Gamblers World | Page 9

it's not
too late. I'll find some excuse. I'll get a gram off at once."
"But you--"
"It's all right, Magnan. You were in time. Another ten minutes and the
agreement would have been signed and transmitted. The wheels would
have been put in motion. My career ruined...."
Retief felt a prod at his back. He turned.
"Doublecrossed," Zorn said softly. "So much for the word of a
diplomat."
* * * * *
Retief looked at the short-barreled needler in Zorn's hand.
"I see you hedge your bets, Zorn," he said.

"We'll wait here," Zorn said, "until the excitement's over inside. I
wouldn't want to attract any attention right now."
"Your politics are still lousy, Zorn. The picture hasn't changed. Your
coup hasn't got a chance."
"Skip it. I'll take up one problem at a time."
"Magnan's mouth has a habit of falling open at the wrong time--"
"That's my good luck that I heard it. So there'll be no agreement, no
guns, no fat job for Tammany Zorn, hey? Well, I can still play it the
other way, What have I got to lose?"
With a movement too quick to follow, Retief's hand chopped down
across Zorn's wrist. The needler clattered as Zorn reeled, and then
Retief's hand clamped Zorn's arm and whirled him around.
"In answer to your last question," Retief said, "your neck."
"You haven't got a chance, doublecrosser," Zorn gasped.
"Shoke will be here in a minute," Retief said. "Tell him it's all off."
"Twist harder, Mister," Zorn said. "Break it off at the shoulder. I'm
telling him nothing!"
"The kidding's over, Zorn," Retief said. "Call it off or I'll kill you."
"I believe you," Zorn said. "But you won't have long to remember it."
"All the killing will be for nothing," Retief said. "You'll be dead and
the Rotunes will step into the power vacuum."
"So what? When I die, the world ends."
"Suppose I make you another offer, Zorn?"
"Why would it be any better than the last one, chiseler?"

Retief released Zorn's arm, pushed him away, stooped and picked up
the needler.
"I could kill you, Zorn. You know that."
"Go ahead!"
Retief reversed the needler, held it out.
"I'm a gambler too, Zorn. I'm gambling you'll listen to what I have to
say."
Zorn snatched the gun, stepped back. He looked at Retief.
"That wasn't the smartest bet you ever made, Mister; but go ahead.
You've got maybe ten seconds."
"Nobody doublecrossed you, Zorn. Magnan put his foot in it. Too bad.
Is that a reason to kill yourself and a lot of other people who've bet
their lives on you?"
"They gambled and lost. Tough."
"Maybe you haven't lost yet--if you don't quit."
"Get to the point!"
Retief spoke earnestly for a minute and a half. Zorn stood, gun aimed,
listening. Then both men turned as footsteps approached along the
terrace. A fat man in a yellow sarong padded up to Zorn.
Zorn tucked the needler in his waistband.
"Hold everything, Shoke," he said. "Tell the boys to put the knives
away. Spread the word fast. It's all off."
* * * * *
"I want to commend you, Retief," Ambassador Crodfoller said

expansively. "You mixed very well at last night's affair. Actually, I was
hardly aware of your presence."
"I've been studying Mr. Magnan's work," Retief said.
"A good man, Magnan. In a crowd, he's virtually invisible."
"He knows when to disappear all right."
"This has been in many ways a model operation, Retief." The
Ambassador patted his paunch contentedly. "By observing local social
customs and blending harmoniously with the court, I've succeeded in
establishing a fine, friendly, working relationship with the Potentate."
"I understand the agreement has been postponed."
The Ambassador chuckled. "The Potentate's a crafty one. Through ...
ah ... a special study I have been conducting, I learned last night that he
had hoped to, shall I say, 'put one over' on the Corps."
"Great heavens," Retief said.
"Naturally, this placed me in a difficult position. It was my task to
quash this gambit, without giving any indication that I was aware of its
existence."
"A hairy position indeed," Retief said.
"Quite casually, I informed the Potentate that certain items which had
been included in the terms of the agreement had been deleted and
others substituted. I admired him at that moment, Retief. He took it
coolly--appearing completely indifferent--perfectly dissembling his
very serious disappointment."
"I noticed him dancing with three girls wearing a bunch of grapes
apiece. He's very agile for a man of his bulk."
"You mustn't discount the Potentate! Remember, beneath that mask of
frivolity, he had absorbed a bitter blow."

"He had me fooled," Retief said.
"Don't feel badly; I confess at first I failed to sense his shrewdness."
The Ambassador nodded and moved off along the