Three

 

 

One of my guides indicated that I should sit in the open spot in the circle beside Carol facing the four Silicon Suckers.

Even though I wanted to hug or even lightly touch Carol to tell her I was glad to see her, I knew something simple as a touch between humans in a Silicon Sucker city would a very bad breach of protocol, and since I had no idea what was going on or what part I was to play, I was very careful to not sit too near Carol.

After taking my position, I reached into my front pocket and pulled out a thermos of hot chocolate.

In my best Silicon Sucker click and wheep and stutter, I said, “A gift to thank you for the honor of visiting your wonderful city.”

At least I hope that was what I said.

I sat the thermos down and placed my hands in my lap, bowing my head in just the right manor to show respect.

“We accept your wonderful gift to our people. Welcome again, Poker Boy. You are always an honored member of our city.”

The Silicon Sucker who spoke didn’t move his tiny lips and I wasn’t sure if I heard his words with my ears or inside my head. Didn’t matter, at least he spoke in English and I didn’t have to attempt his language any more.

I nodded my thank you, as prescribed, but said nothing more.

“May we resume our discussions?” Carol asked, her words sounding hoarse from so much exposure to the dry air.

I had no idea how, if she had been down here for three days, she was even managing to sit and talk. Her strength stunned me, but clearly it was wearing on her. Even a superhero like her had limits.

The Silicon Sucker on the right nodded and in the middle of the circle, floating in the air, a map appeared, shimmering and see-through.

It took me a moment to realize exactly what I was looking at. The Silicon Suckers city was colored in gold on the map, their sacred burial grounds in gold, as well as large acres of other ground I had no idea what they used it for. Highway 95 on one side marked one border and the edge of the city of Las Vegas was a black area on the map.

It seemed that a tiny area just off Highway 95 was in question, as it was blinking between gold and black. When I realized the scale of the map, that tiny area suddenly became larger than a hundred acres.

“I am sure we can come to a fair exchange for the land in question,” Carol said, nodding her respect as she spoke. “Poker Boy has brought the first of our many payments to you.”

Carol nodded to me and I stared at her for a moment, wondering for a second just exactly what she was talking about. Then I remembered the two other thermoses of hot chocolate I had inside my coat.

I took out one and placed it carefully beside the first, bowing with respect as I did, then placed the third beside the other two.

I had no idea what to say at such a moment, and as I had learned over the years in both poker and doing superhero deeds, if you aren’t sure exactly what to say, say nothing.

But damned if I didn’t want to ask Carol how she knew I would bring those extra two thermoses with me.

Carol bowed slightly to the Silicon Suckers. “Only the first of many payments to come in exchange for the use of your very valuable land.”

“May we understand, please, that your people will bring us every full moon cycle, ten such containers of the precious fluid?”

Carol nodded. “That is my understanding, yes.”

I almost snorted, which would have been a huge breach in protocol and more than likely an insult in the Silicon Suckers language. I couldn’t believe that Carol was trading what looked like a good one hundred acres of land near Highway 95 for basically ten large mugs of hot chocolate per month. I knew land prices were down, but that was ridiculous.