บท 662: Chapter 662: It’s an Honor to Meet the General
Stepping outside, I glanced around and approached a mercenary guarding the corridor.
"Is there a quiet place we can talk?"
"I'll show you this way."
He saluted me before leading me to a nearby room.
Once inside, he bowed again, then shut the door behind him.
Confirming the surroundings were quiet, I immediately dialed Yoon Chang-ho.
Once again, the chief secretary answered and informed me he would get back to me shortly.
I set the satellite phone down on the table and looked out the window.
Although it wasn't a high floor, I could still take in enough of the surroundings.
I spotted mercenaries checking passing vehicles and blocking people's access.
Lost in thought, I took in the bustling city of Baghdad.
Even if they attempted to develop this place further, the lingering resistance would hinder any real progress.
'The U.S. clearly has its reasons for keeping Hussein alive. If they kill him, Iraq will plunge into chaos…'
The U.S. was already aware of the turmoil that would follow Hussein's death.
Yet, for political reasons, they were passing power to the Shiites.
They intended to weaken the Sunni resistance by garnering support from the marginalized Shiites under Hussein's regime.
However, this was a dangerous choice that could ignite civil war.
To prevent this, the U.S. might try appeasement strategies like economic aid, but that would only be a temporary solution.
If they weren't careful, the entire Middle East could be engulfed in war once again.
Just then, the satellite phone rang loudly, jerking me from my thoughts. I quickly grabbed it.
"Yes. This is Kim Mu-hyeok."
— Boss Kim, I heard you called.
"I couldn't just wait around, so I decided to reach out myself."
— Hmm…
I had subtly prompted him for a response, yet Yoon Chang-ho remained silent.
I urged him again.
"I just received a reply from the U.S. The national security advisor guarantees I won't be held responsible."
— That's good to hear.
"But if things go south, we need someone to shoulder the blame. It seems that'll have to be Korea. Are we still moving forward?"
I could hear a deep sigh through the receiver.
— That's exactly why we hastily gathered all the advisors for a meeting. Everyone opposed it. They want us to negotiate through the foreign ministry instead.
It was too monumental for them to easily take responsibility.
They likely didn't want to be liable either.
"I understand. That's why I'm asking you, Mr. President. If everyone's against this and I proceed unilaterally, it could have severe repercussions for your administration and the entire cabinet."
I had done enough; if needed, I could step back.
In fact, I was honestly hesitant about involving myself in this matter.
But Grandma's earnest plea and Yoon Chang-ho's resolve had brought me this far.
As long as I had a justified reason to step back, I could simply meet with Hussein and leave.
— …Can you guarantee the safe rescue of the hostage?
"I can't make any promises. The Middle East is full of uncertainties, especially in Iraq right now. But I intend to do my best. A mercenary team that has executed operations in North Korea will be arriving today."
— So, you're saying you'll get it done.
The operation to capture Kim Jong-il led by Igor's team was indeed a tough task.
North Korea was Kim Jong-il's territory, and he could call for reinforcements at any moment.
Yet, rescuing a hostage was far more complicated.
The moment the kidnappers felt threatened, they would kill their captives, rendering everything useless.
"Using force is a last resort. I plan to first attempt to persuade them to release the hostages by other means. I'll make contact for a day or two, and if that fails, I'll proceed with the rescue operation."
As soon as I finished, I heard another sigh from Yoon Chang-ho. His distress was palpable.
"What should we do, Mr. President? Should we withdraw? Or proceed?"
After a long pause, Yoon Chang-ho finally responded.
— Let's move forward. Make sure to bring him back alive.
His unexpected answer took me aback.
I asked worriedly in response to his instruction to proceed.
"Are you sure? If this fails, it could seriously hurt your approval ratings."
— We can't kill someone who can be saved. And I trust you. I believe you will bring that man back alive to Korea.
Yoon Chang-ho spoke with conviction, an unfathomably solid belief.
"Mr. President, this is something no one can guarantee. You know that. I can assure you that I will handle things that can be assured. But this task will be immensely challenging."
— I know. I'm fully aware of that. Still, I'm putting my faith in you to get this done.
Choosing to save lives, even at the risk of his authority and approval ratings.
I thought I understood Yoon Chang-ho well, but I was about to discover a new side to him.
I couldn't tell if this was his true nature or a change brought by the presidential role.
Regardless, his transformation was not unwelcome.
"Understood. I'll do my best. I'll strive to bring you good news."
— Please do. If you need the assistance of the Zaitun Brigade, let me know. I can issue orders…
To emphasize his sincerity, Yoon Chang-ho even suggested utilizing the Zaitun Brigade.
Before he could finish his sentence, I quickly interjected.
"Mr. President, if even one member of the Zaitun Brigade gets hurt or killed during the rescue, the situation will escalate significantly. I'll handle this with just the Black Bear mercenaries."
— Alright… Thanks, Boss Kim. I truly appreciate it.
"I'll reach out later."
After ending the call, I set the hot satellite phone down.
I stood up and stared out the window, muttering quietly.
"President Yoon has changed a lot."
* * *
A day had passed since Jessica arrived in Iraq.
She came to visit early in the morning.
"Charlie! We're leaving now. The U.S. forces who will guide us to Hussein will be arriving soon."
Her words urged me to check the time.
"Wow, how did it get so late? Let's get going."
I stood up and put on the bulletproof vest handed to me by Manager Ma, then draped a comfortable coat over it.
It felt a bit limiting, but Manager Ma had insisted I wear the vest while moving around in Iraq, so there was no way around it.
Once I finished my preparations and stepped out of the room, I asked Jessica.
"Who's coming?"
"The commandant of the U.S. forces stationed in Iraq is coming personally."
"Who is it?"
I halted in front of the elevator and looked at her.
"You mean the commandant came all the way here just to show me to Hussein?"
Jessica shrugged as if she hadn't expected this either.
"I was surprised too. It shows just how unusual this meeting is."
It was astonishing, but at the same time, it made sense.
Hussein's current location was practically military confidential.
If his whereabouts became known, the Iraqi resistance would do whatever it took to assault that location to rescue him.
"Also, there was a major battle in Fallujah yesterday."
"In Fallujah?"
"Yes. The Iraqi resistance suddenly banded together and attacked there, and the U.S. forces suffered significant losses and withdrew."
"Were there many casualties?"
"Yes. About thirty people were killed, and even more were injured. The mood in Iraq isn't good right now. Just so you know, a large-scale assault is imminent. But suddenly, Washington issues instructions for the commandant to guide Hussein; it's definitely not going well for him in this situation."
Fallujah was a strategic stronghold located not far west of Baghdad.
Losing that place would jeopardize Baghdad's safety.
Besides, Black Bear must have deployed mercenaries there as well.
Just then, the elevator doors opened, revealing Yuri inside.
As soon as he saw me, he stood at attention and saluted. His face was much sterner than on the first day.
"Boss, are you heading out now?"
I nodded and stepped into the elevator.
"Yes. I'm off to meet Hussein."
"We may need to increase security. There was a significant battle in Fallujah yesterday. Our staff is currently withdrawing from there to wait at the outskirts."
"I've heard about that. What happened? Is the insurgency really that strong to take over such an important location?"
Yuri shook his head, looking troubled.
"We're still assessing the situation. Reports indicate that insurgents suddenly attacked both inside and outside Fallujah. The U.S. withdrew first, then we followed."
As I listened to Yuri's report, the elevator arrived at the first floor.
We continued our discussion as we walked toward the exit.
"If an attack came from both inside and outside, it means there's an entry point that the U.S. forces and Black Bear haven't detected."
"That's likely. We suspect tunnels might have been used."
This attack had wounded not just the U.S. but also Black Bear's pride.
There was a chance that an operation to reclaim Fallujah would be launched soon, even if there were civilians still there.
The U.S. couldn't conduct military operations targeting civilians.
If news of that got out, it would lead to international condemnation.
But Black Bear was different. As a private military company, they had more freedom and wouldn't hesitate to carry out operations against civilians.
As a result, many labeled Black Bear as devil's minions in Iraq.
"What about our casualties?"
"So far, four deaths have been confirmed, and around twenty injuries. Casualties are currently being transported back to the branch."
Hearing about the casualties made my brow furrow involuntarily.
"This is the first death in Iraq, right?"
"…Yes."
"Ensure sufficient compensation is provided to the families and that the bodies are flown back on a transport plane. Let them conduct the funeral in their families' embrace."
"Yes, I'll take care of it immediately."
Yuri responded briskly, though his shoulders seemed somewhat drooped.
I patted his shoulder in encouragement.
"You've done a great job. If it's hard to treat the injured here, feel free to use my private jet. Just get them transported quickly to a place where they can receive treatment, and ensure they stay alive, Yuri."
"Thank you, Boss. I'll make sure they survive."
As I stepped outside, the U.S. forces had already arrived.
I couldn't help but gasp at the scene before me.
"Looks like they're gearing up for war."
Not only were armored vehicles lined up in rows, but there were also more than ten Humvees tailing them.
Well, it wouldn't be unusual for the commandant to travel with this level of preparation.
While observing the columns of military vehicles, a middle-aged man stepped out of a jeep.
Four stars adorned the epaulets of the military uniform he wore.
Yuri seemed to recognize him and whispered to me.
"He's General John Abizaid, the U.S. commander stationed in Iraq and commander of the CENTCOM. He's currently the highest-ranking general in Iraq."
The general surveyed the Black Bear Iraq branch as he slowly approached us.
"Yuri. It's been a while."
He greeted Yuri first, who saluted him back.
"Yes, Commander. It feels like a month since we last met."
"I always hear about how the operations in Iraq are seamless thanks to Black Bear. I'm grateful for that."
"It's nothing. We're just doing our job."
"It's life-threatening work, so you deserve compensation."
After finishing a brief exchange with Yuri, he looked at me and Jessica.
"So, the lady here is presumably an agent from the Department of Homeland Security. And you must be that Korean fellow who wants to meet Hussein."
Jessica stepped forward to greet him.
"That's right. Nice to meet you. I'm Jessica, from the Department of Homeland Security."
"Nice to meet you, Jessica. But, you know, Iraq is far too dangerous for a lady like you."
I could see Jessica slightly frown at his remark.
It seemed she found it irritating that he referred to her as a lady at every turn.
I took my time to examine the commander's face during the exchange with Jessica.
'Seems like he's of Arab descent?'
It was ironic for the commander-in-chief of the Iraq war—a conflict in Arab land—to be Arab himself.
Such irony couldn't get more pronounced. At that moment, after concluding his greeting with Jessica, he locked eyes with me.
"I'm Kim Mu-hyeok. Please feel free to call me Charlie. It's an honor to meet the General."
""Pleasure to meet you. This directive from Washington isn't something I can ignore. But do you really need to meet him?"
"Of course. That's why I came all this way."
"So, you're the owner of Black Bear?"
"I own it, but I'm not involved in its management."
"Hmm…"
The General scrutinized my face, stroking his chin.
I was uncomfortable under his intense gaze but tried not to show it.
"Let's get moving. You and the lady will accompany me; Yuri, Black Bear doesn't need to follow. This is classified."
"But…"
Yuri glanced at me, gauging my reaction while he hesitated to speak.
I nodded subtly, signaling that this was acceptable.
With the U.S. fully equipped to protect me, if anything went wrong, the general would likely be the first casualty, not me.
"Do you not trust me?"
"Not at all. I will proceed accordingly."
"Oh, I'll be taking this man along as well."
I pointed to Manager Ma standing silently behind me.
The General raised an eyebrow and shook his head.
"I've been informed that you only need to take yourself and Jessica."
"That's not accurate. This man will be included as well. Right, Jessica?"
"Yes, that's correct."
With Jessica backing me up like that, the General's expression betrayed discontent.
"Then, take the jeep and come along."
The General turned sharply, and we followed suit.
Jessica and I boarded the same jeep as the General while Manager Ma got into another humble one.
"Let's go."
With the General's command, the U.S. forces sprang into action.
Throughout the journey, the General remained silent.
"General."
Breaking the relentless silence, I called out to him.
He turned to look at me, sitting in the passenger seat.
"Are you of Arab descent?"
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