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Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
BEDTIME CHAT
Howard Parker sat watching his men interrogate Brigitte. Their questions, their threats of violence and their actual violence extracted no information from her. He felt both frustration and admiration for her toughness.
But soon these feeling were brushed aside by a feeling of queerness. What was that?, he thought as he watched her. And there it is again. But what was it? What made here seem so familiar?
It's that expression on her face. Who does she look like? Oh, probably some TV charact---and he stopped in mid-thought. That's who she reminds me of!
But why? The expression on his face passed from a dazed look to one of gradually enlightenment. It's all falling into place. He called his pilot over, and give him a destination.
Parker's helicopters hovered close to the large chateau in Bordeaux. The lights came on and security guards within the gates warned them away with a bullhorn, on pain of being shot down. Parker on his own bullhorn announced "I have a message your mistress will want to hear." He dropped a crumpled sheet of paper near the small door in the front gate. One of the security people retrieved and withdraw with the gate. He transcribed it, and took the contents of the message to his employer within.
Soon, the security man returned and announced that Parker might come in, alone and unarmed. The copter descended and let him off, and then retreated to the near distance, in accordance with Parker's instructions and the orders of the security people in the chateau. Parker was very thoroughly frisked and escorted within.
Parker felt acute pangs of doubt as to this risky course of action, but told himself that it was still the safest strategy, and maintained his cool.
He was escorted into the antechamber of the bedroom, and ostensibly left alone, but he knew that the room was monitored by cameras ingeniously hidden, and that beefy, well-armed security people were only a few feet away. He was alone for about a minute, when his hostess joined him.
Into the room walked Marie-Claude D'Albret in her dressing gown. Parker noticed that she was dressed in severe but elegant attire of faultless taste, except that he always felt that black was an absurdly cheerful color for Marie-Claude. She held out the transcribed note and recited its contents. "Since gibberish is your native tongue, Howard, you will translate".
"I propose a deal to our mutual benefit", he began. Marie-Claude stood impassively.
He continued, "I know that Brigitte is your daughter. As I am one of the few people who know that she has long been a loyal employee of Fong, I was puzzled by her attempt on my life tonight. What had I done to displease Fong? But I saw the look in her eyes as she was questioned, the tilt of her head, and I saw you in her."
She remained stone-faced. "Continue with your story", he said. "She is safe in the hands of my employees", he said. And Marie-Claude knew, without his explictily saying so, that that meant she could become very unsafe if Parker wished it. And Parker was glad that she knew it, for being explicit about such matters in Marie-Claude's presence was not conducive to longevity.
"Do not assume that I have such tender regard for my offspring as you do for daughter, Howard".
And he knew that this was only partly a bluff, if that. But he lead the conversation down a different path. "I see now that the target was not me: you wished to frame Fong for destruction of the Centre. I have long known that you have always blamed him for your father's death---"
"I have never blamed Fong for that. I was at my father's bedside, and I know the exact cause of his death and exactly who was responsible."
Parker recognized the brief twitch of Marie-Claude's lips as her equivalent of a smile, almost a grin. Great Scott! Was she saying that she murdered her father? Or was he reading to much into it? But more urgent matters demanded Parker's concentration, and this require some effort, as his assumptions had been severely upset.
"Then why are you so hostile to Fong? Why do you block his moves on investment after investment?"
"Because he repeatedly interferes with my investments."
Parker struggled with his confusion. "But surely you did so first?" he said in what he hoped was extremely polite and meek manner, as other manners of speaking to Marie-Claude lead to permanent loss of the ability to speak.
"No", she said flatly. "He started this when he interfered with he Mashona project, by having his Ngbendu corporation obtain all the patents."
"But Ngbendu was Mtumbo's corporation", he pointed out.
"Eventually", she said. "But he bought it from Fong."
Parker's confidence returned. He felt like grinning but was careful to merely smile politely. "He bought it from Fong shortly before you started work on the Mashona project. Indeed, I believe that it was because your started work on the Mashona project."
Marie-Claude's eyebrow raised a little. The most emotion she has shown so far, thought Parker.
"You have a strong incentive to blame Mtumbo", and Parker conceded her point.
She continued "I will of course have your story checked", she said. And re-checked, and re-re-checked, and re-re-checked, he said to himself. Assuming that she is in a trusting mood.
"Well, Marie-Claude, if you are satisfied with your investigations, I hope you will consider some proposals I would like to make tonight that will benefit us both."
"Proceed".
"I propose, first ,that any hostile policies of Fong and yourself toward each other be ended, along with hostile policies of you and I toward each other. Along with the end of outright hostility, I propose the end of all of business antagonisms between Fong and yourself, with each of you getting out of the other's way in business."
"This assumes that Fong can be persuaded to do his part", she said.
"Yes, it does assume that. But I see no reason why Fong will object, now that he knows that your blocking was not based on resentment about your father, but on your belief that he had acted against you first, and that you will therefore we willing to do your part"
He continued. "Further, I propose that we move beyond cessation of antagonism to active alliance. Nonetheless, this should remain a secret for now'.'
"From the Preacher?", she interrupted, though it sounded almost like a statement.
"Yes, from Mtumbo." He had known of distaste for the Chairman in recent years. "He must not know of this alliance until we are prepared to--ah, act"
"To strike", she said flatly.
"Right. I further propose to....propose to your daughter", he said simperingly.
Marie-Claude's features flickered briefly, in what may have been smirk or a sneer.
"It will---ahem--consummate an alliance between your faction and Fong's. Further, you will once again have a loyal representative at the Centre, at my side during all important decisions. Mtumbo, of course, does not know she is your daughter: he thinks that she is just a loyal aide to Fong. So it will simply appear that Fong and I have reconciled. He will know nothing of an alliance with you, until it is too late."
"Finally, I propose that your"---and here Parker knew that he must choose his words very carefully---"your protege, Lyle, be restored to respectability, rank and power. Though first he must continue his period of disgrace. We'll have to pretend to continue with plans to have him killed. It will do him good to be thought to be dead, until Mtumbo cools down."
"And then what?", she said, unhurriedly.
"Then I persuade Fong to vote to return him to the Centre as one of my vice-presidents. Meanwhile, you will have "changed your mind" and vote to restore him."
"Mtumbo will suspect an alliance if I join Fong in voting for something", she said.
"Well, actually, it will be Fong joining you. You can remind Mtumbo that you had, in the recent past, had a high opinion of Lyle. You can even try to persuade Mtumbo to vote with you. As to why Fong will change his long opposition to Lyle, Mtumbo will be told the truth: because I worked so hard to change Fong's mind, and Fong has always had a pretty high opinion of me."
Marie-Claude objected: "But Mtumbo will wonder why you would do such a thing as recommend your rival as your assistant, and he is very likely to figure out the real reason: because you are allying with me. And that will lead him to conclude that Fong is allying with me, and that will never do."
"He won't figure it out, because I will give him a better motive for my helping Lyle: because I just found out that he is my son."
"He is not your son. Your son is an empath."
"But we can fake all of the relevant tests." Or rather, I can let Lyle do the faking, Parker thought to himself. That way, if his fakery is every found out, I can claim innocence.
She mulled this over.
He continued, "So you would end up with two of your associates in the Centre monitoring me."
She stood there a few seconds, and then said, "I shall let you know in the morning".
But Parker thought: I haven't been in business as long as I have without recognizing when I've made a sale.
They closed the meeting, and Parker left.
Marie-Claude went into the next room, her bedroom, and announced:"You can come out now."
From under the other side of the bed, the figure of Lyle emerged in his underwear.
"You heard everything?" she asked.
"Yes, Marie-Claude".
"Good. You will dress and prepare to start work."
"You will be returning to bed very soon". His feelings were mixed, but he was careful to shoot back an unambiguous broad smile.
Howard Parker sat watching his men interrogate Brigitte. Their questions, their threats of violence and their actual violence extracted no information from her. He felt both frustration and admiration for her toughness.
But soon these feeling were brushed aside by a feeling of queerness. What was that?, he thought as he watched her. And there it is again. But what was it? What made here seem so familiar?
It's that expression on her face. Who does she look like? Oh, probably some TV charact---and he stopped in mid-thought. That's who she reminds me of!
But why? The expression on his face passed from a dazed look to one of gradually enlightenment. It's all falling into place. He called his pilot over, and give him a destination.
Parker's helicopters hovered close to the large chateau in Bordeaux. The lights came on and security guards within the gates warned them away with a bullhorn, on pain of being shot down. Parker on his own bullhorn announced "I have a message your mistress will want to hear." He dropped a crumpled sheet of paper near the small door in the front gate. One of the security people retrieved and withdraw with the gate. He transcribed it, and took the contents of the message to his employer within.
Soon, the security man returned and announced that Parker might come in, alone and unarmed. The copter descended and let him off, and then retreated to the near distance, in accordance with Parker's instructions and the orders of the security people in the chateau. Parker was very thoroughly frisked and escorted within.
Parker felt acute pangs of doubt as to this risky course of action, but told himself that it was still the safest strategy, and maintained his cool.
He was escorted into the antechamber of the bedroom, and ostensibly left alone, but he knew that the room was monitored by cameras ingeniously hidden, and that beefy, well-armed security people were only a few feet away. He was alone for about a minute, when his hostess joined him.
Into the room walked Marie-Claude D'Albret in her dressing gown. Parker noticed that she was dressed in severe but elegant attire of faultless taste, except that he always felt that black was an absurdly cheerful color for Marie-Claude. She held out the transcribed note and recited its contents. "Since gibberish is your native tongue, Howard, you will translate".
"I propose a deal to our mutual benefit", he began. Marie-Claude stood impassively.
He continued, "I know that Brigitte is your daughter. As I am one of the few people who know that she has long been a loyal employee of Fong, I was puzzled by her attempt on my life tonight. What had I done to displease Fong? But I saw the look in her eyes as she was questioned, the tilt of her head, and I saw you in her."
She remained stone-faced. "Continue with your story", he said. "She is safe in the hands of my employees", he said. And Marie-Claude knew, without his explictily saying so, that that meant she could become very unsafe if Parker wished it. And Parker was glad that she knew it, for being explicit about such matters in Marie-Claude's presence was not conducive to longevity.
"Do not assume that I have such tender regard for my offspring as you do for daughter, Howard".
And he knew that this was only partly a bluff, if that. But he lead the conversation down a different path. "I see now that the target was not me: you wished to frame Fong for destruction of the Centre. I have long known that you have always blamed him for your father's death---"
"I have never blamed Fong for that. I was at my father's bedside, and I know the exact cause of his death and exactly who was responsible."
Parker recognized the brief twitch of Marie-Claude's lips as her equivalent of a smile, almost a grin. Great Scott! Was she saying that she murdered her father? Or was he reading to much into it? But more urgent matters demanded Parker's concentration, and this require some effort, as his assumptions had been severely upset.
"Then why are you so hostile to Fong? Why do you block his moves on investment after investment?"
"Because he repeatedly interferes with my investments."
Parker struggled with his confusion. "But surely you did so first?" he said in what he hoped was extremely polite and meek manner, as other manners of speaking to Marie-Claude lead to permanent loss of the ability to speak.
"No", she said flatly. "He started this when he interfered with he Mashona project, by having his Ngbendu corporation obtain all the patents."
"But Ngbendu was Mtumbo's corporation", he pointed out.
"Eventually", she said. "But he bought it from Fong."
Parker's confidence returned. He felt like grinning but was careful to merely smile politely. "He bought it from Fong shortly before you started work on the Mashona project. Indeed, I believe that it was because your started work on the Mashona project."
Marie-Claude's eyebrow raised a little. The most emotion she has shown so far, thought Parker.
"You have a strong incentive to blame Mtumbo", and Parker conceded her point.
She continued "I will of course have your story checked", she said. And re-checked, and re-re-checked, and re-re-checked, he said to himself. Assuming that she is in a trusting mood.
"Well, Marie-Claude, if you are satisfied with your investigations, I hope you will consider some proposals I would like to make tonight that will benefit us both."
"Proceed".
"I propose, first ,that any hostile policies of Fong and yourself toward each other be ended, along with hostile policies of you and I toward each other. Along with the end of outright hostility, I propose the end of all of business antagonisms between Fong and yourself, with each of you getting out of the other's way in business."
"This assumes that Fong can be persuaded to do his part", she said.
"Yes, it does assume that. But I see no reason why Fong will object, now that he knows that your blocking was not based on resentment about your father, but on your belief that he had acted against you first, and that you will therefore we willing to do your part"
He continued. "Further, I propose that we move beyond cessation of antagonism to active alliance. Nonetheless, this should remain a secret for now'.'
"From the Preacher?", she interrupted, though it sounded almost like a statement.
"Yes, from Mtumbo." He had known of distaste for the Chairman in recent years. "He must not know of this alliance until we are prepared to--ah, act"
"To strike", she said flatly.
"Right. I further propose to....propose to your daughter", he said simperingly.
Marie-Claude's features flickered briefly, in what may have been smirk or a sneer.
"It will---ahem--consummate an alliance between your faction and Fong's. Further, you will once again have a loyal representative at the Centre, at my side during all important decisions. Mtumbo, of course, does not know she is your daughter: he thinks that she is just a loyal aide to Fong. So it will simply appear that Fong and I have reconciled. He will know nothing of an alliance with you, until it is too late."
"Finally, I propose that your"---and here Parker knew that he must choose his words very carefully---"your protege, Lyle, be restored to respectability, rank and power. Though first he must continue his period of disgrace. We'll have to pretend to continue with plans to have him killed. It will do him good to be thought to be dead, until Mtumbo cools down."
"And then what?", she said, unhurriedly.
"Then I persuade Fong to vote to return him to the Centre as one of my vice-presidents. Meanwhile, you will have "changed your mind" and vote to restore him."
"Mtumbo will suspect an alliance if I join Fong in voting for something", she said.
"Well, actually, it will be Fong joining you. You can remind Mtumbo that you had, in the recent past, had a high opinion of Lyle. You can even try to persuade Mtumbo to vote with you. As to why Fong will change his long opposition to Lyle, Mtumbo will be told the truth: because I worked so hard to change Fong's mind, and Fong has always had a pretty high opinion of me."
Marie-Claude objected: "But Mtumbo will wonder why you would do such a thing as recommend your rival as your assistant, and he is very likely to figure out the real reason: because you are allying with me. And that will lead him to conclude that Fong is allying with me, and that will never do."
"He won't figure it out, because I will give him a better motive for my helping Lyle: because I just found out that he is my son."
"He is not your son. Your son is an empath."
"But we can fake all of the relevant tests." Or rather, I can let Lyle do the faking, Parker thought to himself. That way, if his fakery is every found out, I can claim innocence.
She mulled this over.
He continued, "So you would end up with two of your associates in the Centre monitoring me."
She stood there a few seconds, and then said, "I shall let you know in the morning".
But Parker thought: I haven't been in business as long as I have without recognizing when I've made a sale.
They closed the meeting, and Parker left.
Marie-Claude went into the next room, her bedroom, and announced:"You can come out now."
From under the other side of the bed, the figure of Lyle emerged in his underwear.
"You heard everything?" she asked.
"Yes, Marie-Claude".
"Good. You will dress and prepare to start work."
"You will be returning to bed very soon". His feelings were mixed, but he was careful to shoot back an unambiguous broad smile.
