This part of the story was lost however below is a outline of the events that occurred.
It sketched the history of the Triumvirate after Kleiner's ouster and murder. (I don't seem to have a copy of that). I have forgotten the exact dates, but it went something like this:

1962. Kleiner is removed the Chairmanship and murdered by Halvorsen and D'Albret; Kleiner's relatives sell out and his seat is offered to Fong; Halvorsen becomes Chair.

1966 Dr. Mtumbo dies and Halvorsen adopts young Mtumbo.

1974 Halvorsen dies and Mtumbo takes his seat; D'Albret becomes Chair.

1983 D'Albret dies and his daughter Marie-Claude takes his seat; Fong becomes Chair.

1994 Fong dies and his son takes his seat; Mtumbo becomes Chair with Marie-Claude's help.

I shall add to this that Fong has always been Parker's strongest supporter on the Triumvirate.

BEDTIME CHAT

Howard Parker sat watching his men interrogate Brigitte. Their questions, their threats of violence and their actual violence extracted no information from her. He felt both frustration and admiration for her toughness.

But soon these feeling were brushed aside by a feeling of queerness. What was that?, he thought as he watched her. And there it is again. But what was it? What made here seem so familiar?

It's that expression on her face. Who does she look like? Oh, probably some TV charact---and he stopped in mid-thought. That's who she reminds me of!

But why? The expression on his face passed from a dazed look to one of gradually enlightenment. It's all falling into place. He called his pilot over, and give him a destination.

Parker's helicopters hovered close to the large chateau in Bordeaux. The lights came on and security guards within the gates warned them away with a bullhorn, on pain of being shot down. Parker on his own bullhorn announced "I have a message your mistress will want to hear." He dropped a crumpled sheet of paper near the small door in the front gate. One of the security people retrieved and withdraw with the gate. He transcribed it, and took the contents of the message to his employer within.

Soon, the security man returned and announced that Parker might come in, alone and unarmed. The copter descended and let him off, and then retreated to the near distance, in accordance with Parker's instructions and the orders of the security people in the chateau. Parker was very thoroughly frisked and escorted within.

Parker felt acute pangs of doubt as to this risky course of action, but told himself that it was still the safest strategy, and maintained his cool.

He was escorted into the antechamber of the bedroom, and ostensibly left alone, but he knew that the room was monitored by cameras ingeniously hidden, and that beefy, well-armed security people were only a few feet away. He was alone for about a minute, when his hostess joined him.

Into the room walked Marie-Claude D'Albret in her dressing gown. Parker noticed that she was dressed in severe but elegant attire of faultless taste, except that he always felt that black was an absurdly cheerful color for Marie-Claude. She held out the transcribed note and recited its contents. "Since gibberish is your native tongue, Howard, you will translate".

"I propose a deal to our mutual benefit", he began. Marie-Claude stood impassively.

He continued, "I know that Brigitte is your daughter. As I am one of the few people who know that she has long been a loyal employee of Fong, I was puzzled by her attempt on my life tonight. What had I done to displease Fong? But I saw the look in her eyes as she was questioned, the tilt of her head, and I saw you in her."

She remained stone-faced. "Continue with your story", he said. "She is safe in the hands of my employees", he said. And Marie-Claude knew, without his explictily saying so, that that meant she could become very unsafe if Parker wished it. And Parker was glad that she knew it, for being explicit about such matters in Marie-Claude's presence was not conducive to longevity.

"Do not assume that I have such tender regard for my offspring as you do for daughter, Howard".

And he knew that this was only partly a bluff, if that. But he lead the conversation down a different path. "I see now that the target was not me: you wished to frame Fong for destruction of the Centre. I have long known that you have always blamed him for your father's death---"

"I have never blamed Fong for that. I was at my father's bedside, and I know the exact cause of his death and exactly who was responsible."

Parker recognized the brief twitch of Marie-Claude's lips as her equivalent of a smile, almost a grin. Great Scott! Was she saying that she murdered her father? Or was he reading to much into it? But more urgent matters demanded Parker's concentration, and this require some effort, as his assumptions had been severely upset.

"Then why are you so hostile to Fong? Why do you block his moves on investment after investment?"

"Because he repeatedly interferes with my investments."

Parker struggled with his confusion. "But surely you did so first?" he said in what he hoped was extremely polite and meek manner, as other manners of speaking to Marie-Claude lead to permanent loss of the ability to speak.

"No", she said flatly. "He started this when he interfered with he Mashona project, by having his Ngbendu corporation obtain all the patents."

"But Ngbendu was Mtumbo's corporation", he pointed out.

"Eventually", she said. "But he bought it from Fong."

Parker's confidence returned. He felt like grinning but was careful to merely smile politely. "He bought it from Fong shortly before you started work on the Mashona project. Indeed, I believe that it was because your started work on the Mashona project."

Marie-Claude's eyebrow raised a little. The most emotion she has shown so far, thought Parker.

"You have a strong incentive to blame Mtumbo", and Parker conceded her point.

She continued "I will of course have your story checked", she said. And re-checked, and re-re-checked, and re-re-checked, he said to himself. Assuming that she is in a trusting mood.

"Well, Marie-Claude, if you are satisfied with your investigations, I hope you will consider some proposals I would like to make tonight that will benefit us both."

"Proceed".

"I propose, first ,that any hostile policies of Fong and yourself toward each other be ended, along with hostile policies of you and I toward each other. Along with the end of outright hostility, I propose the end of all of business antagonisms between Fong and yourself, with each of you getting out of the other's way in business."

"This assumes that Fong can be persuaded to do his part", she said.

"Yes, it does assume that. But I see no reason why Fong will object, now that he knows that your blocking was not based on resentment about your father, but on your belief that he had acted against you first, and that you will therefore we willing to do your part"

He continued. "Further, I propose that we move beyond cessation of antagonism to active alliance. Nonetheless, this should remain a secret for now'.'

"From the Preacher?", she interrupted, though it sounded almost like a statement.

"Yes, from Mtumbo." He had known of distaste for the Chairman in recent years. "He must not know of this alliance until we are prepared to--ah, act"

"To strike", she said flatly.

"Right. I further propose to....propose to your daughter", he said simperingly.

Marie-Claude's features flickered briefly, in what may have been smirk or a sneer.

"It will---ahem--consummate an alliance between your faction and Fong's. Further, you will once again have a loyal representative at the Centre, at my side during all important decisions. Mtumbo, of course, does not know she is your daughter: he thinks that she is just a loyal aide to Fong. So it will simply appear that Fong and I have reconciled. He will know nothing of an alliance with you, until it is too late."

"Finally, I propose that your"---and here Parker knew that he must choose his words very carefully---"your protege, Lyle, be restored to respectability, rank and power. Though first he must continue his period of disgrace. We'll have to pretend to continue with plans to have him killed. It will do him good to be thought to be dead, until Mtumbo cools down."

"And then what?", she said, unhurriedly.

"Then I persuade Fong to vote to return him to the Centre as one of my vice-presidents. Meanwhile, you will have "changed your mind" and vote to restore him."

"Mtumbo will suspect an alliance if I join Fong in voting for something", she said.

"Well, actually, it will be Fong joining you. You can remind Mtumbo that you had, in the recent past, had a high opinion of Lyle. You can even try to persuade Mtumbo to vote with you. As to why Fong will change his long opposition to Lyle, Mtumbo will be told the truth: because I worked so hard to change Fong's mind, and Fong has always had a pretty high opinion of me."

Marie-Claude objected: "But Mtumbo will wonder why you would do such a thing as recommend your rival as your assistant, and he is very likely to figure out the real reason: because you are allying with me. And that will lead him to conclude that Fong is allying with me, and that will never do."

"He won't figure it out, because I will give him a better motive for my helping Lyle: because I just found out that he is my son."

"He is not your son. Your son is an empath."

"But we can fake all of the relevant tests." Or rather, I can let Lyle do the faking, Parker thought to himself. That way, if his fakery is every found out, I can claim innocence.

She mulled this over.

He continued, "So you would end up with two of your associates in the Centre monitoring me."

She stood there a few seconds, and then said, "I shall let you know in the morning".

But Parker thought: I haven't been in business as long as I have without recognizing when I've made a sale.

They closed the meeting, and Parker left.

Marie-Claude went into the next room, her bedroom, and announced:"You can come out now."


From under the other side of the bed, the figure of Lyle emerged in his underwear.

"You heard everything?" she asked.

"Yes, Marie-Claude".

"Good. You will dress and prepare to start work."

"You will be returning to bed very soon". His feelings were mixed, but he was careful to shoot back an unambiguous broad smile.

Mtumbo sat in the President's office at the Centre, with his bodyguard at the doors inside and out. Parker was on the run. His successor, Lyle, was out of the office on one of Mtumbo's errands, much to the relief of Lyle, who was finding dealing with his boss increasingly stressful. Mtumbo was awaiting the arrival of his last appointment, Charles Vendome, Marie-Claude's D'Albret's representative. He had claimed to have an urgent message from Marie-Claude

A noise was heard out in the front lobby. One of the bodyguards pulled out a gun and opened the door to check when the secretary came in, very flustered. "Madamoiselle D'Albret has arrived."

Mtumbo raised his eyebrows, but said "Show her in".

Marie-Claude entered wearing an understated but luxurious black formal outfit.

"Your man at the door must be new: he didn't recognize me. Have someone clean him up."

She put out her cigarette in the hand of the nearest bodyguard, who stifled a groan.

A seat was offered to her and she accepted. Pulling off her gloves, she said "This is too important to handle through an intermediary". Mtumbo signalled his bodyguards to wait outside.

"What is it, Marie-Claude?".

She proceeded to spell out her concerns on a number of business topics, and Mtumbo discussed them with her for about an hour. All were matters of some importance and it was quite reasonable of Marie-Claude to be concerned about them. But Mtumbo did not think that these issues were what really concerned her. None of them was extremely important, and none was truly urgent. Moreover, her manner was odd. She seemed more demonstrative than Mtumbo had ever seen her. It was not like the icy Marie-Claude he had always known. Eventually, she had proposed eliminating one of their business problems by eliminating a certain business rival.

Mtumbo said that he was aghast at such an unscrupulous suggestion.

"You hippocrite, Tummy!", she said. "You have ordered the murders of many in your time."

"There is a difference. Those were all necessary for a greater good----for the glory of mankind, the future of our species, the---"

Her withering laughter gradually rose in volume to drown him out.

Such rudeness was unheard of within the Triumvirate! DIsrespect was non-existent there, he mused. Certainly, the Triumvirs seldom liked each other, but they were very careful to make no insult and show no disrespect to each other. For all knew that one's opponent today may become one's ally tomorrow, and vice versa, and to risk permanently alienating another Triumvir meant that one would be permanently in the minority, which could be very bad for one's business and for one's health. Yes, I have never heard of such a thing.......except once, in the case of Kl---

His mind snapped away from such unproductive thinking. To the matter at hand. She was still talking.

"The real difference between us is this. I would run over my own grandmother if she got in my way. You would go out of your way to run over your grandmother, and enjoy it, and then you would make a speech as to how it was necessary for one of your greater goods. And you would half convince yourself!"

She had stood and gathered her purse, and was putting on her gloves to leave in a huff. But her tone was mocking rather than angry. As she passed through the doors she turned and winked at Mtumbo. "Au r'voir, Tum-tum." Then she winked with the other eye. Very strange, thought Mtumbo.

The only way she would be so openly disrespectful against me was if she did not expect to have to deal with me much longer. So she must be planning to make a move against me. I don't know what it is , but I do know it cannot be with Fong's help, with their history. In any case, we can no longer stick to our timetable, and deal with her next year. I must call Fong, and arrange something very soon.

Mtumbo telephoned Fong, and scheduled a meeting a Mtumbo's estate that evening.

I must take with me only people I can trust, Mtumbo thought. Well, at least the people I mistrust least. Seko, Waza, and Cox---he must be recalled from pursuing Parker. Eliminating the old fool can wait; he is, as the Americans say, a "has been". Mtumbo alerted these trusted aids and ordered his helicopter.

......

Marie-Claude's Bedroom. She prepares for bed. A soft knock comes at the door.

"Enter", she says, and a man in his underwear enters. It is Cox.

"Mademoiselle." He approaches the bed and stands beside it. She then looks at him. Needing no further words, he delivers his report. "Mtumbo has been taken care of", and he then elaborates on the night's events.

"Mtumbo thought you were loyal to him, and Parker thought you were loyal to him," she said, stroking his face with her long nail.

"When in fact I am always loyal to you, M'amselle."

Her face hardened. Cox realized his mistake, perhaps a fatal one. He had told her a lie that was obvious to her, and to tell her an obvious lie was an insult to her intelligence. And that was perhaps the most dangerous thing one could ever do to Marie-Claude.

He spoke tensely and haltingly. "Rather, I am only loyal to myself. I would turn on you if it ever became in my interest to do so".

A wide smile appeared on her face, an open, friendly smile, and her eyes glistened. Cox had not seen her so happy in weeks.

"There. Isn't it so much better when there is honesty and trust in relationships? Get the light", she said as she slid beneath the covers.

Cox did so, and joined her.

The End