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The fool was playing it up now, Dozer knew. When it came to the men working under him, Morgunov was not nearly as flighty or mercurial as he wanted people to think. It was part of the game that he played as the leader of so many absolute lunatics. An idiotic strategy, to be sure, but one that had somehow managed to keep his half of Abolish from collapsing in on itself dozens of times over.

‘Don’t try that with me,’ said Dozer. ‘I know you obsess over all of your men’s abilities and accomplishments, down to the middle ranks at least. And Judicators are far above that.’

‘Nah, nah, maybe I used to be that way, but I’ve been out of sorts for years. Too busy workin’ on my inventions and stuff. I barely know who’s who, anymore!’

‘You just don’t want to tell me who your best are. Afraid you’ll lose your favorites over a trifling wager. Which, to use one of your favorite words, is quite cowardly of you.’

‘Hoh. Ahh... The c-word, is it? Resorting to that now?’

‘If the shoe fits.’

‘Well, too bad! Not fallin’ for it, this time! The wager is for the winner’s choosing, right? So if I do lose, then that means you have to pick them yourself! Not get me to do it for you! Lazy bastard!’

Hmph. Unfortunately for Morgunov, it would likely make no difference. ‘I want the Crazy Bull and the Jackrabbit.’

‘Agh, you bastard. Why even say all that, huh? When you already knew who my favorites were!’

‘Why would I pass up an opportunity to point out your hypocrisy?’

‘Prick! C’mon, sure you don’t want someone else?! How about the Man of Crows?’

‘The Man of Crows is dead.’

‘Ah. Heard about that already, huh? Your spies’ve been busy.’

Agh. A mistake, Dozer realized too late. He shouldn’t have let slip that he knew about that. Morgunov had said that as a trap for him. A fool as always, yes, but the man was still, at times, a clever fool. ‘I cannot help it if your men like me more than you. When they come to me with information, should I turn them away? Punish them for their ambition? I think not.’

‘Okay, now THAT’S bullshit. My men don’t come to you and yours for anything. Or if they do, it’s to try and swafferdonk your boys out of some resource or another. You’re just tryin’ to prevent me from hunting down the moles you’ve sent over.’

‘Delude yourself however you like.’