Page 46 of Niccolo

However, they might be worth the risk if the rewards were enormous.

“It depends on the price, then,” I said.

“That’s the only consideration?”

“It’s a big one.”

“How about 10 million euros? Paidaftersuccessful completion of the job, of course.”

I froze.

Ten million euros was alotof money. A LOT.

More money than I could earn in a lifetime of chess, unless I became the greatest player in the world…

And probably more than I could earn in years and years of poker, even if I becameoneof the greatest players in the world.

More than enough to fund the lawsuit against the Dane and the chess federation.

Despite my surprise at the amount, I kept trying to deduce what he wanted. It was an interesting exercise.

“So you don’t want my help to kill anyone, then.”

Fausto frowned. “How did you come to thatconclusion?”

“You must employ hired killers in your line of work. I imagine you pay them – what, 5000 euros a month? Ten thousand? Twenty? You wouldn’t give someone 10 million euros to shoot someone unless it was – I don’t know, the Pope or an international leader. And I would be utterly incompetent at something like that, so you can’t possibly want me forthat.”

“What if I said I wanted you to be apartyto killing someone?”

I stared at him for a few seconds… and then it all clicked into place.

“You want me to help you plan something,” I realized. “Somethingbig.Like wiping out a bunch of your enemies all at one time… like inThe Godfather.”

Fausto nodded. “Exactly likeThe Godfather.”

One of the most famous scenes in the movieinvolves the coordinated assassinations of five mafia leaders…

Which ironically happens during the baptism of the main character’s infant daughter.

As his enemies are simultaneously killed in different locations across the country, Michael Corleone responds to the words of the priest:

Do you renounce Satan?

I do renounce him.

And all his works?

I do renounce them.

I didn’t believe in the devil, and his ‘works’ were nothing more than ‘choices’ in the context of game theory, so I didn’t really care about that part –

As long asmafiososwere the only targets.

But there was a bigger question.

“Why me?” I asked. “Surely you have people in your organization who could help you plan this sort of thing.”

“Actually, I don’t. My ‘organization’ is fairly new, and I don’t have all the pieces in place yet. Even if I did, this operation is of the utmost secrecy… which is why I want to bring in a total outsider. Not only that, but I need a peerless strategist – someone who can think ten steps ahead of everyone else.You’re a genius. That much is obvious. You beat the world champion of chess.”

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