The roar rang out across the entire floor.
The birds perched on the surrounding branches were startled into the sky, too, chirping away as though answering the roar.
What had happened?
No matter the world, enjoying a spectacle was human nature.
The timid poked their heads into the corridor and looked toward the source of the noise, while the bold walked straight out of their offices and ran over to gather near the office it had come from.
"Gilbert Yaméogo, in the name of the National Security Committee, I formally arrest you for treason. This is the arrest warrant signed by the Supreme Court."
A young officer wore a military uniform, but no rank insignia.
He slapped a sheet of paper bearing the Supreme Court's red seal against the face of a short, fat, middle-aged official.
Once the official had read what was on the paper and fear showed in his eyes,
the young officer waved behind him, and several soldiers immediately stepped forward at his signal and restrained the official.
Only after he had been dragged out of the office like a heap of mud did he barely recover from his stunned surprise. Then he began struggling wildly.
"No, I haven't betrayed the country! You're slandering me!"
"You have no right to arrest me! You can't take me away!"
"Let go of me! I order you to let go!"
But however he struggled, the soldiers held him firmly in their grasp. He could not stir up even a single ripple.
Only then did the people around them finally understand what had happened.
"I knew this fellow was no good. See? He's been arrested!"
"Treason?! That serious a charge?"
"Won't that mean ten or twenty years behind bars?"
"What? Ten or twenty years behind bars? Have you forgotten what happened to Shengdido and his crowd? They vanished off the face of the earth."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Look at that potbelly. It looks lovely when it jiggles. What a waste not to take up belly dancing."
Hearing the comments around him, Yaméogo looked toward them as he was about to be taken away. Something seemed to occur to him, and then, like a drowning man clutching at his last straw, he made a startling declaration:
"Do you think you'll get away?"
"I haven't betrayed the country at all! Sankara completely fabricated this charge against me! He's carrying out a political purge to make room for his own people!"
"I'm the one being arrested today. Tomorrow, it'll be you!"
"..."
Everyone around him froze at Yaméogo's words.
"Pfft-"
But the next second, someone laughed, then said:
"Oh, stop pretending. As if we don't know what kind of person you are."
"Before, I might have believed your bullshit. But starting today, I'm the president's most loyal supporter. I won't believe a single word you say."
Those few words snapped everyone around them awake.
"Fuck you! You almost bluffed me, you bastard."
"You must have betrayed the country!"
"Exactly! If you didn't commit treason, why are they only arresting you and not us?"
"I'm the president's most loyal dog. How could I believe your bullshit?"
"I still think all that flab of yours belongs in belly dancing!"
It was just as that person had said.
Before, they certainly would have believed Yaméogo's words. For the sake of their own interests, they might have stepped forward to intervene after hearing them.
But now, you were saying that someone willing to pay all of us the six months of back wages the previous president owed would slander you? And you wanted to incite us to stir up trouble?
Was there something seriously wrong with you?
You must have betrayed the country to be spouting such divisive words!
Amid everyone's contempt, and the even colder gazes of the National Security Committee's soldiers, Yaméogo sank into utter despair and was taken away like a dead fish.
Watching Yaméogo being led away, everyone knew that if they ever saw him again, it would probably be in some grave out in the wilderness.
"All right, stop looking. What's there to see? Rather than stand here staring at Yaméogo's fat, which is practically dripping grease, you'd be better off going back to count your money!"
Only then did everyone remember their real business, and they scattered at once.
The next day.
Saturday, December 4.
Élysée Palace, Fourth French Republic.
North African Strategic Intelligence Bureau.
Inside a luxurious conference room.
"I now seriously suspect that there really is a spy planted by that brat Sankara among us!"
The director of the North African Strategic Intelligence Bureau wore a dark expression. His voice was calm but restrained, like the stillness before a storm.
And that was exactly what it proved to be.
Bang-
After finishing that sentence, he slammed the documents in his hand down hard, producing a loud crash that startled every official present.
Then the director of the North African Strategic Intelligence Bureau roared:
"Otherwise, how did they know which spies we'd sent? How did they know who we'd bought off? How could they know in such detail?"
"During this period, we planted or bought off twenty-three people in total. And yesterday afternoon, that bastard Sankara ordered all twenty-three of them executed!"
"Could there be such a coincidence?"
"Tell me! Could there be such a coincidence?"
"..."
Facing their immediate superior's fury, everyone bowed their heads deeply, practically wishing they could bury them in the ground.
It was as though they feared that towering fury would come crashing down on their heads and kill them.
The director of the North African Strategic Intelligence Bureau was still bellowing, spittle flying.
Only after roaring and bellowing for nearly half an hour did he finally manage to calm down somewhat.
He sat back in his seat, took a deep breath, and reassured them in an even tone:
"What I said just now was only spoken in anger. Don't take it to heart. As your director, I still believe in your loyalty to the country. So does the president."
Hearing this, everyone, having been berated for a full half hour and frightened into fidgeting in their seats, could not help breathing a sigh of relief.
But the next second, the director of the North African Strategic Intelligence Bureau changed tack, sending their newly settled hearts dangling again.
"But!"
"There is definitely something wrong with the Republic of Burkina being able to identify the spies we planted and bought off within their borders so quickly and accurately."
"I don't care what methods you use. You must give me an explanation for this in one week, or I'll hand you over as the explanation. Understood?"
"Understood, Director!"
Everyone immediately answered.
"Very good!"
The director of the North African Strategic Intelligence Bureau nodded in satisfaction, then continued:
"Back to what we were discussing at the beginning!"
"Although Sankara signed all the previous treaties after taking office, his current actions, especially this sum of money he obtained from who knows where, further confirm our suspicions."
"Sankara is not someone willing to obey!"
"The Republic of Burkina occupies a very important position. It is the key to whether we can securely control all of Western North Africa. Once the Republic of Burkina slips out of our control, the whole of Western North Africa could descend into chaos."
"Since overthrowing Sankara's rule by planting and buying off spies is no longer possible, we can only resort to our final measure..."
"Support the anti-government forces within their country, start a civil war, and overthrow Sankara's rule by force, thereby maintaining our French rule over the Republic of Burkina, and even all of Western North Africa!"