"Asprin, Robert - Myth 09 - M.Y.T.H Inc. In Action" - читать интересную книгу автора (Asprin Robert)

As you may have noted from followin' whatever type of media is in vogue where you're readin' this, when someone of Don Bruce's level in the mob gets peeved, it is not usually expressed by an angry memo. If he feels his position or authority in the mob is bein' challenged by some overly frisky underling, his usual response is to squash said underling like a bug. Of course, in our position as bodyguards to the boss, this places us between the Squasher and the Squashee, resultin' in the edginess I was referrin' to a couple pages back which necessitated this explanation. Understand now? If not, just trust me that I know more about these things than youse, and that our whole crew will be in trouble with the mob when and if Don Bruce finds out what we're doin'.

* * *

"I've been giving it a lot of thought, " Nunzio sez like he never left the conversation, which of course, he hadn't, "and I'm not sure the boss knows he's crossing Don Bruce by sending us back here."

Now this set me back on my heels a bit. I had been assumin' all along that Skeeve sendin' us here was a premeditated move. The idea that he might be ignorant of the consequentials of this action had never occurred to me.

"How do you figure that?"

"Well, the way I see it, the boss is a real sharp cookie.,. Except in two areas: the mob, and broads."

"That's true," I sez , 'cause it was. While I have no thin' but the highest regard for the boss over all, in those two areas he tends to be what we refer to in the mob as "dumb as a stone."

"Also, " Nunzio continues, "there's the fact that he didn't consult with us about the advisabilities of startin' a ruckus with the mob, or even warn us to be careful of any thing except Hemlock...which is not like him at all if he was expecting trouble from Don Bruce."

Again he has hit on a valid point. Skeeve has easily been the most considerate boss we have ever worked with and has always been sensitive to our feelin's... Especially those which is attached to parts of us which bleed or break. This has a lot to do with the loyalty and genuine affection we hold for him... Along with his pay scale which is both generous and dependable.

"Now that you mention it," I sez, "It wouldn't make much sense for the boss to get in to a power struggle or try to take over from Don Bruce, as he has never expressed any interest in or desire to elevate his standin' in the mob."

Nunzio shrugged. "If that were his inclination, all he'd have to do is marry Bunny and let Don Bruce hand him the whole organization on a platter as an inheritance."

He is referrin' to the fact that not only is Bunny Don Bruce's niece, she is head over heels in love with the boss... Somethin' which seems to have escaped his notice entirely. Like we said earlier... The mob and broads... Stone stupid.

"You may be right..."

"Of course I'm right! It all fits!"

"... But even if you are, I'm not sure what difference it makes, " I finish, ignoring his rude interruption. "Whether we're breakin' Don Bruce's word by accident or on purpose, we will still be in the line of fire when that notable decides to put things right."

"The difference is that if we assume the boss doesn't want trouble with Don Bruce, we aren't obligated to stand and fight. More specifically, we're free to try to act as peace -makers between the two of them before blood down to flow."

This reasonin' has a certain appeal to it, particularly as if said blood does indeed begin to flow, the odds are that it will be the two of us at the source of said flow.

"Okay," I sez. "Assumin' that you're right about the boss not wantin' trouble, and assumin' that Don Bruce lets you get a word in edgewise before the shootin' down, what are you gonna say to cool him down?"

"That part," Nunzio hesitates, "...that part I'm still working on."

It occurs to me that until my cousin comes up with a surefire sales pitch to settle things, all that takin' a peace-maker role is acco MPlishin' is committin' us not to shoot back when the trouble down!


Chapter Six

"Boards Don't hit back!"
B. Lee

Preinhabited as I was with my worries about Don Bruce and the mob, the altercation between Sergeant Smiley and my self slipped my mind co MPletely. As it turned out, however, this did not matter, as the sergeant took steps to remind me of it, and the way it was sprung on me, it wouldn't have Done me no good to have used up a lot of time and energy thinkin' about it.

We had reached the portion of our trainin' in which we was to learn how to relate to the enemy at close quarters... prefer ably without surrenderin'. That is to say, hand- to-hand type combat.