~ Revolutionary Tax ~

by

Don Adams

A loud rap on the tall, wooden door startled him, even though he was expecting it. His reflection in the ornate gold mirror betrayed palpable relief when he confirmed through the peephole that it wasn’t the police. He opened the door slightly and let his guest slip her tender frame through and into the apartment.

"Mina, it’s great to see you!" he said as he kissed her on both cheeks. "Did you have any problems finding the place?"

"No problem. I hope nobody else does," she answered dryly.

"I know. Don’t worry: this apartment is clean," assured Ander. "It’s never been used before."

Mina raised her eyebrows but after a quick look around she seemed satisfied.

"Congratulations, Ander," she whispered as he led her through to the dining room to do the introductions.

"Listen, I know it must be difficult..." he sympathized.

"Forget it! I don’t want the job. Honestly! I’m not that ambitious," she said, hiding the fact that her words were rehearsed.

Ander smiled and put his arm around her shoulder as they entered the dining room.

"Well here she is guys: the best PR woman we’ve ever had!"

"The only PR woman we’ve ever had you mean," she laughed as she exchanged kisses on both cheeks with the newly promoted Executive Council members.

Mina, the only woman on the Council, was still unknown to the authorities. The Head of Public Relations for ETA had a policy of never making her whereabouts known to anyone on the Executive Council. She could only be contacted by e-mail, which she accessed at ever-changing locations throughout northern Spain. Her policy of absolute caution had served her well. She knew that even the most committed terrorists gave up information when squeezed.

The eighteenth century apartment was located in the Rue Saint Jacques in the Latin Quarter of Paris, close to the Pantheon where Victor Hugo and Voltaire are buried. It was an excellent location for the meeting with Ander at the helm for the first time. The splendid dining room would function as the boardroom for the group of six.

The four new members, Gorka, Jon, Josepe and Kusko had arrived early. They had been enjoying a Bordeaux wine and getting to know each other better as they waited anxiously for Mina’s arrival. They commented on her tardiness. It wasn’t like her. Perhaps she was upset at being overlooked for promotion? She did, after all, have more experience than he did. Might she challenge Ander’s command?

"Some wine?" offered Gorka, extending a glass of Bordeaux.

"Thanks!" said Mina taking her seat at the end of the rectangular table opposite Ander.

"Let’s get down to business," he said, picking up his papers. "Firstly I would like to welcome our new members," he said, nodding at the four men sitting to his left and right.

"No offence, but it’s unfortunate you have to be here at all," added Mina.

The new members nodded in agreement, the gravity of the situation apparent on each stern face.

"Security is high on the agenda today," said Ander. "We’ve got a leak somewhere which needs to be plugged."

Mina and the others agreed, cursing the unknown traitor.

"Don’t worry, how we go about ridding ourselves of vermin will be dealt with, but first we’ve got to look at finance," said Ander. "We’ve got a growing problem of tax defaulters," he added in a serious tone. "It’s a problem and we’ve got to nip it in the bud now."

"Who isn’t paying now?" asked Josepe, speaking for the first time.

"Oh, there are a few at the moment who are behind on payments," explained Ander to the newcomer, "but it’s the habitual offenders who refuse to pay that we really need to sort out."

"Let me guess: Brummer and Sánchez?" inquired Mina.

"You’ve got it!" replied Ander, smiling across the table to the PR boss. "But it’s that bastard Sánchez who really bothers me. We can’t let him away with it!" he asserted.

Mina observed how Ander’s mood had changed. He spat emphatically through clenched teeth when he pronounced Sánchez’s name.

"If we let one off, they’ll all stop paying! I’d do the same. Wouldn’t you?" Ander directed the question at the five other members of the Council sitting around the table.

With the exception of Mina, they all nodded in agreement.

"We’ve got to deal with it!" Ander stated and looked directly at Mina.

"I know what you’re thinking, Ander but you know my position on this kidnapping business," said Mina, scouring the table for signs of support.

"We’ve no option, Mina. I’m sorry. I know it makes your job more difficult but there’s nothing else we can do," Ander’s tone was authoritative but Mina wasn’t happy.

"We can’t do it!" said Mina in a determined voice.

The new members of the group began to shuffle uncomfortably in their chairs, their discomfort becoming apparent.

"What’s the problem this time, Mina?" asked Ander sarcastically. "Don’t you have the balls for this?"

A snigger ran around the table, lightening the atmosphere somewhat but Mina didn’t appreciate the joke.

"It’s not my lack of balls I’m worried about. I’ve got more cojones than the lot of you put together!"

The laughing stopped as she stared down the newcomers around the table, one by one, daring them to enter the argument. Nobody did.

"You know my position on kidnapping. I think it’s bad publicity, pure and simple," she answered, already knowing that Ander wouldn’t agree.

"It’s what funds us, that’s what it is Mina," replied Ander with a softer tone, trying to placate his PR person.

Mina looked him straight in the eye. After a tense moment she took a deep breath and spoke.

"Sánchez is a stubborn old bastard, Ander, and he won’t pay even if we do kidnap him. He’ll be a hero! We’ll make him a hero!"

"You’re right, Mina. I agree," said Ander, nodding his head thoughtfully.

The four silent men at the table looked at each other, raising their eyebrows.

"That’s why we’re going to take his daughter!" added Ander, his timing perfect.

The other men nodded in agreement. Mina buried her face in her hands and sighed loudly.

"The press will fucking crucify us! It could finish us off!"

"They’ll never find out, Mina. Don’t worry so much!"

"You don’t know Sánchez, Ander. He’ll seek the publicity!"

"Then he’ll get his daughter back in installments!" interjected Gorka coldly.

"You guys don’t make my job easy, you know!" exclaimed Mina, a smile opening on her young face. "I should have known PR wasn’t going to be easy for a terrorist organization. God, the things I do for the Basque Country!"

Ander got up and walked to where Mina was sitting. He put his hand on her shoulder. He was keen to have good relations with Mina. He even felt physically attracted to her and she knew it.

"It’ll work out, Mina. The press won’t get a hold of this. I guarantee it."

"Okay, go ahead, but if the press do find out, remember I’m going to be seriously pissed, Ander!" she said smiling, a hint of warning in her voice. "It’s your responsibility."

The atmosphere relaxed as she leaned back in her chair and seemed to accept defeat.

"No problem," said Ander quickly. "I’ll accept full responsibility."

"Right, that’s settled!" he continued, once more taking his seat. "Now moving on, we’ve clearly got a major security problem..."