Radilo
Establishing Nation
Monte Carlo, Nouvo Porto
11:00 PM
M was playing Baccarat at the high rollers' table, the one you could only approach if you had an invitation.
"Another nine, impressive sir."
"God smiles on me," M said as he collected his chips. Over his shoulder he saw his nominal advisory; he stood up before he was confronted by the other man.
"The hell are you doing here?" Foreign Minister Barnapola asked, shoving him. "Our country is burning to the ground and you're gambling."
"Yea, I am, I have to distract myself." Barnapola slapped him, and grabbed his collar, "you fucker...our Republic is on fire and you're playing cards!"
"Yes I am," M said calmly, "as are we all. It's a fucked up world we live in. We can only play the game."
"What's your actual name?"
"I don't have one."
"What's your legal name?"
"It's M."
"What did your mother call you?"
"Dimitri."
"What?"
"My mother called me Dimitri Badua. I was named after a grandfather I did not know and the city I was born in."
August released M's collar, he continued, "my mother was a refugee from Tarusa. Why she fled, I don't know. She was a prostitute and a drug addict. She loved me. But she had a problem. She died when I was 11. An overdose. I had intended to join the military service, but the intelligence service poached me first."
August was almost breathless, "I'm sorry."
"Don't be. Just let me finish my game," M said returning to the table.
"Another nine, sir. You're on quite the roll."
"I wish I were... I wish I were."
11:00 PM
M was playing Baccarat at the high rollers' table, the one you could only approach if you had an invitation.
"Another nine, impressive sir."
"God smiles on me," M said as he collected his chips. Over his shoulder he saw his nominal advisory; he stood up before he was confronted by the other man.
"The hell are you doing here?" Foreign Minister Barnapola asked, shoving him. "Our country is burning to the ground and you're gambling."
"Yea, I am, I have to distract myself." Barnapola slapped him, and grabbed his collar, "you fucker...our Republic is on fire and you're playing cards!"
"Yes I am," M said calmly, "as are we all. It's a fucked up world we live in. We can only play the game."
"What's your actual name?"
"I don't have one."
"What's your legal name?"
"It's M."
"What did your mother call you?"
"Dimitri."
"What?"
"My mother called me Dimitri Badua. I was named after a grandfather I did not know and the city I was born in."
August released M's collar, he continued, "my mother was a refugee from Tarusa. Why she fled, I don't know. She was a prostitute and a drug addict. She loved me. But she had a problem. She died when I was 11. An overdose. I had intended to join the military service, but the intelligence service poached me first."
August was almost breathless, "I'm sorry."
"Don't be. Just let me finish my game," M said returning to the table.
"Another nine, sir. You're on quite the roll."
"I wish I were... I wish I were."