Frumple slinks off, and as soon as he’s gone. Don Bruce jerks his head at the goons.
“You boys take a walk, too,” he sez. “What we got to talk about is private … and Snake?”
“Yes, Boss?”
“Keep an eye on that joker, will you? Make sure he doesn’t talk to anyone … ’cause if he tries, I’m afraid he might have a little accident. Know what I mean?”
“Got it, Boss,” Snake says, and follows the others out into the night.
“Well, boys,” Don Bruce sez, turnin’ to us at last. “Now that we’re alone, I think it’s about time we had us a little talk.”
He is real friendly as he says this, but as you yourselves can see from the preceedin’ incident with Frumple, this is not as reassurin’ as it would appear. It occurs to me that I would not like to sit in on a Dragon Poker game with Don Bruce, as he would doubtless make you a friendly loan so’s you could keep playin’ while at the same time havin’ a whole extra deck of cards hidden in his lap.
“Miss Tananda here was just tellin’ me about your current operation …”
“That’s right,” Tananda sez. “Don Bruce didn’t …”
… and realizing, as you have just heard, that I pride myself in being informed” the Don continues, talkin’ right over Tananda … which is a bad sign, “it was a little embarrassing to have to admit my ignorance until your little friend came to me this evening for help. Now, what I want to know is …”
“What are you doing operating in the kingdom of Possiltum … especially considering the agreement we made?”
“Agreement?” Tananda sez in a small voice.