A Triple Shot of Karma & Platinum Fury Focus

Part 31: The Emperor

A man of influence, the order we impose upon it. Achievement, success, respect, stability. Mind over matter. Structure, strength, fearlessness, leadership. You are becoming your own person as you establish yourself in the world.

Silas, elated with Eddie's escape from serious harm and generous in his comments to The Nine for derring-do, demanded they sample his cellar's fine bourbons and brandies immediately after arrival.

"Such invitations have never been turned down by any sane gentleman," he managed a stern look for obedience. He didn't expect these friends of Eddie's would be shy about partaking, cigar smoking, or eventually providing the down and dirty details of the rescue finale.

Beyond the joyful marriage aspect, rehearsal day overflowed with an extra layer of camaraderie for their successful mission. Disbursing some manly tokens of his esteem as rewards to several of them would be legitimate.

Over seven decades, he'd never been called upon to save any of his Princeton comrades, but God! these friends had handled themselves admirably from what Marlena described. Ms. Montalco had also showed a great deal of character in a showdown situation with that filth Greiner and his sadists.

A Woman of Substance for sure, that one. All of Eddie and Marlena's friends were. 

The families and significant others enjoyed a sumptuous brunch, visited the stableful of horses the estate supported - including a rideable star Shetland pony - and relaxed around the spectacular pool. Silas appreciated regular opportunities to talk about his magnificent estate with some early arrivals, and kibitzed on members of The Nine's skeet shooting against three local gentlemen.

Jakkuss, the military man, was obviously a fine shooter - he'd find time for more regular use of the Beretta over-and-under with silver scrollwork he used during the shoot.

Father's shotgun, the one I saved Hemingway's hide with.

Ahhhh yes! That quite interesting nugget always managed to come up. Ernie'd used both barrels to take down the spectacular male of the man-killers they'd tracked for most of three days. He'd shot both the lionesses that appeared out of the underbrush, the second a half-blink before she could launch an all-killing fury onto the recent Nobel laureate's back.

Dammit! he chastised himself, no need to be chintzy. Send along Connery's Walther PPK, make it a Manly Man set...

"That Baretta appears to be performing capably for you, Mr. Jakkuss," Silas noted after he'd dusted a high-low double.

"It is indeed, sir. I see the name on the inlay – your father's shotgun?"

"Yes, and the weapon of choice when I took down a pair of lionesses and saved Ernie's Nobel Prize winning hide."

"Hemingway? That sounds like a story worth hearing!" had broken the ice, precipitating more interest in betting by the locals. They generally distrusted outsiders to their shoots on the estate, friends of Silas weren't usually youngsters.

Piracchi had certainly displayed some talent with a stick the previous evening, one of the few times he'd had to pay up twice in a single session with anyone. Pirachi admitted Eddie'd told him holding back because it was a friendly situation 'wasn't how Silas would play it.'

A reincarnated version of Excaliber, the cuestick Rommel destroyed during his invasion of the mansion, could be carried forward by a certified better man, now, than he. The pride such an instrument reflected on its new owner - the silver bands and a plethora of diamonds, with that sapphire on the butt - would be never-ending.