Proof of Life

This is the conclusive Kidnap and Ransom Report for Mr. Pierre Lenoir.

Location: Chechnya.

Result:

Positive.

We were contracted by AGP underwriters who insured the victim.

Mr. Lenoir was abducted January 21 from Russian-held territory...

by members of the Chechen Nationalist Militia.

Their first demand was for $5 million.

My ability to negotiate directly with the Chechens...

was subverted by Russian military command...

who monitored my every move.

After 36 days...

I had negotiated the final ransom figure down to $750,000.

Final proof of life was received midnight Wednesday, February 27.

The next morning, I was informed by the Russians...

that I would be prohibited from personally delivering the ransom.

Any confidence that these men would deliver the ransom money...

and return the hostage safely, had, by this point, been dissipated.

Tell your colonel...

it's his responsibility now.

He's got his orders. He fucks about...

I'll be the least of his problems.

Factoring the time-sensitive interests of the group holding Lenoir...

the limited communication available with the London office...

and the Russian insistence...

that they, and they alone, deliver the ransom payment.

I made the decision that there was simply no alternative...

but to give the Russians exactly what they wanted.

Knowing that I'd retain possession of the ransom money...

I'd managed to contact the Chechens privately.

We had agreed to rendezvous at an alternative location.

Transport options in this area are limited.

Drive!

So I did the best that I could.

The group holding Mr. Lenoir...

was responsible for a dozen kidnappings over the past two years.

This is a battle-tested guerrilla militia.

They are well-armed, highly mobile and extremely unpredictable.

Mr. Lenoir was found to be in an excellent state of health...

considering the circumstances.

I sent the Russians away. I don't know how much time we've got.

Following a review of the ransom payment.

Mr. Lenoir was released into our care.

The success of this extraction depended on a brisk, timely, transfer schedule.

We were, however, not quite fast enough.

Airborne!

Come in hot, Joe. This place is going loud!

Evac emergency RV. Repeat, ERV.

Airborne, I have a visual!

There are two dead trees in the center of the field.

I'm 50 yards to the west of the south tree.

Don't give me any shit, Joseph. I've got injured cargo. Get your ass down!

Go!

This extraction didn't go down well for the Chechens or our Russian hosts.

As a result...

my ability to function as a Kidnap and Ransom consultant in the area...

has been permanently compromised.

Mr. Lenoir was examined by mobile medical...

and as per his insurance company's request...

transported to Athens yesterday for surgical treatment.

At this time, we have contracts with all three insurance underwriters...

holding K and R policies in the west-Asian, post-Soviet republics.

This area is clearly in a critical state of transition...

and demands the most vigorous security precautions.

What did they bill last year, our three underwriters?

Total premium?

- $28 million. - And the ransom total?

Paid out on policies?

$26 million.

Bloody hell.

Set up some premium meetings. Wave the red flag a bit.

Excellent job, Terry. Thank you.

As always, outstanding.

Sir.

Where are we next? Pakistan?

Colombia?

Hello.

Peter, is that you?

Baby, it's me.

Can you hear me? It's about tonight.

I'm shopping for dinner.

The good news is, I'll definitely be back.

Yeah? Go on.

We've got to go to this thing tonight. The dinner. The charity event.

You're kidding, right?

No. I'm getting completely screwed here.

None of my equipment's here. None of the stuff they promised.

I've got 60 guys running around the jungle with nothing to do.

Something is really messed up here.

I'm going to pin these bastards down tonight.

You really want to put me at a table full of oil executives?

They're big boys. They can stand up to a little hippie like you.

Can I tell them what I think of them?

If you really want to skip it...

No, I'll go, I'll be there.

And I'll be on my best behavior.

Great.

Thank you, Alice. I mean it.

I'll have to borrow a dress from Norma.

Get Sandro to drop my tux by the airfield before he stops back and picks you up.

Yeah, don't worry about it.

Please don't leave me hanging out there with those people.

And be careful.

I will. I love you.

Peter, what's happening? What about the equipment?

Everything is taken care of.

I'm meeting with the guys from Quad Carbon tonight.

His mom said he was exactly the same as a baby.

She's right, you know.

Hey, baby.

I was worried about you.

- I told you he'd make it. - Hi, Peter.

- Let's find our tables. - We'll see you inside.

Look at you, all decked out in Norma's duds.

It's my debut as a corporate wife.

Whatever it is...

it is working.

I'm dressing like this all the time now. You ought to come around more often.

- I guess I got some making up to do. - I guess so.

...our invincible Armed Forces have sponsored this benefit

...for the flood victims of Rio Caya.

But nobody...

...has done more than Dr. Frederico De Carnedas and his wife, Jennifer.

I just want to know what the hell is going on.

- Nobody called? - No.

I was there all day.

Hey, y'all. Sorry we're late.

- Where is everybody? - Nobody called you?

Are you shitting me?

Fellner, Buddy and their gang left for Houston this morning. A powwow.

Peggy said if he was going, she was going. I guess all the girls jumped on that.

So, it's just us.

Better late than never.

So, Ivy tells you?

Houston.

This morning. All of them. Fellner chartered a plane.

What's in Houston?

New money.

Tonight they are Fred and Ginger!

Peter, look.

How did it get so bad so fast?

Come on, man.

Where the hell have you been?

I've been trying to build a dam.

Pick your head up every now and then, take a look around.

You're building a charity water project.

As for the company, you're nothing but a humanitarian window-dressing.

Quad Carbon came down here looking for a lucky break and we got nailed.

We've a billion-dollar pipeline that hasn't spit out a gallon yet.

Oil prices are going through the roof. We can't take advantage of it.

You know, market close today...

Quad Carbon stock down $10 and falling.

The vultures are circling.

Which vulture is in Houston?

It's Octonal.

They're the only ones big enough to come and get this thing on track.

Peter, look!

Peter, look!

Maybe you missed it, but this happens to be a big deal for me.

I think I know that.

You sure don't act like it.

Maybe it's a sign. Maybe it's just a sign that we should go home.

You tell me. This all falls apart, this goes away, what was the point?

- The point of what? - I don't know. How about everything?

How about Africa? How about Egypt? How about Thailand?

How about eight years of shit postings? Eight years of working for assholes.

Eight years of working on somebody else's bad ideas.

Wait. I don't get it here.

Suddenly the last eight years, that's just all shit now?

- Is that what I said? - I thought...

we were doing what we wanted to do.

I thought we were living our lives together.

That's not what I said. This isn't just a job!

This is everything I have prepared for my entire life!

If Jerry's right, if it's Octonal, they come in and take this over, I'm fucked!

I wouldn't get too upset about it.

Maybe Octonal wants a dam of their very own.

Octonal doesn't build dams, they kick ass.

They don't care about these people. It's all about profits.

I don't get it. What is the surprise here? You wanted to work for an oil company.

I don't work for an oil company. That's not what I'm doing here!

I'm building a dam that will save people's lives!

You are building a dam so an oil company can get a pipeline contract.

- Who cares who pays for it? - Apparently, no one!

You're drunk.

No, Peter.

This isn't us.

- Let's just go home. - Great.

That is so supportive.

You don't like this place either.

- I like the project. - I don't have a project!

Then find a fucking project!

Damn.

Use your talent, your experience.

There's got to be 25 agencies working down here.

There's food projects, health-care projects.

Any one of them would be thrilled to have you on their staff.

I don't get this.

You've hit the ground running every place we've ever gone.

I'm sorry I'm not bouncing back fast enough for you.