M.Y.T.H. Inc In Action by Robert Asprin

“That’s right,” Don Bruce sez, turnin’ to her. “You weren’t around at the time, but way back when I first met Skeeve, we made a deal and I gave him my personal word that the Mob wouldn’t move on the kingdom of Possiltum.”

“But what does that …”

“… and since Skeeve … and through him, all of you … are now on the Mob’s payroll as employees, your presence here is breakin’ my word. Capish?”

“I see,” Tananda sez, glancin’ over at us with new understandin’. “But tell me, Don Bruce, if the Mob isn’t operating in this kingdom, then what are you doing taking protection money from merchants like Frumple? In fact, what are you doing here at all?”

This is a good question, and one which has not occurred to me … though I suspect I know the answer. The Don has enough grace to look a little embarrassed, though, when he gives it.

“All this is from before I gave my word,” he sez. “I never said we was going to give up the operations we already had in place.”

“Hmmm …” Tananda frowns, “it sounds like a pretty fine distinction to me.”

Of course, the Mob makes a lot of money from such fine distinctions … but this does not seem like the time to bring it up.

“That may be,” Don Bruce sez, his voice hardenin’ up again. “But it’s beside the point. I’m still waiting to hear what you’re doing here!”

“Oh that,” Tananda smiles. “Well, you see … umm …”

Though Tananda is no slouch at Dragon Poker and is actin’ very confident, I can see she is stuck and trying to bluff.

“Relax, Tananda,” Nunzio sez, speakin’ for the first time since we came in. “I can explain it.”