Golgo 13 9

Golgo 13, Special Edition Volume 2, Chapter 9 (pp. 180~222)


<180&181>
Côte d'Azure

TH-TH-TH-THUD...

VWHII—R
SHWII—SH

=François Guillot... The man holding 20% of the world's black market gold...


<182>
VW-VW—IISH

WHUP

=Huh!!


<183>
=Under the jumping board!!
=He'll dive underwater and return to shore unnoticed... The work of a pro!!


<184>
Part 1: Strategy of the Sheep

Basel, Switzerland, Bank for International Settlements


<185>
=We must eliminate black market gold at all costs!!

=Our reputation as the world's Honorable Sheep is at stake!! The prosperity we've created, the trust we've gained from clients around the world. All of it will be ruined!!

=But the gold smugglers have also deposited tremendous amounts of money into our banks...

=True, those men are among our best clients, but regardless!!
=As a key part of the EEC, we need to think carefully about our situation!! This is our greatest trial! Those men are smuggling huge amounts of gold across borders, raising them huge profits and wrecking the balance of the world's gold market. This is a huge blow to the world economy. Even the pound and franc are beginning to lose standing!!
[note]EEC; European Economic Community


<186>
=H-However, our banks have a reputation for confidentiality. We've done business with every spectrum of society. We've never questioned how the money was made. Even when the client refuses to appear before us!! We've put trust and absolute secrecy before anything else, even during times of global warfare, when we crafted our reputations as the guardians of fortune. To break this ironclad rule... And in such a manner...

=Indeed!! That is correct!! We are the guardians. And we have unquestioning trust from our clients around the world!!

=However!!
=Our reputation has now been shrouded with doubt!!

=They are not guardians as we are!!
=Once they run out of gold, they'll switch to drugs. Anything to continue their profits... Can we do the same!?

=No!!
=We are the eternal guardians!!

=H-However, we are sheep with no teeth or claws... How will we fight them?

=I thank you all for your approval!!
=You see, I've already made arrangements...

=A wolf has been hired and sent to the Côte d'Azure!!


<187>
=The penultimate purveyor of his industry!! A man of absolute secrecy!!

BE-BEEP—
KASHUCK
What is it!?

=An emergency message!!
=You may enter!!

=Oh!!


<188>
=François Guillot has been killed!!
=Done 2 hours ago!!

=Oh!!

=Next is Oleg Konstantin...

=Yes!?
CHUK

=An international call, from Riviera!!
=What!?

=Forward it to my secret line!!

WH-WHIRR...

=Mr. Dwight D. Greenhill?
=Y-You!! I-Isn't it dangerous to call me directly...?

=Don't worry!! I'm calling using a special codec. Trust me on this...

=A-Anyways, your work is impeccable!! I've just gotten word about Guillot.

=I wasn't the one who killed Guillot!!
=Wh-What did you say, Golgo 13!?


<189>
=Wh-Why...?
=Then who...?

Part 2: Rainy Saint-Tropez

[x2]VUSSSH—

Saint-Tropez, Côte d'Azure


<191>
BATHUMP

=Mr. Schwarz, the master will be heading out in an hour. Is there anything out of the ordinary...?
=None at all!!

=No chance with us guarding him!!

=Uh...
=Is there something outside?

=Hah-hah... Take a look!!
=Right where I'm holding it.

=Heh-heh-heh...


<192>
=Hick!!

=Surprised, old man? Car sex is what's hot right now!!
=Look at 'em!! They've been at it for almost an hour!!

=Wonderful!! A-Ah...
=Rainy Saint-Tropez!! Lovely Saint-Tropez!!


<193>
=The Schwarz brothers, huh...
=Harder, love me harder!!

=A-Ah...


<194>
Part 3: The Assassins

S-SQUEEAK

VRRR....

SHWICK


<195>
=A bulletproofed Rolls Royce, huh...
VRRR

RRR—


<196>
Part 4: Night at the Casino

Nice, Côte d'Azure


<197>
[x4]CLACK

=Red 18!!


<198>
=Mr. Dwight D. Greenhill?
=Don't worry!! I'm calling using a special codec. Trust me on this...

=So who was the one who eliminated Guillot?
=H-How would I know such a thing...

=You're saying you didn't hire anyone else besides me?
=Of course not!!

=Are there any others who would want him dead!?
=We've done a lot of investigating on him, but...

=So you're the only ones with a strong motive, huh...

=Hm...

=What about Oleg Konstantin!?
=Impossible!!

=They were + and −. Oleg the buyer, Guillot the supplier!!
=What does that mean!?

=Explain in a way I can understand!!
=All right... Let's say there are two countries.


<199>
=Oleg buys up the black market gold in Country A, and Guillot sells it in Country B!! Country A has a shortage of gold, and Country B gets an excess... Creating a disparity. Then Oleg buys cheaply in Country B, and Guillot sells highly in Country A!!

=Understood...

GACHINK

=It would be natural for him to grow cautious now that Guillot is dead!! However... Even after employing the Schwarz brothers, he should at least attempt to discover the identity of Guillot's killer... That would be for his own safety, as well. But Oleg is over there laughing...

=Well, let's call it a night, shall we?
=I'm tired. Of making so much money. Hah-hah-hah...

=Greenhill described them as + and −, but it wouldn't be out of the question for them to try and take each other out...


<200>
=I'll take him out after I've figured out who killed Guillot, and who hired him... Only after I know for sure who revealed my presence!!

Part 5: Centaurus

=My, take a look.


<201>
=How handsome! If only...
=He could see, right? Hoh-hoh-hoh...

=My, what are you laughing for!?
=I mean, if he were able to see, we wouldn't even merit a glance from him!!

=How rude!! But that's the sad reality, I suppose. Hoh-hoh-hoh...

=Seeing Eye dogs are loyal, aren't they...
=They obey their masters' every word, and never abandon them, no matter what. They're even better-mannered than humans...

ZWU—SH

=Oh, what about that man who just got off the elevator?
=Aren't you a busy one!!


<202>
=Huh!!

RRRR

=Centaurus!!

=I'm terribly sorry. Please forgive him.
=Ah... No need...

=Centaurus never acts like this to anyone...
=What's gotten into you today, Centaurus?

RRR...


<203>
=Is something the matter? Mr. Ixion!!
=Ah, no...

=Ixion, the world's first murderer and his son, the half-man half-beast Centaurus... Names from the legends... Huh.


<204>
ZUP...

SHLICK

PH—EW

=An international call, please...
=Yes, where to?


<205>
=Yes...
SHUK
=Finance minister Pompadour is at the casino, and would like to meet with Mr. Oleg...

=The minister says he is waiting at the casino.

=He'll be down shortly!!

GACHUCK
TING...

=He said he'll be down shortly, Centaurus!! Hah-hah...

=Now... Let's go...


<206>
Part 6: The Professional; Ixion

=The blind man is Ixion. The dog with him is named Centaurus...

=Right, Ixion!! No, he's most certainly the same as me... A professional!! Yes, look into it at once!!

=All right!! I'll be waiting...
=I'll send the money the usual way.

GACHUCK

=They're going to call me back!! I'll be waiting in the lobby.
=Yes, of course... Mr. Togo, was it?


<207>
WHII—R

ZWHII—SH

=Huh!

=Ugh!
ZWUSH

GABA—NG
BAAA—NG
GAWII—NG


<208>
=Uh—Mr. Togo, You have a phone call!!

CHUK

=Yes, it's me...

=I see... I thought so...
=Thank you...

GABA—NG
BAAA—NG
GAWII—NG
=Huh!

=W-Weren't those gun shots just now!?
=Th-They were definitely gunshots!!
=M-My, how dreadful!!


<209>
ZWII—SH
ZWUSH

=Y-Yes!

=F-Fourth floor!!

DASH


<210>
TH-TH-THUD

WHII—SH

[x2]DASH

=My, it's you again...

=Seems that your dog knows how to dive underwater...
=Even 30 meters deep into the ocean...


<211>
=That would get you an easy ride over to the jumping board...

=Can you tell me your name.
=Golgo 13...

=Very well... I understand... And?
=Tomorrow at 5 am on the eastern beach. Be prepared.

=It was unlucky for us two professionals to meet... You and I both work alone...

=Once another in the same trade discovers your identity... Then it's either you or them!!

=When Centaurus growled at you, I'd already decided on you as my next target.

=We'll meet again early morning...


<212>
Part 7: Stained in the Sun...


<214>
=You're early...

=My blindness... It forces me to wait for my opponents to make their move...

=Who hired you, Ixion...?

=Oleg!!
=Oleg Constantin!!

=So + and − shorted out, huh...

=The reason was simple!! The Middle-Eastern black market was busted, and a huge amount of gold was confiscated!! That was Oleg's territory!! With no gold, Oleg was in trouble, but Guillot refused to lower his price!! It drove Oleg mad!!

=I understand you're the one who was hired by Oleg to kill Guillot... But why did you kill Oleg?

=He took advantage of my blindness and paid me in counterfeit bills. Then he had the Schwarz brothers come after me!!


<215>
=I might've let him live if he'd stopped there!!

=However... He called me something he should never have...
=A deformity!

=I hope you came prepared...
=Please...
=Ready when you are...

=He may be blind, but the speed of his draw and his accuracy are beyond belief... Even you might not be able to best him head-on!!


<216>
TICK...


<217>
ZASH

BWUP

BAGOO—M

ZLAT
BWII—NG

ZASH

=Ugh!


<218>
GABAA—NG

ZLAT
TWII—NG

GABAA—NG

BLAT

[x4]BARK


<219>
=T-To throw away your weapon... In front of your opponent...

=Ce-Centaurus!! Wh-Where are you!?
[x2]*whimper—*

[x2]*whimper—*

ZLAT

THUD...

[x2]*whimper—*


<220>
GABAA—NG
GGG...


Published May, 1969.