“I say, that’s a good idea, Massha,” Chumley sez. “Speaking of the army, Guide, do you think you and Nunzio can manage to sign up for a hitch? Remembering how you stirred things up at the Acme magik factory by getting the workers to unionize, you’re the logical choice for demoralizing the troops, and that’s best done from the inside.”
“Yeah, sure,” I sez with a shrug. “Why not?”
“Are you okay, Guido?” Tananda asks, peering at me sudden-like. “You and Nunzio have been awfully quiet since we started out on this venture.”
“We’re all right,” Nunzio puts in quick. “We’re just a little worried about the Boss . . . like Massha. Joinin’ the army is fine by us, if you think it will help things. Right, Guido?”
“I said it was okay, didn’t I?” I snaps back at him.
“So what are you and Chumley going to be doin’ while we’re playing solider?” Nunzio sez. It is obvious to me that he is out to divert the attention of the meetin’ away from the two of us, but no one else seems to notice . . . except maybe Big Julie who gives me the hairy eyeball for a minute before turnin’ his attention back to the conversation.
“We’re going to see what we can do about stirring up the citizens,” Tananda shrugs. “Tax reductions are nice, but there are bound to be some irritating things about life under Hemlock’s new programs. All we have to do is root them out and be sure that folks see them as irritating.”
“Do you blokes want Gleep, or shall we take him?” Chumley asked.
“Gleep?” sez the dragon, raisin’ his head again.
“Aahh . . . why don’t you and Tananda take him,” Nunzio sez quick-like. “Truth to tell, he made me a little nervous the last time we was workin’ together.”