Chapter 4: Scammed
10th February - 11:00
I woke up by the sunbeam from the window curtain. I got up from my bed,yawned and sat there for ten minutes,trying to remove the tiredness from me. I looked up my room's clock and apparently,I woke up late. So much so that I missed the breakfast.
I got dressed up and ate something from my snacks and after that,I proceeded to write a short letter to Arisha. I did so because I wanted to know if she was alright and that Yeltsin hasn't blocked her access to write or receive any letters to her. And because I need to let her know that I'm at the Rambouillet.
Today's late morning was warmer as usual,this bedroom is far more comfier than my own (thanks to this great bed that I've received) and most of the members and attendants are at their rooms,while the non-member guests (and yes,including the fucking KLA) are at the guest rooms.
I was thinking of bringing the evidences to the talking table with Alfred as soon as the official start of the talks begin and I did just that,but not before I sent my letter to Adele to send me to Arisha. I told her why and she accepted it.
I know that the response from her will come out eventually,or not. I already know that the drunk swine of Yeltsin won't allow her to respond,nor even let her visit me. The World or at least,me and Arisha,would be under a much better place if he got dealt with permanently.
"You can do this,Vuk!" I told myself,under a hopeful tone "It could and may be rough talk,but you'll succeed!".
If only,the last time I made some negotiations was in 1914 with Roderich Edelstein when I accepted every demands from him except to let his forces in my lands so that he can somehow "investigate" the perpetrators of the death of his precious duke Franz Ferdinand which one of the great heroes called Gavrillo Princip had done so. I mean,I may not be a great negotiator,but one should be aware of any terms that the second party gives to the first one. It may be a trap.
I brought my evidences and left my room,but only forty minutes after I woke up.
12:10
I was ten minutes late,but I opened the door to the Alfred's office and I entered. Alfred,while probably wondering around,heard the door sounds and turned while still standing.
"Oh,Vuk Misic,you finally arrived!" he exclaimed with a smile "Please,sit down,we have much that needs to be discussed."
The moment has finally arrived! I sat on the same chair where I played chess with him three days ago.
"So,where should we start?" he said,with a clap "Oh,yes! The situation. But,before you explain your perspective on Kosovo,could you tell me for who do you serve?"
"Uhm..." I said,uneasily "I thought that you already knew the name of my President."
"Yes,I know that you serve a President but what's his name?" he asked again.
"Slobodan Milosevic,sir." I answered.
"Slobodan Mil..." he cut himself off out of surprise and suspicion. He looked at me and at the note for some seconds while still holding the pen from which he briefly stopped noting.
"Mr. Jones,is everything alright?" I asked.
"Oh,oh,sorry,it's...it's nothing." he stuttered,believing that I was some sort of a spy or something "Slobodan Milosevic. Now,what's your perspective about this problem? I know full well that the place called Racak where the massacre occurred was indeed an act of genocide.".
"WHAT?!" I shouted,feeling insulted by his last sentence "This wasn't a massacre and much less a "genocidal act"! It was a battle between us and the KLA,a terrorist organization which you,hypocritically,invited them for negotiations."
"Well,technically,I did so out of necessity." he tried to justify himself "but since you serve a genocidal dictator,you kind of need to confess or explain further?"
I'm starting to believe that what Adele through Arisha told me about him was correct. Though I'm still not sure,since it's just the beginning.
"One,Milosevic isn't genocidal,again,nor am I." I explained,with an angry tone "And two,this was not a massacre. In fact,I have the evidence for this."
I picked up my bag and opened it,taking the KLA badge and some munitions out of it.
"Here." I said "I want you to examine this."
He took off his glasses to clean them up with a hankie and put them back on. He then took the badge from my hands and looked at it (he's myopic,apparently),and then at the bullets.
"Interesting. And what are you trying to prove with them exactly?" he asked me.
"That it was in fact a battle between us and the KLA." I said,now slightly calmer "Tino has told you about it,remember?"
I explained everything to him,the way I did with Tino. Once I finished,he raised his eyebrows.
"Oh,yes!" he replied "However,he sometimes makes mistakes. Now,you must leave your accessories to me so that I can view them a bit and afterwards,I'll write a peace proposal for you. It will be finished for tomorrow,because I also have to talk to the KLA too."
I gave him my accessories,but as I was about to leave his office,I stopped for a moment to ask him one more thing.
"Uhm...is it true that you're a compulsive liar and a sociopath?" I asked him,out of doubt.
"Who told you that?" he asked back.
"My sister Arisha." I answered,simply.
"You mean,Arisha Braginsky? Her?! HA,HA,HA!" he laughed "She always spews bullshit after bullshit because she's still bitter that I won the Cold War against her. I could tell you some anecdotes about it,but I can't,I'm always busy."
I left the room. Did he just laughed when I said my sister's name? Does he hate her? I can tell that for what Adele has told me from her,she hates him,but I don't know if my sister ever lied to me. I think that that's a lie,or is it?
Anyway,the first day of the peace talks was over. If this was difficult,then only God knows what would the talks look like tomorrow.
11th February - 16:00
I've finished the lunch and this time,Alfred was on time,which made Adele sigh out of relief. The lunch lasted,unlike two days ago,for half an hour.
I brought my pen with me,because I need to sign the conditions for peace,at any price,so long as it satisfies both parties (my own and the Albanians,not the KLA). As I entered his room,he sat in his chair in front of his desk.
"Welcome back!" he said "I've finished writing the peace deal. Do you want to have a look and read it?"
I sat down with a smile and when I read it for some seconds for the first time,it had four demands in it. It kind of looked like that ultimatum that Roderich gave me back in 1914. It gave me some slight shivers.
"Uhm...It looks like an ultimatum." I said,with shivers in my voice.
"No it's not,it's a peace deal." he tried to assure me "Why do you assume that it's an ultimatum while it's not?"
"Well,by the looks of the demands,I believe that it's an ultimatum." I replied.
He slowly took off his glasses and slowly leaned towards me,looking at my own. They were blue,but dark and baggy.
"Are you trying to sabotage the peace process?" he said,calmly but with serious tone.
"N...n...no..." I stuttered,seeing that he wasn't joking around "I...I...don't want to end the peace process."
"Then cut the crap." He reverted his tone back,putting his glasses on again "Now,read the first demand."
I did so and it said: "1. Kosovo must become an autonomous province so that the Albanians may enjoy some autonomy and freedom from persecution."
Fair enough,that one was acceptable,but Kosovo already has an autonomy.
"I would gladly accept that." I said,confidently "However,Kosovo already has an autonomy."
"Then increase it a bit." he suggested "Better that,then to give that province to Albania,according to the KLA's suggestions."
"I'll talk to my president about it,but I still accept it." I said.
As the first demand was resolved,the second demand was written as follows: "2. Serbia must allow 28000 NATO troops to maintain order in Kosovo,including the unhindered right of passage and immunity for NATO and its agents by the Yugoslav/Serbian law."
What?! For what reason does he want to use his troops on my territory? Help the KLA?! Maybe,maybe not.
"Why do you want your NATO troops to enter Kosovo?" I asked him,raising my eyebrow.
"It already says there on the paper," he replied "maintaining the order and doing the job for you."
"I appreciate your willingness to help me,but I can do it myself." I said "The KLA has been on the run since Racak and speaking of the KLA,are your troops going to hunt them down and if it's "yes",will you kick them out of this palace?"
He was silent for a few seconds.
"Hmm...no,that's too risky." he replied "The KLA is already a member of this process."
"Then why would you demand me to give you the "right" to have your troops enter my territory?" I demanded him to answer.
"Like I've said,to maintain order in Kosovo and to...protect them from your continuous massacres against them." he said,with a small smirk on his face.
"Is this a joke?!" I snapped at him,starting to get angry again "T...there was no massacre,for the second time already!".
"Ok,ok,there wasn't a massacre." he said,trying to calm me down "Do you accept this demand or no?"
"Maybe...?" I said,calmed.
"A yes or no answer?" he asked "Interesting. Now,would you read the third one."
I did so again,but with a suspicion that he just ignored my explanation from yesterday that I gave him. Maybe not?
The third one said: "3. The Camp Bondsteel and Monteith must be allowed to be constructed and opened for the security reasons."
I'm not sure how to react on this. It may look like a neutral demand,but it demanded to be constructed on my territory.
"Are you trying to...exploit me?" I asked him,the same way how I did on the previous one.
"Of course not!" He assured me "This isn't about exploitation,it's about the security against your sister and her twin brother Ivan."
"My sister is still sick and Ivan is still drunk,according to what Arisha had said." I replied,trying to be polite,even though my politeness is starting to shrink "But if you want to build your camps then you must ask me or my president for a permission,which you didn't."
"I will do it if you accept this demand." he said,pointing and knocking his finger at the paper.
"No!" I replied,rolling my eyes "Permission first,then acceptance,ok?"
"Fine..." he sighed. "And,let's hear the final one."
I looked at the paper and the final one said: "4. If Serbia doesn't accept the first three demands,then Serbia must be ought to get rid of the genocidal and socialist president Slobodan Milosevic."
The final one was...personal. It provoked and angered me.
"Is that a threat?!" I snapped at him,angrily.
"No it isn't," he tried to justify himself,smirking "unless you didn't accepted those first three demands."
"I did with the first one!" I said,angrily,but later calmed "but for the other two ones...I'll consider it."
"Good," he concluded "but you'll have three days to create your final decision."
"Understood." I left his room and went to my room.
So that's what he demands: Kosovo Autonomy,the allowance and immunity for his troops and the construction of two military camps. The first one is acceptable,but the other ones are still disputed,because he didn't asked my president to give him a permission to do so.
He gave me three days for me to decide if I agree on those two disputed demands or not. If not,then I must kick Milosevic out,but I can't do it,he's the only hope left for me.
12th February - 10:00
I got on time when the breakfast came in. It was delicious,because today we had an Omelette and all from the table have enjoyed it.
As I exited the cafeteria,I headed towards Adele.
"Mrs. Bonnefoy!" I called her.
"Oui?" She said.
"Did Arisha answered to my letter?" I asked. I had to know if she was alright or at least,present.
"Yes,but not under her name." she answered,in a sad tone "It was given and signed by Bor..."
"FUCK!" I shouted out of anger and predictability,cutting her off "It's always him! Since 1998,every time I tried to contact her,it's either silence or this fat fucker!"
"I can understand that," she said "but you really should watch your language in this palace."
"I'm trying not to" I said "but he never allows her to contact me back. That's why I'm angry."
"I see. I hope that one day she'll contact you back,sooner or later." She said,patting at my shoulder.
"Yep..." I said,in a whimper.
Once I left the outer entrance,I started to cry. I didn't wanted her or anyone to see me crying. They would call me a crybaby if I did.
Like I've said to her,since 5th March 1998 to this day,Arisha hasn't replied to me and it's all Yeltsin's fault.
18:30
While I've just finished walking around the environment around Rambouillet (the views from it were amazing),I headed towards my room to rest. But then,when I passed the Alfred's office,I've heard two voices having a conversation.
I know those voices,it's Alfred's and Tino's. I started listening to them by putting my ear next to the door.
"No,no,no,NO!" Alfred shouted at him "The reports are supposed to be based on our point of view,not on Vuk's!"
"Y...y...yeah,but what if Vuk hears about this?" Tino warned him,trying to defend me "That kid has explained to me everything. Plus,I believe that the demands that you gave him yesterday are a bit too harsh."
"And have you forgot for what have I made this? Haven't you remembered the plan that I've told you about a week ago?" Alfred snapped at him "His president is nothing more than a Socialist thug in the ocean of democracy and he ought to either accept them or remove him. If neither of that,then I'll have no choice but to do something bad towards him!"
Something bad? Is he for real? And did he just called my president a "thug"? I've wanted to interrupt their conversation and confront him,but it's too risky for me,plus it's not the right time to do so until 14th February.
What Arisha has told me through Adele about him is starting to connect the dots that the Rambouillet is indeed a scam,but I had to know more until I reach the point where the allegations are true. So far,the only thing that got confirmed was the fact that he's incredibly stubborn. He wants to have his own way,apparently.
13th February - 20:00
I skipped the dinner. I'm currently thinking and creating my plan to personally find and read the "plan" that he created for NATO and Tino. I don't know where did he put them,but I know that they're at his bedroom inside his office.
The first thing that I must do is to find out when will he go to sleep. That way,I'll sneak in and find the papers. After that,I'll write the information on my notepad so that I can use his information against him.
When I finished writing my plan on my notepad,I called my president.
"Hello?" he asked "Is this Vuk Misic?"
"Yes." I said "I have to tell you something."
"Go ahead." he said.
"I have the feeling that this "peace process" is actually a scam." I explained,in a serious tone "I knows this since the demands that Alfred Jones gave me are provocatory and are against you."
"How?! he exclaimed,angrily "Impossible! The peace process was supposed to be used for peace and not for blackmail!"
"Yes." I said,nodding my head "I accepted the first condition of increasing the Kosovo Autonomy,but the other three..."
"Are?" he asked,curiously.
"Giving the right to his troops into Kosovo,establishing two military camps and the final one..." I paused,getting more serious "is to remove you from power if the other two conditions aren't accepted by tomorrow...for the security against Russia. And not only that,he has also invited the KLA itself into the negotiating table!"
"Ma jeli?!" he said,shocked "Who does he think he is?! This is indeed outrageous! It clearly reminds me of the Dayton peace talks in 1995,which I'm sure you remembered that you were there,don't you?"
"According to him,the leader." I said.
"Of the West?" he asked again "I knew it! It's 1995 all over again: Either their way or nothing."
"I know,they're so stubborn." I said,then asked "Now,what should I do next?"
"I think that this should be very simply on your part:" he advised "Tell this jackass that the President has refused to give him the permission to do over our region of Kosovo for his own gain. Once you told him that,leave this place,tell the owner of this castle that it was a scam and never return from it. In short,say "No.""
"Thank you!" I thanked him "I'll do what must be done for our preservation."
"You're welcome." he said "Tomorrow,show him that we won't fell for this young man's aims again!"
"I will!" I said,firmly,smiling.
I ended the conversation. I met Alfred four years ago? In his own country? I've felt like someone is fueling my brain with restored memories. But there's only one thing that needs to be done,and that's waiting for him to unlock his room.
14th February - 03:30
I'm in Alfred's room,trying to remain unnoticed and silent while he's still sleeping, careful not to make any noise. I had to drink coffee to sustain myself.
Yes,he entered his bedroom twenty minutes ago. He must've been this busy and active over his writings and plans. I walked over his room with tiny steps because if I step loudly,I'll be dead.
The first thing that I've found was his key to the desk where he put his papers in. His glasses,contacts and an alarm clock were on his desk. Once I took them,I unlocked the three shelves.
The first one was empty,the second one was just a shelf of some random meds,a paper bag, a pencil box and a concealer and on the third one,there were the papers. I took them and sat on a chair next to his bed.
When I looked up the first page from his papers,it shocked me to the core: The first one was the list of names to smear me when I was at war against Drazen and Amina. It had the words like "savage","murderer","genocidal","brat","monster" and even "Nazi.". It seems that he used them to smear me even when I didn't met him for the first time.
The second papers contained pictures in Dayton in 1995,the place where I ACTUALLY met Alfred for the first time ever. It showed me shaking hands with Alfred Jones and Milosevic sitting with Alija Izetbegovic and Franjo Tudjman. In addition to that,there were Adele,The Beilschmidts,Emily (Alfred's sister),Amina,Drazen and,amazingly,Arisha.
The final paper was short compared to the first two,but it outraged me. It was a report from the last year in February 1998,where Alfred wrote that,and I quote: "The KLA is,without doubt,a terrorist organization.". This obviously didn't angered me,but the next paragraph below that quotation was the written full name of the KLA with a line crossing that name,indicating that he no longer viewed them as the terrorist organization.
Arisha was indeed right,he's in fact a master manipulator,stubborn liar and a sociopath who'll do everything to get his own way. It had been him who propagated lies against me and who made sure that Racak was labeled as "genocide",just as he did with Srebrenica. He fooled me once in 1995,but he won't do it today,not on my watch.
15:00
I've just packed everything up: the reserve clothes,notebook and my necessities,into my bag. I wanted to leave this place so much,but not before I finish the business with him. Yes,I'm late,but I didn't cared. In fact,I crossed this entire stupid "peace deal" just so that I can show him that I'm not going to fall for his traps anymore.
I entered his office and slowly walked towards him,while he was still sitting in his usual place. I held the crossed paper and placed it on his desk as he was drinking coffee.
Bear in mind,I'm still very angry,but I hid it for a while.
"Oh,you came back,even though you're incredibly late." he said,then asked "And so,what's the answer?"
"No..." I replied,in a silent but angry tone,staring at him.
"No?!" he said,with his voice trembling with fury and twitching his left eye,once he saw his crossed paper.
"Yes,the answer is no." I insisted,with a serious tone,turning towards the door "You've got what you wanted and now I'm leaving."
He paused for a few seconds and then raised his voice.
"You little shit!" he shouted at me angrily,slamming his fist "After everything I've done for you,you have the balls to refuse me!?"
"Tako je!" I turned back and started ranting at him "After you called me names,insulted my only real hope of a president,threatened me,demanded me to let you build your filthy camps instead of giving me a valid proposal,invited the KLA and even propagated against me...I have more than a right to not only refuse you,but to completely condemn you for being such a stubborn bitch."
"Now...let me ask you this." I asked him with the previous silent but furious tone,placing my arm at my right hip "Who the fuck do you think you are? Huh?!"
"Where did you ge..."
"AND since you still continue to lie like you did four years ago," I cut him off by slamming my fist at his desk "I'll leave you there. Arisha was right,you're nothing more than a manipulative sociopath who only interferes over someone for his own gain and never takes "No" for the answer."
I headed towards the door,opening it,but still looking at him,lowering my eyelids.
"Oh and one last thing," I continued "you may have succeeded in manipulating me into acceptance back in Dayton in 1995,but not anymore today. I think that we're officially done with one another. So much for helping me,"sir"!"
I exited his room and slowly closed the door,but just as I was about to close it completely...
"You haven't told me why did you crossed my peace deal?!" he snapped at me,angrily.
That's it,I've had enough of him.
"Have you heard what I've said?!" I said on my current tone,but then screamed at him as I've advanced towards him "NO...MEANS...NO!"
I took his coffee mug and spilled it right at his face out of rage and after that,I slammed his door. I heard him screaming and covering his face,probably because the coffee was very hot. Good,that'll show him.
As I've finally exited his office,I took a deep breath and calmed myself down a bit...until I witnessed the destruction of Alfred's door by having that same one-meter eagle statue from earlier thrown at the door,crushing a chunk of it. It made me jump at the floor before it tried to hit me.
After that,I heard a loud scream,almost a shriek.
"I'VE GOT RUINED BY THE GENOCIDAL BBRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAATT!" he shrieked,louder than my own.
It was so loud that Adele and the rest of the guests in the room have heard it,two floor below me,which made her shout.
"What's going on out there?!" she shouted.
I quickly took my bag and rushed towards her at the main entrance,sensing that Alfred's coming to get me.
"Vuk,what's going on?!" she asked me,loudly.
"Alfred wants to kill me for rejecting his "demands"" I replied with the same volume.
"Really?!" Adele said,in a surprised but angry tone "Is he really going to..."
"Yes!" I complained "In fact,this entire peace process was nothing but a huge scam! I should've never entered this palace at all! Your friend Arisha was right all along! Oh and do me a favor,pretend that you didn't saw me,because he's going after me!"
She nodded her head and waved her hand up and down at me,telling me to run towards the exit before it's too late. As soon as I did,Alfred came towards her.
"Adele,have you seen this brat?!" he snapped at her,angrily.
"What "brat"?" she asked him.
He fumed and paused.
"VUK MISIC,WHERE THE FUCK IS HE!?" he demanded,furiously "I'M THE LEADER AND Y..."
"And I'm the owner of this palace and I can kick you out of it if you don't stop raging around!" she cut him off by grabbing him tightly by his jaw "Now,piss off to your room or I'll have you sued for abuse and property damage! BASTARD!"
She then kicked him by his ass into the other room next to her,thus getting rid of him. I was pleased by it.
Afterwards,I rushed towards the bus station,stopping at any Taxi driver to drive me to the Paris Airport.
15th February - 01:00
I've waited for six hours straight to wait for a Taxi,before finally waiting for the plane to depart into Belgrade. During that time,I was busy eating lunch at a local French restaurant and walking around Paris.
I'm currently inside the airport,still waiting for the plane to arrive,but then I saw Tino rushing towards me with a paper in his hand. When I saw his face,it had a broken nose,two teeth removed and a bruised eye.
"Wh...what happened to you?" I asked him.
"You enraged him," he answered,between the huffs "he told me that you destroyed the peace process and that,thanks to you,it resulted in me facing his wrath,lashing out at me after Adele had berated him after you escaped."
"Damn!" I concluded,raising my eyebrows with shock "He doesn't take the opposition that well,don't you think?"
"Yep,you were really lucky..." he said,with slight anger and envy in his voice "Now,before you go,I want you to take this,it's an ultimatum written by Alfred Frederick Jones himself to you."
An Ultimatum?! I felt my heart going up in shock. The time indeed has come,sooner or latter,I'll be at war with him,for the first time in my life. I took the Ultimatum from his hands and waved him goodbye.
"And I hope you recover!" I shouted at him,waving at him from the plane.
"You too!" he smiled.
I closed the plane's window and red the Ultimatum,while the plane was moving towards Belgrade.
You Genocidal Brat,
As you may noticed,I didn't used your name and surname and do you know why? Because you no longer deserve to be addressed that way,prick. I've got unlocked and isolated in my room in Rambouillet by Adele because of you,but right after I wrote this ultimatum to you.
Moreover,I'm giving you and your precious president a second chance to decide if you accept the demands or not. If not,then that will be your problem and you'll pay the consequences of it.
The demands are the same as they were from the peace deal. You have to accept all of them until 22nd March. If you don't respond after this date or deny it,you'll have a war with me. The choice is yours...
Yours truly,
AFJ. The Leader.
I couldn't believe what I've just red. It's 1914 and Rambouillet combined all over again! It made me angry and at the same time,tried me to make me cry over it.
I don't know how would Milosevic react to that if he hears about this,but I know full well that he would call another useless negotiation talks in order to beg for "peace",even though that negotiating with someone who manipulate it aren't worth talking to.
08:00
I've finally came to my home village in Visevac,unpacking everything in my house. I was exhausted and I must have some good sleep. I haven't slept for two days,one because I had to know who and what Alfred really is out of spite and the two because this Ultimatum in the form of a letter haunted me while I was moving towards the Belgrade Airport.
I know that I must get prepared for war in order to have my own peace,but there're two things from which I've learned when I was in Rambouillet: 1. Taste the food first before rejecting it or giving a complaint about it and 2. Never negotiate with the West,particularly with Alfred Jones,ever again.
Here's the fourth chapter or the second part of him being in Rambouillet and yes,as you may've noticed,Alfred Jones is going to be the main villain on this one because this war was,even though this fanfic is an Alternative History take on it,an act of aggression against my country Serbia and because,if you look at the Post-WW2 History of America,he totally fits the villain category.
Woah,I didn't excepted to have this chapter be this long. Thanks for reading.