The General thought it over, then heaved a great sigh.
“I was never that much in favor of the wedding, anyway,” he admitted.
“Just a minute, boys,” Big Julie said, holding up a weary hand. “It’s not quite that easy. The money thing may have slowed up their search a bit, but now that the Mob is here, there are a couple other matters they’re gonna want to settle.”
“Such as?” I asked, dreading the answer.
“Well, first off, there’s me and my boys. Nobody just walks away from the Mob, you know. Their pay scale is great, but their retirement plan stinks.”
“I thought you said they didn’t want their army anymore,” Badaxe grumbled.
“Maybe not as an army, but they can always use manpower. They’ll probably break us up and absorb us into various positions in the organization.”
“Would you be willing to go back to work for them?.”
Big Julie rubbed his chin with one hand as he considered the General’s question.
“I’d have to talk to the boys,” he said. “Like I said, this kingdom’s been pretty good to us. I’d hate to see anything happen to it because we were here . . . especially if we’d end up working for them again anyway.”
“No, “I said flatly.
“But…”
“I said ‘No!’ You’ve got a deal with Possiltum, Big Julie. More important, you’ve got a deal with me. We don’t turn you over to the Mob until we’ve tried everything we can do to defend you.”
“And how do you propose to defend them from the Mob?” Badaxe asked, sarcastically.
“I don’t know. I’m working on it. Maybe we can buy them off. Offer them Queen Hemlock to hold for ransom or something.”