The man called Wade shuffled past the children at play and then past the men clanging and toiling through the village like winged insects circling a hive. And in the center of it all was the courthouse sitting as a potentate overseeing its fiefdom. He ascended the steps of the courthouse and to the top where Max Milner was awaiting him. 

“That brokecock weasle twat threatened to buy me out!” the chiefdon informed Wade.

“The Shepherd sir?”

“Yes the goddamn Shepherd! And I told him this property wouldn’t be worth a penny shit if it wasn’t for me!”

“And what does the Agency say?”

“Goddamn the Agency!”

Milner picked up a half bent pipe and loaded it with tobacco. Then he lit a match and gnawed on the pipe. “I’m just having a bit of breakfast,” the chiefdon said to Wade. “Care for some eggs? Got a little cornbread too.”

“No thank you sir.”

“How about some coffee? Want some coffee?”

“Sure.”

Milner fumbled around the cupboard and stumbled upon an old tin cup and poured in black coffee. Wade sat on a chair in front of Milner’s desk and after the chiefdon sat the cup in front of him he let the cup steam.

“The news said they bombed the shit out of the lands north of the Nain,” said Milner. “And I mean they bombed the shit out of it. They’re forecasting more tonight.”

“Yes sir I know,” said Wade. 

“How’s that?”

“We intercepted some refugees this morning. Two men and two women. We executed the men and took the women to the harem.”

Milner’s ears perked up. “Two women you say? What are their ages?”

“The girl is 15 years old and the woman still appears to be of childbearing age.”

“15 years old eh?” Milner asked as smoke billowed from his nose. “That’s good. We got boys in need of a wife. We gotta get this land settled. If the Shepherd is gonna rear end me then I gotta take him for every penny he’s got!”

“Yes sir.”

“Anyway,” says Milner as he waves smoke from his eyes, “I didn’t call you up here for idle chitchat. I want you to go to the Nain. Meet with Javier Gomez while you’re up there.”

“The Agency representative?”

“Yup. That’s him. Ask him if he’ll partition some land. It can’t be worth much anyway.”

“With all things being equal sir, with the bombing, I think it would be best if I stayed down here.”

“All things being equal, I’d rather be here than the Nain too,” Milner jested. “But we’re gonna need some breathing room. And soon..”

“But with refugees fleeing south, they’re bound to pass through here.”

“Don’t worry about it. Kahn can handle it.”

Wade nodded then stood up and straightened out his pants while Milner looked down at his papers. He stammered a bit before speaking. “Anything you want me to tell Javier?” he asked the chiefdon.

Milner reached down into his desk and pulled out an envelope with two baseball cards stuffed inside. “Yeah. Give him that, will ya?” Wade took it and placed the envelope in his jacket pocket.

“Is that all sir?” he asked Milner.

“That’s all.”

Wade bowed and started to leave but he opened the door the chiefdon spoke up. “Wait a minute!” he shouted. 

Wade turned around.

“Are you gonna drink that coffee?”