n“therewillbemoresistersfromtheKingdomjoiningusatthegirls’dormhere.AmIright?”

    “Isthatso?Ithinkyouhavesomeinklingofwhat’sgoingtohappen.”Megginnnoddedawoofthemsatthereinsilence.

    “QueenAishaalwayssaidthatMegginnwaslikeabeautifulpeonyinfullbloom.”Dimitrithought.“Sheisright.Megginnisadazzling,colorfundartlesspeony.Ordinarilysheishappyandcarefreeasayounggirl,butwhehinghappens,shesobersupandbeesaresolute,sharpandquick-wittedstrongwoman.Sheisreallyagreathelperheavenhassentme.”

    Anear-gratingscreegoftiressplitthesilehenight.RichardandJamazwalkinginunsteadilyonwobblyfeet,quiteobviouslyintoxicated.

    “Whyarethetwoofyousote?”beratedDimitri.“Ihavebeeernoonandmostofthenight!”

    10

    “Thingswerenotaseasyasweexpected”repliedRichard.“Wemetsomeloaferswhoalsoloiteraroundstreeters.You’taskthemaboutsuchthingspointbnkyouknoheseguysareverystreetsmartandsuspicious.Wheneveryoutouasensitivesubject,theywouldjustcmupandnotsayaword.Sowehadtowaittillnighttimetomaketheroundsofthebarsandtalktothehalf-drunktstherewhosetongueswereloosenedbydrink.Wewereabletogleanfragmentsofinformationfromthemwhichiecedtogether.Idon’tknowwhethertheywillbeofaoyou.”

    “Tellmewhatyou’vegot.”

    “Thenewmafiabosshastheniameof“’HawkNose’.HeismoredtreacherousthantheformerbossOliverKaffee.Whatisworse,heis......”

    “Goahead.It’sOK.Speakyourmind.”

    “Youprideyourselfonbeingaproudgardeendingandprotegbeautifulflowers.Hetoolikesflowers,butheabusesthemandtakespleasureininfliggreatpainandsuffering.Infacthethrivesonsuchpervertedactivities.Heisakindofpsyaniac.Heappearstobetalndsuaveandspendsmoravagantly,sohegetsanywomashissightson.Thesewomeofallintohisarmslikemothsthrowingthemselvesatthefire,helplesstoresist.Oncehehashishandsonthemhowever,thesewomenareusuallymaimedphysicallyormentally.Somelosetheuseoftheirarmss;othersarepsychologicallydamagedalmosttothepointofmadness.Hehashurtuntablenumbersofwomenandisstilltakingpleasureinhurtingmoreofthem.”Uponhearingthis,Dimitriwasextremelyangry.ButhewasalsodeeplyedforRomi.Heloathedandsedthesepsychopathswhopreyedontheweakersex.

    “Didyoufindoutwherehisdenis”heasked.

    “No.Heisextremelysecretiveandisstantlyginghisir.Nooneknowswherehewillbe.”

    “Iknowwhoheis”saidMegginnwhohadbeeallthistime.“Heistheaonight’sfund-raiser,MurphyAquiline.Iinallythoughthisnamewasananonym,but

    heactuallyusedhisniameashissthisistooridiculous!Ihaveheardthatwhenhewasyounghewasinvolvedforatimewithunderworldfigures,butterengagedinbusinessandbecamerich,managingtomakeaveryrgefortune.Hisstatustoohadsomehowbeenwhitewashedandlegalizedintoaleaderinthefinancialworld.HeisnowohemoversandshakersoftheBayArea.Hehasbeealeaderinthefinancialworld.Hehasahawk-likeitdoesrahishandsomeappearanfact,itgiveshisfacecharacterandakindofcharmandfasationthathasattractedalotoffemaleattention......”

    “Yes.Yes.”saidRichard.“Wearetalkingaboutthesameperson.IhaveheardMr.Kaffeementionthathewasoneofhismosteffectiveunderlings,whomhecultivatedandtrainedononehand,butatthesametimereinedinand

n“therewillbemoresistersfromtheKingdomjoiningusatthegirls’dormhere.AmIright?”

    “Isthatso?Ithinkyouhavesomeinklingofwhat’sgoingtohappen.”Megginnnoddedawoofthemsatthereinsilence.

    “QueenAishaalwayssaidthatMegginnwaslikeabeautifulpeonyinfullbloom.”Dimitrithought.“Sheisright.Megginnisadazzling,colorfundartlesspeony.Ordinarilysheishappyandcarefreeasayounggirl,butwhehinghappens,shesobersupandbeesaresolute,sharpandquick-wittedstrongwoman.Sheisreallyagreathelperheavenhassentme.”

    Anear-gratingscreegoftiressplitthesilehenight.RichardandJamazwalkinginunsteadilyonwobblyfeet,quiteobviouslyintoxicated.

    “Whyarethetwoofyousote?”beratedDimitri.“Ihavebeeernoonandmostofthenight!”

    10

    “Thingswerenotaseasyasweexpected”repliedRichard.“Wemetsomeloaferswhoalsoloiteraroundstreeters.You’taskthemaboutsuchthingspointbnkyouknoheseguysareverystreetsmartandsuspicious.Wheneveryoutouasensitivesubject,theywouldjustcmupandnotsayaword.Sowehadtowaittillnighttimetomaketheroundsofthebarsandtalktothehalf-drunktstherewhosetongueswereloosenedbydrink.Wewereabletogleanfragmentsofinformationfromthemwhichiecedtogether.Idon’tknowwhethertheywillbeofaoyou.”

    “Tellmewhatyou’vegot.”

    “Thenewmafiabosshastheniameof“’HawkNose’.HeismoredtreacherousthantheformerbossOliverKaffee.Whatisworse,heis......”

    “Goahead.It’sOK.Speakyourmind.”

    “Youprideyourselfonbeingaproudgardeendingandprotegbeautifulflowers.Hetoolikesflowers,butheabusesthemandtakespleasureininfliggreatpainandsuffering.Infacthethrivesonsuchpervertedactivities.Heisakindofpsyaniac.Heappearstobetalndsuaveandspendsmoravagantly,sohegetsanywomashissightson.Thesewomeofallintohisarmslikemothsthrowingthemselvesatthefire,helplesstoresist.Oncehehashishandsonthemhowever,thesewomenareusuallymaimedphysicallyormentally.Somelosetheuseoftheirarmss;othersarepsychologicallydamagedalmosttothepointofmadness.Hehashurtuntablenumbersofwomenandisstilltakingpleasureinhurtingmoreofthem.”Uponhearingthis,Dimitriwasextremelyangry.ButhewasalsodeeplyedforRomi.Heloathedandsedthesepsychopathswhopreyedontheweakersex.

    “Didyoufindoutwherehisdenis”heasked.

    “No.Heisextremelysecretiveandisstantlyginghisir.Nooneknowswherehewillbe.”

    “Iknowwhoheis”saidMegginnwhohadbeeallthistime.“Heistheaonight’sfund-raiser,MurphyAquiline.Iinallythoughthisnamewasananonym,but

    heactuallyusedhisniameashissthisistooridiculous!Ihaveheardthatwhenhewasyounghewasinvolvedforatimewithunderworldfigures,butterengagedinbusinessandbecamerich,managingtomakeaveryrgefortune.Hisstatustoohadsomehowbeenwhitewashedandlegalizedintoaleaderinthefinancialworld.HeisnowohemoversandshakersoftheBayArea.Hehasbeealeaderinthefinancialworld.Hehasahawk-likeitdoesrahishandsomeappearanfact,itgiveshisfacecharacterandakindofcharmandfasationthathasattractedalotoffemaleattention......”

    “Yes.Yes.”saidRichard.“Wearetalkingaboutthesameperson.IhaveheardMr.Kaffeementionthathewasoneofhismosteffectiveunderlings,whomhecultivatedandtrainedononehand,butatthesametimereinedinand