Chapter 210: Stonebanks and the Nukes

Hearing William's question, Yuri's curiosity deepened. Who had wronged William enough to make him spend millions and gather such a force to eliminate them? Yuri hesitated before asking, "May I ask who you're targeting?"

"Jet Friebe, have you heard of him?" William inquired, hoping to get some information from Yuri.

Yuri was surprised. "Jet Friebe? The mercenary leader who fought in Sierra Leone?"

"Yes, that's him. Have you dealt with him?"

"We used to, but lately, Jet Friebe seems to have teamed up with Stonebanks. They're planning something involving an abandoned nuclear facility," Yuri said uncertainly.

William felt a surge of excitement. "So if I take out Jet Friebe, no official will come after me? Is this information reliable?"

"Sorry, Mr. Devonshire, I can't be sure yet. Today, my contacts in Ukraine informed me that a group of armed men plans to occupy an abandoned mining area in Albania's Gjakova Mountains. It was a secret mining area of the Soviet Union about twenty years ago, rumored to contain nuclear material. While this information isn't confirmed, it's true that Stonebanks has access to nuclear weapons. That guy is crazier and more dangerous than I am. As long as there's money, Stonebanks sells any weapon. His forces, though small, are elite and difficult to deal with. Many countries are looking for him, but no one can find him. If you encounter Stonebanks, Mr. Devonshire, be careful. But if you can eliminate both Jet Friebe and Stonebanks, I guarantee no government will bother you; they might even thank you."

"Do you have a photo of Stonebanks?" This was the second time William had heard the name, and he had a nagging feeling he had heard it somewhere before.

"Sorry, everyone who knows his identity and appearance is either dead or a big-shot leader. I, who only sell light weapons, don't have much interaction with those people, but I'll keep an eye out."

Finding him might not be necessary; capturing Jet Friebe first would suffice. "Thanks, we'll discuss the rest when we meet in South Africa."

"Alright, goodbye, Mr. Devonshire."

"Goodbye," William said, ending the call. He walked to the cockpit and asked, "How long until we arrive?"

Barney turned to see William's impatience and smiled. "Sorry, boss, we still have a long way to South Africa, about 11 more hours, including two fuel stops."

"Damn, it's already been four hours, and we still have over ten hours to go?"

"Haha, boss, this is considered fast. We don't have to wait for flights or layovers," Barney said, laughing along with Toll Road, who was sitting in the passenger seat.

William, grumbling, returned to the cabin, used his backpack as a pillow, and, like the rest of the team, lay on the floor to sleep.

Thirteen hours later, the plane finally arrived in South Africa, landing on a secluded beach. Barney had arranged for the group to receive entry permits.

By the time they finished, it was already 11 PM. They rented an entire floor of a decent beach hotel and quickly fell asleep. As for Toll Road, who stayed behind on the plane to guard the equipment, arrangements were made for his meals.

After a good night's sleep, William changed into the formal attire provided by the hotel and, along with Christmas, who looked less intimidating, took a hotel-provided luxury car to the Cape Town International Convention Center. Today, an international conference on blood diamonds was being held there.

Barney and the others headed directly to Sierra Leone to receive the equipment and personnel, following intel from the Church to find a man named Solomon Vandy.

Entering the convention center, William found a seat in the back and waited for Yuri. Just before the conference started, Yuri arrived in a hurry with a briefcase. After finding William, he quietly handed him a file.

William opened it to find a photo of an estate at the beginning. Yuri whispered, "This is Jet Friebe's estate in South Africa, just over 10 kilometers outside Cape Town. I wouldn't recommend causing trouble there because the estate is guarded by two companies of mercenaries. If you act there, it could alarm South African authorities, and dealing with their special forces would be a major problem."

William nodded, looking over Jet Friebe's information. He hadn't planned to act in South Africa anyway, knowing it wasn't a small country like Montenegro. Acting in Cape Town would be asking for trouble.

After the conference, where two executives from De Beers and other major jewelry companies signed an agreement against the sale of blood diamonds, William felt a sense of relief. His purpose in attending was to see De Beers sign this agreement personally. With his goal achieved, William skipped the post-conference reception and returned to the hotel with Yuri.

Pouring Yuri a glass of whiskey, the two sat on the balcony of William's suite, enjoying the sea breeze. After some casual conversation, William slowly brought up, "I hear you have a good relationship with André in Liberia?"

"Yes, Mr. Devonshire. We've been working together for about ten years. In the '90s, André was my main customer, and we have a decent relationship," Yuri replied.

"Good. Ask him if he wants to make some extra money. I need 2,000 Liberian mercenaries for a job," William said, eyeing Yuri.

Yuri quickly put down his glass, startled. "Is this related to Jet Friebe?"

William smiled and nodded. "Yes."

Yuri thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Mr. Devonshire, you don't need to go through André for African mercenaries. He's in no position to help anymore, and dealing with him could cause problems. If you offer money, there are plenty of mercenaries in southern Sierra Leone willing to fight. For $1,000 each, you could hire thousands."

William's spirits lifted. "So you have contacts?"

"Of course, Mr. Devonshire. In my twenty-year career, I've met many so-called leaders. These people will do anything for money," Yuri said, his excitement growing.

"Great, a 30% commission?"

"No problem, Mr. Devonshire, I'll take care of it," Yuri agreed, eager at the prospect of making money.

"Gather the men and move them to Kono in the south. Your 2,000 AKs and ammunition will also be delivered there. I'll have someone deliver 30% of the deposit in cash to you in New York. Any issues?"

"No issues, thank you, Mr. Devonshire," Yuri said, excitedly shaking William's hand.

Afterward, William and Christmas headed to the airport to fly to Sierra Leone.

Upon landing in Freetown, Sierra Leone, William saw Barney waiting with over twenty men in plain clothes and sunglasses, standing in front of six Mercedes G-Class vehicles.

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