24-05-2019, 04:14 PM
Maria gave them both a "ciao" and went to leave. Once he was sure she was out of earshot, Mander spoke to Helen again.
"You sure it's a good idea makin' Her Princessness go be on TV for Your Countessness? If Dietz ain't thought of trying to get to you through her, he certainly will after you've got her on the tele handing big checks to organizations you've chosen specifically to piss him off."
Helen had considered it. However, since Mander was pointing it out, it was worth analyzing the decision, so she did so again for a moment before replying.
"Risk of the job of being Contessa. The job she's trained for all her life. She's ok. I'd never put her in any danger; there are Ultimados waiting for her at every stop, snipers to cover her transit most of the way in-between. Since Dietz's information is spotty, everything has been set up in advance to say that 'Lady Maria will be presenting in La Contessa's absence.' So, she's safe. He might SEE Maria, but she'll make it clear that I'm the one making the donation, so again, Dietz will learn who the big dog is. Using her to get to me worked once, when we met; and it's not going to work again."
"Yeah, Igazi and the tossers ya bombed back into the Stone Age are enough to make sure she's safe from kidnappers in Uongo, too. Mostly because, with all you've done for their country, you and Her Princessness get songs written about you there. Not punk; ones where you ain't'some bleedin' Euro royal like all the rest!' But also because nobody wants to risk the wrath of that big long name they gave ya, either."
"She-Demon Who Birthed All Witches." Helen corrected. "It's still my favorite; although, as of yesterday, 'San Finzione's Final Boss Monster' is moving up the charts. I was thinking yesterday how, if there's a country where a big-time racist won't find a friendly face to turn to, Uongo would be number one, right above San Finzione. I'll let 'em have the title."
"Yeah. Well, it sounds like you've got her well-protected, then. Long as they know she's not you."
"And I don't see how they could possibly do that. It's my picture all over the country, it's me who's in the tourism ads; if we weren't on the Euro and the San Finzione Lira still existed, I'd be the big face on the front and Maria would be the small one on the back. One of those things Vincenzo changed, like rewriting our National Anthem into something more positive and less racist to The Swiss. Maybe, if some shop's still selling pictures of Maria's Royal Portrait, they might grab the wrong one; or go someplace like Stavro's office and see both our pictures there. Stavro's a special case, though. Maria's his girlfriend, so of course HE'D leave that lovely portrait of her hanging on the wall near mine. Maria's only Contessa-In-Reggenza, 'countess in regency,' when I'm gone or something happens."
"Hell, we know they didn't come by plane, cause nobody could miss that 20-foot portrait of you in all green wearing the Crown Jewels that happily welcomes everyone once they leave the terminal proper to get their bags." Mander thought another moment. "Ya know, killin' the royals and taking their castle was a stock Nazi move. Demoralizes the People. Looking up at the castle every day and not seeing your flag and your royals cause they ain't comin' back, but Hitler's flag and goons crawling all over what used to be where ya once turned for Law & Justice & such. Supresses their will to fight."
"Yeah, it had the opposite effect in San Finzione..." Helen replied, considering Mander's words.
"Well, I think we can rule out 'too stupid an idea to try again' with these guys..."
Helen saw Mander's point. She put her cigarette in the ash tray and sprinted after Maria. Mander followed her at a run, but Helen was widening the gap between them toward the exit she knew Maria would take from the Castle.
* * *
Outside, Potentially Useful saw a Ferrari being brought up to the entrance. He nudged Not-As-Bad-As-Dummkopf to get him to look. The other two men with them had neither pleased nor displeased Dietz enough to get names yet.
"You see?" He whispered in German. "That's the car of a Contessa!" Not-As-Bad-As-Dummkopf nodded agreement and both men alerted the other two, who piled into the tank.
They'd only managed to load a few shells and belts for the machine gun on top. It would have to be enough. The other three took positions as Potentially Useful peeked out the scope.
Lady Maria Louisa Francesca de San Finzione walked down the steps toward her Ferrari California. As she rounded the car to get in the driver's side, the servant who'd brought it held her door.
"It's her!" Potentially Useful hissed. "Start her up!"
Maria heard noise coming from the direction of the set. She saw smoke billow from one of the Panzer tanks as its engine came to life. She looked over that direction and spoke to the servant.
"What is that?" She asked him as she handed him the checks and he placed them on the passenger seat. "They are not filming today."
"The gate guard says they're here to do maintenance on the vehicles."
As the tank started to move, Maria looked closer at the set.
"All of those old war machines and they only brought one van?" She asked.
The Panzer lurched forward as Maria tossed the checks into the car and got in.
"Run!" She told the servant. "Run for your life!"
Maria clicked on her seatbelt and looked in the rear-view mirror at the tank chugging to speed and the barrel of it's main gun turning to face Maria's car.
* * *
"You sure it's a good idea makin' Her Princessness go be on TV for Your Countessness? If Dietz ain't thought of trying to get to you through her, he certainly will after you've got her on the tele handing big checks to organizations you've chosen specifically to piss him off."
Helen had considered it. However, since Mander was pointing it out, it was worth analyzing the decision, so she did so again for a moment before replying.
"Risk of the job of being Contessa. The job she's trained for all her life. She's ok. I'd never put her in any danger; there are Ultimados waiting for her at every stop, snipers to cover her transit most of the way in-between. Since Dietz's information is spotty, everything has been set up in advance to say that 'Lady Maria will be presenting in La Contessa's absence.' So, she's safe. He might SEE Maria, but she'll make it clear that I'm the one making the donation, so again, Dietz will learn who the big dog is. Using her to get to me worked once, when we met; and it's not going to work again."
"Yeah, Igazi and the tossers ya bombed back into the Stone Age are enough to make sure she's safe from kidnappers in Uongo, too. Mostly because, with all you've done for their country, you and Her Princessness get songs written about you there. Not punk; ones where you ain't'some bleedin' Euro royal like all the rest!' But also because nobody wants to risk the wrath of that big long name they gave ya, either."
"She-Demon Who Birthed All Witches." Helen corrected. "It's still my favorite; although, as of yesterday, 'San Finzione's Final Boss Monster' is moving up the charts. I was thinking yesterday how, if there's a country where a big-time racist won't find a friendly face to turn to, Uongo would be number one, right above San Finzione. I'll let 'em have the title."
"Yeah. Well, it sounds like you've got her well-protected, then. Long as they know she's not you."
"And I don't see how they could possibly do that. It's my picture all over the country, it's me who's in the tourism ads; if we weren't on the Euro and the San Finzione Lira still existed, I'd be the big face on the front and Maria would be the small one on the back. One of those things Vincenzo changed, like rewriting our National Anthem into something more positive and less racist to The Swiss. Maybe, if some shop's still selling pictures of Maria's Royal Portrait, they might grab the wrong one; or go someplace like Stavro's office and see both our pictures there. Stavro's a special case, though. Maria's his girlfriend, so of course HE'D leave that lovely portrait of her hanging on the wall near mine. Maria's only Contessa-In-Reggenza, 'countess in regency,' when I'm gone or something happens."
"Hell, we know they didn't come by plane, cause nobody could miss that 20-foot portrait of you in all green wearing the Crown Jewels that happily welcomes everyone once they leave the terminal proper to get their bags." Mander thought another moment. "Ya know, killin' the royals and taking their castle was a stock Nazi move. Demoralizes the People. Looking up at the castle every day and not seeing your flag and your royals cause they ain't comin' back, but Hitler's flag and goons crawling all over what used to be where ya once turned for Law & Justice & such. Supresses their will to fight."
"Yeah, it had the opposite effect in San Finzione..." Helen replied, considering Mander's words.
"Well, I think we can rule out 'too stupid an idea to try again' with these guys..."
Helen saw Mander's point. She put her cigarette in the ash tray and sprinted after Maria. Mander followed her at a run, but Helen was widening the gap between them toward the exit she knew Maria would take from the Castle.
* * *
Outside, Potentially Useful saw a Ferrari being brought up to the entrance. He nudged Not-As-Bad-As-Dummkopf to get him to look. The other two men with them had neither pleased nor displeased Dietz enough to get names yet.
"You see?" He whispered in German. "That's the car of a Contessa!" Not-As-Bad-As-Dummkopf nodded agreement and both men alerted the other two, who piled into the tank.
They'd only managed to load a few shells and belts for the machine gun on top. It would have to be enough. The other three took positions as Potentially Useful peeked out the scope.
Lady Maria Louisa Francesca de San Finzione walked down the steps toward her Ferrari California. As she rounded the car to get in the driver's side, the servant who'd brought it held her door.
"It's her!" Potentially Useful hissed. "Start her up!"
Maria heard noise coming from the direction of the set. She saw smoke billow from one of the Panzer tanks as its engine came to life. She looked over that direction and spoke to the servant.
"What is that?" She asked him as she handed him the checks and he placed them on the passenger seat. "They are not filming today."
"The gate guard says they're here to do maintenance on the vehicles."
As the tank started to move, Maria looked closer at the set.
"All of those old war machines and they only brought one van?" She asked.
The Panzer lurched forward as Maria tossed the checks into the car and got in.
"Run!" She told the servant. "Run for your life!"
Maria clicked on her seatbelt and looked in the rear-view mirror at the tank chugging to speed and the barrel of it's main gun turning to face Maria's car.
* * *
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