896: Chapter 886 Friendship Tip 896: Chapter 886 Friendship Tip Washington D.C., Baltimore–Washington International Airport.
Gao Yang knew Mr.
Smith Tomler was professional and capable, but he hadn’t expected that Mr.
Tomler’s influence extended to the point of being able to get them onto such a special plane.
What made the plane special was that it was a Boeing 747, but the passengers were all government employees, along with a few soldiers, all bound for Baghdad.
Additionally, many PMCs were on board.
While U.S.
combat troops had completely withdrawn from Iraq, the United States still maintained a super embassy there, exceeding fifteen thousand staff.
Naturally, this embassy couldn’t do without defense soldiers.
Furthermore, for issues inconvenient for the U.S.
military to address, there was a substantial PMC community serving America.
And now, the Satan Mercenary Corps was mingling among a group of PMCs about to operate in Iraq.
The plane was large, but not densely packed; the economy class, which could seat over three hundred people, had only about a hundred or so, with at least half being PMCs.
Gao Yang and his crew now possessed legal identities as official employees of some large American private military contractor, with permits to enter the Baghdad Green Zone.
Hence, they were allowed to board a U.S.
Government-chartered flight with weapons, directly entering Baghdad.
After the Iraq War, the U.S.
established a highly secured safety zone in Baghdad, named the Green Zone, housing the US Embassy, the Parliament Building, and the main official government departments – all inside this Green Zone.
Gao Yang felt somewhat dazed; he had never imagined Tomler would arrange for them to enter the Green Zone, nor had he thought he’d one day be able to board a commercial aircraft openly carrying guns.
But when he realized that apart from a few civilian staff, everyone else on the plane was pretty much armed to the teeth, he reconciled with the reality.
Gao Yang and his companions took seats in the left half section; across the aisle from them sat some pacifying PMCs, and not far from Gao Yang, a man who had glanced at him several times suddenly spoke up, “New guy?
First time heading to Iraq?”
Being in a completely unfamiliar environment, Gao Yang was highly alert and thus appeared somewhat tense, further accentuated by the assortment of gear they’d brought along – rifles, handguns, grenades placed beside them – making them indeed look like greenhorns.
Gao Yang hesitated a moment, then nodded and said, “Yes, a newbie on his first trip to Iraq.”
The man talking to Gao Yang was a Caucasian in his forties.
After hearing Gao Yang’s reply, he laughed and said, “I could tell you were a new guy just by what you brought.
Listen, buddy, there’s really no need to carry all that stuff because you’ll soon find out you only need an AK47.
If you’re going to the Green Zone, you won’t need to bring anything.
If you’re traveling outside the Green Zone, no amount of weapons will be enough.”
The man suddenly extended his hand to Gao Yang and introduced himself, “Let’s make acquaintance; my name is Jason.”
Gao Yang reached out to shake hands with Jason and responded, “I’m Yves.”
Jason pointed at the guns on the seat next to Gao Yang and remarked, “You aren’t really headed outside the Green Zone, are you?
Buddy, I hope you’re not bound for places like Fallujah or Mosul.”
Gao Yang shrugged his shoulders, “I don’t know, but perhaps we really do need to head to places like Fallujah.
Have you flown on this plane before?
Should we keep our weapons on the seats like this?
Don’t we need to put them away or store them somewhere?”
Jason let out a laugh and said, “Oh, come on, who cares about that?
Haven’t you noticed there are no flight attendants on this flight?
Only two armed soldiers are here to take care of us, and they’re too lazy to bother about it.
Buddy, compared to where you’re heading, this plane is nothing to worry about.”
At that moment, the person sitting next to Jason leaned over and said to Gao Yang, “Hey buddy, just asking, which company are you with, and what’s the rate your company is offering for going to Fallujah?
They’re paying up to two thousand a day now, right?”
Gao Yang gave a slight smile and answered, “We’re with ADKD Company.
Right now, it’s one thousand five a day, with a risk allowance of five hundred to one thousand if you go to Fallujah or Mosul.
But I haven’t decided if I’m going to those kinds of places.”
Jason looked around and then whispered, “Don’t go.
No amount of money is worth it.
Did you know?
Last month, six guys died in Mosul!”
The person beside Jason also whispered, “Try not to leave the Green Zone; at least, don’t leave Baghdad.
Did you hear?
Just recently, sixteen people died in the southern outskirts of Baghdad City.
It just happened; not more than a week ago.
The situation in Iraq is getting complicated.”
Gao Yang replied softly, “Is that so?
I didn’t know.
I haven’t heard about these incidents.”
Jason, with a look of disdain, said, “This kind of thing won’t make the news.
Anyway, buddy, don’t do anything stupid.
We’re here to make a living, not to die in Iraq, which is bad enough.
Don’t go to places you shouldn’t for some hazard pay.”
The person sitting next to Jason also waved his hand and laughed, “Here’s a piece of advice for you, after you get there, find yourself a decent AK47.
Maybe some PMC leaving would be willing to sell their AK.
I suggest you buy it.”
Gao Yang nodded and smiled, “Thanks for the advice, I’ll take it seriously.”
Jason shook his head and, after looking around again, whispered, “Buddy, remember to change your clothes when you arrive.
Buy a robe that the locals often wear, hang an AK openly, and be sure to wear your bulletproof vest.
You must never take it off, not even if you’re dying of heat.
Finally, get a couple of cardboard signs, write a few lines on them, and if you must leave Baghdad, disguise yourself as an Iraqi.
If you can’t look like a local, hang that sign on yourself, it might just save your life.”
Gao Yang asked curiously, “What do I write?”
The person next to Jason whispered, “I don’t bother you, you don’t bother me, buddy.
Seeing that message could reduce a lot of potential danger for you, maybe even help you dodge a fatal bullet.”
Gao Yang took Jason’s advice very seriously.
Sometimes such details can indeed save a life.
If he were to walk down the street openly, he might encounter a bullet from an unknown source.
But if he disguised himself as a local, he might unwittingly avoid an avoidable shooting.
As Gao Yang was nodding repeatedly, the person sitting next to Jason suddenly whispered, “Another piece of advice, if you see someone with an AK that’s had its Aimer filed off and its stock sawed off, stay away from that guy.
Whoever does that is up to no good.”
Jason smiled, “Come on, he’s not going to see that kind of rifle.
Those who hold their rifles with a sawed-off stock hide them under their robes.
They won’t let you see them.
When they do show their gun, it’s time for you to die.”
“That’s true, but it’s always good to be careful.
What if you do see it?
Buddy, remember, seeing the kind of gun I describe means danger because only experienced assassins planning close-range kills use AKs with the Aimer ground off and the stock shortened.”
Gao Yang nodded and whispered to Jason and his friend, “Thanks for the warning, I’ll remember it well.”
Jason laughed heartily, “Don’t mention it.
In Iraq, we’re all in this together.
It’s only right to help each other.
Who knows, we might run into each other there, buddy.
If you see us being attacked, don’t forget to lend us a hand.”
Gao Yang smiled lightly, “Of course, of course.
But buddy, I’m sure you’ll be fine in Iraq and leave with the money smoothly, so I won’t come across you being attacked.”
Jason continued to smile, and the person next to him also laughed, then leaned over Jason and extended his hand to Gao Yang, saying with a smile, “You can call me Klaus, buddy.
It’s been a pleasure meeting you.”
Gao Yang shook hands with Klaus, then with a curious look, he asked, “What about you guys, will you be working inside the Green Zone?”
Jason shrugged, “No, we’ll be outside the Green Zone but not far from it in the streets of Baghdad City.
The bad thing is, we’ll probably have to leave Baghdad for Salahuddin Power Station.”
Klaus looked resigned, “Maybe Basra, who knows.
We don’t have a fixed base of operation; wherever the company gets business, we have to go there.
Seems like we won’t be staying in Baghdad for too long.”
Gao Yang’s destination was actually the Green Zone.
It was only after arriving there that he would find out what to do next.
Though Mr.
Tomler was very urgent in his request, he still wouldn’t allow Gao Yang and his team to go directly to the merchandise they were supposed to meet.
Frey, who was sitting close to Gao Yang, leaned over after hearing the casual conversation and whispered, “Is it easy to get in and out of the Green Zone?”
Jason shrugged, “Easy to get out, but not so easy to get in.
The Green Zone’s guards have been replaced with Iraqis now, and they’re strict with checks.
But you guys are from ADKD, and ADKD has a decent relationship with the official government and those Iraqi soldiers, so you probably won’t have any major issues.”
Klaus chuckled, “Are all of you guys newcomers?
Doesn’t ADKD send a veteran to lead you?”
Gao Yang smiled, “Yes, but there will be someone to meet us after we get off the plane.”
Klaus nodded and whispered, “Don’t wander around after you get off the plane, always remember you are in Iraq.”
Jason quickly added with a smile, “The place closest to Hell.” (To be continued.
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