Sirocco Page #6

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That wasn't the deal l made

with Col. Feroud.

Mr. Smith, l advise you to be cooperative.

lf l don't play ball, l don't get my pass.

ls that it?

Sign this man's pass.

lf Col. Feroud gave his word,

we must keep it for him.

Yes, sir.

l had hopes this man would help us.

He's as good as dead, and you know it.

We have to try, we have to make some effort.

They'll cut him into little pieces

before you can get to him.

Can l go now?

You may go.

Sorry l couldn't help you out.

They always need money.

You might offer them money.

How much would you say?

10,000.

They know he's head of lntelligence.

-l think we can manage that.

-Sir, it would be a job to contact them.

The last time we tried,

our man got his throat cut.

lt's very easy to do

when you deal with people like that.

You managed to get Col. Feroud to them.

Let's say l was lucky.

Maybe you could get lucky again.

Maybe you could get money to them

if you really wanted to.

Sorry, no dice.

You definitely refuse

to take one of our officers to them?

l do.

Why?

Because l'd be risking my neck

ever to show up at their headquarters again.

They've already warned me,

and believe me, they meant business.

We'd protect you.

When you get down there,

nobody can protect you.

Why should l take a chance like this?

Because maybe you'd like to do something

fine and unselfish for a change.

Maybe you'd get a kick out of trying

to save a wonderful man's life.

And lose my own?

lt's a real long shot, isn't it?

But l've been playing them all my life. Okay.

Let's try it.

-What's the West Point of France?

-St. Cyr Military Academy.

-Did the Colonel go there?

-Yes.

You, too?

Why?

l was just wondering

how you two happened.

Usually all they teach you is

how to tell somebody else to go out and die.

Pour la patrie.

You look like the kind of fella

who might be married.

Yes. Matter of fact, l just celebrated

a wedding anniversary.

Any kids?

Just one. A boy.

-Are you going to send him to St. Cyr?

-Yes, if he wants to be a soldier.

That's fine. He'll follow in your footsteps.

That's great.

lt's a great life. Nothing like handing it on

to a bunch of kids.

They'd break your neck

if they knew what was coming.

You're very bitter, Mr. Smith.

How did you get that way?

The facts of life.

Some learn and some don't.

What is this place? Where are we?

The ancient Roman catacombs

where they used to bury their dead.

lt smells like it.

You were told

you were no longer welcome here.

l'll be welcome this time.

l've been authorised to negotiate

the release of Col. Feroud.

You are now representing the French,

Mr. Smith?

Yeah, l guess that's what you'd call it.

l won't start with 5,000

and let you work me up to 8,000 or 9,000.

l'll lay my cards on the table. 10,000.

That's my offer for Col. Feroud.

l see. And this, l presume,

is a French officer?

Maj. Leon, French lntelligence Service.

You will wait here.

You never know about these characters.

You never know.

Come.

Your Excellency, l had to see you.

You are seeing me.

That's more than your other emissary did.

Someone cut his throat before he got here.

What do you want?

l've come to make an appeal to reason.

You expect me to be reasonable?

How can l be reasonable with the French?

lsn't it possible your hatred of the French

blinds you?

What are you trying to tell me?

That we are defeated? We are lost?

We do not fight to win. You will win.

But it will be a victory you will regret.

The world shall know you

for the butchers you are.

Those are the words of a fanatic.

What did you expect?

l'm not interested in what you have to say.

But my soldiers haven't had

much pleasure lately.

l shall give you to them.

You may talk to them.

They will give you

the attention you deserve.

We have just had word from your general.

He's worried about you.

He wants to save your life.

He offers 10,000.

My soldiers will be disappointed,

but l think l should sell you.

With 10,000 l can kill a lot of Frenchmen.

You will also kill a lot of Syrians.

We will die gladly.

Yes. l think l will sell you.

10,000. A good bargain.

Why don't you do both?

Take the money and kill me, too?

You want to die? Why do you want to die?

l only want to arrange a truce.

Cease fire for 24 hours, so that

Syrians and Frenchmen can sit together.

And what shall we discuss,

the terms of our surrender?

We can try to settle our differences

according to the dignity of man.

There is dignity in men willing

to give their lives for what they believe in?

-Men needn't die to prove their dignity.

-You're asking me to surrender!

l'm asking you to consider your people.

An effort must be made.

We must make some effort.

Otherwise, we're not civilised men.

Perhaps we'll fail, and the war will go on,

but at least we will have tried.

That's all l want.

Colonel, you are a fool.

l come to talk of peace and understanding,

and you call me a fool?

Yes, Colonel.

l respect you.

But you are a dreamer and a fool.

What am l doing down here anyway?

l got my pass, l got a nice trip to Cairo.

You, come with me. No, you, Mr. Smith.

-Don't you think l'd better--

-No, it's okay. l can handle it.

lt looks like we got away with it.

There you are.

10,000, one colonel. That was the deal.

Thank you, Mr. Smith.

l sure thought you were a goner.

Buying my freedom was your idea,

l suppose?

Yes, it was.

Why did you do it?

l should think you'd want

to see me out of the way.

l made a little money on the deal.

-l see.

-l saved your life and you seem to resent it.

l do.

Maybe you should have had me shot

after all.

l agree.

May l leave now?

Maj. Leon is waiting for you.

Mr. Smith.

We would like to have a word with you.

What's on your mind?

l thought you were told

never to come here again.

You needed money. l did you a favour.

You showed Maj. Leon through

the catacombs, the way to our headquarters.

The French were a little reluctant

to trust me alone with all this money.

-What did you tell the French?

-Nothing! What would l tell them?

About the ammunition we bought from you.

About our contacts.

About the way we broke through

their blockade. Come now, Mr. Smith.

We know you're working for the French.

They're your friends.

-l'm strictly neutral.

-ln times like this, how can you be neutral?

You have to be on one side or the other.

l'm a businessman. l do business with you.

Why would l spoil it?

To save your neck.

The French usually shoot people like you.

Why aren't you dead?

l told you, l'm in this strictly for business.

How many times

do you want me to prove it?

All right, l'll prove it again.

l'm going to Cairo.

l've got good connections in Cairo.

This junk you've been fighting with.

l can get you modern equipment.

-Latest machine guns.

-Can you get us grenades?

-All you want.

-Very interesting.

Don't you think, Colonel,

we ought to pay him a little in advance?

Yes. Would 2,500 do?

-l don't want anything now.

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