Capítulo 1814: Chapter 797: Our Wish Is…_2
The Pri Minister’s heart sank suddenly: “A UK citizen? Who?”
“Sir Richard Salisbury. The xican side accuses him of being a forr MI6 officer, suspected of planning and funding this conspiracy.”
The restaurant fell into dead silence.
“The xico Ministry of Foreign Affairs is displaying it to envoys of various countries. According to the ambassador, it includes signed docunts, encrypted communication records, proof of money transfers, and… photos of Sir Salisbury being captured at the manor.”
“Photos?” Mayor’s voice rose, “They took photos?!”
“Not just photos, there are video clips too. The xican TV station is already broadcasting them on a loop.”
The Pri Minister grabbed the remote control and turned on the TV on the wall.
The BBC was broadcasting the morning news, and the screen cut to the scene of the press conference at the xico City Foreign Ministry.
The xican Minister of Foreign Affairs stood behind the podium, and on the large screen behind him was an enlarged photo: Sir Salisbury sitting in a chair, with two masked Special Forces soldiers standing behind him, holding the day’s ‘Guatemala Daily’— a standard “proof of life” photo.
“Oh God…” the Pri Minister murmured.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs was speaking in fluent English: “Based on conclusive evidence, the xican Governnt has determined that this is a serious incident planned by foreign forces, and carried out by corrupt officials in Guatemala, aid at undermining regional stability and infringing on xico’s sovereignty. We have lawfully detained all involved parties and will handle it in accordance with xican law and international law.”
Soone in the press gallery raised a hand: “Minister, can you specify which country these foreign forces belong to?”
The Minister glanced at the reporter who asked the question: “Based on the existing evidence chain, the funds, orders, and planning all point to the United Kingdom. But we do not rule out the possibility of involvent by other forces. The investigation continues.”
“Is this an act of war?”
“No. This is a law enforcent action. The Guatemalan Governnt has essentially lost control over so of its officials, who are engaged in criminal activities harmful to neighboring countries. According to Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, xico has the right to take necessary asures for self-defense.”
The screen cut back to the BBC studios, where the host’s expression was quite remarkable: “This is an unprecedented diplomatic incident. A forr senior British official arrested in a third country, and accused of planning terrorist activities. We will now connect with our correspondent in xico City…”
The Pri Minister turned off the TV.
“Convene an ergency Cabinet eting.” His voice was hoarse, “Get the Foreign Minister, Minister of Defense, Minister of Internal Affairs, heads of Military Intelligence Five and the Sixth Departnt, in the warti Cabinet eting room within half an hour.”
“Yes, Pri Minister.”
After the Cabinet Secretary left, the Pri Minister stood alone in the restaurant, gazing at the gray London sky outside the window.
He recalled the secret eting three weeks ago following the Diana incident, where Acting Director Graham of MI6 had proposed the “Guatemala Plan.”
What had he said at that ti?
“Risks are controllable, Pri Minister. The Portillo Brothers are greedy but cowardly, Salisbury is an old hand. In the worst-case scenario, if things go south, we can deny everything, attributing it to ‘the personal actions of a forr officer.'”
Controllable?
Now a forr knight is holding a newspaper on TV, broadcasted by dia worldwide.
The Pri Minister picked up the phone and dialed Graham’s private number.
The phone rang three tis before it was answered, Graham’s voice sounded like he hadn’t slept all night: “Pri Minister.”
The Pri Minister remained silent, saying nothing.
The other party braced himself to explain:
“We’ve been set up, Pri Minister. The xicans initiated the trap. From the mont the Portillo Brothers contacted Salisbury, they were monitoring everything. Our encrypted communications were cracked, an insider was turned, and even the tiline of our plans was crystal clear to them.”
“So the encrypted system developed by your Sixth Departnt with taxpayers’ billions of British Pounds was opened like a tin can by the xicans?”
Graham was silent for a few seconds: “The technical departnt’s preliminary analysis suggests they might have used a brand new decryption algorithm, a mathematical breakthrough. It requires top cryptographers and imnse computational power, and xico…”
“And theoretically, xico shouldn’t have this capability.”
The Pri Minister picked up on his words, “But the fact is they do. Just like they theoretically shouldn’t have those drones, shouldn’t have autonomous chips, and shouldn’t have turned into a regional power overnight—but they do.”
Heavy breathing ca from the other end of the line.
“Will Salisbury be tried?” the Pri Minister asked.
“According to xican law, planning terrorist activities holds a maximum sentence of life imprisonnt. If they insist on a public trial…”
“Then beg them!!”
“I said beg!!!!”
The Pri Minister shouted angrily, “Useless! Might as well sell sausages directly!”
“There’s another option.”
Graham seed a bit embarrassed, “But we can’t discuss it over the phone. See you in the eting room in half an hour?”
Hanging up the phone, the Pri Minister walked to the window.
Outside Downing Street, so journalists were already gathered, long lenses aid at the door of the Pri Minister’s Mansion. In the distance, the clock tower of the Parliant Building lood in the fog.
The British Empire once ruled a quarter of the world.
Now, they can’t even handle a forr colony.
“Sun Never Sets?” the Pri Minister mocked himself in a low voice, “The sun set long ago, it’s just that we never bothered to draw the curtains.”
At the sa ti, in xico City, in the command center of the “Silicon Valley xico” park.
Bramo stood in front of a huge monitor, watching real-ti footage coming from Guatemala.
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