"It is not for me to say, Sir."
A slow smile spread over those weary features. "And you, Farouk?"
Lamberti stretched out his arm and balled his fist with the thumb extended and pointing down. "You know me, Caesar."
"I do. Even my best friend disagrees with my decisions now, after all these years of elbow-rubbing.
"You are usually more out-spoken, Major DeCosta. Have you nothing more to say?"
DeCosta's reply was slow in coming but rapid in delivery. "I am around Caesar much of late," he rapped out. His back was stiff and military as he strode out of the Dictator's office.
Prefect Lamberti's gloved hand dropped to the butt of his gun, but Caesar shook his head in gentle negation.
Julius Caesar Imperator V gazed sadly at the closed door.
Jay had given up trying to reason with Ilaria about God. The man was intelligent as well as brilliant—there's a tremendous difference—about everything else, but he was stubbornly obstinate to Jay's arguments. At least in Jay's terminology he was stubbornly obstinate. All faith is stubborn obstinacy. Kevin Ilaria's faith was appalling. His arguments were beautiful. Flawless. Jay thought of his old friend, Father O'mare. Even that great psychologist-priest would be hard-put, he decided.