"We will do our best to get them released ... The spokesman for CBS looked at the reporters in front of him and said things he couldn't believe.

Thinking of what the boss said "according to convention", he knew that the big boss behind the scenes would not "do his best", and if the local government and police department in Iraq really had the ability to save people, they would not let the reporter be kidnapped.

"Will CBS pay a ransom to get the kidnappers free?"

Faced with this inevitable and headache-induced question, a CBS spokesperson used a very familiar phrase, "We will do everything in our power to get them released, and we hope that the local government and the police department will... ”

The next morning, Lei Shidong, who was wearing a nightgown and eating breakfast, looked at the news report on his TV station, his face couldn't help but be a little ugly, and he walked out of the DU breakfast room.

Stepping out of the entrance hall, stepping on a cashmere carpet embroidered with rich velvet, I came to an antique gold phone, picked up the phone and called the CEO of CBS TV.

"Any news on that?"

"Boss, news came from Newsweek this morning that they had been contacted through a local middleman, and their reporter had been kidnapped together, and the other party offered $10 million... ”

"It seems that it can be determined that it is a kidnapping, four people and 10 million? ”

"Boss, it's a person... ”

Lei Shidong combed the back of his meticulous blonde hair, moved slightly, raised his eyebrows, and said calmly: "Nothing!"

Menforth, CEO of CBS TV, listened to the crisp hang-up sound and long busy tone of the phone, shook his head bitterly, and hung up the phone slowly.

"Not a dime again... He sat on the boss's chair helplessly, thinking back to Daniel Perle, who was brutally cut in 02, two reporters from Le Figaro and TV stations who disappeared in 04 and two reporters whose whereabouts are still unknown, and in 2006, there were two reporters from Fox TV in the United States, one Spanish reporter and one AFP reporter.

If you want a ransom, you may come back alive, and the most feared thing is that there is no news, BBC reporter Alan Johnston was released four months after paying the ransom, and without the ransom, the body can only be collected.

"To succeed, you have to live dangerously. ”

"As long as the danger can be reasonably accepted, as long as the rewards far outweigh the risks. ”

He still vividly remembers the first time he encountered this kind of kidnapping of war correspondents, the big boss sat in a chair, smoking a cigar, and looked at what he said lightly.

"I have hundreds of journalists around the world, and if I pay a penny, the rest of my staff will be kidnapped. ”

Then the reporter of their TV station was confirmed to have his throat cut after a few months.

Newsweek Building.

In the brightly lit office, Andy on the computer monitor watched through the camera as Jon Meacham, who was sitting across from him with a disdainful expression, hung up the phone, and quietly waited for his retelling.

"Menforth thanked us, and as for the ransom payment, they were in a bit of trouble and couldn't participate in this rescue. As I said earlier, Samori Shidong will not pay the ransom. This is not the first time. ”

"In fact, once kidnapped, if the ransom is paid, the kidnappers may be encouraged in disguise, thus putting more war correspondents in danger. Andy also knows the consequences of such a compromise.

"No, no, boss, your worries and Mr. Lei Shidong's thoughts are two different things, and this statement is just a pretext used by Mr. Lei Shidong as a shield.

Theoretically, governments are reluctant to negotiate with the kidnappers. But many countries will do it secretly, most of the people who are released have paid ransom, and the government is not willing to make a high-profile announcement, and after the hostages are released safely and return home, all parties involved in the rescue will sign non-disclosure agreements. In particular, the amount of the ransom involved is even more secretive.

And Mr. Lei Shidong, and Mr. Murdoch of Fox, hehe, they have long lost their awe in their hearts. All they have is endless greed, and an attempt to fool the government into forcing the government to come forward, and all they have left in their minds is to earn profits in the fastest way possible to get fast. ”

Andy looked at Jon Meacham with a mocking expression on his face and complained about these two media kings, to be honest, you really want Andy to pay a ransom of 10 million, Andy really doesn't dare to pay openly, this is definitely a Pandora's box, as long as it is paid, his war correspondents will really become fat sheep.

After a deep groan, Andy said with a solemn face: "Let the people on the Iraqi side bargain with the other party first, 10 million is too high... Glancing at the time on the clock marked with the word Iraq, "My men should have arrived in Basra and asked the newspaper staff to contact them." They're going to take over the whole thing. ”

"Boss, did you send someone over?" Jon looked at his boss in surprise, he didn't expect the boss to move so quickly, but the doubts on his face never dissipated.

"It was the representative of my security company in Iraq. ”

“。。。。。。 Jon Meacham's mouth trembled slightly, and he secretly said in his heart, War Jackal, looking at the young boss in front of him, there was also a hint of a very vague and complicated meaning.

"Our people must be rescued, this is not only a matter of life, but also a matter of the reputation of the newspaper, and it is also a matter of public opinion, first use bargaining to drag the other party, and then see if we can rescue them by force, if we can't pay the ransom secretly!"

The more Andy said to the end, the more cold the light in his eyes became, and he shuddered.

Basra is Iraq's second largest city and the largest port city in Iraq, 120 kilometers south of the Persian Gulf, and is the only hub connecting the Persian Gulf to inland waterways.

The former "Venice of the East" has become a "thirsty city" and has long been devastated.

Sitting in a speeding dirt-covered SUV, Roberts looked at the safety zone next to the US military camp that was getting closer and closer, and his tense heartstrings relaxed.

Fortunately, his newspaper had a new and reliable owner, and he thought he would lose his friends, but he received a call from the headquarters in New York, asking him to find a way to find a local middleman to contact the militants.

As long as the boss is willing to talk, Charlie may be rescued, as long as the other party is not aiming to kill Americans, there is hope, and sure enough, the other party offered a high ransom.

"Bang!"

Roberts handed his papers to the sentry to look at, then got out of the car and closed the door, walking briskly into what looked like a school.

"Roberts?"

"Yes, sir, may I ask who you are?"

"Major White of the Free Eagle Security Company. After seeing the other party confirm his identity, White shook hands with him with a smile, and said expressionlessly: "Let's go, tell me what you know!"

Roberts and the major in front of him with a black eagle armband with wings on it walked into a two-story building on the side, pushed open the door, and Roberts saw a busy scene of various advanced computers, satellite receivers, and satellite phones.

"This way. ”

Roberts followed White into an office in the middle of the room, where two strong men in the same camouflage uniforms were already sitting and waiting.

"Tell us everything you know. ”

。。。。。。

"Coffee. ”

"Thank you. Smelling the aroma of coffee, Roberts, who said a little dry mouth, couldn't help but light up his eyes, and sighed in his heart, the treatment of this group of war jackals is really good, there is nothing to say, ask the aroma to know that this coffee is high-end.

White looked at the two subordinates who had fallen into deep thought, his brows were also furrowed, he always felt that there was something wrong with this kidnapping case, and couldn't help asking: "Richard, the reporter of CBS TV who was kidnapped at the same time, do you have his information?"

"Yes. In the bag, I'll get it for you. With that, he put down the coffee cup, picked up his backpack and took out a document bag from it and handed it to White.

White reached out and took it, pulled out the file, and quickly skimmed through it, there was no problem with the information, British nationality, CBS TV war photojournalist.

"Roberts, you stay first, I'll have someone take you to a room, and we'll have someone go with you to the middleman in the next few days, and keep you safe by the way. ”

"Okay, thanks. Roberts breathed a long sigh of relief in his heart, to be honest, his trust in the locals had fallen to the lowest point, and he didn't even know that he had been sold, and now he was on his own family's territory.

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