Sirocco Page #5

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l've ordered two fresh combat divisions

for this area.

That may not be necessary, sir.

We've stopped

their main supply of ammunition.

Yes, l know. l read your report.

But in the last 12 hours

there have been outbreaks all over the city.

Patrols have been ambushed,

our men have been murdered.

l've made up my mind.

You and your Emir Hassan.

lt's time you stopped dreaming, Colonel.

From now on, l'll have to make

my own decisions. Now if you'll excuse me.

Yes?

Colonel, there's a man outside who says

he knows where Harry Smith is.

What?

Send him in.

Come in.

Well?

Where is he?

He says he wants 150

before he'll tell where he is, sir.

Tell him he's got exactly one minute

to tell me where he is.

He says he wants 100 to tell where he is.

He's got 40 seconds.

You look sick, Mr. Harry. You should rest.

Could l get you some coffee, Mr. Harry?

You will feel better.

-Forget it.

-lt will just take a moment, Mr. Harry.

-l haven't time.

-Almost ready. Just have to add the water.

Mr. Harry, is this what you were looking for?

Since when are you giving back money?

What are you up to?

Nothing, Mr. Harry.

Come in, Smith.

You wait.

Come here.

This belongs to you, l believe.

You dropped it running away.

Not quite as valuable as your neck?

Having fun, Colonel?

We suspected you for quite a while.

The charge against you is

running guns and ammunition.

Have you anything to say?

lf you can prove it, what can l say?

Last night we arrested one Nasir Salim,

a friend of yours.

We have his full confession.

The evidence against you

is incontrovertible.

Do you know the penalty?

A slug in the head

and a hole in the ground.

l have here your dossier.

lt contains the history of your life.

You're a man

entirely without moral scruples of any kind.

You supply the Syrians with guns

and ammunition. But l respect them.

They fight for a cause.

Your cause is only money.

While Frenchmen and Syrians

kill each other, you profit by it.

According to military law,

you have to be shot.

The punishment seems hardly adequate.

What have you got me up here for?

To watch me sweat, to watch me crawl?

l'll bet they didn't bring Nasir up here

before they shot him.

What a pity you could only die once.

Sure, l know l'm going to be shot,

but not for running guns.

But because l'm something special.

l made a monkey out of you.

l'm the guy that ran off with your girl!

Don't you realise if l wanted you shot

you'd be in a ditch right now?

Do you know Emir Hassan?

Yes, l guess l know him.

Can you get to see him

or any members of his staff?

Can you reach any of his people?

l think l can.

lf you can arrange a meeting for me

with Emir Hassan...

...l'll get you a pass

that'll get you out of the city.

Mind if l smoke?

Smoke.

This was almost my last one, wasn't it?

Can you arrange a meeting?

l can try.

l'm sure you'll try very hard.

-What about my money?

-Confiscated.

l'm dead without it.

Let's say you'll be alive in a new way.

The last time l wore this suit, l was in Cairo.

When do you want me to tell the old man?

He'd try to stop me if he knew.

Better give me an hour.

John.

l'd like to talk about a personal matter.

There's a lady.

l'm very fond of her.

She wants to go to Cairo.

l've decided to arrange it.

-Don't you think you ought to wait?

-No.

l want everything settled before l return.

All the documents are in that envelope.

lf she needs any help, l'd appreciate it

if you'd take care of it for me.

l understand.

-Goodbye, John.

-Good night, Colonel.

Good luck.

l don't get it. Everybody's got something

that makes them tick...

...but l can't make you out at all.

Walking right into their hands.

You're going to be one dead colonel.

What time did they say their contact

would be here?

He'll be here.

You must have an awful strong urge

to commit suicide. l don't get it.

l appreciate your trying to warn me, Smith.

l didn't expect it from you.

l'm a little surprised myself.

Here he comes.

Hand this to my sergeant,

he'll give you the pass.

lf you're not out of Damascus in 12 hours,

you'll be shot.

Good luck, Colonel.

Good evening, Mr. Harry.

Good evening, Arthur.

What's the good word?

You tell me.

There isn't any. lt's a great life.

You go around in a big circle

and come right back to the beginning.

Were you ever down to your last thin dime?

Many times.

He was right.

When you're broke,

you're alive in a new way.

What do you mean?

Forget it.

l wish l could give you some money.

But repairs, expenses....

Hello, Harry. l got here as fast as l could.

lt's good to see someone

you thought was dead.

l'm glad you feel that way.

While we're on the subject...

...l've got some news for you

that'll make you feel even better.

What is it?

Your colonel, you'll never see him again.

He's dead.

What? But how?

He deliberately walked

into Syrian headquarters.

You know what that means.

He had some kind of a crazy idea

he could arrange a truce.

l'm sorry. l know l should have been

nicer to him, but l couldn't.

l tried, but l couldn't.

What makes you think

you had anything to do with it?

He didn't blow his brains out

because of you.

You didn't even know the guy.

He didn't know me either.

He never knew how l felt...

...and how many times l wished

something like this would happen to him.

You're a sweet kid.

You sent for me.

ls this why you sent for me?

No. l've got a pass. l'm going to Cairo.

You still want to go along?

l can't show you as good a time

as l could before because l'm broke.

The French took all my money.

But don't worry.

As long as it keeps getting dark

l can always get some.

You have no money?

Harry Smith has no money?

l'm glad. You never needed anybody.

And now you need me. You need me.

l have a pass, too, and money.

Lots of money.

Maybe l can show you a time.

Would you like to go with me?

We'll discuss later who's going with who.

-What are we waiting for?

-l'm ready. My bags are all packed.

l got to get my pass.

l'll pick you up at your apartment.

We are going to have fun, aren't we, Harry?

l don't know whether l'm too good for you

or you're too good for me.

l have Mr. Smith here.

Yes, sir.

The Colonel said all l had to do

was show you that letter...

-...and you'd give me my pass.

-Come with me.

Do you mind telling me where we're going,

or is it a military secret?

You'll see.

Mr. Smith, sir.

Come in, Mr. Smith.

Mr. Smith, sir.

l'm informed that you arranged a meeting

between Col. Feroud and Emir Hassan.

That's right.

l suppose you knew

that they wouldn't let him come back?

-l tried to tell him.

-Never mind what you tried to tell him.

Where did they take him?

Where is he now? l want every detail.

He met the contact, they walked away.

That's all l know.

-You know more than that, Mr. Smith.

-Col. Feroud is a very important officer.

Gen. La Salle would do

everything possible to save him.

We want to know

where their headquarters are.

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