a small elevator.This door must be opened with a special key.They step into the elevator.After the elevator started from Setiniaz's office, it could only stop at two places, one was the computer department room two floors above Setiniaz's office, and the other was an apartment on the top floor of the building.There was no one there. "Right here," Setiniaz said. He pointed to a room that was apparently soundproofed, but it was full of instruments.Taras went in. "When the red light turns on later, you just need to push this switch down to connect with him. You talk into this microphone. After the conversation is over, push the switch up to reset. Then you just step into the elevator. You can leave here. Everything is digitally controlled. In the end, you can only go back to my office. If you don’t want to greet me when you leave, you can go out through this convenient door. You don’t need to close the door after you go out, it will automatically close. Outside the door The handles and locks are camouflaged, the door can only be opened from the inside, or with an electronic signal. I'm sure you're not interested in any of this. Now I should go and leave you here alone because he only wants to be with you people talk." "David, what's the matter with you?" "In another minute and ten seconds, he will come to answer the phone." Setiniaz left with a tense face.Taras heard the noise of the little elevator moving, and then there was silence. The red light came on. "Reb?" "Yes, George. I'm listening." At this moment, Taras figured, he must be in that big helicopter, either parked somewhere in the jungle or hovering over it.He briefly reported his conversation with Elias Weizmann, pointing out the danger that Ethel's fiery temper could pose. There was a silence. "Reb?" "I heard what you said, George," Leiber's voice was so calm, so far away, so far away in terms of spatial distance and spiritual distance. "All right. Leave Ethel and Elias to me." "Time is running out," Taras said. "I know. Thanks for calling." Taras hesitated for a moment, then said, "There's something wrong with David, did the two of you quarrel?" "So to speak. It has nothing to do with you, George, nothing to do with it. It has nothing to do with you or what you're doing. How's your end?" "improvement." "When do you think it will be ready?" Taras' heart turned a 720-degree hollow somersault.It was the first time since last June that Reber spoke of the Madison Avenue team's work in such a tone as if it were a plan that was actually going to be put into practice. "In a few months," Taras said. "Six to eight months." "You can have more time. At least two more years. In your prepared documents, of course you will take into account the idea of ​​'international refugee camps'? That is, a international refugee camps.” "That's exactly what I met with Elias for. As you requested, I've been keeping a close eye on his and Ethel's work and the work of their respective teams. That's unheard of, Reb." Tara S hesitated. "However, I know . . . In my opinion, that does not constitute a reason." After a moment of silence, Leiber said: "You know more about this than I do..." This remark made people unable to believe their ears, because it made people wonder if there was something incredible wrong with the king's incomparable mind? Then there was only the sound of the propeller spinning of the Sikorsky helicopter eight thousand kilometers away.If the red light hadn't been on, Taras would have thought the radio connection had been lost. Finally, however, Reber spoke again: "I would like to add one more element to the document: how to keep Amazonia alive. This is not just about Brazil or just which of Brazil's neighbours. Amazonia is One lung of the earth, George, is actually the only remaining lung of the earth. Please take some of your staff out to study this. Ask them to consider an approach similar to what has been done for the north and south poles plan; in order to maintain the ecological balance of the North and South Poles, a situation of international cooperation has almost been formed." "But don't offend the Brazilians." "Of course. They've been doing the best they can. No other country in its position can go so far. But, I beg you to go a little further... the possibilities for international independence, for the sake of future generations. Interest. Well, that means paying compensation to the countries that, through accidental factors in their colonial history, became the official or, as you say, the legal owners of these lands." "I see," Taras said. "Thank you, George." "You have to do it in a way that generates the most repercussions." "I thought, I've found the way," Reber Q&A said.