been staggered had he known.
Observing the preliminary niceties, Rivera said: “A good flight?” Although he knew Belac’s English to be excellent, Rivera spoke in French, in which he was fluent: it pleased him to display the ability.
Belac shrugged. “Brussels is very efficient: I suppose it’s having NATO and the Common Market headquarters to impress.”
“I appreciate your coming so promptly,” Rivera said. He thought, as he had before, that it was difficult to imagine this soft-spoken, unemotional man as one of the largest arms dealers in Europe. Rivera did not think that Belac liked him much.
“I am always prompt where money is involved,” Belac said. Which was the absolute truth. Belac was obsessive about money, consumed above all else in amassing it. He was unmarried and lived in a rented, one- bedroom, walk-up flat near the main square in Brussels. When he wanted sex he paid a whore, and when he was hungry he used a restaurant, usually a cheap one like the prostitutes he patronized. He thought he had a very satisfying life.
Rivera offered the other man the list that had come in the special satchel. Unhurriedly Belac changed his glasses and took from the waistcoat pocket of his suit a thin gold pencil, using it as a marker to guide himself slowly through the list. He gave no facial reaction but his mind was feverishly calculating the profit margin. It was going to be a fantastic deal, one of the best. He smiled up at Rivera once, thinking as he did so how he was going to lead this glistening, perfumed idiot like a lamb to the slaughter. Rivera smiled back, curious how difficult it would be to outnegotiate Belac as he intended to outnegotiate him. That’s all he would do, decided Rivera, nothing more than gain a temporary advantage to profit by. It might be dangerous to consider anything more.
Belac was expressionless when he finally looked up. He said, simply, “Yes.”
Rivera guessed that showing no surprise was an essential part of the carefully maintained demeanor. He said, “So it is possible?”
Belac’s face broke into the closest he could ever come to a smile. “Everything is possible.”
Negotiations were beginning without any preamble, Rivera decided. He said, “But not easy?”
“No difficulty at all with the small arms, rifles, and ammunition. Most of it is available through Czechoslovakia, with no restrictions,” said Belac dismissively. “The guidance systems all contain American technology. COCOM, the committee of all the NATO countries, with the addition of Japan, denies official export to communist bloc countries of dual-use technology, meaning anything that could have military application, which this has. Washington—the Commerce and State departments—keep a very tight lid on that.”
“How can it be done unofficially?” Rivera demanded. Remaining indispensable—and unmovable—required that he knew in advance any problem likely to arise, no matter how small.
“There are companies in Sweden, with the advantage of its neutrality, through which such things can sometimes be arranged,” said Belac. “There will have to be adjustments to End-User Certificates. I have several
Trying to show that he was not completely unaware of backdoor channels, Rivera said, “What about Austria?”
“As a cutoff, perhaps,” said Belac, unimpressed but content to let the posturing fool indulge himself if he wished. “But it’s become known to the Americans as a door all too often ajar. I have a situation in Vienna we could utilize, maybe. But for this I think we might have to consider repackaging and transporting through the Middle East. There are a number of accommodating states in the Arab Emirates where smuggling is considered a profession of honor.”
Rivera paused. Was the man proposing the circuitous routing for reasons of security, or to establish the highest price because of its intricacy? To get a higher price, he decided. He said, “What about the communication items?”
“Exactly the same COCOM barrier as with the guidance systems,” the arms dealer said. “Everything listed here contains American technology for which no export license could possibly be obtained.” Which made them for Belac the most difficult and dangerous part of the order, particularly as there already existed in America two criminal indictments against him for evading the restrictions upon such items. Belac decided to delay doing anything about them; he would string Rivera along and maybe not attempt them at all.
“The same routing, then?” the Cuban diplomat asked carelessly.
“I don’t think so, do you?” Belac said at once. “The English have a proverb warning that if all one’s eggs are kept in the same basket, they risk being smashed in an accident.”
Damn! thought Rivera, resenting the lecturing, patronizing tone. He said, “How, then?”
“Japan,” Belac said. “Very discreet, very efficient. We’ll move the communication stuff through Japan. Place the orders direct through the
“To a company in Japan,” Rivera said. “So in midvoyage me ship will change destination from Europe to the Far East and any forbidden cargo will disappear?” Belac
Belac nodded in agreement. “It will achieve the purpose, but I do not expect we will be able to dispose of the genuine cargo at anything like a profit. A loss is practically certain.”
A loss that Cuba would have to finance to the benefit of the Japanese buyer, Rivera thought; and that Japanese buyer would inevitably be yet another company controlled by Pierre Belac. The grasping pig deserved to be outnegotiated; in its personal, self-rewarding way it would be a fitting penalty for the man’s avarice. Luring the Belgian on, Rivera said, “I accept that a loss would be unavoidable. But then, losses are always budgeted for in business. Which leaves the tanks to be discussed.”
What the hell did this soft-handed poseur know about business! Belac nodded in agreement once more. “Awkward things, tanks. Cumbersome. Practically impossible to break down into any sort of discreetly transportable size. The shell has to be solid, you see?” Belac was enjoying himself, mainly because he knew how much money he was going to make, to within a thousand dollars. Spurred by his greed, Belac had on occasions taken chances and come close to disaster, although he’d always managed, just, to pull back. There wasn’t going to be any danger here. This looked like the easiest deal with which he’d ever become involved. He continued, “But they are available. The United States had a lot mothballed, the majority in the Mojave Desert. The climate is perfect for preservation. Virtually no metal or engine deterioration at all.”
“Available?” queried Rivera.
“Periodically,” the Belgian said. “Fortunately for us, there is to be a surplus sale in the next two or three months.”
Everything seemed to be very easy, Rivera reflected, happy for the man to make his sales pitch. He said, “Fortunate indeed.”
“Providing the interest is not too intense,” Belac qualified. “There hasn’t been any sort of release on the market for more than a year. Most of the important dealers throughout the world will be there, bidding.”
“And the bidding will be high?” Rivera guessed the profit Belac was writing in for himself would be huge.
“It will be a seller’s market, won’t it?” Belac said, answering question with question.
“You’ll need to be able to outbid anyone else?” Rivera asked in apparent further anticipation. He found it difficult to believe that Belac was leading the bargaining precisely in the direction he wanted. It was almost too simple.
“If you are to get what you want,” the Belgian agreed.
“Substantial funds in advance, in fact?”
“Yes,” Belac said. It was too early to start talking figures yet: there was more he could get. Picking up the shopping list, Belac said, “And there would seem to be an omission.”
“Omission?” He would not remain indispensable and unmovable if things were left out, Rivera thought, immediately alarmed.
“Spares,” Belac said. “The stipulation is for a maximum of fifty tanks but nowhere is there a mention of spares for them. You know that something as inconsequential as a failed spark plug can incapacitate a vehicle costing a million dollars?” Appearing at once to realize his error, Belac quickly added, “Probably a lot more than a
