Page 21 of The Forbidden Sheik
He poured two glasses, then carried them over to the leather sitting area, handing a glass to Jadwat. Amit had to stifle a chuckle at his cousin’s wary side glance.
“Have a seat,” Amit commanded, gesturing to the sofa. When Jadwat was seated, Amit sat down across from him, and took a sip of his scotch. “Oh, this is smooth!” he hissed, appreciating the rich flavors as the liquid burned down his throat.
Jadwat took an obedient sip, and gasped, nodding his appreciation for the fine scotch. “Wow!”
“Exactly,” Amit replied. In a way, this was a celebration, he told himself. Mari was in his home and he was going to marry her. Somehow, he would win her and it was all due to this man.
“What’s the occasion?” Jadwat asked.
Amit's smile twisted, its sinister intent made all the more convincing by its gradual spread. “I need your help,” he announced. Leaning forward, he braced his elbows on his knees, the glass of scotch dangling from his fingers as he frowned at his cousin. “I received word yesterday that someone has kidnapped Princess Marianna, the youngest sibling to Sheik Khal of Lativa.” He waited, watching his cousin’s reaction. A flicker of satisfaction danced across his features, a malevolent sparkle that confirmed Amit's suspicions.
“I’ve heard the rumors as well,” Jadwat replied, taking another sip of the scotch. A bigger sip. He lifted the glass and contemplated the amber liquid.
“Sheik Khal is furious and is calling for all-out war. But I sent him evidence about an hour ago that indicates a faction of the Sifigal Group based out of Ifidosal is responsible.”
Jadwat had lifted his glass to his lips again, but at the mention of the possible perpetrators and the tiny island country in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, he hesitated. Eyeing Amit quizzically, he asked, “Why the hell would anyone in Ifidosal kidnap someone from the royal family of Lativa?”
This is where things could get dicey, Amit thought. “I don’t know exactly, but you know how I’ve been trying to increase trade with Lativa, right?” He waited for his cousin to nod before he continued. “The Lativa government has created a huge market for this super-fruit, called ligi berries.”
“I’ve never heard of them,” Jadwat claimed. “Why would anyone care about ligi berries?”
“I’m not exactly sure,” Amit replied, shaking his head as if the whole situation was ludicrous. “But the island of Ifidosal has taken out massive loans to grow these berries. Apparently, it has huge health benefits. From what I can gather, the berry grows extremely well in arid parts of the world. Lativa stole several berry plants from the island and is now trying to establish a berry farm on the west coast. If Lativa breaks into this ligi berry market, it will bankrupt Ifidosal.”
“That’s insane,” Jadwat replied.
Amit chuckled, nodding his agreement. “I’d heard that this small country was angry with Lativa, but I had no idea why until someone told me about the ligi berry.” He leaned back in his chair. “You and I know that every country should diversify their economy so that, if something goes wrong with one product, there are other things that we can rely upon to ease the economic strain. There are too many pests and natural disasters that could impact a harvest.”
“Exactly. And isn’t Ifidosal in the Pacific Rim of Fire? Even a small underwater earthquake could generate a massive tidal wave that would devastate the island. It happened ten years ago. Why would they risk their entire economy on a single product?”
“You and I are on the same page,” Amit announced with a sly grin. “But I suspect that’s why Princess Marianna was kidnapped. I think they’re using her as leverage against the Lativa government to stop Sheik Khal from destroying the Ifidosal ligi berry crop.” He paused, letting that supposition sink in. “So, here’s what I am asking of you, and feel free to turn me down, because I know it’s a huge request.”
“What do you need?” Jadwat asked, leaning forward, obviously eager to learn the inside scoop on a secret operation.
"I want you to journey to Ifidosal and inquire of their government how we may be of assistance. I am even prepared to offer them a specific portion of Uftar for ligi berry cultivation, so they may flood the market and counteract the detrimental effects of struggling to gain a foothold in foreign markets."
There was a slight hesitation. Jadwat looked wary, but asked, “What’s so special about this ligi berry?”
Amit didn’t hesitate. He’d thought of this question and had the perfect answer. “I don’t know. I suspect that it might have medicinal applications. Perhaps as a cancer cure? Like I said, I don’t know, but I’d like to find out before other countries discover what’s going on. If you’re willing to go to Ifidosal and negotiate with the prime minister, talk to the ligi berry farmers and find out what’s going on, then I’ll lend you my private plane for the trip. I’ll even throw in a security detail. We don’t know much about the government of Ifidosal, and I don’t want any issues.” He leaned forward again. “Think you can handle this?”
Amit could see Jadwat’s mind spinning as he contemplated the possibilities. Was his cousin thinking that he could steal some of the ligi berry plants to create his own farm? Amit genuinely had no idea if the ligi berries had any value other than as food. From what he’d heard, it was quite similar to blackberries. Amit had made up the part about the medicinal possibilities, thinking that even if Jadwat took up the mission and traveled to Ifidosal, the prime minister wouldn’t “give away” the tiny country’s newly discovered cash crop. Jadwat would do one of two things; he would either go on a tour of the country, to find this mysterious plant, or he would barrage the prime minister with questions about the plant, making him look ridiculous.
Seemed like a win-win in Amit’s mind. He could get his cousin out of the way for a week, maybe two, and that would allow him to focus on Mari without the stress of a threatened coup.
“You can count on me,” Jadwat declared, then lifted his glass and downed the remaining scotch. He set the glass down on the coffee table with a flourish. “I’ll head home and pack.”
Amit shook his head. “No need.” He took another sip, not downing it because he appreciated the perfect blend too much to hurry the experience. “I’ll send a servant to your place to pack your bags. While they are packing for you, I have asked my security department to give you a briefing on the Ifidosal culture and the various problems you may run into. As a diplomat, and spy, you’re going to need as much information as possible. I’ve got you covered,” he assured his cousin, trying to keep the amusement off of his face. With every word, Jadwat seemed to swell with self-importance.
“I can pack myself,” Jadwat asserted eagerly.
Amit shook his head. “You’re one of my top diplomats now,” he said, even putting a hand on his cousin’s shoulder. “This could ruin any hope of Lativa beating us to the market with a potentially valuable product, and open up an entirely new pharmaceutical industry for Uftar. You’re too important to pack your own bags.”
Jadwat, the idiot, puffed up even further. “What time is the security briefing?”
“Right now,” Amit replied. “I’ll have my plane on standby for you. As soon as you think you are ready, my security team will drive you to the airport. They’ll be armed, because I don’t want anyone from Lativa to get word of what you’ll be doing. My sources tell me that they’ve invested millions into stealing this plant.” He tightened his hand. “We can’t let Sheik Khal win this round. It’s up to you, so let me know if you need anything.”
He stood up, forcing Jadwat to stand as well. It was a power move that Amit had learned early on and used often.
“Will do,” Jadwat replied. “Uh…where should I go?”
