Chapter 3 - Mining, embezzlement, sex and other business
The Orsinov Lounge was named for the "Great Leader" before Pyotr Tolski. That there was a lounge named after Premier Orsinov at the Bolrian Lottery Corporation Headquarters was due to the fact that the Cultural Minister who founded the Lottery, Dimitry Tolski, was loyal to Orsinov even years after Orsinov's death. That Orsinov's name stayed on the lounge after Dimitry met with a fatal accident was due to the fact that Orsinov officially died of a heart attack while questioning a terrorist for the motherland. That much of Bolry seemed to think that Orsinov died from bullets fired by his own daughter, Irina, after he killed an innocent friend of Irina's, did not matter. One simply said nothing about such subjects or repeated the official lies and changed the subject. It is as if Khrushchev had never denounced Stalin and the Soviets had left all the Stalin statutes up rather than admit that Stalin was a mass murderer. Yes, even the U.S.S.R. was an honest place compared to Bolry.
Svetlana was in the lounge when I arrived. She somehow knew what I had done with Lermanov. In an amused tone, she began, "I can't believe that you actually had sex with Lermanov. There are three women in history who have gotten him to loosen his tie."
I did not inquire who the three women were. I was pretty sure they were Lermanov's wife who died reportedly during an assassination attempt on Lermanov, Svetlana and Crystal. Instead, I said, "I'm not in that exclusive club. I loosened his tie myself. Getting him to let go was a challenge; probably a nicer challenge than the one that you are now going to assign me."
"You have a client for the whole evening beginning at 22:00 in Room 708. The gentleman graciously decided that you could probably use a nap after your long flight. Blackie is not a bad fellow unless you work in one of his mines. I am sure you will show him a good time. Margaret reports that he has a few odd tastes involving placing things in body cavities. He just came onto the BLC Board in the last week.
"First, though, go to the clinic for installation of your new IUD."
"But Svetlana," I said, "I am on the pill now, why do I need an IUD?"
"Laurel," Svetlana replied, "we own your body, particularly your reproductive organs, don't ask questions. Do as I told you to do."
"What is going on with Sofia?" I asked.
"Tomorrow you will work downtown during the day going over the mess that was made in starting a casino at the Pacific Resort. Crystal, on a whim while looking at the BLC books, estimated what the payments would be and was surprised to find we were paying a lot more than she estimated. The Department of Justice investigated if there was wrongdoing but did not find anything. They think the contract is ambiguous and the contractor may be right about the amount due him. Crystal thinks the contractor is not getting all the money that we are paying. There are many problems also regarding the sale of oil through pipelines we own of oil that originates in Kazakhstan but is ultimately shipped to Germany. Our ministry of trade thought it could do this deal by itself but totally messed it up.
"Tomorrow night you have another customer. You know Daria, of course, the board member from the Security Police and an old friend of Irina. Gorski may or may not be with him. They have both been cautioned against leaving any marks on you that might be seen at the Post-Lottery party on Saturday night. Anyway, they have gotten far more mannerly since the days they assaulted me. Old age I guess, or maybe they have learned to appreciate women more.
"The usual rules will apply to the Post-Lottery party Saturday night and any activities in bedrooms or dungeons afterwards except that it will be made clear that no marks should be left that will detract from the movie starring you to be made on Tuesday."
"So, they can cause me as much pain as humanly possible but I have to be left able to look perfect three days later?"
"Precisely," Svetlana answered, "except, as you know, we have a few additional limits for the protection of our property and reputation."
On the most important topic of all, the safety and happiness of Laurel, Svetlana was no more reassuring than Lermanov had been. "Svetlana, do you think I am in any serious risk of suffering an accident over the next few months?" I asked.
Svetlana sighed and put on a face that was supposed to convey honesty, "Our property and reputation is very important to us."
It was stupid of me to ask Svetlana the question. Even if she had answered, I would not have known whether she was telling the truth or not.
Getting the IUD installed hurt sharply for a second. The doctor said I would not have periods until the IUD was removed. Great, I thought, now they can work me even harder in bed.