The Ice Curtain by Robin White Read Free Book Online Page A

what you’re best at.”
    â€œActually,” said Volsky, leaning close, “telling Moscow to go fuck itself is what we’re best at.”
    Petrov stared. “What did you just say?”
    â€œIf Moscow ignores Siberia, how long will it be before we return the favor? They won’t send us money? We’ll sell our own stones.”
    â€œThey’ll
never
get paid unless they keep mining diamonds.”
    â€œAnd they won’t keep mining them unless they get paid. It’s a circle. Do I need to speak with Boris Nikolaevich to break it?”
    â€œPresident Yeltsin is aware of the situation,” said Petrov. “Believe me. I wish the problem were more simple.”
    â€œHere’s something that’s simple enough: if you refuse to send an emergency payment to Mirny, I will ask Yeltsin to release a portion of the state diamond stockpile by decree. Stones will be sold. The miners will be paid. You won’t even get a chance to pocket a commission.”
    â€œHe’ll throw you out if you suggest it.”
    â€œYou think so? I don’t. Let’s find out who’s right.”
    Petrov looked up at Volsky as though he were seeing him for the first time. “If the stockpile is raided you’ll flood the market and drive down prices. The stones won’t be worth as much. Maybe only half what you think.”
    â€œHalf a sausage is better than starving.”
    â€œNot when you take the larger view.” Petrov smiled indulgently. “You don’t understand the world of diamonds.” He picked up the bottle of Baikalsk vodka again, its raw alcohol only slightly diluted with the pure waters of Lake Baikal, the Sacred Sea. He poured his glass full. “People think it’s about mining rare gems and selling them. Well, it’s not.”
    Volsky thought,
Where is Nowek?
Petrov was about to throw sand in his eyes. “What are you saying?”
    â€œFor two thousand years diamonds were actually rare. There was just one mine in India for the entire world. But then came Brazil, then Africa, and suddenly diamonds were no longer rare and everyone knew it. That’s when the cartel was formed. They
control
the supply to
transform
a diamond
into
something rare. That’s why a diamond is worth only what people
think
it’s worth. It’s all image. And when it comes to image, you come to the cartel.”
    Petrov placed the bottle back down onto the table. “London has kept hold on the diamond world for nearly a century. It’s practically the world’s oldest monopoly.” Petrov paused, sipped, looked up. “World wars. Great depressions. Countries come and go, but the cartel survives.”
    â€œWhat does this have to do with paying my miners?”
    â€œEverything. We’re at war with the cartel. A war for independence. They’re a powerful enemy. They deserve the greatest respect. We must be careful, and, frankly speaking, so should you. It’s no exaggeration to say that there is nowhere on earth they can’t reach. Not even the Kremlin is beyond their grasp.”
    The fireplace crackled. A shower of golden sparks rose up the sooty flue.
    Petrov took a sip of vodka. “For years, Russia
had
to follow the cartel’s lead. We had enough diamonds to destroy them. But what did we know about selling them? Less than nothing. The agreements we made with them were not always in our best interest. When you dance with an elephant, crushed toes are to be expected.”
    Damn it! Where is Nowek?
“So?”
    â€œNow
we’re
the elephant. We’re free to sell diamonds anywhere, and we have plenty to sell. The cartel has no choice but to come to our terms. When they do,
everyone
will live a better life.”
    â€œAll I know,” said Volsky, “is that they haven’t signed anything so far. What will make them do it now?”
    â€œThink,” Petrov said. “How do you get a monopoly’s