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“My answer to your proposal”

Spitting an apple seed out of archs, and fire a round into the Dawn of Hernetically propelled uranium round carves a trail of blue friction fla on fire, and hits the statue with the force of a pilum missile

The oligarchs hold their wailing ears and peek out froh the hole blasted in the back of the rooun and toss it back to Nakamura

I take off my earcaps to dead silence

“You just bankrupted three insurance co the dust into his tea before taking a sip

One of the Silvers clutches his cravat and, ears deafened by the report of the gun, shrieks in angst

“Apologies, Bartus,” Quicksilver says “I told you, you should have split the liability”

“The forty-nine-year-old hu reduced auditory function of ninety percent,” Quicksilver’s sentinel robot explains

“Oh Remind me to tell him later”

“Yes, master”

Of the thirty-three industrialists, Quicksilver alone did not un touchedthe flames away Sound also seey Did it come from his Sentinel drone? I can’t tell It drifts above his head like a pendulu Holiday tracks it like a scout, no doubt wondering how best to kill it, and howthat sensor packet she brought I like mysteries even less than bad breath

It is tioodmen,” I repeat four times until I have their attention “Today is not a day for extortion Today is the day for patriots You should ask what you can do for our distressed Republic Instead you present it with de votes to help your coain” I look at Quicksilver I asked for a private , and he a, he’s been distracted, cantankerous, as if his coronation were on the horizon and all this was , some project even with all my spies I am unable to identify We don’t have tione The deck must be reshuffled I soften ainst tyranny Fitchner au Barca and you Where did that o?”

He doesn’t care to answer

“Give the, so I know they all heard me,” I tell Nakamura

I turn back to Quicksilver “My answer to your extortion is no My counteroffer is this: You have five seconds to tell your senators downstairs they will vote with me Or…”