Palace. Point of fact, it showed Bullfrog and me, imitating Ciarissa, causing havoc in the blackjack area.
“I wonder, Bullfrog. Where is the young lady you escaped the casino with? Surely you did not forget your upbringing and leave her alone and defenseless.” Longdaddy zoomed in on me. Or, rather, me appearing to be Ciarissa.
Bullfrog cleared his throat. “Ah, no. I hid her…where DeeDee works.”
Longdaddy rolled his eyes at me. “Let’s see if you can do better.”
I wanted to get us off the topic of what had happened to the “other girl.” So I ran everything we’d experienced so far through in my mind and tried to think like Roy. “Monte’s pulling a major land scheme, isn’t he?”
Longdaddy’s lips quirked. “I appreciate your attempt to distract.” He nodded. “I believe the Leech is indeed trying to perpetrate a very risky scheme.”
“Why do you care?”
Longdaddy cocked his head. “Why would you care?”
“I’d care because he’s kind of our friend. He’s playing the Diamante Families and the Polliworld Underground against each other. I get that it’s a dicey game. But if they turned Monte into tomorrow’s canapés for Oceana’s Sharkfolk, why would you care?”
“Because the Leech would not be the only one affected.”
Bullfrog cleared his throat again. He didn’t do that often, so I figured he was at least as nervous as I was, maybe more so. This wasn’t a comfort. “You think the Diamante Families will blame Polliworld? And…take action?” Which was a very diplomatic way of asking if Longdaddy felt the Diamante Families would declare another purge, focused solely on Polliworld. It certainly wasn’t out of the realm of possibility.
“I believe this could happen, yes. Which is why I want you to fix it.”
“Excuse me?” I managed to keep my voice somewhat level.
“I want you and the rest of your ‘scientific team’ to figure out a way to ensure that things stay…roughly the same.”
“What if, despite the evidence, Monte’s actually doing a legitimate business deal?”
Longdaddy gave me one of those “you’re kidding, right?” looks. “What, in your experience with the Leech, would give you the impression he’s not pulling a Jumping Game?”
I sighed. “Nothing. Look, before you threaten us with all the things you’ll do to us and the rest of our team if we say no, I’d like to get some more information.”
“What makes you feel you’re in a position to bargain?”
“Really? We’re going to play this game? Fine. We’re in a position to bargain because you need us. If you didn’t, we’d be dead in some way or another already.” I glanced up at the sky again. “From the distance we traveled and the fact that you have this place insulated really well, and also based on when I know Monte’s casino shifts normally change, we’re a lot closer to Amphibia than you want us to know. My guess is that we’re somewhere between the Space Center and the main part of town.”
“Well done.” Longdaddy turned to Bullfrog. “If I believed she was really a Polliwog, I would tell you to marry her.”
“She’s a Polliwog,” Bullfrog said. “Just not from around here.”
“No, I understand she is not from around here.” He turned back to me. “You may ask your questions.”
“Lucky me. So, why did the Diamante Families take part ownership in the Palace on Roulette?”
“Rumor has it that they were displeased with the Palace making more money on average than the Diamante Families casinos.”
“Sounds like them. Why was the Underground willing to let Monte come here to open the Polliworld Palace?”
“Money.”
“No other reason? You’re sure?” Money seemed so…ordinary. Then again, who was I to complain about a simple goal?
“Yes, I’m quite sure. The Underground sees the casino as a way to allow them to expand off our planet.”
“And Orion’s Light is supposed to be their first expansion point, right?”
“Yes.”
Time
“I wonder, Bullfrog. Where is the young lady you escaped the casino with? Surely you did not forget your upbringing and leave her alone and defenseless.” Longdaddy zoomed in on me. Or, rather, me appearing to be Ciarissa.
Bullfrog cleared his throat. “Ah, no. I hid her…where DeeDee works.”
Longdaddy rolled his eyes at me. “Let’s see if you can do better.”
I wanted to get us off the topic of what had happened to the “other girl.” So I ran everything we’d experienced so far through in my mind and tried to think like Roy. “Monte’s pulling a major land scheme, isn’t he?”
Longdaddy’s lips quirked. “I appreciate your attempt to distract.” He nodded. “I believe the Leech is indeed trying to perpetrate a very risky scheme.”
“Why do you care?”
Longdaddy cocked his head. “Why would you care?”
“I’d care because he’s kind of our friend. He’s playing the Diamante Families and the Polliworld Underground against each other. I get that it’s a dicey game. But if they turned Monte into tomorrow’s canapés for Oceana’s Sharkfolk, why would you care?”
“Because the Leech would not be the only one affected.”
Bullfrog cleared his throat again. He didn’t do that often, so I figured he was at least as nervous as I was, maybe more so. This wasn’t a comfort. “You think the Diamante Families will blame Polliworld? And…take action?” Which was a very diplomatic way of asking if Longdaddy felt the Diamante Families would declare another purge, focused solely on Polliworld. It certainly wasn’t out of the realm of possibility.
“I believe this could happen, yes. Which is why I want you to fix it.”
“Excuse me?” I managed to keep my voice somewhat level.
“I want you and the rest of your ‘scientific team’ to figure out a way to ensure that things stay…roughly the same.”
“What if, despite the evidence, Monte’s actually doing a legitimate business deal?”
Longdaddy gave me one of those “you’re kidding, right?” looks. “What, in your experience with the Leech, would give you the impression he’s not pulling a Jumping Game?”
I sighed. “Nothing. Look, before you threaten us with all the things you’ll do to us and the rest of our team if we say no, I’d like to get some more information.”
“What makes you feel you’re in a position to bargain?”
“Really? We’re going to play this game? Fine. We’re in a position to bargain because you need us. If you didn’t, we’d be dead in some way or another already.” I glanced up at the sky again. “From the distance we traveled and the fact that you have this place insulated really well, and also based on when I know Monte’s casino shifts normally change, we’re a lot closer to Amphibia than you want us to know. My guess is that we’re somewhere between the Space Center and the main part of town.”
“Well done.” Longdaddy turned to Bullfrog. “If I believed she was really a Polliwog, I would tell you to marry her.”
“She’s a Polliwog,” Bullfrog said. “Just not from around here.”
“No, I understand she is not from around here.” He turned back to me. “You may ask your questions.”
“Lucky me. So, why did the Diamante Families take part ownership in the Palace on Roulette?”
“Rumor has it that they were displeased with the Palace making more money on average than the Diamante Families casinos.”
“Sounds like them. Why was the Underground willing to let Monte come here to open the Polliworld Palace?”
“Money.”
“No other reason? You’re sure?” Money seemed so…ordinary. Then again, who was I to complain about a simple goal?
“Yes, I’m quite sure. The Underground sees the casino as a way to allow them to expand off our planet.”
“And Orion’s Light is supposed to be their first expansion point, right?”
“Yes.”
Time
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