"Dia." "English boys don't go to school every day." "Teacher say this country was founded as a utopia." "Do you know what that word means, Papa?" "Well, she says someday when the war is over our world will be a paradise." "And all this you learn in one day?" "And math and science." "This is too much learning." "Tomorrow, you will stay home and mend the nets, yes?" "No, Papa." "What?" "So now you want to go to school every day?" " Stay." " Papa." " Stay!" " Papa!" "Jassie!" "Solomon." "Come, come, come." "Pick it up." "Quick." " Papa!" "Papa!" " Jassie." " Dia, run!" " Papa!" " Papa!" "Papa!" " Dia, run!" "Papa!" "Bring forward the next one." "Bastard." "Bring forward the next one." " Long sleeve or short sleeve?" " No." "Young man." "You must understand." "The government wants you to vote, okay?" "They gonna tell you say, "The future is in your hands."" "We now the future." "So we take your hands." " No." " No more hands, no more voting." "Chop him." "Spread the word." "The Revolutionary United Front is coming." " RUF!" " RUF!" "RUF!" "Bring forward the next one." "Bring him forward." "Bring him forward." "Long sleeve or short sleeve?" " Chop him." "Hold on, hold on." "Wait, wait, wait." "Not this one." "Look at him." " Put him in the truck." " Let's go." "Bring him to the mines." "He can work." "He can work." "Move, move, move." "Next one, next one, next one." "Throughout the history of Africa whenever a substance of value is found the locals die in great number and in misery." "Now, this was true of ivory, rubber, gold and oil." "It is now true of diamonds." "According to a devastating report by Global Witness these stones are being used to purchase arms and finance civil war." "We must act to prohibit the direct or indirect import of all rough diamonds from conflict zones." "May I remind you that the U.S. is responsible for two-thirds of all diamond purchases worldwide and I don't anticipate that demand diminishing." "We must remember that these stones whose trade is crucial to the economies of many emerging nations." "The Freetown government and their white masters have raped your land to feed their greed." "RUF have freed you." " No more slave and master here." " It's true." "Current estimates are that conflict stones account for only 15 percent of the market." "But in a multi-billion-dollar-a-year industry that means hundreds of millions of dollars are available for weapons in these conflict zones." "RUF is fighting for the people!" "RUF is fighting for Sierra Leone!" "Any bastard think he would joke with me diamond, I go cut he throat." "Stop!" "And we are joined today by members of that diamond industry who wholeheartedly endorse your proposal." "I hope you join me in applauding their presence here." "Mr. Van De Kaap and Mr. Simmons." "Give it to me." "Don't worry." "We'll be fine, huh?" "Listen." "You take off as soon as I'm out the door." "Don't land until I raise you on the sat phone." "You be careful, Danny." "Don't worry." "They want these guns too much to do anything stupid." "Where is Commander Zero?" "I am Captain Rambo." "Right." "Right, I've seen your films, huh?" "I'm looking for Commander Zero, huh?" "He's inside." "You talk to me." "You are here to help us in our struggle against the government." "I'm here to do business with Commander Zero, all right?" "All right." "You are the man, huh?" "You are the man." "Here, huh?" "Hey." "I'm talking to you!" "Stop!" " Commander Zero." " Hey." " I go kill you, eh?" " It's fine, huh?" "It's fine." "Commander Zero." "Commander Zero." "Mr. Archer, come here." "You get something for me?" "And yourself get something for me, huh?" "Are you craze?" "You get for pay me first for them." "This no fine, huh?" "This no fine." "...and their new weapons, huh?" "Maybe I could just kill you and take what you bring." "Then you get one more dead body instead of aeroplane way full with grenade launchers." "So I'm think I'm gonna go to them government, huh." "Them government, at least them go pay me, huh?" "Wait, wait." "Wait, my friend." "This is the thing you want?" "Here." "So many I not know what to do with them all." "Hey, Archer, next time, you bring satellite TV, eh?" " I wanna see Baywatch." " Yeah." "Yeah." "Yeah." "Hello, hello, hello." "Papers, please." "Danny Archer, National Geographic." "You crossing into Liberia." "I've got a letter from the Minister of Interior and a Liberian visa as well." "I'm doing a story on the Marrakaz, who, as you know are allowed to cross the border in order to get into grazing grounds." "You ever read National Geographic, huh?" " You're under arrest for smuggling." " No, no, no." "Listen here, my friend." "Listen here, all right?" "I am good friends with Colonel Coetzee." "Colonel Coetzee would not be pleased that you've interfered with his business." "You know who I am, all right?" "You don't wanna make trouble for me or my friends, all right?" "Now, look, why don't I just look the other way, all right?" "You take one or two of these stones and get something lacquer for the wife or maybe the mistress, all right?" "We'll solve the problem right here, huh?" "We'll go back to Freetown and ask Colonel Coetzee how he wishes to thank his business associate." "Guys, take him away." "Hey!" "What the f**k?" "What's going on there?" "Come on!" "Fix that shit now!" "Wasting my time here!" "What in the shit is that?" "F**k that stuff!" "Fix that shit!" "Damn, now need to work." " Can't work." "What's going on there?" "Boss." "I wanna go toilet." "I must go now, now." " I can't hold it in, boss." " Go, go." "Get to work." "Go to work, go to work." "F**heads wasting my time now." "How am I work in this shit?" "Stop!" "Spread your fingers." "Open." "Make it quick." "Give it to me." "Give it to me." "The government troops are coming!" "Go, go, go--!" "No, no, no!" "No!" "I'm not a rebel!" "RUF is coming!" "RUF is coming!" "RUF is coming!" "RUF is coming!" "RUF is coming!" "RUF is coming!" "RUF is coming!" "RUF is coming!" "RUF is coming!" "RUF is coming!" "RUF is coming!" "RUF!" "RUF!" "RUF!" "RUF!" "RUF!" "RUF!" "RUF!" "RUF!" "RUF!" "RUF!" "RUF!" "RUF!" "Hey." "What did you do with it?" "I'm talking to you, you hear me?" "Where the diamond?" "The pink one." " I saw you take it." " You're mad." "I do not know you." "Liar!" "I saw it with my own eyes." "This big." "Biggest I have ever seen." "My brothers, I go give $1000 to the man who cuts the diamond out of this bastard." "You the craze!" "You the craze!" "Where is the diamond?" "Where is the diamond?" "Do you see a diamond?" "You devils have taken my family!" "My home!" "I done lost everything!" "Here, look." "What is left?" "What is left?" "If there is a diamond, you are the one who has taken it!" "Liar!" "The man is a liar!" "I know your name, Solomon Vandy!" "You have a name!" "You have a family!" "And I'll catch them!" "And I'll find them!" "Please tell me you brought me cigarettes, bru, please." "I just have to tell you, Danny." "The colonel's not going to be happy about you losing the diamonds." "Forget the colonel." "There's a fisherman in there, all right?" "He might've found a pink." "Big one." "What about the colonel?" "He's gonna want that stone." "Screw the colonel." "I'm gonna contact our friends in London." "If this stone is as big as I think, we're gonna need a real buyer, all right?" "What?" "What?" "London wants nothing more to do with you." ""Arrest in Sierra Leone of Daniel Archer, former mercenary and smuggler..."" ""Retains close ties to Van De Kaap diamond cartel." "Sources say they deny any affiliation whatso--"" "F**king hell." "Listen, his name is Solomon Vandy, all right?" "Van De Kaap is gonna want that stone, whatever they say." "You just get him out." "Get him out." "Yeah, can you tell Mr. Simmons that Danny Archer called." "Right." "Archer." "A-R-C-H-E-R." "Afternoon, darling, huh?" "Big white man all alone." "That is no fine." " I'm safe, huh?" "No HIV." " Yeah, yeah." "I've heard that one before." "Archer, I know where to get nice baby diamond just for you." " Not now, next time." " Come on, Archer." "I said not now, next time." "Bugger off." "Solomon Vandy?" "What do you want?" "It seems you made a friend in prison." " Hey." " How the body, Mr. Archer?" "The body fine, M'Ed." "So you want something nice, huh?" "The best you can get ahold of, all right?" "Take me a few days, but I go find you something special." "All right." "Hear they took Marampa yesterday?" " Really?" " Now, come on." "You know every move they make." "When are they gonna hit us?" "Oh, I imagine they come do some shopping very soon." "Yeah, yeah." "Got any smokes back there?" "Who's that, huh?" "All right." " Can I offer you a cigarette?" " Oh, no, thanks." "You listening to this?" "I am profoundly sorry." "The world is falling apart, and all we hear about is Blowjobgate." "I believe he's sorry." "When was the last time the world wasn't falling apart, huh?" "A cynic." "Why don't you sit down and make me miserable?" " Danny Archer." " Maddy Bowen." " Pleased to meet you." " Nice to meet you." " American, huh?" " Guilty." "Well, Americans usually are." "Says the white South African?" "I'm from Rhodesia." "We say Zimbabwe now, don't we?" " Do we?" " Last time I checked." "Don't tell me, you're here to make a difference." " And you're here to make a buck?" " I'm here for lack of a better idea." " That's a shame." " Not really." "Peace Corps types only stay around long enough to realize they're not helping anyone." "Government only wants to stay in power until they've stolen enough to go into exile somewhere else." "And the rebels, they're not sure they want to take over." "Otherwise, they'd have to govern this mess." " But TIA, right, M'Ed?" " TIA." "What's TIA?" " "This is Africa," huh?" " Right." " You want another?" " Sure." "So which one are you?" " Smuggler?" " Am I?" "Somehow you don't strike me as the UNICEF type." "How about soldier of fortune?" "Or is that too much of a cliché?" "Diamonds?" " If I told you I was a missionary...?" " For Van De Kaap?" "Better watch that type of talk, Miss Bowen." "In America, it's bling-bling, but out here, it's bling-bang, huh?" "I wouldn't want you getting in any trouble." "How much trouble do you think I would get into for talking about blood diamonds?" " You're a journalist." " That's right." "Piss off, huh?" "For five years, this country has reported almost no diamond exports while Liberia, right next door, has exported 2 billion dollars' worth." "Very odd, considering that Liberia has no diamonds to speak of." "I'm shocked." "Van De Kaap denies trading blood diamonds, but admits it's impossible to tell where a diamond comes from unless their smuggler gets caught." "What do you want from me, huh?" "You know all about Van De Kaap." "Help me out." "Off the record." "Well, off the record, I like to get kissed before I get f**ked, huh?" "Shit." " Cordell." "How is it, Shona?" " Long time, pal." " How's Alice?" " She's well, thanks." "Tim must be in school, right?" " Big kids, big problems, you know?" " Yeah, yeah." "I heard you got into a spot of trouble in the bush, huh?" "You know the bush, right, bru?" " Company doing well?" " Can't complain." "Eleven wars in the continent." "We're keeping busy." "So, what, you're here on holiday, huh?" " How's the colonel?" " He sends his regards." "Good, good." "Score us a loose, huh?" "Smoking will kill you, bru." "Only if I live, right?" "That's for breaking my TV, bru." "Tell the colonel he'll get his money." "I'll come see him soon." "Ten more." "Come." "Come." "Go on." "Dia." "Dia." "Come here." "Get away from there." "Go." "Go, Mama." "Stay down." "Excuse me, my name's Solomon Vandy" " Check the list." " I have checked the list." " I've to file papers at the Office for Refugees." " Sir, I have filed papers with the office." "Then God help you, because I can't." " Please, sir" " Next." " Sir" " Sir, no, please." " Hey, hey." "Me, me, me." "Husband here." "One year we look." "Hurry, Mom." "Go." "Dia!" "Dia!" " Jassie!" " Dia!" " Mama!" " Dia!" "Jassie!" "Mama!" "He's been waiting." "What took you?" "What are you gonna do, shoot me right here, huh, Shona?" "Don't be a wanker, man." "Get in." " Hello, Danny." " Colonel." "You look well." "Clean living and a pure heart, I suppose, huh?" "Walk with me." "It seems the rebels have taken back the diamond fields, Danny." "The government of Sierra Leone has contracted us to go in there and take the rebels down." "So you sell the rebels weapons the government hires you when they use them?" "Nice, sir." "I assume you're asking for mining concessions, huh?" "We save the government, they show their gratitude." "And you get rich, right?" "How long have I known you, Danny?" "I was..." "I was 19, sir." "And you survived." "A lot of boys didn't." "Why is that?" "Just lucky, I guess." "No, you were a good soldier." "But I made you better, didn't I?" "Yes, sir." "Yes, you did." "And over the years, didn't I protect you teach you about diamonds, cut you in on the deals?" " Some might call it that, yeah." " But not you because you done with me now, eh?" "On to bigger things." "I need a man that knows his way around up there." "Unless, of course, you wanna cut me in." "Something pink?" "Sir..." "Our deal went bad, and you owe me money." "I'll take a stone as payment." "Look, do you think if I found a stone like that, I'd still be on this continent?" " Come on." " Danny, give me your hand." "That's red earth." "It's in our skin." "The Shona say the color comes from all the blood that's being spilled fighting over the land." "This is home." "You'll never leave Africa." "If you say so, sir." "So, what did you do, bury it?" "Yeah." "Yeah, I would have buried it, huh?" " What are you talking about?" " What am I talking about?" "Come on, bru." "I'm late for work." "Pink, huh?" "The biggest one he'd ever seen." "You were in the mining camps, weren't you, bru?" "Why else would that rebel with the bandaged arm make up such a story?" "Go ask him." "Thank you." "Your mothers and fathers are dead." "Your brothers and sisters are dead." " You are dead!" "You have been reborn." " No!" " We are your family now." " No!" "No!" "Your parents are weak." "They're the farmers." "They're the fishermen." "They've done nothing but suck the blood from this country." "But you are the heroes who will save this nation." "You are not children anymore." "You're men." "No one has ever given you respect but with this in your hand, they go fear you." "If you do not get the respect you deserve you will take it by shedding their blood." " Repeat after me, shed their blood." " Shed their blood." " Louder!" "Shed their blood!" "Shed their blood!" " Shed their blood!" "Make them hear you in Freetown." "Shed their blood!" "Shed their blood!" "Shed their blood!" "Shed their blood!" "Shed their blood!" " Dia Vandy, stand up." " Shed their blood!" "Shed their blood!" " Shed their blood!" "Shed their blood!" " Put your hand on the gun." "Shed their blood!" "Shed their blood!" "Shed their blood!" "Shed their blood!" " Shed their blood!" "Shed their blood!" " Now squeeze the trigger." "Come on, Dia." "Pull the trigger." "Pull the trigger!" "I know, I know." "It's hard to be a man." "Sit up." "Come." "But you are a soldier of the revolution now." "And I am your commander." "Whatever you need guns, CDs, food..." "Today, you are promoted to the rank of captain." "Dia Vandy boss man." "How's it, bru?" " You got something for me, huh?" " Yeah." " So, what's new, M'Ed?" " F**king RUF." "Tried to hit the government building across the street." "Shit, man, half the people be soldiers today, RUF tomorrow." " Might be time to get your family out, huh?" " And go where?" "Just fire up the chopper and fly away like you people?" "This my country, man." "We here long before you came, long after you gone." " Hi." "I'm Maddy Bowen." " How about you dance with me?" " No, I don't dance." " Neither do I. Come on." " So, Danny..." " Archer." "Archer." "When did you first start moving stones?" "Was it Angola?" "Then you did the whole mercenary thing." "Was that fun?" "So, what are you?" "Nihilist?" "Opportunist?" "Maybe I wasn't breast-fed as a child, huh?" "You think I haven't met people like you before?" " I think you get off on people like me." " You think?" "When did you first start working for Van De Kaap?" "Christ, you never stop, do you?" "No, I never stop." "Do you want me to stop?" "Why don't we go back to your place, see what's in the minibar, huh?" "I'm a print journalist." "I drank it." "Is it possible that you don't care how many people die because of the deals you do?" "People here kill each other as a way of life." "Always been like that." "So you can just watch it and go about your day?" "Maybe we should all just write about it, then." "Look, thanks for the dance, huh?" " And a shot too, huh, M'Ed?" " Sure." "You're a hard case, huh?" "Tell me something, how long you been here in Africa, huh?" "Three months." "And before that, Afghanistan and Bosnia." "You come here with your laptop computer and your malaria medicine and your little bottles of hand sanitizer." "Think you're gonna change the outcome, huh?" "Let me tell you something." "You sell blood diamonds too." " Really?" " Yeah." "Tell me, how is that?" "Who do you think buys the stones that I bring out?" "Dreamy American girls who all want a storybook wedding and a big, shiny rock like the ones in the advertisements of your politically-correct magazines." "So, please, don't come here and make judgments on me, all right?" "I provide a service." "The world wants what we have, and they want it cheap." "We're in business together." "Get over yourself, darling." "Okay, just to clarify, not all American girls want a storybook wedding just like not all Africans kill each other as a way of life." "And yeah, it's a shit, shit world, but you know what?" "Good things are done every day, just, apparently, not by you." "This place is about to explode." "I wanna spend my time with someone else." "You are listening to BBC World Service." "In Sierra Leone, Revolutionary United Front forces have been sighted within 10 kilometers of the capital city of Freetown." "The minister of the interior has expressed confidence that the government troops can repel the attack." "All foreign nationals are being advised to leave the country." "There are also unconfirmed reports that atrocities are being committed by both sides in the rapidly worsening situation." "The United Nations has described the refugee situation as critical." "Don't tell me you're gonna try and sell it yourself." "To who?" "And for what price, my friend?" "You need my help, whether you like it or not." " What are you talking about?" " Here, let me help you with that." "You hear that?" "You hear that?" "They came into the city overnight." "It's started." "What are you gonna do now, huh?" "Listen, the right stone can buy anything." "Information, safety, even freedom." "But a big stone does not stay secret for very long." "The moment you tell anyone about it, your life is absolutely worthless." "The only reason you're alive is you haven't told anyone where it is." "Am I right?" "Am I?" "Who do you think got you out of jail, huh?" " That makes us partners." " I am not your partner!" "What if I helped you find your family?" "What do you know of my family?" "The relief agencies are useless, the hospitals are overwhelmed." " There are other ways, bru." " Liar." "Look at me." "I know people, huh?" "White people." "Without me, you're just another black man in Africa, all right?" "Oh, shit." "We got no time." "What's it gonna be?" "You would say anything." "How can I trust you?" "I don't give a f**k about you, all right?" "That diamond could be priceless!" "We split it, and you get your family." "What's it gonna be, yes or no?" "Yes or no?" " Where will we go?" "Where do we go?" " Come on, follow me!" "Stay low!" "Get your ass over here!" "Wait!" "Now!" "Come on, come on." "Come on!" "Come on." "F**k!" "No, this way." "Fire!" "F**k!" "Go, go, go!" "Go!" "Shit!" "No!" "No!" "This way." "This way." "Stay low." "Come on." "Go, go, go." "Come on." "Come on!" "It's okay." "It's okay, it's okay." "Fire!" " Is there another way?" " That bridge is the only way across, huh?" "So, what do we do?" " You are RUF, huh?" "And I am your prisoner." " What do you mean?" "You wanna see your son again, don't you?" "You stay behind me." "Wait, wait." "Wait." "Bring that pink chicken skin over here, huh?" "Now let me shoot that pink ass, boy." "Where are we going?" "Lungi's under government control." "I'm gonna try to locate a sat phone to get in contact with my pilot, all right?" "I have agreed to nothing." "You're in a bit of a conundrum there, my friend." "You know what that means?" "It means you have no choice." "So you're a fisherman, huh?" " What do you catch mostly?" " Fish." "Come on." " Hello." " Back away from the fence." "Listen, I'm from the Cape Herald, all right?" "My wallet, my credentials, everything got left in Freetown." "We barely got out with our lives." "Can we just get through?" "Back away from the fence." "But you are not a journalist." "I'm trying to get us to Kono." " Do you understand that, huh?" " Getting B-roll." "Wait." "Listen, I'm coming back." "I'm coming back just now." "How's it, my bru?" "Have you got an extra smoke?" " Here." " Oh, cheers." "I'm looking for someone, an American by the name of Maddy Bowen." " If you saw her, you would not forget it." " Yeah, I know her." " Is it?" " Yeah." "Can you tell her Danny Archer's looking for her?" "I've got the story she wants." "Okay, but I'm going out for a bit." "If I see her before, I'll tell her." "Magic." "Listen, we'll be right down the road, huh?" " Sweet." "Cheers, bru." " Cheers." "It is as I said." "You will say anything." " You don't mind waiting?" " No worries." " Thank you so much." "I'll just be a sec." " All right, Maddy." "Hi." "You got out." "Yes." "Hello again." " This is Solomon Vandy." " Hi." " Hello." " Nice to meet you." "So I'm on deadline." "I've been waiting four hours to use the phone." " I've got someone holding my place in line." " I understand." "Come with me, huh?" "All right." "Here it is." " There's a company called Tiara Diamonds." " Right?" "They get the stones that I smuggle into Liberia." "Now, Van De Kaap has no visible ties to Tiara but through a series of cross holdings and offshore bank accounts..." " ...they actually own it." " You can prove this?" " If you help me out, yeah." " Right, here it comes." "Before you say anything, look at that man." "You see him?" "His entire village was burned down." "His wife and children, they got away." "He's been working in the mining camps, trying to get his family back." "He cannot get through the red tape." "All I'm asking is this, that you help him, huh?" "And how do you know this man?" " I know him." "I know him." " Oh, come on, Archer." "You're using him." "I'm using him, and you are using me, and this is how it works, isn't it?" "Come on." "Look, you've got access to U.N. databases." " You can track his family for him." " Why?" "This whole country's at war." "Why should I help just one person?" "I can't believe I just said that." "My family's here, in Guinea?" "Yes, according to the manifest." "I do not know how to thank you." "Thank you." "Thank you." "This is what a million people looks like." "At the moment, the second largest refugee camp in Africa." "Might catch a minute of this on CNN, somewhere between Sports and Weather." " Hello." " Yeah, hello?" "I've spoken with Colonel Coedoo and highlighted the names we're looking for." " Move away." " What him doing?" "Okay, I'm gonna check for you." " Wait me there." " Okay, thank you." "We are here to help you." "This woman says she has spoken to Coedoo." "An entire country made homeless." "Two multiplied by three is equal to six." "Two multiplied by four is equal to eight." "Two multiplied by five is equal to 10." "Two multiplied by six is equal to 12." "Jassie." "Jassie!" "Jassie!" " Jassie." " Solo." " Jassie." " Solo." "Jassie." "Jassie." " Solomon." " Jassie." " Solomon." " Jassie." "Dia." "Dia." "Where is Dia?" "Jassie!" "They took him." "There are only two children on the manifest." " Where is my son?" " Oh, Christ." "Where is my son?" " Away from the fence." " Where is my son?" "Move away from the fence." " Let them out!" "Let them out!" " Keep away from the fence." "Let them out!" "Away from the fence." " They'll shoot you!" " Jassie!" "No!" "Solo!" "Do you want your wife and child to watch you die?" "Solo!" "Solo!" "They said they're concerned that some of the refugees might be rebels so they refused to release them until there's a cease-fire." "I'm so sorry, Solomon." "What you want, Mr. Archer, is beyond those hills where I buried it." "You say the mine is on the Sewa River." "Where exactly?" "Solomon." "I do not need a map." "Yeah, well, I do." "Look, we are down here, huh?" "The press convoy is on its way to Kono." "You say the diamond mine is up here." "Where did you bury it?" "When we get to Kono, we're gonna have to walk, all right?" "You damn well better be able to find it." "My son is a very good student." "He walks five kilometers to the Sister School every morning to study English." "He's going to be a doctor one day." ""In the 90-degree heat, Solomon Vandy drops to his knees rattling the wire with his powerful hands."" " What?" " Nothing." "Do you think I'm exploiting his grief?" "You're right." "It's shit." "It's like one of those infomercials." "You know, the little black babies with swollen bellies and flies in their eyes." "So here I've got dead mothers, I've got severed limbs, but it's nothing new." "It might be enough to make people cry if they read it maybe even write a check but it's not gonna be enough to make it stop." "I am sick of writing about victims, but it's all I can fucking do." "Because I need facts." "I need names." "I need dates." "I need pictures." "I need bank accounts." "People back home wouldn't buy a ring if they knew it cost someone else their hand." "But I can't write that story until I get facts that can be verified which is to say, until I find someone who will go on record." "So if that is not you and you're not really gonna help me, and we're not really gonna screw then why don't you get the fuck out of my face and let me do my work?" "Do you know that Solomon thinks his son's gonna be a doctor one day?" "Maybe his baby dies in that camp." "Maybe his daughter gets raped." "Who knows, maybe both." "Do you realize that that diamond is the only chance he has of getting his family out?" " You don't give a rat's ass about his family." " Do you understand that?" "Listen, I need to get to Kono, all right?" "The only way is with the press convoy." "I'm a journalist, and he's my cameraman, all right?" " No." " Please, Maddy." " Please." " No!" "After I smuggle the stones across the border local buyers get them to a middleman in Monrovia." "Go on." "He pays off Customs and then certifies that the diamonds were mined in Liberia." "That way, they can be legally exported." "Now, once they've reached the buyers in Antwerp diamonds are brought to the sorting tables no more questions are asked." "By the time they get to India the dirty stones are mixed with the clean stones from all over the world and then they become like any other diamonds." "And Van De Kaap knows about all this?" "Yeah." "When I get to London, I meet with Simmons." "Supply and demand." "You control the supply, and you keep the demand high." " Agreed." " Good." "Now, there's an underground vault where they put all the stones they buy up to keep off the market so they can keep the price high." "If rebels wanna flood the market with a billion dollars' worth of rough a company like Van De Kaap, who says that they're rare can't afford to let that happen." "Especially when they're telling some poor sod he's supposed to shell out three months' salary for an engagement ring." "Now, technically speaking, they're not financing the war but creating a situation where it pays to keep it going." " You understand?" " Yes." "And where's my proof?" "Names, dates and numbered accounts." "You publish one word of this story before I give them the stone and I'm dead, huh?" "After I give it to them, then..." "I leave this continent forever." "If you don't come out with the diamond?" "Then write whatever you want." "I'm already dead." "Now, remember." "All you say is, "I am the cameraman," all right?" "Listen, I cannot do this." " Why not?" " Because I am not a journalist." " Of course you're not." " Well, then how can I say I am?" "Because you do." "Because that's how you get your son back, all right?" "Now get on the bus." "Go." "I am the cameraman." "You are writing about what is happening here?" "Yes." "So when people in your country read it, they will come help us, yes?" "Probably not." " You heard of a Stinger?" " What?" "Your friend, Maddy." "She's like a full-on, heat-seeking missile, bru." "I mean, I saw her go into Afghanistan like about 200 clicks into Taliban land." "When the military said no, she just took a bus, bru." "Came back with 3000 words, and she still looked so good." " Like hot, you know?" " All right." "Calm down to the frantic now, huh?" " What's that?" " What's going on?" "Looks like it was an RPG." "Open the door." "Let us out." " Let's go, let's go." " Come on." "Go, go, go." "Go, go!" "Move, move, move!" "We've just happened upon the sight of an ambush fifteen kilometers from the Liberian border..." " ...near the Moa River..." " As you can see behind me just a few minutes ago..." " ...an ambulance has..." " Got movement in the bush." " Check out the head of the road." " Spread out." "at this site." "Dozens of" "Many are injured." "Get back on the bus, huh?" "Get back on!" "Come on!" " Maddy!" " Move it!" "Move it!" "Get back on the bus!" "Solomon!" "Solomon!" " Let's go." " Solomon, come here!" " Go, go, go." " Come on, come on." " Get in the bus!" " Move, move, move!" "Come on, come on." " Move!" " Get in the bus." "Let's go." "Get in, get in." "Goddamn it, get in!" "Get in!" " Let me inside!" " There's no fucking space!" " Let them on the bus." " You give him your seat." "What if we just take your place, huh?" "What if we take your place?" "That's enough." "He can ride with me." "Oi, he can ride with me." "Maddy!" "Let's go!" "Maddy, let's go." "Come on!" "Nothing like a little bang-bang to get the heart started, Maddy." " Whatever you say, Corbauld." " Come on, love." "Don't be like that." "Story's played out, hasn't it?" "Government bad, rebels worse." "No one gives a toss anymore." "Know what I mean?" "This medicine will make you strong make you invisible to your enemies." "Bullets will bounce off you." "Superboy Killer, yes, huh?" "Commando." "Foreigners are the cause of the problems." "Poppy Sankoh say, "Overthrow those who would exploit you."" "I am Baby Killer." " I am the Master of Disaster." " You will be strong." "I am Born Trouble." "I am See Me No More." "You'd think they'd want at least one decent road in this place." "I'm gonna have to start charging an entrance fee." "Oh, God!" "Get down!" " Look out!" " Shit!" " You all right?" " Fine." "Shit!" "Hold on!" "Hold on!" "Come on." " Everyone all right, huh?" " Yeah, I'm fine." "Let me see that." "You okay?" " Yeah." " All right." "Quietly, now." "Quietly." "Come on." "Kamajors." "Local militia protecting their homes, huh?" " Do not look them in the eye." " No." "Excuse me." "Excuse me?" "Hi, I'm Maddy Bowen with Vital Affairs magazine." "Wonder if I could take your picture." "I'm just gonna get my camera." "I've heard about your struggle." "I'd love to know more about it." "Would you mind if I took your picture?" "Everyone together?" "Everyone could all come in together." "Is that okay?" "If everyone could come closer." "If you come over here and come in nice and close." "That's good." "Yeah." "That's great." "And we'll get one with all of us." "There you go." "That's perfect." "How about one together?" "Us together, what do you think?" "I'll come in like this, yeah?" "Cheese." "So do you think they've read your work?" "Shut up." "Hey, get them, get them, get them." " I got a score." "I got a score." " You missed." "Where have you come from?" " Where did you come from?" " Where have you come from?" "That's right." "Yeah." "From New York." "From America." "I don't have anything for you." "My name is Benjamin Margai." "Danny Archer." "This is Maddy Bowen." " Hello." "How are you?" " Very well, thank you." "I'm the cameraman?" "The Belgians were the first to chop off limbs in Africa." "King Leopold took one hand for every hundredth slave in the Congo to keep them in line." "Many of these children were taken by the RUF." "We have taken them back." "Some of them have been made to do horrible things." "We are trying to bring them back to life." "Let me show you." "Imagine doing all this, huh?" "What's your excuse?" "Well, it's gotten hard to go back to sipping lattes and talking interest rates." "So you're an action junkie, huh?" "Three out of five ex-boyfriends recently polled say that I prefer to be in a constant state of crisis." "Maybe I just give a shit." "You were good today." "You know that?" "You too." ""--that sometimes they forgot to close the door." "She also wrote about her sister Josie who was very ill and who had to be taken to hospital."" "Cheers." "So how many attacks have there been in the area?" "I have known most of the rebels since they were children." "The local commander is still afraid I will come after him with my ruler." "So you think because your intentions are good, they'll spare you, huh?" "My heart always told me that people are inherently good." "My experience suggests otherwise." "But what about you, Mr. Archer?" "In your long career as a journalist would you say that people are mostly good?" "No." "I'd say they're just people." "Exactly." "It is what they do that makes them good or bad." "A moment of love, even in a bad man can give meaning to a life." "None of us knows which path will lead us to God." "Hey!" "It's palm wine." " Jesus Christ." " Yeah, yeah." "It takes getting used to, huh?" "God." " Drank that as a boy." " In Rhodesia?" "I take notes." "The Shona..." "The Shona have a word for me." " It means "white boy in Africa."" " When did you leave?" "I didn't leave." "I got sent away to South Africa in 1978 when the munts overran us." "Then you joined the army?" "Yeah." "Yeah, I did my time in Angola." " The 32 Battalion." " That's right." "You know, contrary to what you might think about us we fought with the blacks, huh?" "Yeah." "Side by side." "There was no apartheid in a foxhole." "The colonel always used to tell us that." " This is Colonel Coetzee?" " Yeah." "Then, of course, it's 1994." "No more army." "No more apartheid." "Truth and reconciliation and all of that rubbish, you know." "Kumbaya." "We fought and died together, you know?" "Black and white." "Most people back home didn't even know we were at war." "We thought we were fighting Communism but in the end, it was all about who gets what, you know?" "Ivory, oil, gold:" "Diamonds." "So one day I decided, "Fuck it," you know?" ""I'm gonna get mine."" "You gonna steal his diamond?" "That diamond is my ticket out of this godforsaken continent." "That doesn't answer the question." "My dad came home from the war in '69." "And it took him about 20 years to get right." "What?" "You Americans love to talk about your feelings, huh?" "So, what does that mean?" "What does that mean?" " Got a thing for messed-up vets now?" " Shut up." "You lost both your parents." "That's a polite way of putting it, yeah." "Mom was raped and shot and Dad was decapitated and hung from a hook in the barn." "I was 9." "Boohoo, right?" "Sometimes I wonder will God ever forgive us for what we've done to each other?" "Then I look around and I realize God left this place a long time ago." "It's..." "What's the point, huh?" "Oh, shit." "Keep moving, huh?" " What?" " Drive at them." "They'll panic." "Do you know where the word "infantry" comes from?" "It means "child soldier." They are just children." " Stop!" "Stop!" "RUF on the road!" " Hi." "Hello." "Hello." "Hello, little brothers." " RUF on the road!" " Yeah, yeah." "What is your names?" "I'm Dead Body." "Who is this motherfucker?" "We are teachers on our way to Kono." "Only RUF on the road." " RUF only!" " Yes, yes, I understand that." " Only RUF!" " But son, this is" "Don't move!" "Don't move!" "Fuck." "Jesus Christ!" "Maddy, press your hand against the exit wound there, huh?" " Got it." " Keep it there, huh?" "Whatever you do, don't talk, all right?" "Is there any wine left in that jug?" " Here." " Pour it all over everything, huh?" "The colonel's gonna have a medic at the airstrip in Kono." " How far is it?" " You said not to talk." "A comedian, huh?" " How's his pulse?" " I can feel it sometimes." " Hold it right there." " Stop." "Papers, please." "Excuse me." "I was just trying to keep pressure on the wound." " He's lost a lot of blood." " You'll be all right, huh?" "Will you?" "I'll check on him in the tent in a little bit." "Thank you." "Hey." "Look who's alive, eh?" "I told the H you'd be back." "I'm afraid we're evacuating all non-military personnel, miss." "Transport touches down at 1600." "She's with me, all right?" "No exceptions, pal." "This is gonna be ugly." "Colonel doesn't want an audience." "Is I.R.'s presence here known to other African nations?" " She's with you?" " Yeah." "Come on." "The colonel's this way." "Give me a minute, huh?" "We block their escape by blowing the bridge." "That's correct." "You made it out." "Well done." "Negative, Kilo Foxtrot, stand by." " Colonel, sir." " So must be real, then." "The pink." "Well, you're part of this operation now." "First we snuff everything that moves out there, then we find your diamond." "Colonel?" "Go get kitted." "Yes?" "Move, move, move!" " Go get your kit." " Will do, chum." "Will do." "It's go time, all right?" "Meet me behind the tents." "How's Benjamin?" "They say he'll live." "Good." "Good." "Listen, Maddy I need you to do me one last favor." "Yeah?" "Tell that guard you wanna put him on the cover of Soldier of Fortune magazine for me." "You're going in." "You and Solomon." "You're going in now." "Your plane leaves in a few minutes, huh?" "You're an idiot." " What if I wanted to go in with you?" " I'd say no." " What if I insist?" " I'd insist back." "It's my story." "Your story is Van De Kaap, all right?" "That stone is mine." "I'm not leaving here without it, you understand?" "Please, just give me two minutes." "Yeah." " Hello." " Hi." "My name is Maddy Bowen." "I'm with Vital Affairs magazine." "I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions." "Well, that depends what they are." "Oh, I see you're familiar with our devious ways, aren't you?" "Okay, so I'll start with something simple." "And before that you were with the South African Defense--?" " Defense Force, correct." " Of course." "And was that with Colonel Coetzee?" "Were you in Angola?" "Angola, yeah." "That is all I really need to know." "Thank you so much." " Thank you." " Okay." "Thank you, huh?" "Just keeping my end of the deal." "Good luck to you, Solomon." "Okay." " I hope you find what you're looking for." " Thank you for all you have done." " Listen, I" " No, you listen." "In another life maybe, all right?" "Yeah." "Sure." "Yeah." "You find yourself a good man, all right, Maddy?" "You know, I've got three sisters." "They're all married to good men." "I prefer my life." "Here is my office phone home phone, cellphone." "I'm used to being pursued, but what the heck." "You better get on that plane, huh?" "You should get on that plane." "So should you." "You gonna call me?" "Soon as I'm near a phone, yeah." "Yeah, right." " Where is he?" " I don't know." "Oh, shit." "Nabil?" "Yeah, I'll call you when we get closer, all right?" "You keep me posted." "Right." "All right." "I set the pace, huh?" "Two-hour marches, five-minute breaks." "If I hold my hand up like this, you stop." "If I point to the dirt, you lie flat." "If I say go, you move like your life depended on it." "Understood?" " Yes, boss." " Come on." "Tell me about the stone." "Is it clear or is it milky?" "Clear." "And the color, is it strong?" "Does it hold the light?" "It is as you say." " About the size of a bird's egg?" " Yes." "One hundred carats." "Come on, let's pick up the pace." "Dia!" "Stop the truck!" "I thought it was Dia." "Wake up." "Don't worry, they're gone, huh?" "You know, I once had this buddy named Mabhoko." "We used to hunt bush meat together as kids, huh?" "Baboons." "Baboons, they were the hardest to catch." "They're..." "They're cunning." "Cunning creatures." "Fast, strong." "Got good eyesight." "We would always find them by the smell of their shit." "And that's how we learned to track your black terrorists in Angola, huh?" "By the smell of your shit." "It's not..." "It's not the same as a baboon's." "But, you know, after you skin it the flesh of a baboon isn't that much different than a man's, you know." "I'll tell you, I can track anything." "You risk my life like that again and I'll peel your face back off your head." "Do you understand?" "Make us a fire." "What'd he say?" "We are going the right way." "Hold up there, my man." "It's this way, huh?" "Where do you think you are going?" "Stop!" "I said, stop!" "He is not down there, all right?" "All right." "You're gonna need some of that old discipline, huh?" "Now you listen here, my boy, and you listen well." "You are not going down there." "Are we clear?" "You are not the master." "Right now, that is exactly what I am, and you'd better remember it, Kaffir!" "Don't you fucking move, huh?" "Don't you move." "Don't you move, huh?" " My son is there!" " Your son is gone!" " He is alive!" " He's gone!" "He's alive!" "He's there with those crazy people!" "I am his father!" "His father!" "I should have protected him!" "I must go find him." "I cannot live without knowing!" "Shoot me if you want, but I'm going." "Why should it matter, I'm dead already." "We wait until dark, huh?" "Are you satisfied?" "All right, come on." "is fighting for Sierra Leone" "RUF is fighting for Sierra Leone" "Go tell my parents They may see me no more" "In the battlefield We're fighting forever" "Go tell my parents They may see me no more" "In the battlefield..." "You are how old?" "Me?" "I'm 31." "And you have no wife?" " No." " No children?" "No." "And no home?" "No." "But you have money, yes?" "Yeah, some." "But not enough?" "No." "If you get this diamond, you will have enough money, yes?" "Yes." "Then you will get a wife and children?" "Probably not, no." "What?" "What?" "I am confused." "Yeah?" "That makes two of us, my bru." "Oh, Christ." "I've gotta quit smoking, huh?" "Why don't you?" "I'll tell you what, Solomon." "You find me this diamond, and I'll quit right then and there, huh?" " You were born in Zimbabwe?" " Oh, yeah." " Is it beautiful there?" " Sure you're not a reporter?" "Because you ask a hell of a lot of questions, my man." "My grandfather told many stories of war." "How the Mende fought the Temne." "Or how two tribes would fight when somebody had stolen a woman." "I understand white people want our diamonds, yes?" "But how can my own people do this to each other?" "I know good people who say there is something wrong with us inside our black skin." "That we were better off when the white man ruled." "But my son is good." "And when he grows up and peace comes this place will be a paradise." "We'll get your son back, huh?" "Where is it exactly?" "Through the camp, by the river." "Christ." "Okay." "I'm gonna make contact with the colonel." "He'll send in an air strike." " What is that?" " A chopper, huh?" "An attack helicopter." " We use it as a diversion." " What if my son is there?" " He isn't." " How do you know?" "I said we do it my way now, all right?" "Don't fuck with me." "Cordell, it's Danny." "Yeah, yeah, yeah." "Shut up and listen, all right?" "You tell the colonel I've found the stone." "No, I haven't got it in my hands, but I'm OP'ing its location." "It's a major rebel camp, my man." "You tell him to send in the dakadak." "Because I stole a GPS, that's how." "If you shut up and listen, I could give the coordinates." "Zero-nine-zero-five-four-two-four, north." "Three-two-seven-two-nine three-zero-five-zero, east." "I'll call back at midnight to confirm." "You can look all night, my friend, right?" "I promise you he is not there." "They're coming in the morning, all right?" "No movement, my friend." "You stay still." "When it gets dark, then we move in closer." "Solomon." "Shit." "I can do it." " Help me." " Help him." "Thank you, Papa." "Hey, you smell." "That's fine." " Ready?" "I'm winning." " Okay, let's go." "Play, man." " Play." "Play the card." " Play." "Dia." "Leave me alone." " Dia." "I'm your papa." "Come with me." " Hey." " Dia." " Get away from me." " Dia." "Dia!" " I do not know you." "Traitor!" " Enemy!" "Enemy!" " What the hell are you doing?" " What are you doing?" " I don't know you!" " What's wrong?" " I hate you!" " Dia, come with me!" " I hate you!" "Get away from me!" " Get him!" " Don't shoot!" " Don't shoot!" "Don't--!" "Don't shoot!" " I hate you!" " Fisherman!" "Traitor!" " Don't shoot!" "Get away from me!" "I knew you would come back." "I have dug and dug and dug, but I've found nothing." "Nothing." "Dig, dig, dig!" "You will find it for me." "You will dig up what you have come back for." "No." "Why should the diamond go to the foreign devils?" "We will use it to make the country strong." "RUF is fighting for the people!" "RUF is fighting for Sierra Leone!" "Pick it up." "Why?" "You are going to kill me anyway." "I do not need to kill you, Solomon Vandy." "If you do not bring me the diamond I will find the rest of your family." "Just as I have found your son." "I will rape your wife in front of your eyes slit her throat and I will keep your daughters for myself." "You think I am a devil but only because I have lived in hell." "I want to get out." "You will help me." "I don't remember." "Find it or your family will die!" "Now pick it up!" " Go!" " Bastards!" "Shoot it!" "Dia!" "Come, boy." "Come." "This way." "This way." "Dia!" "Colonel, we think Archer's there." "I don't give a damn who's down there." "Kill them all." "Dia!" "I'm coming!" " Dia!" " Bastard!" "No!" "Dia!" " We found his digger, sir." " Keep him close." " Danny boy." " Colonel." " Thanks for calling it in." " Yeah, yeah." "Always happy to help, huh?" "So where is it?" "The stone?" "We split, huh?" "Fifty-fifty, all right?" "Look around you, Danny boy." "You're not in a position to be dictating terms." "Then you will never find it, sir." "That's correct." " But he will." " Come." "Up." "Introduce me to your digger." "Solomon Vandy." "This is Colonel Coetzee." "He wants the diamond." " No more than you." " Fuck." "You gonna show us where it's hidden?" "Does he speak English?" "He will only tell me, sir." "I promise you that." " Let me talk to him, huh?" " Go on." "All right, my friend." "End of the line here, huh?" " You just tell him where it is, all right?" " I do not trust him." "I don't trust him either, but we haven't got much of a choice here." "I promise you he will shoot us both in the head." "Right, tell him, huh?" "Tell him where it is, huh?" " Go on." "Come on." " I'm not feeling the love, Danny." "All right." "No more messing about, all right?" "I said tell him where it is!" "Tell him where it is!" "Now!" "Tell him!" " No." " Fucking" "Danny, there are other ways to do this, okay?" "Yeah, yeah." " If he tells us, do we have a deal, sir?" " Seventy-thirty." "Sixty-forty." "I've already lined up a buyer." "Agreed." "Come here." "This is his son." "Vandy will do whatever you want for his sake, all right?" "Danny, you're a pisser, man." "Well done." "Boys, we move out." "What do you say, Mr. Vandy?" " You ready to take a walk?" " Come on." "Come on." "So who's the buyer?" "I'm guessing London." "Well, they no longer accept conflict diamonds, huh?" "Wouldn't hurt to interest some other parties." " Start a bidding war." " What, one war's not enough for you, huh?" "I missed you, Danny." "See?" "It is here." "He has tried to find it." "All right, Mr. Vandy." "Time for you to start digging." "Hey, boet, have you got a smoke?" "Smoking will kill you." "Sorry." "It's all right." "Time I quit smoking anyway, huh, Solomon?" " It's gone." " What?" "Someone has taken it." "This is where I buried it." "It isn't here." "Well, then there's no reason for any of you to stay alive." "Is there?" "Wait, wait, wait." "I know, I know." "I know where it is." " I know where it is." " It better be there." "Yes." "Oh, here, here." "It is here." " Yeah?" "Yeah, there it is." " Yes." "Fuck!" "TIA, huh, Danny?" "TIA." "Keep digging, huh?" "They'll be here any second." "Come on." "Keep digging." " It had better be there, huh?" " Yes, yes." "Have you got it?" " Have you got it, huh?" " Yes, got it." "Oh, yes." "Oh, yes." "Solomon." "Dia, what are you doing?" "Dia." "What are you doing?" "Of the proud Mende tribe." "You are a good boy who loves soccer and school." "Your mother loves you so much." "She waits by the fire making plantains and red palm oil stew with your sister N'Yanda and the new baby." "The cows wait for you." "And Babu, the wild dog who minds no one but you." "I know they made you do bad things but you are not a bad boy." "I am your father who loves you." "And you will come home with me and be my son again." "Solomon, we've got to move, huh?" "We've got to" "Go, go!" "Move!" "Move." "Move." "Move, move, move!" "Move!" "Move!" "Move!" "How far?" "There's an airstrip at the top of that gorge." "A plane will meet us, huh?" "Hey, stop." "Stop." "Give it to me." "Come on, give it to me, huh?" "Keep moving." "They'll be tracking us." "Nabil, where are you?" "I'm nearly there." "Tell me what's happening." "We're about 10 K's out, huh?" "We've got it, my friend." " Who is we?" " The fisherman and his son." "Lose them." "It's at the top of that ridge there, huh?" "You must stop and rest." "What?" "And give up the damn stone?" "Keep moving." "Come on." "Come." "Come, come." "I can't." "Stop." " Okay." " Stop." "Come on." "No!" "God, no." "Stop." "Christ." "No more." "No more." "Take it, huh?" " Mr. Archer" " Take it, take it." "I thought you would steal it from me." "Yeah, yeah, it occurred to me, huh?" "Listen this is Maddy's card, huh?" "You call her when you get to Conakry, all right?" "And don't trust that pilot for a second." "You point this at his head if he fucks around, all right?" "I can carry you." "You take your boy home, huh?" "You take him home, huh?" " Go!" "Go!" " Go." "Come on." "Go on!" "Come on." "Come on." "Archer, you're a dead man!" "Yeah, yeah." "Dia." "Hello." "Maddy Bowen." "Yeah." "Thought I'd never call, huh?" "And I'm so glad you did." "Excuse me." "When am I gonna see you?" "Maddy, I want you to do me one more favor, huh?" "I want you to go meet Solomon in Conakry." "In Guinea?" "Why do you want me to go to Guinea?" "We found his son but he's gonna need some help, you understand?" "Maddy?" "You're hurt." "Are you hurt?" "Yeah, well, I've got a little problem here." "Okay." "You-- You tell me where you are." "Archer?" "I'm looking at an incredible view right now." "I wish you were here, Maddy." "Okay, then I'm coming to be with you." "You just tell me where you are." "I don't think so." "Are you still in Kono?" "Because I can get someone there to help you." "Maddy, you find someplace safe for the boy, all right?" "And keep him out of sight." "And get Solomon to London." "He's bringing something with him." "But he's gonna need your help." "Why aren't you bringing it yourself?" "I'm saying it's a real story now." "And you can write the hell out of it." "I'm really happy I met you." "You know that?" "Yeah, I'm..." "I'm really happy I met you too." "And I wish I could be there with you." "That's all right." "I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be." "When we get to the stairs, you just keep walking and I'll wait for you here." "You're not coming." "I'm not here." "Good luck." "You must understand, Mr. Vandy that your diamond could have ended up nowhere else but with us." " It is not enough." " I assure you, 2 million pounds is more than anyone else will offer you for that stone under the circumstances." "I want what was promised to me by Mr. Archer." " What was promised to you?" " My family." "When they are here, you will get the stone." "I will have the money too." "Well, may I see what I'm buying?" "You will get the stone once my family is here." "How do I even know you've got it?" "Can you comment on the diamonds mined in Sierra Leone?" "I'm not going to comment on some sensationalist magazine article." " What about Liberia?" " No comment." "No comment." " Mr. Van De Kaap" " That's all I have to say." "The natural resources of a country are the property of its people." "They are not ours to steal or exploit in the name of our comfort, our corporations, or our consumerism." "They're ready for you, sir." "The Third World is not a world apart." "And the witness you will hear today speaks on its behalf." "Let us hear the voice of that world." "Let us learn from that voice." "And let us ignore it no more." "Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Solomon Vandy."