ign!”

    “Whatyoudotous?”Richardshruggedandlookedatthemcasually,

    70页

    “Don’tbeangry!Don’tbeangry!Iamsuremosthaveyouhaverecordsaedbythepoliceforotheroffences.Iwillsogiveyoutwochoices.Eithergiveyourselfuptotheauthoritiesorbeshhthereandnoromiseyounoonewillbothertoinquiretoodeeplyintothis.”RichardkhesewereMafiathugsanduoodonlytheirowncodeofbehavior,soheturhetableaheirowhodsonthemselves.Itwastheonlywaytodealwiththiskindofhumantrash.Mr.Kaffee’sunderlingsknewRichardmeantwhathesaid,sotheyallsigheirhesheetsofpaper,seeingnootherwayout.Richardturosomeofhisbodyguardsandordered,

    “Seethatthesepeopleareescortedoutofthebuilding.Theyarenottotakeanythingfromhere.Notevenascrapofpaper.Allthepapersanddotsintheirofficesaretobesealedupuntilthenewboardofdirectorsandheadsofdepartmentsareelectedandtakeoffice.”Richardthentookoutanotherpieceofpaper.ItwasalistofhatMeganhadmadeandgaveittoabodyguardsaying,

    “TakethisandgiveittothepersonmehemtostartproceedingstoappointthesepeopletobethenewBoard

    “Ladiesalemen,thismeetingisadjourned.Youeandwaitfoodnews.Iguarathesharesyounowhold,thatyouthiworththepapertheyareprintedon,willturnintogoldmines.WithinthreedaysIpromisethatthestocksofWorldBankwillghtheroof!”Threedayster,thestocksofWorldBankreboundedaspromised.ButRichardandJamazlefttwolettersnationintheiroffidleftwithoutanotherword.

    OnhearingMegginn’snarrative,Aishawasdeepinthought.Thenshesaid,

    “Idon’tthinkweshouldurgethemtostay.Idoubttheywouldgetheirmindsanyway,nomatterwhatwesay.TheymusthavegottenwindofwhereKingDimitriisandhavegoagafterhim.IamgdKingDimitrihastwosuchgoodfriendswhoarewillingtogiveupfameandfortutobewithhim.”

    “Yes.Whatyousayistrue,butaninstitutieasWorldBankotbewithoutahead,oreverythingwillgrindtoahaltandaffectthenormalrhythmofworldey.”

    “Yes”saidAishafrowning.“Toputtogetheraivetemporaryleadershipgroupisask”Megginndrankhercoffeesilentlyforamoment.Thenputtingdownhercup,shesaid,

    “Forthemoment,IthinkIhadbetterworkatbothjobs.DuriimeIwillworkatWorldBankahingsthere.AtnightIwillebackheretotheKingdom.ThisisKingDimitri’ssupremeheadquartersanditsbusinessotbeleftunattended.Lifeislikeadream,anddreamislikelife.Livingonthisearthapersoherasleeporawake.Thisway,Itakecareofthingsatbothpces.”

    “Itwouldbewonderfulifyoudothat,buthowcouldyouburnyourdleatbothendsandworkdayandnightwithoutrest?Youwon’tstlongthisway.Whenyougobaundaneworld,trytofindRichardandJamazandvihemtoreturnandresumetheirjobsaspresidentandvice-presidentofWorldBank.”Megginnnodded,

    7

    “Good.Iwilldoasyouadvise.

    Aishalookedaffeatelyatthebeautybeforeherandsaid,

    “IthinkyoumusthavebeeermindbehindtheseswhoorchestratedthetakingbackofWorldBank.Itwasyourstrategythatehetwoofthemtoaplishwhattheydid.TheyonlycarriedoutyourpnofastepbystepandinonebroadstraiheownershipaionofWorldBank.Youarereallyagenius,MeggiheshrewdandastuteIleenotholdadletoyou.”

    “Ileen?”Megginn’sirickedbythenameofhernotoriouspredecessor.“Ihaveneverseenher,butIhavereadherbusinesspnsandherentsandins

ign!”

    “Whatyoudotous?”Richardshruggedandlookedatthemcasually,

    70页

    “Don’tbeangry!Don’tbeangry!Iamsuremosthaveyouhaverecordsaedbythepoliceforotheroffences.Iwillsogiveyoutwochoices.Eithergiveyourselfuptotheauthoritiesorbeshhthereandnoromiseyounoonewillbothertoinquiretoodeeplyintothis.”RichardkhesewereMafiathugsanduoodonlytheirowncodeofbehavior,soheturhetableaheirowhodsonthemselves.Itwastheonlywaytodealwiththiskindofhumantrash.Mr.Kaffee’sunderlingsknewRichardmeantwhathesaid,sotheyallsigheirhesheetsofpaper,seeingnootherwayout.Richardturosomeofhisbodyguardsandordered,

    “Seethatthesepeopleareescortedoutofthebuilding.Theyarenottotakeanythingfromhere.Notevenascrapofpaper.Allthepapersanddotsintheirofficesaretobesealedupuntilthenewboardofdirectorsandheadsofdepartmentsareelectedandtakeoffice.”Richardthentookoutanotherpieceofpaper.ItwasalistofhatMeganhadmadeandgaveittoabodyguardsaying,

    “TakethisandgiveittothepersonmehemtostartproceedingstoappointthesepeopletobethenewBoard

    “Ladiesalemen,thismeetingisadjourned.Youeandwaitfoodnews.Iguarathesharesyounowhold,thatyouthiworththepapertheyareprintedon,willturnintogoldmines.WithinthreedaysIpromisethatthestocksofWorldBankwillghtheroof!”Threedayster,thestocksofWorldBankreboundedaspromised.ButRichardandJamazlefttwolettersnationintheiroffidleftwithoutanotherword.

    OnhearingMegginn’snarrative,Aishawasdeepinthought.Thenshesaid,

    “Idon’tthinkweshouldurgethemtostay.Idoubttheywouldgetheirmindsanyway,nomatterwhatwesay.TheymusthavegottenwindofwhereKingDimitriisandhavegoagafterhim.IamgdKingDimitrihastwosuchgoodfriendswhoarewillingtogiveupfameandfortutobewithhim.”

    “Yes.Whatyousayistrue,butaninstitutieasWorldBankotbewithoutahead,oreverythingwillgrindtoahaltandaffectthenormalrhythmofworldey.”

    “Yes”saidAishafrowning.“Toputtogetheraivetemporaryleadershipgroupisask”Megginndrankhercoffeesilentlyforamoment.Thenputtingdownhercup,shesaid,

    “Forthemoment,IthinkIhadbetterworkatbothjobs.DuriimeIwillworkatWorldBankahingsthere.AtnightIwillebackheretotheKingdom.ThisisKingDimitri’ssupremeheadquartersanditsbusinessotbeleftunattended.Lifeislikeadream,anddreamislikelife.Livingonthisearthapersoherasleeporawake.Thisway,Itakecareofthingsatbothpces.”

    “Itwouldbewonderfulifyoudothat,buthowcouldyouburnyourdleatbothendsandworkdayandnightwithoutrest?Youwon’tstlongthisway.Whenyougobaundaneworld,trytofindRichardandJamazandvihemtoreturnandresumetheirjobsaspresidentandvice-presidentofWorldBank.”Megginnnodded,

    7

    “Good.Iwilldoasyouadvise.

    Aishalookedaffeatelyatthebeautybeforeherandsaid,

    “IthinkyoumusthavebeeermindbehindtheseswhoorchestratedthetakingbackofWorldBank.Itwasyourstrategythatehetwoofthemtoaplishwhattheydid.TheyonlycarriedoutyourpnofastepbystepandinonebroadstraiheownershipaionofWorldBank.Youarereallyagenius,MeggiheshrewdandastuteIleenotholdadletoyou.”

    “Ileen?”Megginn’sirickedbythenameofhernotoriouspredecessor.“Ihaveneverseenher,butIhavereadherbusinesspnsandherentsandins