Bullets Between Friends [Curry, Fosa]

The small private jet had touched down at a small strip in the foothills north of Thessaloniki, hardly a prime tourist destination - if any of Greece could be considered that these days. It was a rundown little airbase, formerly military but the days when the country was a hotbed of military activity were thankfully in the rear-view mirror, with a single runway and little in the way of customs inspectors. That suited Curry just fine, as he was not here to collect a stamp on his passport.

Walking out of the plane and into the Mediterranean heat, he was pleased to see a half dozen WFRS men waiting for him that had come from the advance party. That meant that they had been able to make contact without stirring the hornet's nest. He removed his coat, folding it over one arm whilst he headed down the stairs, and straightened the suspenders on the shirt that he had been wearing underneath. He was used to the warmer climate, and preferred it to the chill of the north sea, but not enough to consider moving his operation southward. Logistics aside, this temperature was not conducive to a productive working environment.

The trail that BLCKSPDR had left was threadbare, so now he had to quietly turn over an entire country looking for a single type of bullet. The advantage he had was the possibility of fruitful business relations turning up what he wanted without even knowing it themselves, so several meetings had been arranged with assorted arms dealers and paramilitary groups. Even down here, people knew about the Whiterose Foundation enough to consider such meetings. They were no Duvalier Group, certainly, but all of mainland Europe had not yet completely fallen to their vast influence and reach.

First on the list was Astra Istoria, and what few records he had indicated that the company's director - one Astafosa Xylo - was at least a capable individual. She had managed to avoid mismanaging her organisation into disrepair following the collapse of her country and its eventual resurgence after a prolonged period of tumultuous political exchanges that ultimately ended in independence. That had been enough to put them at the top of his list, along with being first alphabetically. The exact nature of the meeting was left to their discretion though, so he hoped Ms Fosa would provide further instruction now that he had touched down.

The sight of the trio, a towering woman at their head, did at first give Curry the illusion that Miss Xylo had come to meet him in person but that was quickly cleared up before any confusion came to head. Hushed words were exchanged between the WRFS group, but nothing much came from it beyond the shaking of a few hands before they dispersed. Flanked by two men from his own security detail, the president approached and engaged in the formal exchanging of gestures before extending his gaze beyond her to the vehicle that she had indicated.

"Thank you for the warm welcome. I understand that we are all busy people in this line of work, think nothing of it."

He offered a polite nod but did not deign to match her in such a deep and reverent bow. Best that was left for the director herself, not her aide or the like. Her grasp of English was certainly exceptional, but it would have been irritating for the company to send someone that didn't have a firm grasp of the language. His Greek was much less functional but that was why he had taken the time to handpick his team to make up for this deficiency.

Using the provided umbrella as shade, he walked next to the white-haired woman as they headed for the waiting limousine before clambering inside and making himself comfortable. The journey was an uneventful one, with Curry spending most of his time working away at various documents on his phone. It would be time wasted if he was not working, and so the president was not content to simply sit back and take in the sights. But, as they began to draw near the lodge at which he assumed he was expected, he finished up his work and once more checked that he was presentable. Once more, he waited to see what Astra Istoria had in store for him next.

"Wonderful, I would have hated to interrupt her work."

Curry's lips curled ever so slightly upward at that comment, an innocent joke perhaps. Little did he know that his host was doing anything but working as they ascended the last hill and through the security checkpoint. The Irfordt Lodge was no less impressive than he had expected though, a wonderful little estate tucked far away from prying eyes. Stepping out from the car, his oxfords clicking as he crossed the short distance from the vehicle to the entrance, a gloved hand swept a few wayward strands of hair from his face before those gloves were deposited in a pocket and forgotten about.

Astafosa's appearance, bursting out from the front door, was met with a courteous smile. She still had a fair few inches on him, but her face told the tale of one that had not had the time to properly gather herself for a business meeting. It was sloppy but perhaps an innocent mistake, and he could hardly claim to be in his Sunday best after having travelled all day prior to this.

"Ms Xylo, I assure you the pleasure is as much mine as yours."

A hand was offered out for a firm shake, the other lingering not far behind so that it might clasp on top of the first to drive home his sincerity, but his shaded gaze did not leave her own. Interesting people did not come by every day, and she was certainly fitting of a place in that category. All that remained was to see how they progressed.

"I am glad that my reputation precedes me, and I hope my interest in your company is not misplaced. There is opportunity aplenty ahead of us."

Breaking from their handshake, Curry did spare a moment to give a nod to his own men. The other suits in his entourage stood easy, already growing comfortable in the presence of Astafosa's own group but still a little wary. He was pleased to see her quickly find her composure, he was perfectly mannered too and this was only an informal meeting. One should not rush to discuss business so soon after travelling anyway.

"Ah, you should see the weather back home. I might consider these conditions favourable there, but by your lead of course."

Following closely behind, leaving a respectful distance so that he could take in the interior of the villa whilst also remaining well within earshot for any comment that she might make either for his own benefit or hers. He preferred slick, modern aesthetics but there was an admirable beauty in older architecture. It was often so grandiose purely for grandiose's sake, and certainly a demonstration of wealth even in as modest a display as this, which was certainly demonstrated by the artisanal glasswork far above them.

"Just a glass of water and some light refreshment should suffice, to start with. I suppose I should outline my reasons for coming all this way to meet with you and your organisation in person."

Curry waited patiently for the glass of water to arrive, taking a measure of his surroundings even still. He was sharply dressed, showing that despite his comment on the weather preferences he was almost unfazed by the climate here. He certainly carried himself in a manner that suggested he knew what was going on and then a little more than that too. He had spared a moment to sling his jacket over the back of the chair, but the gloves remained for now.

"We both know quite well that this operation is a little more than a historical society. And yet it is your history that I find myself interested in."

Pausing to take a drink, he did try to gauge a little more of Astafosa from her reaction to his bluntness. The truth was, whilst there was a time to be tactful, it often helped to speak your intentions loud and clear.

"During the Fourth World War, your company functioned as a paramilitary group here and in the surrounding area. I am not interested in the clandestine details of such times. No, what I am interested in about this time was the arms that you were being supplied with, and where they originated from. I am willing to offer significant capital in exchange for this information, depending upon the depth and accuracy of what is provided."