‘It’s more complicated than that. Thankfully there wasn’t much rare or heavy equipment there, because, like in this place, most of the digging was done by hand. The loss of the money in the safe was of greater value than that of the machines. So, after they had wrecked the offices and stolen and redistributed our money, they filled in the mine holes, covered up the gashes in the earth and planted trees there. Only after they’d done that did they then wreck the dam and destroy the machines.’
Colonel Rudd’s jaw dropped to the floor.
‘They did what?’
‘They planted trees, shrubs and other indigenous vegetation.’
Colonel Rudd stared at her in slack-jawed silence for a few moments, and then released a booming belly laugh and thumped his fist on the desk.
‘They filled in the fuckin’ mine an’ planted fuckin’ trees on top of it?! Sweet Jesus an’ Mary Mother a’ God, y’all are dealin’ with a bunch a’ angry tree-huggin’ hippies?! That’s what y’all called us out here for?’
Ms Hutton stared at Rudd with liquid nitrogen icicles in her eyes, but despite the viciousness of her stare he could not stop chuckling, and he couldn’t resist beaming a mocking smile at her. Her tone took on somewhat of a colder air, and every breath that emerged from between her tight, thin lips seemed to be laced with a vapour of ice crystals.
‘These “tree-hugging hippies”, as you call them, decimated an entire army of rebel militia, Colonel Rudd. That army was a major military force in this area … and now they’re gone. Completely, totally gone.’
Colonel Rudd found it impossible to keep the incredulous sneer off of his face; every tanned wrinkle and crease in his weather-worn skin screamed out with silent, viciously jeering malice.
‘Well they sound like a bunch a’ long-haired bunny-huggin’ faggots t’ me! Jesus H. jumpin’ Christ, how in the hell did a bunch a’ effeminate ball-lickers like that even figure out which side of a rifle is the business-end? God almighty, y’all musta’ hired some bona fide incompetents, Hutton. See, I was told that y’all was dealin’ with a dangerous, heavily armed rebel group who was threatenin’ every damned coltan mine in this whole region, a group more powerful than M23, the LRA, or any other militia group known t’ ‘Merican intelligence. I wouldn’t a’ wasted ma’ goddamned time comin’ out here if I’d a’ known y’all wanted me t’ deal with some limp-wristed, pussy-lickin’ bunny-huggers.’
Ms Hutton remained unperturbed by Rudd’s insults.
‘I assure you, colonel, these “limp-wristed pussy-eating bunny-huggers” are by far the most potent force in the region, as ludicrous as that may sound to you. We have a relatively clear idea of their short-term aims, but not why they are ultimately working toward these aims … not yet, at any rate. The point is that at least one of their major aims is the complete eradication of our industry here. Let me repeat that: not taking it over, but eradicating it. You know what kind of profits this industry rakes in, and you know that an uninterrupted and cheap supply of coltan is absolutely crucial to maintaining our global flow of exports and transfer of capital.’ Hutton’s slim fingers began to drum a faster and more forceful rhythmic composition out on the desktop as she spoke. ‘We absolutely cannot, under any circumstances, afford to lose these mines. The financial repercussions, both in the long-term and the short-term, would be beyond catastrophic. That is why we hired you; we need this threat taken care of by any means necessary. We need you to infiltrate their headquarters and terminate those in command with extreme prejudice. Now in order for you to do that effectively, you’re going to have to drop your preconceptions about “tree-hugging hippies” and treat this like the fucking war that it is. Because make no mistake, Rudd, if you underestimate the calibre of the soldiers you are up against out there in the jungle, you and your mercenaries will be annihilated just as surely as Rambo’s Rage were. And then, guess what? The mines here will fall. And I’ll have a fucking blemish on my spotless fucking record. And I don’t like blemishes, Colonel. In fact, I can’t fucking stand them. This is my career on the line as much as these fucking mines, and my fucking chance at promotion and eventually rising up to a spot on the board of directors of the Huntsmen Corporation. And let me tell you, Colonel Rudd: I may not look like it to an ignorant jarhead like you, but trust me when I say this: I am a woman you do not fuck with.’
Colonel Rudd began to laugh abrasively, stopping midway through to fire a glare of raw aggression and menace straight into Ms Hutton’s pale brown eyes.
‘Is that a fact then, honeybuns? Are you actually trying to threaten me?’
Ms Hutton smiled coldly and stopped tapping her fingers.
‘I’m not trying. I am threatening you.’
Rudd chuckled and shook his head.
‘Y’all are one audacious little bitch, sweet cheeks, I’ll give ya that. But I could lean across this desk an’ snap that lil’ neck a’ yours in about two seconds flat, an’ I’ll fuckin’ do it if ya push me. I don’t give two shits about your company rank, whose dick you’re no doubt suckin’ on, or whatever “power” you think you have in your corporation. I’ve killed more men than a keyboard jockey like you can possibly imagine, and adding a bitchy lil’ New York skank t’ my kill list wouldn’t cause me t’ lose a single ounce a’ sleep.’
Ms Hutton smiled strangely, and then stretched out her hands and cracked her knuckles.
‘C H ten, zero zero five three seven, zero zero A three five one one one four eight seven six.’
Rudd sneered and curled his lip aggressively.
‘So you know my Swiss bank account number, huh? So
