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Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
Mtumbo sat in the President's office at the Centre, with his bodyguard at the doors inside and out. Parker was on the run. His successor, Lyle, was out of the office on one of Mtumbo's errands, much to the relief of Lyle, who was finding dealing with his boss increasingly stressful. Mtumbo was awaiting the arrival of his last appointment, Charles Vendome, Marie-Claude's D'Albret's representative. He had claimed to have an urgent message from Marie-Claude
A noise was heard out in the front lobby. One of the bodyguards pulled out a gun and opened the door to check when the secretary came in, very flustered. "Madamoiselle D'Albret has arrived."
Mtumbo raised his eyebrows, but said "Show her in".
Marie-Claude entered wearing an understated but luxurious black formal outfit.
"Your man at the door must be new: he didn't recognize me. Have someone clean him up."
She put out her cigarette in the hand of the nearest bodyguard, who stifled a groan.
A seat was offered to her and she accepted. Pulling off her gloves, she said "This is too important to handle through an intermediary". Mtumbo signalled his bodyguards to wait outside.
"What is it, Marie-Claude?".
She proceeded to spell out her concerns on a number of business topics, and Mtumbo discussed them with her for about an hour. All were matters of some importance and it was quite reasonable of Marie-Claude to be concerned about them. But Mtumbo did not think that these issues were what really concerned her. None of them was extremely important, and none was truly urgent. Moreover, her manner was odd. She seemed more demonstrative than Mtumbo had ever seen her. It was not like the icy Marie-Claude he had always known. Eventually, she had proposed eliminating one of their business problems by eliminating a certain business rival.
Mtumbo said that he was aghast at such an unscrupulous suggestion.
"You hippocrite, Tummy!", she said. "You have ordered the murders of many in your time."
"There is a difference. Those were all necessary for a greater good----for the glory of mankind, the future of our species, the---"
Her withering laughter gradually rose in volume to drown him out.
Such rudeness was unheard of within the Triumvirate! DIsrespect was non-existent there, he mused. Certainly, the Triumvirs seldom liked each other, but they were very careful to make no insult and show no disrespect to each other. For all knew that one's opponent today may become one's ally tomorrow, and vice versa, and to risk permanently alienating another Triumvir meant that one would be permanently in the minority, which could be very bad for one's business and for one's health. Yes, I have never heard of such a thing.......except once, in the case of Kl---
His mind snapped away from such unproductive thinking. To the matter at hand. She was still talking.
"The real difference between us is this. I would run over my own grandmother if she got in my way. You would go out of your way to run over your grandmother, and enjoy it, and then you would make a speech as to how it was necessary for one of your greater goods. And you would half convince yourself!"
She had stood and gathered her purse, and was putting on her gloves to leave in a huff. But her tone was mocking rather than angry. As she passed through the doors she turned and winked at Mtumbo. "Au r'voir, Tum-tum." Then she winked with the other eye. Very strange, thought Mtumbo.
The only way she would be so openly disrespectful against me was if she did not expect to have to deal with me much longer. So she must be planning to make a move against me. I don't know what it is , but I do know it cannot be with Fong's help, with their history. In any case, we can no longer stick to our timetable, and deal with her next year. I must call Fong, and arrange something very soon.
Mtumbo telephoned Fong, and scheduled a meeting a Mtumbo's estate that evening.
I must take with me only people I can trust, Mtumbo thought. Well, at least the people I mistrust least. Seko, Waza, and Cox---he must be recalled from pursuing Parker. Eliminating the old fool can wait; he is, as the Americans say, a "has been". Mtumbo alerted these trusted aids and ordered his helicopter.
......
Marie-Claude's Bedroom. She prepares for bed. A soft knock comes at the door.
"Enter", she says, and a man in his underwear enters. It is Cox.
"Mademoiselle." He approaches the bed and stands beside it. She then looks at him. Needing no further words, he delivers his report. "Mtumbo has been taken care of", and he then elaborates on the night's events.
"Mtumbo thought you were loyal to him, and Parker thought you were loyal to him," she said, stroking his face with her long nail.
"When in fact I am always loyal to you, M'amselle."
Her face hardened. Cox realized his mistake, perhaps a fatal one. He had told her a lie that was obvious to her, and to tell her an obvious lie was an insult to her intelligence. And that was perhaps the most dangerous thing one could ever do to Marie-Claude.
He spoke tensely and haltingly. "Rather, I am only loyal to myself. I would turn on you if it ever became in my interest to do so".
A wide smile appeared on her face, an open, friendly smile, and her eyes glistened. Cox had not seen her so happy in weeks.
"There. Isn't it so much better when there is honesty and trust in relationships? Get the light", she said as she slid beneath the covers.
Cox did so, and joined her.
The End
A noise was heard out in the front lobby. One of the bodyguards pulled out a gun and opened the door to check when the secretary came in, very flustered. "Madamoiselle D'Albret has arrived."
Mtumbo raised his eyebrows, but said "Show her in".
Marie-Claude entered wearing an understated but luxurious black formal outfit.
"Your man at the door must be new: he didn't recognize me. Have someone clean him up."
She put out her cigarette in the hand of the nearest bodyguard, who stifled a groan.
A seat was offered to her and she accepted. Pulling off her gloves, she said "This is too important to handle through an intermediary". Mtumbo signalled his bodyguards to wait outside.
"What is it, Marie-Claude?".
She proceeded to spell out her concerns on a number of business topics, and Mtumbo discussed them with her for about an hour. All were matters of some importance and it was quite reasonable of Marie-Claude to be concerned about them. But Mtumbo did not think that these issues were what really concerned her. None of them was extremely important, and none was truly urgent. Moreover, her manner was odd. She seemed more demonstrative than Mtumbo had ever seen her. It was not like the icy Marie-Claude he had always known. Eventually, she had proposed eliminating one of their business problems by eliminating a certain business rival.
Mtumbo said that he was aghast at such an unscrupulous suggestion.
"You hippocrite, Tummy!", she said. "You have ordered the murders of many in your time."
"There is a difference. Those were all necessary for a greater good----for the glory of mankind, the future of our species, the---"
Her withering laughter gradually rose in volume to drown him out.
Such rudeness was unheard of within the Triumvirate! DIsrespect was non-existent there, he mused. Certainly, the Triumvirs seldom liked each other, but they were very careful to make no insult and show no disrespect to each other. For all knew that one's opponent today may become one's ally tomorrow, and vice versa, and to risk permanently alienating another Triumvir meant that one would be permanently in the minority, which could be very bad for one's business and for one's health. Yes, I have never heard of such a thing.......except once, in the case of Kl---
His mind snapped away from such unproductive thinking. To the matter at hand. She was still talking.
"The real difference between us is this. I would run over my own grandmother if she got in my way. You would go out of your way to run over your grandmother, and enjoy it, and then you would make a speech as to how it was necessary for one of your greater goods. And you would half convince yourself!"
She had stood and gathered her purse, and was putting on her gloves to leave in a huff. But her tone was mocking rather than angry. As she passed through the doors she turned and winked at Mtumbo. "Au r'voir, Tum-tum." Then she winked with the other eye. Very strange, thought Mtumbo.
The only way she would be so openly disrespectful against me was if she did not expect to have to deal with me much longer. So she must be planning to make a move against me. I don't know what it is , but I do know it cannot be with Fong's help, with their history. In any case, we can no longer stick to our timetable, and deal with her next year. I must call Fong, and arrange something very soon.
Mtumbo telephoned Fong, and scheduled a meeting a Mtumbo's estate that evening.
I must take with me only people I can trust, Mtumbo thought. Well, at least the people I mistrust least. Seko, Waza, and Cox---he must be recalled from pursuing Parker. Eliminating the old fool can wait; he is, as the Americans say, a "has been". Mtumbo alerted these trusted aids and ordered his helicopter.
......
Marie-Claude's Bedroom. She prepares for bed. A soft knock comes at the door.
"Enter", she says, and a man in his underwear enters. It is Cox.
"Mademoiselle." He approaches the bed and stands beside it. She then looks at him. Needing no further words, he delivers his report. "Mtumbo has been taken care of", and he then elaborates on the night's events.
"Mtumbo thought you were loyal to him, and Parker thought you were loyal to him," she said, stroking his face with her long nail.
"When in fact I am always loyal to you, M'amselle."
Her face hardened. Cox realized his mistake, perhaps a fatal one. He had told her a lie that was obvious to her, and to tell her an obvious lie was an insult to her intelligence. And that was perhaps the most dangerous thing one could ever do to Marie-Claude.
He spoke tensely and haltingly. "Rather, I am only loyal to myself. I would turn on you if it ever became in my interest to do so".
A wide smile appeared on her face, an open, friendly smile, and her eyes glistened. Cox had not seen her so happy in weeks.
"There. Isn't it so much better when there is honesty and trust in relationships? Get the light", she said as she slid beneath the covers.
Cox did so, and joined her.
The End
