Chapter One
BAGAMOYO, TANZANIA, ON THE COAST OF AFRICA.
. SO YOU'VE TOLD ME.
BUT THE QUESTION IS STILL,
WHAT IS IN IT FOR ME?
FIVE PERCENT OF
THE PROFITS-
IN CASH, OR IN
RAW STONE.
YOUR CHOICE.
HOW DO YOU
KNOW HOW RICH
THE MINE WILL BE?
THIS IS A BIG
ENDEAVOR YOU
ARE WISHING
FROM ME.
A SURFACE
SAMPLING
DREDGED
UP SOME
RATHER .
. REMARKABLE
RESULTS.
THIS MUST WEIGH-
IT'S EIGHTY-NINE
CARATS UNCUT.
ESTIMATED REFINED
VALUE OF ONE HUNDRED
AND EIGHTY THOUSAND
U.S. DOLLARS.
AND THIS IS FROM ASURFACE SAMPLE?
IT IS. AND TIME
IS OF THE ESSENCE.
A MISSIONARY AND
HIS WIFE ARE IN THE
TOWN NOW, AND
THEY PLAN TO DIG
THE VILLAGE A WELL .
ONCE ANOTHER
TANZANITE IS
DISCOVERED .
YOU WILL NOT HAVE A CHANCE
AT ACQUIRING THE LAND.
CORRECT. I WANT THAT
LAND VACATED YESTERDAY.
THEN I WILL NEED
TWENTY PERCENT.
I WILL GRANT YOU
TEN PERCENT, OR
I WILL DISCUSS
THE MATTER WITHGENERAL DOZA
IN THE SOUTHERN
REGION.
WHY DON'T I JUST
KILL YOU AND TAKE
THE LAND FOR
MYSELF?
BECAUSE, DEAR
GENERAL .
I HAVEN'T TOLD
YOU WHERE IT IS.
HAHAHA .
YOU ARE NOT AN EASY
MAN TO INTIMIDATE, MY
FRIEND. I WILL TAKE
FIFTEEN PERCENT AND
SAVE YOU A TRIP
DOWN SOUTH.
I CAN AGREE TO THAT. BESIDES, THATDOZA FELLOW HAS A BEASTLY TEMPER.
HAHAHAHA!
SO, THEN, CIGAR?
NO, THANK
YOU. I DON'T
SMOKE.
PITY. SO .
WHERE IS THIS
VILLAGE?
IT IS IN THE
HEART OF
WAKANDI, THE
TOWN OF
BATZULU.
AH .
AND NOW THAT YOU
HAVE TOLD ME, WHAT IS
KEEPING ME FROM
KILLING YOU AND TAKING
THE LAND FOR MYSELF?
OH, I DON'T KNOW.
(Continues.)
