Read Online Vatican Ambassador by Mike Luoma - Free Book Online
Authors: Mike Luoma
Tags: Fiction, General, Science-Fiction, Action & Adventure, Science Fiction - General, Fiction - Science Fiction
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then report back to us."
"You want me to be a double agent?" BC asks them.
Wentworth leans forward and speaks, "How can you be a double agent when we're all on the same side?"
That kind of fuzzy logic is going to bring my headache back. At least they're buying the dumber version of me that I'm selling, so far, we'll see...
"Interesting. Can I think about this?" he asks Folsom, "Or will you have Wentworth and his goons
'persuade' me again?"
Folsom shakes his head. "Persuasion only goes so far. You're of no use to us as an agent if you're working against your will. The rest of us don't necessarily agree with Mr. Wentworth's methods," he says, finishing with clear disdain.
"You may not like my methods," Wentworth says to Folsom, "But you always like my results."
"I like what works," Folsom agrees. "Everybody uses everybody else, Father Campion. Make no mistake. But it's nothing personal, it's just business."
"Sad outlook you've got there," BC says despite himself.
"You think so? I think it's realistic," Folsom tells him. "Think about it. We all use each other. That's life. Varying degrees of use and utility, Father. We 'like' each other only insofar as we are useful to each other. Even lovers are really only useful to each other, perhaps in the most sublime of ways, but it is still utility all the same. Mutual Utility. The use to which you put a lover is to make you feel good, to feel wanted, to feel loved, whatever that means. So why not agree to use each other?"
"Well, sure, maybe I'll work with you... But I'm not going to fuck you, so don't get any weird ideas," BC
jokes. The table erupts in a dull roar of chuckling.
"Does that mean you're with us?" Folsom asks him as the murmuring dies down. Calling my bluff... why not play through?
"Sure." I'll let you know if I hear anything." BC looks around the table. "Does that mean I can go home, now?"
"Home being where?" Folsom asks.
BC laughs, "You know, that's a very good question. But these days I guess I mean the Vatican Mission on the Moon. I built the place, so I guess it feels like home."
"Sure," Folsom tells him; "you can go. We'll have Wentworth's people bring you back."
"Yes, and then we can get on to the next agenda item. How does it feel to be just another agenda item, Campion?" Wentworth pushes BC's buttons. Folsom shuts him down.
"You're always so kind, Richard. Please see that Father Campion is returned safely to the Moon. Without another bump on the head. If at all possible. Thank you, Father Campion. You are of more importance to us than Richard lets on. You are... useful, at any rate. For now."
"Great. So, how do we get in touch? How would you like me to report to you?" BC asks.
"Contact us through Wentworth. Let him know we need to talk, and he'll arrange a meeting, or whatever is appropriate." Folsom turns to Wentworth, "Won't you, Richard?" Wentworth nods to Folsom, "Absolutely." He turns to BC, “I’ll have Bruno see to it on your way out. We'll give you one of our secure com units, for emergency use only."
"Thanks," BC says, trying not to let his sarcasm slip through. "So," BC looks around, "I can go?"
"You can go," Folsom says.
"Bruno!" Wentworth bellows, aided by the amplification. Bruno appears. "Please escort Father Campion back to the ship, and then back to his place on the moon. We want to be sure he makes the trip safe and sound... don't let a hair on his head get mussed," Wentworth says, with sarcasm of his own. BC gets up, surveys his surroundings a final time, then turns and walks away from the table full of the most powerful people in the world.
In the universe… maybe. At least in OUR universe they are. But I think I did okay, held my own… at least I survived...
BC and Bruno make their way back through the station corridors to Wentworth’s waiting ship. looks around as Bruno guides him.
Don’t see any other people, really… Where would Fiza be? Can I get free of my buddy Bruno here long enough to look around?
“Is
"You want me to be a double agent?" BC asks them.
Wentworth leans forward and speaks, "How can you be a double agent when we're all on the same side?"
That kind of fuzzy logic is going to bring my headache back. At least they're buying the dumber version of me that I'm selling, so far, we'll see...
"Interesting. Can I think about this?" he asks Folsom, "Or will you have Wentworth and his goons
'persuade' me again?"
Folsom shakes his head. "Persuasion only goes so far. You're of no use to us as an agent if you're working against your will. The rest of us don't necessarily agree with Mr. Wentworth's methods," he says, finishing with clear disdain.
"You may not like my methods," Wentworth says to Folsom, "But you always like my results."
"I like what works," Folsom agrees. "Everybody uses everybody else, Father Campion. Make no mistake. But it's nothing personal, it's just business."
"Sad outlook you've got there," BC says despite himself.
"You think so? I think it's realistic," Folsom tells him. "Think about it. We all use each other. That's life. Varying degrees of use and utility, Father. We 'like' each other only insofar as we are useful to each other. Even lovers are really only useful to each other, perhaps in the most sublime of ways, but it is still utility all the same. Mutual Utility. The use to which you put a lover is to make you feel good, to feel wanted, to feel loved, whatever that means. So why not agree to use each other?"
"Well, sure, maybe I'll work with you... But I'm not going to fuck you, so don't get any weird ideas," BC
jokes. The table erupts in a dull roar of chuckling.
"Does that mean you're with us?" Folsom asks him as the murmuring dies down. Calling my bluff... why not play through?
"Sure." I'll let you know if I hear anything." BC looks around the table. "Does that mean I can go home, now?"
"Home being where?" Folsom asks.
BC laughs, "You know, that's a very good question. But these days I guess I mean the Vatican Mission on the Moon. I built the place, so I guess it feels like home."
"Sure," Folsom tells him; "you can go. We'll have Wentworth's people bring you back."
"Yes, and then we can get on to the next agenda item. How does it feel to be just another agenda item, Campion?" Wentworth pushes BC's buttons. Folsom shuts him down.
"You're always so kind, Richard. Please see that Father Campion is returned safely to the Moon. Without another bump on the head. If at all possible. Thank you, Father Campion. You are of more importance to us than Richard lets on. You are... useful, at any rate. For now."
"Great. So, how do we get in touch? How would you like me to report to you?" BC asks.
"Contact us through Wentworth. Let him know we need to talk, and he'll arrange a meeting, or whatever is appropriate." Folsom turns to Wentworth, "Won't you, Richard?" Wentworth nods to Folsom, "Absolutely." He turns to BC, “I’ll have Bruno see to it on your way out. We'll give you one of our secure com units, for emergency use only."
"Thanks," BC says, trying not to let his sarcasm slip through. "So," BC looks around, "I can go?"
"You can go," Folsom says.
"Bruno!" Wentworth bellows, aided by the amplification. Bruno appears. "Please escort Father Campion back to the ship, and then back to his place on the moon. We want to be sure he makes the trip safe and sound... don't let a hair on his head get mussed," Wentworth says, with sarcasm of his own. BC gets up, surveys his surroundings a final time, then turns and walks away from the table full of the most powerful people in the world.
In the universe… maybe. At least in OUR universe they are. But I think I did okay, held my own… at least I survived...
BC and Bruno make their way back through the station corridors to Wentworth’s waiting ship. looks around as Bruno guides him.
Don’t see any other people, really… Where would Fiza be? Can I get free of my buddy Bruno here long enough to look around?
“Is
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