Martin and Vito talk

Vito: Marty, I gotta say I love you some times.

Martin is looking very nervously at Vito and the Stranger both.

"Thanks. I figure if I'm thinking of bargaining with Doomsday Aliens, I better get my terms defined."

Vito: *away from the Stranger* "So, what are we bargaining for? I see it as these - body for Jerry, no more mouths, info on how to defeat the mouths. And which god the Liar is."

"Good boy. We'll make a contract lawyer out of you yet."

Martin pulls a bit of a face. "My Dad was a contract lawyer."

Vito: I had no idea! Now, certain things make sense.

Martin pulls more of a face.

Vito: I might know him. Is he on the New York and New Jersey bars?

Martin: New York. Buchanan Locksley.

Vito: I'm a little down market from him. But if we make it out of this I'll look him up.

Martin: <Snort.> Don't worry about it. He doesn't think much of me. Henry's his hope for the family. I'm a fag.

Vito: Considering what you're dealing with now, he'd have reason to be proud of you if he knew. *shrugs* So are a bunch of the gangsters I know. My 1st capo was.

Martin laughs.

Vito: Back on topic. We agreed on what we want?

Martin: I suspect due to this thing's rules we can't learn the name of the Liar...but no use not asking. Body for Jeremiah's my highest priority. Then I imagine the other things in order of...getting the mouth off your arm, info, help fighting the Liar, Liar's name.

Vito: Now, remember, these gods can have multiple names. We need to ask what the names of the Liar are, and which names are safe to know. That's consideration. Now, the offer -

What are we willing to offer in exchange? This is deeply slippery slope shit.

Means to defeat the Liar - including the Liar's name and titles that are SAFE FOR US TO KNOW. The means to remove the mouths that are in bodies are in places.

The restoration of Jeremiah to a normal, by our standards, physical form

The return of those who are guests of Carcosa from the 1929 party who wish to return, safely in full mental and physical health.

Martin, anything else?

Martin switches the priority of "body for Jeremiah" and the Liar stuff.

Martin says "Christ," bitterly. Crosses out his switch. Switches things back. Glares at Vito.

Vito: Are we missing anything else?

Martin: I don't think so.

Vito: We'll present this to the Stranger, and ask what he wants. Interest, consideration. then we dicker.

Martin is shamefully close to tears. "Just -- I don't know. Do the lawyer thing. Make sure he can't wiggle out of it."

"Yeah."

"That."

Vito: Note that I'm willing to put Jerry ahead of my people. You;'re not the only one who has people at stake here, or has his past staring him in the face. (looks at the Stranger/Jeff). I need you to double check. You know people, Marty.

Martin: Nod.

Martin goes out of the room, comes back with stronger alcohol -- Scotch.

Drains some. Makes a face. Offers it to Vito.

Vito: *clinks glasses, downs it, smirks*

Martin looks a little sideways at Vito. "You have to think though -- we're going to defeat the Liar anyway. We have to. That's our part of the deal."

Vito: That's awfully ballsy of you. You see, these "gods" are more like the weather. You don't beat things like a hurricane.

Martin: Well, it's what the King wants us to do. You heard him, right? Kick the Liar off earth.

Vito: So he can come in and party, I bet. The King, funny thing, he seems more... like he has no fucks to give. Unlike this Liar. This Liar seems almost human. Now... do you think the Liar is the Man in Black I met?

Martin: *Shrug*

"I don't care."

"We defeat him."

"I get Jeremiah back."

"It's what the King wants, for his stupid game."

Vito: You aint gonna be able to go back, you know. Even if you get Jerry back. It never, ever ends.

Martin: I don't know what I'm -- I don't know what I'm going to be able to go back to, Vito.

Vito: Just hold Jerry tight.

Martin: I'm going to.

Vito: Jeff and Johnny and Amelia and even that fuck Remy. I love those fucks.

Martin: Vito. Here's an idea.

Vito: Hm?

Sits on a chair, rubs his face

Martin: The thing the King really seems to care about is his game with the Liar.

Vito: Yeah. Yeah.

Martin: Jeremiah, Amelia -- they're just props. Resources for him. They're not in his big game. And the King...he wants to give us as little information about the Liar as possible.

Vito: The King, he loves a party, he loves a play. Drama. So, we make it clear - he wants his game, he's gotta come clean? Also, the King loves chaos, madness, mayhem. The Liar loves heartbreak.

Martin: Yes. And. Here's the best deal I think we can get from him. Jeremiah's body and all the people from Carcosa. Your people. If we don't ask him for information about the Liar. Because we'll get information about the Liar anyway. We have to. Or the world ends and nothing good happens.

Vito: We also promise him a party? But, I wanna know if the Man in Black is the Liar.

Martin: I have no money! I can't throw a party for him! All I have is bad Scotch -- okay, I'll ask.