he sat on the floor , leaned his back against the bed , closed his eyes , and imagined plot after plot , scene after scene , in which he and his comrades in arms fooled , tricked , duped , and otherwise discombobulated her and her associates , all of which ended with the stolen cash under his control ( well , ok , under the colonels control ) and laleh begging him ( well , ok , the colonel ) for mercy and forgiveness .