14-04-2019, 12:27 PM
"I'll get that quadrillion selling the later models to the right governments and organizations, but the penny has, indeed dropped, Helena. What could I offer them that was better than Springheel? More Springheels!"
"But you see, you have to GET it first." She turned to Lee. "And he's not going to do that, because I want it, so that's what's going to happen. Here, then, is my counter-proposal to the Elders. Don't worry, you'll remember every word of it: Sever all ties with this man. If the hit hasn't really been called off, do it. That human trafficking ring had to already be in place for someone to have thought it'd be a good idea to stop in San Finzione; I want that gone, too. Any operations they have in San Finzione are to cease immediately. Because once I am done with this man and the Auction, I will be stopping in China to pay a formal visit on the way home. I won't be stopping in Hong Kong to see them, though. I'll be going to visit HIM. The one whom THEY call 'Elder!' The one who gave me the very special name that had once belonged to another who was special to him, and the reason I knew that this was someone else from the moment I heard the rumor about women being moved through MY country! Because HE returns my respect! Raymond Chen was a misunderstanding. This," She gestured to Whyte. "Is an insult, and The Viper shall have satisfaction. Now, I suggest you go give the Elders the news before Whyte's hit team shows up." She turned toward the man in the helmet. "Because that's Plan B, in case Lee wasn't smart enough to shoot me before I said a fucking word, isn't it, Leonard?"
"I gave the go order while we've been speaking, yes, Helena. And Mr. Lee, she's right. This IS, in fact, a complete set-up, but for her. And unless she permits you to pick up your weapons, which she won't, then you won't do it. You and your men are now officially unarmed bystanders in all of this, so, you may wish to start running."
Lee stood up and called for the others to flee before running into the crate maze, leaving Helen and Mander alone with Whyte's surrogate. Helen leaned forward, her elbows on the table, cupping her had with her hands, like a girl on a date with a dreamy boy in a 1950s-movie soda shoppe. She sighed at him.
"Have I ever told you that I have a thing for older guys, Leonard? The saddest part of all of this is that right up until YOU dropped a name that you shouldn't have, the 'get in my pants' option was NOT off the table."
"Que sera sera. Whatever will be, will be." Whyte sang. "But I gave them fair warning per your rules, Contessa. Oh, feel free to finish the cigarette you've left burning in the ash tray. Last one and such, only fitting."
"Oh, no. That's why I got this pack out, instead." Helen said, producing a new cigarette from the case and lighting it. "The chemical we coated those ones with makes them taste nasty after the first few puffs. You know, everyone says smoking is bad for me, but this is the second time that they've come in really handy in a situation like this in the past year."
"Hmm." Whyte Hmmed. "Naughty girl. You've got a cigarette case, but you came in smoking from a pack that you threw away without finishing! Some kind of tracking powder on them? Been idly tossing dogends out the window on your way here?"
"Right up to the door. You got one, Leonard, nice work! I figured your jammers couldn't do infrared as well, so just had to leave a trail that could be followed from the air. The Ultimados were about ten minutes behind us in the helicopter. So, in case Lee wasn't scared enough before, he's probably being rounded up by my people, standing over the bodies of the people you just wasted right now. I don't know if you have any investments in adult diaper stocks in Hong Kong, Leonard, but they're about to have a good week."
"Well, I didn't waste all my people in one go. You'll get a proper meeting soon enough." On the screen, Whyte looked down at his watch. "Say, it HAS been something of a long day, hasn't it, Contessa? What's say we both get a good night's rest and pick it up in the morning? Ten-ish? Oh, but wait. There's two things. The first is the guy in the helmet here. He's a loose end, who knows what you might get out of him. And second... well, he did take my money, so he's no longer innocent, is he?"
Fizzing and whining sounds came from the helmet. Mander figured it out and grabbed a leg of the card table. He shoved Helen down to the floor, shielded her with his body, and himself with the cheap folding table, placing it between them and the man in the helmet.
"Damn, the Southern Fairy got it in time! Well, see you in the morning if you live, Helena. Ta-ta." Whyte said on the screen, before the helmet erupted into a fiery mass, taking whoever's head was inside with it.
* * *
"But you see, you have to GET it first." She turned to Lee. "And he's not going to do that, because I want it, so that's what's going to happen. Here, then, is my counter-proposal to the Elders. Don't worry, you'll remember every word of it: Sever all ties with this man. If the hit hasn't really been called off, do it. That human trafficking ring had to already be in place for someone to have thought it'd be a good idea to stop in San Finzione; I want that gone, too. Any operations they have in San Finzione are to cease immediately. Because once I am done with this man and the Auction, I will be stopping in China to pay a formal visit on the way home. I won't be stopping in Hong Kong to see them, though. I'll be going to visit HIM. The one whom THEY call 'Elder!' The one who gave me the very special name that had once belonged to another who was special to him, and the reason I knew that this was someone else from the moment I heard the rumor about women being moved through MY country! Because HE returns my respect! Raymond Chen was a misunderstanding. This," She gestured to Whyte. "Is an insult, and The Viper shall have satisfaction. Now, I suggest you go give the Elders the news before Whyte's hit team shows up." She turned toward the man in the helmet. "Because that's Plan B, in case Lee wasn't smart enough to shoot me before I said a fucking word, isn't it, Leonard?"
"I gave the go order while we've been speaking, yes, Helena. And Mr. Lee, she's right. This IS, in fact, a complete set-up, but for her. And unless she permits you to pick up your weapons, which she won't, then you won't do it. You and your men are now officially unarmed bystanders in all of this, so, you may wish to start running."
Lee stood up and called for the others to flee before running into the crate maze, leaving Helen and Mander alone with Whyte's surrogate. Helen leaned forward, her elbows on the table, cupping her had with her hands, like a girl on a date with a dreamy boy in a 1950s-movie soda shoppe. She sighed at him.
"Have I ever told you that I have a thing for older guys, Leonard? The saddest part of all of this is that right up until YOU dropped a name that you shouldn't have, the 'get in my pants' option was NOT off the table."
"Que sera sera. Whatever will be, will be." Whyte sang. "But I gave them fair warning per your rules, Contessa. Oh, feel free to finish the cigarette you've left burning in the ash tray. Last one and such, only fitting."
"Oh, no. That's why I got this pack out, instead." Helen said, producing a new cigarette from the case and lighting it. "The chemical we coated those ones with makes them taste nasty after the first few puffs. You know, everyone says smoking is bad for me, but this is the second time that they've come in really handy in a situation like this in the past year."
"Hmm." Whyte Hmmed. "Naughty girl. You've got a cigarette case, but you came in smoking from a pack that you threw away without finishing! Some kind of tracking powder on them? Been idly tossing dogends out the window on your way here?"
"Right up to the door. You got one, Leonard, nice work! I figured your jammers couldn't do infrared as well, so just had to leave a trail that could be followed from the air. The Ultimados were about ten minutes behind us in the helicopter. So, in case Lee wasn't scared enough before, he's probably being rounded up by my people, standing over the bodies of the people you just wasted right now. I don't know if you have any investments in adult diaper stocks in Hong Kong, Leonard, but they're about to have a good week."
"Well, I didn't waste all my people in one go. You'll get a proper meeting soon enough." On the screen, Whyte looked down at his watch. "Say, it HAS been something of a long day, hasn't it, Contessa? What's say we both get a good night's rest and pick it up in the morning? Ten-ish? Oh, but wait. There's two things. The first is the guy in the helmet here. He's a loose end, who knows what you might get out of him. And second... well, he did take my money, so he's no longer innocent, is he?"
Fizzing and whining sounds came from the helmet. Mander figured it out and grabbed a leg of the card table. He shoved Helen down to the floor, shielded her with his body, and himself with the cheap folding table, placing it between them and the man in the helmet.
"Damn, the Southern Fairy got it in time! Well, see you in the morning if you live, Helena. Ta-ta." Whyte said on the screen, before the helmet erupted into a fiery mass, taking whoever's head was inside with it.
* * *
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