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Magnolia League · #1

Pierre was an avid smoker. It was a dirty habit he picked up in high school and couldn't seem to shake it no matter how hard he tried. There were a few times in his life he managed to kick it down a notch, even stop for a while, but it always seemed to resurface. While off inspecting troops in Tunis he had held off from drinking and smoking for two weeks, when he got back to Algiers he was craving his pleasures more than his promised office. Needless to say he was on a binge the past few days, and his non-smoking head of foreign intelligence, Étienne Raoult, did not appreciate it. "So, can your men do it?" De Gaulle blew a puff of smoke into the air. It was untargeted, but nonetheless found its way to poor Étienne's face and mildly discomforted him.

"Yes my- my men can- uh," Nervous attempts to beat the smoke away with his hands were unsuccessful. "deal with the issue. Should be able to at least. Unless the Italians are moving Fort Knox around every time their President takes a step." Pierre nodded. "Excellent news." And took another drag.

Raoult got up, judging the meeting to be over. "Does Saied know about this?"

"Yes, Étienne, Saied willingly agreed to be assassinated." Étienne uncomfortably nodded at the sarcastic insert. "Right." Something appeared to visibly disturb him. "Is there a problem, colonel?" The DGSE director shook his head, nervously. "Not at all, Chairman, the Directorate will get right to it." He turned his back on Pierre and waltzed out of the office. "I'm gonna have to get rid of him too, aren't I?"

The government of the @European Republic would within a few days receive contact from Algiers, requesting a meeting, preferably in Italy, to discuss establishing relations and future cooperation with the nation whose coasts are so near our own. The President of the Algiers Republic, Kais Saied, will personally serve as the Algerian delegate.

#2

President Mario Draghi was in his study at the Quirinale Palace, the palace the long ago wa the home of the Visconti-Sforza when they still claimed the title of Kings.

He always liked the Palace, filled with history.... And also incredible and infinite paperwork, who knew that the Pan-European dream would have been built on huge foundation of paper?

Well now it was quite the time for sentimentalism: just this morning he received an unexpected news: the exiled government of France, well the African one not the one in Quebec.. dear God there where to many French states for his tastes, sent him a message requesting a meeting to "establish relations and future cooperation" sure that was a strange way to say that wanted to talk about the French lands of the Republic. No matter he shall receive President Saied regardless, the matter now was where? Surely not in France, that could rub them in the wrong way... There was the obvious choice of Roma but.. too many think that the Republic was an Italian Empire by another name... Corsica! It is technically France true but it was distinguished enough to not warrant offense, the very Corsican requested to become their own Republic from quite some time now. He also knew about a nice place in the southern shore of the Island. Yes it was decided Corsica it was gonn host the meeting.

A reply is sent to the Republic of Algiers, saying that the European President Mario Draghi will meet President Saied in Porto Vecchio

Magnolia League · #3

He had a very peculiar way of walking, he'd always slam the back of his heel against the floor then roll the rest of the foot forward as he made a step. It made his walk audible across the entire hallway, the entire building. Pierre recognized him immediately. The office door crept open. "I don't want to hear a word of it, commandant."

Commandant Adam Corne was Head of DOS - Département des Opérations Spéciales, the division of the DGSE, the Republic's foreign intelligence agency, that handled, well, special operations that went beyond the scope of merely gathering information. A former head of the department once anonymously published a book on DOS in which he described it as the Chairman's personal hit squad. When you fell out of favor with the top, it was DOS that would come after you. Needless to say, everything about it was top secret. Pierre liked Corne. A lot more than Raoult. He had a killer instinct, a favorite feature of the de Gaulle's. "Well greetings to you too, my Chairman. I would've thought you'd be inclined to know how your mission is progressing."

"Ignorance is bliss, Adam. If I know nothing of the operation, there's no possible guilt they could pin on me for it." Corne grinned "Except that you ordered it." Pierre returned the smile. "If you do your job right, they won't even have to know that. I trust you've put your best men to the job?"

"The finest l'République can offer. Well. Not exactly. It doesn't matter. Point is, Saied will die without issue. Our assassin is already en route."

President Saied had hoped the meeting would take place in Rome, a city he considered among the most beautiful in Europe, but never mind that, he can always visit on his own time, Corsica will do. He packed his bags and departed Alger Émile Barrière International Airport, the Mélanie, the official Presidential aircraft of the Republic, arriving overhead at Figari - Sud Corse Airport a few hours later and requesting to land.

Farther north, at Marseille Provence Airport, a whistling gentleman in a baby blue button up shirt, tucked into dark navy suit pants waltzed into the airport terminal. He had a single, return ticket booked for Figari Airport. As any other passenger, he went about all the proceedings of boarding a plane; security, passport control, etc. The process went smoothly, no reason for it not to, he was a full European French citizen, and had nothing suspicious on him or in his luggage. Seemingly your average Joe tourist. A bit strange he was alone, but hey, some people are just lonely, right? When his plane arrived he boarded, found his seat, and dozed off to sleep...

#4

Permission is immediately granted to President Saied plane. He would be welcome at the airport by European Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić-Radman. Both men would be escorted by a small contingent of European Cuirassiers, dressed in the dark blue of the European Army dress uniform, to the Grand Hotel of Porto Vecchio that has the best vista on the sea in Corsica.

Infinitos Mundos