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The Big 1

The elevator opens and Charles and David step out onto the 12th floor.

"I called one of my associates while we were in the elevator. She'll be joining us in a conferance room on this floor," Charles says.

"Wait, I didn't see you place a cell phone call. Besides, isn't all wireless service out on the west coast?" David asks eyeing Charles warily.

Charles chuckles. "Ah yes, I have a miniture satellite phone implanted in my inner ear. Its very sensitive and can pick up subvocalizations from my larynx. It comes in handy."

The two men turn a corner in the hall and find themselves in a dimly lit conference room. At the far end of a long table, an attractive Asian women with permed hair sits lazily sipping a cup of tea.

"Allow me to introduce a close personal friend of mine, Sara Lin," Charles says.

He crosses to the other end of the room. Sara rises and extends her hand. He kisses it for what seems a rather long amount of time.

"How close a friend?" David mutters, a bit too loudly.

"Second only to my wife, of course," Charles says. "Let's get down to business. Sara is in the...uh... shipping business and I thought that she would be interested in what I have to present to you."

"And what would that be?" David asks.

"Are you aware of the fact that the mayor of Los Angeles was killed in the quake?" Charles asks.

"I hadn't heard."

"Few have. Likewise, most of his staff and part of the city council also perished. An election will undoubtedly be held in the near future. We are expecting Councilman Jared Filmore to run for the office."

David begins to feel very uncomfortable about this conversation.

"We are also aware that my former business partner Richard Dove will also vie for the office. I have formally pledged my financial backing."

"I will assist in the effort, as well," Sara adds in.

"Unfortunatly, Mr. Dove will be assasinated by Undertakers early next week. It will be leaked, to whatever media program that has resumed operation next week, that Mr. Filmore's office is secretly financing Undertaker operations."

David begins to shrink back.

"It won't look good for Mr. Filmore. At that point I will step forward as Mr. Dove's replacement for Mayor and I will be elected," Charles says. "There's only one little thing I've left out...what was it that I missed?"

"Did you mention that I'm also very handy with firearms?" Sara says with a wry grin.

"That too. But I just remembered, David will be assisting us in the uh...election," Charles says. "So, I suppose, meeting adjourned!"

David begins to sweat heavily. What should he do?