"If I tell them to abort. If they turn around. You guarantee their safety?"
"I guarantee I won't kill them tonight. Beyond that, their safety depends entirely on their continued cooperation with your best interests." His voice carried something that sounded almost like satisfaction. "We have an understanding, then."
"We have nothing. You've given me an ultimatum. That's not the same thing."
"Call it what you prefer. The result is identical." Papers shuffled again. "I'll expect you at the family estate for dinner next Sunday. Seven o'clock. Formal attire. We have a great deal to discuss regarding your future role in the organization."
"I'm not coming to dinner."
"You'll come. Because refusing means I schedule another conversation like this one with your companions in a more exposed position." The line crackled. "Until Sunday, Rome. Train hard. Win your match. Make me proud."
He hung up.
