Macbeth

‘That was an announcement from Mayor Tourtell. Now back to the news. There has been a major explosion in District 4, to be precise at the top of the Obelisk Casino. No one has been reported dead or injured, but—’

Macbeth switched off the radio.

‘Damn,’ he said. Then he burst into laughter.

36

Lady lay back against the pillows and stretched a foot out from under her dressing gown. Towards Macbeth, who was sitting on a low stool by the end of the bed. She had hung up two red dresses. He stroked her slim ankle and her smooth shaved leg.

‘So Hecate knew about our plans,’ he said. ‘Did he say who had told him?’

‘No,’ Lady said. ‘But he said you would be my Tithonos if we behaved.’

‘Who’s Tithonos?’

‘A handsome Greek who was granted eternal life. But he also said that if we don’t obey he’ll kill us like dogs that don’t respond to training.’

‘Hm. It could only have been Tourtell who told him.’

‘That’s the third time you’ve said that, darling.’

‘And not only did the slippery bugger blab. The boy really is his son. The question is now whether people in this town want a lecher as their mayor.’

‘One single affair fifteen years ago?’ Lady said. ‘Which Tourtell admitted at the time, begged forgiveness for and has since paid for by looking after mother and son? And now when she’s ill St Tourtell takes his son in? People will love him for it, darling. He’s made a mistake most people will understand and shown shame and kindness afterwards. Tourtell has become of the people. This announcement is a stroke of genius. They’re going to turn out in full force to vote for him.’

‘Tourtell’s going to stand and win. So what can we do?’

‘Yes, what can we do? Well, first things first. Which dress, Jack?’

‘The Spanish one,’ Jack said, taking a cup of tea from the tray and placing it on Lady’s bedside table.

‘Thank you. What about Tourtell and Hecate, Jack? Shall we do something or is it too risky?’

‘I’m no strategist, ma’am. But I’ve read that when you have enemies on two fronts there are two classic strategies. One is to negotiate an armistice with one enemy, then concentrate your forces to knock out the other and attack without warning. The second is to set the two enemies against each other, wait until they are both weakened and then strike.’

He gave a cup of coffee to Macbeth.

‘Remind me to promote you,’ Macbeth said.

‘Oh, he’s already been promoted,’ Lady said. ‘We’re fully booked for the next two weeks, so Jack now has an assistant. An assistant who’ll address him as sir.’

Jack laughed. ‘This wasn’t my idea.’

‘It’s mine,’ Lady said. ‘And it’s not an idea. It’s only sensible to have rules for forms of address. It reminds everyone about the hierarchy so that misunderstandings can be avoided. If a mayor declares a state of emergency, it’s important for example to know who runs the town. And who does?’

Jack shook his head.

‘The chief commissioner,’ Macbeth said, sipping his coffee. ‘Until the chief commissioner suspends the state of emergency.’

‘Really?’ Jack said. ‘And what if the mayor dies? Does the chief commissioner take over then too?’

‘Yes,’ Macbeth said. ‘Until a new mayor is elected.’

‘These are rules Kenneth introduced right after the war,’ Lady said. ‘At that time they placed a lot of emphasis on dynamic, assertive leadership in crises.’

‘Sounds sensible,’ Jack said.

‘The great thing about a state of emergency is that the chief commissioner runs absolutely everything. He can suspend the justice system, censor the press, defer elections indefinitely; he is in brief...’

‘A dictator.’

‘Exactly, Jack.’ Lady stirred her tea. ‘Unfortunately, Tourtell will hardly agree to declare a state of emergency, so we’ll have to make do with the next best option.’

‘Which is?’

‘Tourtell dying, of course.’ Lady sipped her tea.

‘Dying? As in...?’

‘An assassination,’ Macbeth said, squeezing her calf muscle gently. ‘That’s what you mean, isn’t it, my love?’

She nodded. ‘The chief commissioner announces that he’s taking over the running of the town while the assassination is investigated. Could there be political motives behind it? Hecate? Did it have anything to do with Tourtell’s infidelity? The investigation drags on of course.’

‘I can only rule temporarily,’ Macbeth said, ‘until a new mayor is elected.’

‘But, darling, look, there’s blood on the streets. Police officers murdered and politicians assassinated. The chief commissioner, who now functions as mayor, would probably decide to declare a state of emergency. And postpone the election indefinitely until things have calmed down. And it’s the chief commissioner who determines when things have calmed down.’

Macbeth felt the same childish pleasure as when he and Duff had been kings of the castle in the school playground at the orphanage, and even the tough older kids had to accept it. ‘In practice we’d have limitless power for as long as we wanted. And you’re sure Capitol can’t intercede?’