Balance of Forces

by Ali Vali

  “Thank you for your suggestion on the soup, sir. I’ll try it the next time I’m here.” She stood and shook his hand again as Bruce jumped out of his chair like a trained monkey.

  Waiting until she had Piper’s full attention, she leaned across the table and rested her weight on her fingers so she could stare her down. “Miss Marmande, I came here to see if we could reach an agreement. I’m sorry you see it as a waste of time. Go ahead and cut what you think is your best deal with Kenny Delaney and his group, but before you do, take that expensive education your grandfather paid for out for a spin. Call Quill Contractors as if you work for Delaney and his group. Tell them to forward you the preliminary quotes so you can work on different sections of the contract having to do with the Marmande deal. You’ll be surprised at what your supposed partner has been up to. Could be Kenny screwed you over in more ways than one.”

  With every word Piper turned a deeper shade of red. “You bitch.” Piper’s insult sounded venomous.

  “True, but I’m an up-front one. I don’t use my bed to cut deals unless everyone knows the score, and any screwing that takes place is only for mutual enjoyment.” Piper might’ve looked like someone she’d cared about, but her heart set them apart. “I’m sorry to speak so crudely, Mr. Marmande. Perhaps we weren’t meant to do business together after all. Have a pleasant lunch, and it was a real pleasure to meet you. I’ve admired your style for years.”

  “Wait, let’s all calm down and start over.”

  She patted his arm and shook her head. The things she’d heard about him were true. Mac was extremely likable, but this wasn’t the time to sit and get to know each other. “I’m always calm, Mr. Marmande, but sometimes people have to learn lessons the hard way, and this is one of those times.” She then turned and looked at Piper again. “Miss Marmande, I wish I could say it’s been a pleasure, but I’d hate to lie. Tell Kenny hello for me, and after you get that information I suggested, mention that I think he played this one beautifully. We go way back.”

  “You can’t walk away and leave this hanging,” Bruce said as soon as they were on the sidewalk outside.

  “I can do anything I want, try to remember that. The day you hand out a card that says Babbage Inc., you get to do whatever you like. Now we walk away and wait. Blondie’s about to find out Kenny Delaney’s as greasy as his hair, and after a long shower, she’ll call. Have faith, Bruce.”

  “What choice do I have?”

  “Endless. You can make a name defending drunks and hookers, because you did go to law school. That’s my best suggestion, since you mentioned dock work isn’t your thing.”

  He gave her an insincere smile and cocked his fist at her. “You’re a riot, you know that?”

  “It’s just part of my charm.”

  “Want to head back to the hotel and grab a bite?”

  “You go ahead. I think I’ll resume my walk.” She was down the block before he had a chance to ask to join her.

  After answering her phone she asked, “Free for lunch?”

  “Where would you like to go?”

  “It’s your city, you pick.”

  *

  Charlie was already seated when she walked up, and she laughed at the huge piece of bread he’d shoved in his mouth.

  “You’re still a pig, old friend,” she said in French.

  “You’d think you’d have learned to stop hanging around with me,” Charlie joked. “It’s nice that you’re back. Except for tourists and pretty college students, I rarely get to practice my French anymore.”

  “Obviously age doesn’t make all of us wiser.” Kendal sat and poured her favorite brand of beer into the frosted mug that sat on the table waiting for her.

  “How old are you now, anyway?” Charlie broke off another piece of bread and stopped to put butter on it this time.

  “Over three thousand years, give or take a few. After a while the excitement of birthdays wears off.”

  “Mon Dieu, some of the pyramids are younger than you.”

  “Gods, why do I call you to spend time with?”

  “Because after almost three hundred years you still see potential.”

  “Or maybe after I gave you the gift of immortality I can’t kill you,” she said, teasing him.

  “I’ve missed you, Kendal.” His eyes filled with tears and he reached across the table for her hand. Charlie was one of the few people in her life who’d been affectionate with her in a way that had nothing to do with seduction or romance. “Though that name doesn’t quite suit you.”

  “And Charlie was your best effort?” She arched her eyebrow and smiled.

  “To me you’ll always be Jacques St. Louis, and in my heart I’ll always be Lionel.”

  “Of all my lifetimes, that one holds the greatest mix of memories and is the only one still unfinished, even after all these years. It’s the main reason I accepted the Clan’s offer to return. I hope you know I left because I had to, not because I didn’t care about what happened to you and your family. It still angers me when I think of the injustice the Clan let Henri get away with. I gave my word not to be the one to destroy him, but they should’ve had someone else drive a stake through his heart years ago.”

  Lionel squeezed her hand one last time before he leaned back in his chair. “I know, and that’s why I accepted your offer. As much as I didn’t want to go on after what happened, I’m glad I’ve lived to see this day. I know you always work alone, but I want to join you if only to watch. I don’t have to tell you why.”

  “No, you don’t, but let me sleep on it.”

  He laughed and pointed a finger at her. “I may be waiting awhile then. When was the last time you slept?”

  She laughed as well and put her hand over her eyes. “After I left this city. I slept about fifty years in an effort to forget. After that I spent a hundred years in the East studying the way of the warrior.”

  “You were born with the heart of a warrior. What can anyone teach you?”

  “You never grow too old to learn. You should spend some time away from here and expand your horizons. Stop thinking so much about the past. I’ve spent years at a time in places so I could learn the language, the culture, and their art of warfare. In the mountains with some of the masters of the Eastern clans, I learned to master the sword.” Kendal pulled back so the waiter could put some dishes down.

  “You’re full of shit, my friend. I’ve seen you handle a sword. You’re the one who’s the master.”

  The spring rolls looked good, so Kendal picked one up and took a bite. She didn’t need food to survive anymore, but she craved it nonetheless. In some ways it was like sex. If she saw a woman who interested her, she spent the evening with her. Then she was off to the next bit of fluff. She wasn’t interested in long-term relationships. Who could outlast her?

  “They helped with a number of things. No one’s ever perfect, and no one will ever be perfect at anything, no matter how hard they try. We all have flaws and ways to be brought down.”

  “Is that why you stashed all the money and went to college as the poor and starving Kendal Richoux? To find more ways to perfect yourself and smooth over your flaws?”

  She finished the spring roll and moved on to the dumplings. “You’ve become a better conversationalist with time. I’m glad to see the timid mouse afraid to ask questions is gone. And to answer you, no, I didn’t seek answers to questions that have none. I went because I was losing touch with where the world is headed. Where better to find directions than from the young and overly opinionated?”

  “And what has Kendal Richoux learned?”

  “That a lot of really good-looking women hang out on college campuses.”

  He looked at her as he started in on his lunch but couldn’t comment without talking with his mouth full.

  “I’m kidding. It was just a diversion, and I wanted to hone my survival skills. I went, I conquered, and I made more money.”

  “Not that you need it.”

  “No, but it helps
for those lives when I just want to bum around and drink wine all day.”

  “But hasn’t this been the lifetime you’ve been waiting for?”

  The question was interesting, but which of them was more qualified to answer? She was much older in years and in wisdom, but Lionel had matured much faster than she had. His growth came from a combination of intelligence and good tutelage. She’d been gone for close to three hundred years, but she’d never abandoned Lionel and his education.

  “You’d think after so many days I wouldn’t have anything to look forward to, but you’d be wrong. Every day I anticipate the moment the sun rises, and when it does, I sit in wonder of the world and my part in it. Do I look forward to some tasks more than others? I do, especially if they avenge the souls of the innocent.”

  The waitress put down two fresh mugs and bottles of beer after she cleared the appetizer dishes.

  “Are you planning to stay in the city?”

  “For a few days. I’ve other business aside from Henri and his collection of fools.” Kendal shook her head, trying to clear it of any morose thoughts. “Promise me something, Lionel.” She reached for his hand as she spoke.

  “I’d do anything for you, Jacques. Just ask.”

  “Retreat into the cathedral until I call for you. Henri’s left you in peace because he doesn’t see you as a threat, but my being here will change that. I don’t want to worry about you along with everything else.”

  He couldn’t break away from her powerful grip, and she could tell his anger made him want to. “You promised you’d consider letting me stand with you. I deserve that.”

  “I haven’t promised or denied anything yet, but I’ll consider it if you swear to stay safe until I come for you. I won’t do anything without talking to you first.”

  Lionel held his right hand out, knowing she’d never break an oath. “Swear it.”

  “On the spirit of my father.” She took his hand and sealed their fate.

  “Are you planning to go to the house after you finish your business? I had it cleaned when I heard you were coming.”

  “I look forward to it, merci.”

  *

  “I don’t have time for lunch, Granddad. In case you weren’t paying attention, the bitch who just waltzed out of here is trying to rip us off. If she was able to get the board off the golf course yesterday to make them an offer, tomorrow’s going to be too late.” Piper was dying to leave the restaurant and go back to her office since she’d assembled the management team to plug the holes from this surprise assault. She wanted to make a few phone calls and prove Kendal Richoux, the sanctimonious bitch, wrong, but she figured her granddad had heard enough cursing for one afternoon, so she kept the comment to herself.

  “Sit your pretty little ass down, young lady, and tell this nice waitress what you want,” Mac said.

  “I really need to go.”

  “You need to listen to the old coot who’s still your boss.” Mac pointed to her chair. “You want to tell me what the hell that display was about?” he asked when she sat.

  As she had learned to do when she was about six years old, she crossed her arms and tried to decide between throwing a fit or pouting. “I’ve read so many secondhand accounts about this woman and what she’s capable of, I’m mad that she’s got her eye on us. I don’t think we’re going to come out of this the same, whatever we do.”

  “And if given the choice, you prefer an alliance with Kenny Delaney?”

  “Kenny promised we would keep control of the company so we’d have a chance to restructure. Once I’m able to do that, we can buy him and his partners out and tell the world to go to hell.”

  Mac nodded and took a sip of his whiskey. “Any truth to what she said before she left?”

  Her anger dried up and she was mortified that she had to answer. “I…”

  “I don’t want to know who you’re sweet on, Piper. I want to know if this guy is on the up-and-up.”

  She smiled at her grandfather’s old-fashioned notions, or maybe that’s what he let himself think so he wouldn’t have to face the reality of his little girl actually sleeping with someone. “I promise you, we can trust Kenny.”

  The wait staff put down a fresh loaf of French bread and two bowls of turtle soup. Alongside each plate was a small shot glass of sherry to mix with the soup to accentuate the flavor. Mac picked up his spoon and looked at Piper before he began. “I hope you’re right. The way I figure it, I’ve got one foot in the grave when it comes to what’s left of my career, so if the worst-case scenario comes to pass, I won’t have to live with it long. You, on the other hand, have years to look forward to. If this boy isn’t all he’s promising, you’ve got a lot to lose.” He mixed in the liquor in slow circles, as if lost in thought.

  “Don’t you trust me?”

  “With my life and everything that makes it up,” Mac said, touching her cheek. “I’m not worried about me, sweet girl. I’m worried about you. The business belongs to you now, and I have every faith you’ll do right by it.”

  “But you think I made a mistake with Richoux today, don’t you?”

  “You should give someone the opportunity to show their cards before you accuse them of cheating. Once they lay out what they have to say, then you scream and walk out if that’s what you have a mind to do. If Kendal had something to offer, other than taking us over and selling us off in little pieces, we’ll never know, will we?”

  They ate in silence after that. Mac wasn’t prone to outbursts unless provoked, and he didn’t lecture her very often. She was the only daughter of his only son, and from the time she’d turned twenty Mac hadn’t considered anyone else to replace him at the helm. As far as Marmande heirs, she was the last of the line.

  Growing up with her grandparents had given her stability and more leniency than if her parents had lived, but she seldom gave in to what-ifs because they were a waste of time and energy. Her main goal was to make her grandparents proud, and it fueled her desire to succeed. The loss of her parents had made her vigilant about who she allowed close to her and who she shared bits of herself with. As much as she wanted to keep Marmande intact, she would control whoever she partnered with because she couldn’t stand to be used.

  “Anything else, Mr. Mac?” the waitress asked.

  “Just the check, darlin’.”

  “It’s been taken care of, sir. Ms. Richoux settled it before she left.”

  “Even the tip?”

  “Yes, sir, and don’t worry. She was very generous. Have a great day.”

  “She may be the enemy, but she’s got style. You gotta give her that,” Mac said as he pulled out Piper’s chair for her.

  As soon as they were outside Piper got on her phone and instructed her assistant, Amy, about what information she had to get from Quill. Amy knew some of the receptionists at the construction company, and Piper needed those connections now because they wouldn’t raise any immediate red flags. She gave Amy the name of the Delaney Group’s attorneys and had faith Amy would know what to do.

  When Piper stepped into the suite where her and her grandfather’s offices were located, Amy was having a conversation with the weakest link in the chain at Quill. She was doing a fabulous job of changing her voice to avoid being recognized, acting as if she was one of the secretaries at the law firm. A few moments later she hung up and the fax machine started humming.

  The strangled scream Piper let out when she scanned the first few pages made everyone close their doors. Someone was about to die, and Piper wanted Kendal Richoux to be first.

  *

  “So what do you want to do?” Bruce asked. Kendal sat beside him in the hotel bar watching the sun go down on the city. After her lunch with Charlie she’d returned in a somber mood. She had a lot to do on this trip, and if things turned out badly she’d have to abandon her life as Kendal Richoux and find another identity. Maybe she could create a new persona that’d keep her in New Orleans for a while.

  “I’ll give Mr. Marmande another
couple of weeks or so, then I’ll turn you loose on him and his granddaughter. That alone should scare them back to the negotiating table. Why don’t you go get something to eat? You’re in the most culinary delightful city in the country, Bruce. Live a little.”

  He turned his wineglass in his hands and looked a bit lost. “I hate eating alone.”

  “I promise I’ll join you tomorrow, but tonight I want to spend some time alone.”

  “Anything I can do? I’ll listen if you need a friend.”

  She laughed and slapped his shoulder before she drained her scotch. “Who are you now, Dr. Phil?”

  “I just care about what happens to you.”

  “I know, and I appreciate your concern, but I’m okay. I’ve just got a lot on my mind, and sometimes it doesn’t really help to talk about it. It’s better for me to think it through, so go have dinner. I hear the turtle soup at the Palace is good.” They both laughed over their disastrous lunch before shaking hands and parting.

  She kept her eyes on Bruce as he walked to the bank of elevators after she ordered another drink. Then she remembered something important, so before the doors opened she caught up with him, sure that he’d take her advice to venture out for dinner. “Would you do something for me if I asked you to, without asking me a lot of questions in return?”

  “Sure. You change your mind about talking?”

  She pulled a chain with a small medallion out of her jacket pocket and held it up. “I want you to wear this and not take it off while we’re in the city. Promise me you’ll leave it on.”

  Bruce laid the likeness of St. Michael on his palm and looked at it closely. The archangel had his sword drawn and ready to strike the devil under his foot. “You’re getting superstitious on me?”

  “If that’s what you want to call it, but promise me you won’t take it off, especially if you leave the hotel after dark. It’s important to me.” She slipped the chain over his head and dropped the medallion down the front of his shirt so it rested against his chest.