Ян Флеминг (Ian Fleming)Diamonds are forever
by Ian Fleming
(Adapted book. Pre-Intermediate level)
Chapter 1. The Beginning of the Pipeline
The large bush stood in the moonlight at the meeting place of three African countries. The man from the diamond mines had waited under the bush for nearly two hours. Suddenly, he heard the noise of a helicopter. He looked up and saw it coming towards him from the east.
He waited.
When the helicopter was just above the ground, an arm came out. A torch switched on and off, dot-dash, the morse code for the letter A. The diamond smuggler flashed back 'B' and 'C', and the helicopter came down safely. After a few moments, its engine was silent. The pilot opened the door and climbed down to the ground. The other man walked across to him.
'You're late again,' he said.
'I had engine problems,' said the pilot. 'Well, if you've got it, let's have it.'
The man from the diamond mines reached into his shirt and took out a packet. He gave it to the pilot. The pilot dropped the packet into the pocket of his shirt.
'Things are getting difficult at the mines,' said the diamond smuggler. 'A man has come from London. His name's Sillitoe. The Diamond Corporation has sent him. Some of my men are afraid. One day one of them is going to talk.'
'Do you want me to tell this to ABC?' asked the pilot.
'Yes,' said the other man. 'They must know about Sillitoe. Our mines are losing more than two million pounds a year because of smuggling. The Corporation wants the government to stop it. And that means "stop me".'
'What do you want?' asked the pilot. 'More money?'
'Yes,' answered the diamond smuggler. 'Twenty per cent more.'
'I'll pass the message on to Dakar,' said the pilot. 'If they're interested, they'll send it on to London. But don't push them too hard. Already three men have died in the last twelve months in "accidents". Two were stealing diamonds from the packets. The other man tried to run away.'
For a moment, the two men looked silently at each other in the moonlight. Then the pilot climbed up into the helicopter.