The Saudi prince nodded in silence after listening to his father. He was glad he had been cautious and called Mavi. Otherwise, he really wouldn't have been able to help at all.
"Father, I have some good news. A friend I met in Russia has a way to solve this Israeli crisis. I've already scheduled a time to go to Moscow to discuss the details with him in a couple of days!"
To make himself look capable, the Saudi prince, even though he didn't understand what Mavi meant by the "missile usage manual," went ahead and gave his father the good news.
As soon as he said that, the Saudi king, who had been leaning back in his chair, looked at him with a different kind of respect and asked, "Oh? A friend you met in Russia? What friend has such a great ability? Is he really sure he can solve the problem with Israel?"
"He should be able to, Father. I'm sure you've heard his name, Mavi. He's Russia's biggest arms dealer, the one who recently proved at the UN that Russia didn't violate the INF Treaty. I also heard that he invested in and paid for the development of the Cyclone self-propelled rocket launchers." The Saudi prince smiled as he introduced his friend to his father.
Being friends with someone like Mavi gave him a lot of face, even as the crown prince of Saudi Arabia. It was a nice change from his other friendships, where everyone wanted to use his royal status.
"Mavi? The same Mavi who sold 100 rocket launchers to Israel?" The Saudi king's mood soured as soon as he heard the name.
When he had spoken with the Russian president on the phone earlier, the president mentioned that the self-propelled rocket launcher deal was being handled by an arms dealer from a certain group. (Although he didn't explicitly say Mavi's name, anyone in the know would immediately understand that the "arms dealer from a certain group" was Mavi himself. There wasn't another arms company in all of Russia with that much power.)
Now, the order from Israel had already been sent, and they had even paid a 30% deposit of $450 million.
It would be a foolish business move for Russia to refuse such a lucrative deal. And they were in desperate need of money.
The Saudi prince didn't know about the conversation between his father and the Russian president. Judging by the king's reaction, it seemed he had a bit of a grudge against his Russian friend.
"Ahem! Yes, Father, that's him. He has a solution." The words were out, and the Saudi prince could only brace himself and admit it, putting all his hope in Mavi. If he had known his father's attitude towards Mavi, he would have waited until the problem was solved to tell him everything.
However, a king's temper is as unpredictable as a tiger's. You can never tell whether he'll be in a good or bad mood the next second.
The Saudi king, with his thick beard, got angry for a moment and then suddenly smiled as he said to his son, "Have you ever heard the saying, 'He who tied the knot must untie it'? This Mavi is key. When you go to Russia, don't be stingy. Bring some gifts and local specialties to show him the generosity of the Saudi royal family!"
While the Saudi king was upset about the arms deal between Russia and Israel, he couldn't stop it. It was an inevitable turn of events.
Instead of just watching their enemy get the most advanced long-range rockets to threaten their country, it was better to talk to Mavi and find a solution. Better late than never.
"Yes, Father, I understand! I'll make sure to show him the generosity of the Saudi royal family perfectly!" The Saudi prince smiled, his worry turning to joy. He was glad he had made the right gamble. Otherwise, his plan would have completely backfired.
With the Saudi king's instructions, the Saudi prince came to Moscow with a mountain of gifts, ready to have a long talk with Mavi and strengthen their relationship.
The last time he came to Russia to buy weapons, his budget was less than 800 million. He had to make a last-minute call to his father to send more money to buy the flamethrower tanks.
Two days later, a magnificent A380 passenger plane from Saudi Arabia landed at Moscow International Airport. The plane's tail fin had the Saudi royal family's emblem, making it clear that it belonged to the rich Arab nation.
At the same time, another plane, a Bombardier Global Express from Shanghai, China, landed on the tarmac shortly after. The Global Express looked tiny and cute next to the massive A380. Its size, presence, and price were all dwarfed by the A380.
But this stark contrast didn't make the owner of the A380 feel superior or look down on the Global Express. The reason was that a private jet is just a mode of transport; the important thing is who is on the plane.
"Haha! Mavi, my friend, you're so punctual! I was just wondering if your flight would be delayed, but what a coincidence, as soon as I thought of you, you arrived!"
As Mavi got off his plane, the Saudi prince, dressed in a white traditional Arabic robe, gave him a warm hug and a kiss on the cheek.
To this day, Mavi was still not used to the Arabic way of greeting. A handshake between two men was enough! Why did they have to kiss cheeks and touch faces as a sign of intimacy?
For goodness sake, the other person wasn't a beautiful woman but a dark-skinned man with a hat and a thick beard.
Of course, Mavi didn't let his thoughts show on his face or in his eyes. But truthfully, he was taking his good fortune for granted. Many people would beg on their knees for a close greeting from the Saudi prince, yet the prince wouldn't even give them a second glance.
But Mavi, on the other hand, was secretly disgusted. If the Saudi prince or his 5,000 brothers ever found out, the entire Saudi royal family would probably remember him forever.
"Yes, Your Highness, it's quite a coincidence," Mavi replied politely.
"By the way, my friend, why don't you come aboard my plane? My father told me to bring some gifts for you from Saudi Arabia!" the Saudi prince said to Mavi with confidence. The gifts he had prepared showed off the opulence of his country.
Hearing that the Saudi king had sent him gifts, Mavi's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Okay, then I'll be honored to accept."
Gifts are a symbol of friendship between people, and Mavi wasn't going to coldly refuse and embarrass the Saudi prince.