He held up a hand in objection. "Don't put words in my mouth. I'm not suggesting anything. My situation is this: I've tried to be reasonable with the Italians about a purchase and now I am at the point that I must contract someone, for a handsome sum, to procure it, a sum that will ensure I have no dearth of aspirants. That in itself is an opportunity. And since I am merely contracting services, it is of no importance whom I contract, provided I have confidence in that person’s abilities. I have confidence in your abilities Evan, based on who and what you are, so I'm offering it to you first, as a gift. You don't have to answer now, just think about it. Think about what two million dollars could do for you now, and in the future."

"I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything, just think about it. Listen," he said leaning forward. "I'm going to have this done regardless of your involvement, so don't worry about my end. You just think about whether or not you want to participate.

"It's getting late Evan and I want to go to bed," he said, walking to the keypad next to the door. "Are you ready?" he asked.

"Yes."

He punched in the code and we both stepped through in one motion. "I'll see you in the morning, Evan. Don't forget to use the mosquito netting, I'll have the windows open tonight," he said walking away.

I entered my room and walked straight for the sliding door. The air outside was cool and the stars shined brilliantly in a sky as black as pitch. His offer struck me as generous after the initial shock had worn off, very generous. Two million could certainly sweeten anyone’s life, but there was something else it could do as well, something Poppy and Samas had both alluded to, perhaps without even knowing it. It could make me their equal.

I was a guest in this house now, but in time the disparity in our positions could no longer be ignored. I would be looked upon as an inept younger brother, incapable of living up to my older siblings’ achievements. That's the funny thing about entering into a new group, you automatically find yourself in a new peerage. And if I were confirmed back in Zurich, I knew I'd find myself at the very bottom of it, looking up at everyone else.

I walked back to the bed, parted the sheer netting, placed my roll of bills in a pile on the bed and counted it. After paying Henry, Leo at the Ohio Hotel, buying the methanol and new clothes, I had 3,817 dollars out of the original 5,000. Stacked up, it was about an inch high. Funny, it would have seemed a large amount of money two weeks ago. I began to see what Samas meant by frame of reference.