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Maybe make Lutt son not President.
Was that enough for her to want me dead?
Bad lady want hurt Lutt son. Want Lutt son afraid.
Phoenicia shifted her weight to her left foot and Nishi, fearing there might
be another weapon, raised the revolver slightly.
"Make no sudden movements," Nishi said. "This weapon has the triggered hair."
Nishi chewed her lower lip, knowing she had said it incorrectly. It always
happened when she went beyond her nervous tolerances.
No more poison things, Wytee said.
"There must be something you want enough that we can bargain," Phoenicia said.
"Your son?"
"You surprise me, Miss D'Amato."
"You do not surprise me, Phoenicia."
Phoenicia's lips went thin at the familiarity but she said nothing.
Bad lady worry Lutt son too much drunk, Wytee said. Bad lady blame Nishi.
"Do you think it's my fault Lutt has been drinking so much lately?" Nishi
asked.
"You're part of it. There's also the recent death of his father."
"And I'm interfering with your plans."
"My son must learn mature behavior," Phoenicia said. "He must follow the path
I have laid out for him."
"And marry this Eola VanDyke?"
"He must marry within his social class. I'm sure you can understand that.
You French are perfectly aware of social necessities."
Bad lady think Nishi want much money, Wytee offered.
"You still think you can buy me off," Nishi said.
"Everyone has a price," Phoenicia said.
"It would've been so much cheaper to kill me, is that not so?" Nishi asked.
"I'm a businesswoman, Miss D'Amato."
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"And you think in centimes and francs. And I am a whore who can be paid for
her troubles. You could return to Lutt and tell him you bought me off."
"For his own good!"
"A mother-dominated, shattered little boy unable to live his own life! I
don't think I want such a man."
"Then what do you want?"
"I want the secret of Lutt's Spiral communications system and one of his
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spaceships fully operational."
"You want what?"
"You heard correctly. In a few minutes, I will summon my Legion protectors.
They would come anyway because I'm sure They listen to all conversations in
this villa. They will study your purse and The mechanism in it."
"You think they'll really bring a charge against me?" Phoenicia asked, but
there was little force in her voice.
"They will hold you for an offense against The state. Your son will be told
the price of your life. Do you think he will pay?"
Phoenicia rubbed her neck and spoke in a weak voice. "Don't be melodramatic,
young woman."
Bad lady think Lutt son not save her, Wytee said.
"You doubt your son," Nishi said. "He may not come to your rescue as the
Legion came for me?"
"They won't dare hold the mother of the next President!"
"But if I make it impossible for him to be elected?" Nishi asked. "As the
mother of a loser, how would you then be different from any other criminal
assassin?"
Phoenicia opened her mouth and closed it without a sound.
Bad lady think many hurts Nishi, Wytee offered. Nishi not safe. Bad lady do
many thinks Lutt son. You want bad lady thinks?
Tell me, Nishi ordered.
Obviously, conversation had brought an outpouring of Phoenicia's thoughts
about Lutt. Wytee, with limited vocabulary, was almost at a loss conveying
them to Nishi.
Bad lady make hates dead father. Now make hates Lutt son. He make hurts her.
Maybe he cause head cut off. Lutt son tell bad lady she not do politics. He
make lustful breeding many womans.
He not tell truths. Lutt son make hurts Morey brother. Lutt son bad man.
Enough! Nishi ordered.
She took a deep, shuddering breath. She had suspected the extent of evil Lutt
had absorbed from his awful family but there was no doubting it in The face of
Wytee's revelations. "I know Lutt,"
she said. "His threats are to be believed."
A red flush spread from Phoenicia's neck to her face.
Nishi pointed the revolver to The right and touched the trigger. The roar of
the shot filled the room and the bullet smashed into the stucco wall, dropping
plaster onto the tiles.
The officer who had brought Phoenicia was in the room before Nishi could count
two. He was followed immediately by a squad of her regular guards under
Captain O'Hara.
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Phoenicia cowered with both hands over her mouth.
Nishi gestured with the revolver. "There's the purse with the device she
intended to kill me.
The poison dart went into the statue of the Virgin over there. I wish to see
the regional prefect."
"As soon as he can be brought, mademoiselle," O'Hara said. He took a firm
grip on Phoenicia's right arm. "You were very astute, Mademoiselle D'Amato,
to take advantage of the situation. I'm sure we will get everything we
require now."
"I'm not sure of it," Nishi said. "Lutt may let you kill her if you don't
handle this correctly."
Subiyama lumbered up beside Nishi holding The tiny camera. She gave a low
whistle. "Got it all, honey. You thinking what I'm thinking?"
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"Lutt will never lose if he can prevent it," Nishi said. "We must make no
mistakes about what he will do to win."
And she wondered how much pressure she could put on him. Reveal that a Dreen
shared his body?
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