American Fortune Life

“We will do our utmost to get them released...” The spokesperson for CBS TV looked at the interview reporters in front of him and said things he couldn't believe.

Thinking of what the boss said “as usual”, he knew that the Big BOSS would not “do its best” behind the scenes, and that journalists would not be kidnapped if the local Iraqi government and police had the capacity to save lives.

“Will CBS pay ransom to get the kidnapped released? ”

In the face of this inevitable and headache-answered question, the CBS spokesman used a very familiar phrase, "We will do our utmost to get them released, and we hope that the local government and the police will be able to... ”

The next morning, Thunderstone, dressed in a nightgown and eating breakfast, watched the news report on his own TV station. He couldn't help but look a little ugly and walked out of the DU breakfast room.

Stepping out of the hall and stepping on a rug of cashmere embroidered in luxurious velvet, he came to an antique gold phone and picked up the phone and called the CEO of CBS TV.

“Any updates? ”

“Boss, news came this morning from Newsweek that they had reached out to each other through local intermediaries, and that their journalists had been kidnapped together for a $10 million price... ”

“Looks sure it was a kidnapping. Ten million for four? Locals, we don't care... ”

“Boss, it's a man... ”

Thunderstone combed a meticulous blonde back, slightly moved, picked the eyebrows, calmly said: "Nothing! ”

CBS TV's CEO, Memfoss, listened to the crisp hang-up and long busy noise of the phone, shook his head with bitterness and slowly hung up the phone.

“Not at all...” He was helplessly paralyzed in the boss's chair, recalling Daniel Pearl, who had his throat severed in '02, two journalists who had disappeared in' 04 from the French newspaper Figaro and two journalists whose whereabouts remain unknown, and two journalists from Fox TV in the United States in 2006, a Spanish journalist and a Agence France-Presse journalist.

If the ransom was to come back alive, the scariest part was that there was no news, and BBC reporter Alan Johnston was released four months after the ransom was paid, without which the body would have to be collected.

“To succeed, you must live dangerously. ”

“As long as the danger is reasonably acceptable, so long as the return is far greater than the risk. ”

He also remembered vividly the first time he encountered this kind of kidnapping of a field journalist, the big boss sitting on a chair, smoking a cigar and looking lightly at what he was saying.

“NO! I have hundreds of journalists around the world, and if I pay a penny, my other employees will be kidnapped. ”

Then their television reporters were confirmed to have had their throats cut months apart.

Newsweek Building.

In the bright office, Andy in the computer monitor watched Jon Micham, sitting across the street with a despicable expression, hang up and wait quietly for his repetition.

“Memphis thanked us, and as for the ransom payment, they were in a bit of trouble and were unable to participate in the rescue. I told you Samoree Stone wouldn't pay the ransom. This is not the first time. ”

“In fact, once kidnapped, if ransom is paid, the kidnappers may be encouraged to disguise themselves, putting more journalists in danger in the field.” Andy also knows the consequences of such a compromise.

“No, no, boss, this concern of yours and Mr. Lei Shidong's idea are two things, and this statement is only used by Mr. Lei Shidong as a pretext for a shield.

In theory, Governments are reluctant to negotiate with kidnappers. But many countries do so covertly, and most of those released pay ransom, and the Government is reluctant to highlight that when hostages are released home safely, all parties involved in the rescue will sign confidentiality agreements. Especially when it comes to the amount of ransom.

And Mr. Thunderstone, and Mr. Murdoch of Fox, oh, they're long gone in awe. What they have, is endless greed, and attempts to get smart enough to push the government out, and what's left of them is the fastest way to make a profit to get a quick gun. ”

Andy looked at Jon Micham with an unexpected and ridiculous look and groaned at these two media kings. To be honest, you really want Andy to pay 10 million in ransom. Andy really doesn't dare to pay brightly. This is definitely a Pandora Magic Box. If you pay, your own field reporter will become a fat sheep.

After a moment of silence, Andy said, "It's too expensive to let the people on the Iraqi side bargain with each other first...” Take a look at the time on the clock marked with Iraqi characters, "my people should probably be in Basra, getting the newspaper people to contact them. They'll take over the whole thing. ”

“Boss, did you send someone?” Jon looked at his boss with some surprise and didn't expect him to move so fast, but the confusion on his face never dissipated.

“It was my security company's representative in Iraq. ”

“ ”Jon Micham's mouth chun trembled slightly, his heart whispered, the war jackal, and looked at the young boss in front of him with a slightly more obscure, complex meaning.

“Our people must be saved. It's not only about life, it's about the newspaper's reputation. It's also about public opinion. First we hold each other off with bargaining, then we'll see if we can save them by force, if we can't pay the ransom in secret! ”

The more Andy talks about it, the colder and colder his eyes get, the colder and colder he gets.

Basra is the second largest city in Iraq and the largest port city in Iraq, 120 kilometres south of the Persian Gulf, and is the only hub connecting the Persian Gulf and the inner river system.

This former “Venice of the East” has become a "thirsty city” and is already full of sores.

Roberts, sitting in a dirt-filled SUV, looked at the security zone next to the nearer U.S. Army compound, and his tight heartstrings relaxed. As a field reporter for Newsweek, he had been with the Army and was a little safer, but his friend Charlie was kidnapped like a sunny thunderbolt.

Fortunately, he changed his newspaper to a very reliable new owner who thought he would lose friends. He received a call from New York headquarters asking him to find a local intermediary to contact the armed men.

As long as the boss is willing to talk, Charlie is likely to be rescued, as long as the other party has no hope of killing Americans, and indeed, the other party offers a high ransom.

“Boom!”

Roberts handed the papers over to the sentry, checked them out, and got out of the car and shut the door, walking quickly into a building like a school.

“Roberts? ”

“Yes, sir, who are you? ”

“Major White of FreeEagle Security.” When White saw the other person confirm his identity, he shook his hand with a smile and said with no expression: "Come on, tell me what you know! ”

Roberts and the major in front of the camouflage costume, affixed to a black winged eagle arm, walked into a two-story building beside him and pushed the door open, and Roberts saw busy scenes of all kinds of advanced computers, satellite receivers, satellite phones.

“This way. ”

Roberts followed White into an office in the middle where two strong men with the same camouflage clothes were already sitting and waiting.

“Tell us everything you know. ”

“Coffee. ”

“Thank you.” Smell the aroma of coffee, say a little dry Roberts eyes, some exclamation in his heart. The treatment of these war jackals is really good. Ask the aroma and you will know that the coffee is premium.

White looked at the two men who had been caught in contemplation, and his eyebrows were wrinkled. He always had some questions about the kidnapping, and he had to ask: "Richard, the reporter from CBS TV who was also kidnapped, do you have any information on him? ”

In the bag, I'll get it for you. ”Saying, put down the coffee cup, pick up the backpack and take a file bag out of it and hand it to White.

Wyatt reached over, pulled out the file, browsed it quickly, had no problems with the file, British citizenship, CBS TV field photographer.

“Roberts, why don't you stay here, and I'll have someone take you to a room, and we'll have someone meet with you over the next few days to keep you safe. ”

“Okay, thanks.” Roberts took a long breath and honestly, his trust in the locals had been lowered to the lowest point, he didn't even know he was being sold, and now in his own family's territory, he could finally relax.