Overlord Rule Number 92

"Sir," the voice came from the doorway. Greg looked up from where the glow of the computer monitor illumined his pale skin. Three days spent holed up in the heavily guarded compound, and this was the first human contact he had had since arriving. He was not pleased at the interruption.

"What is it?" Greg replied impatiently, and returned his gaze to the computer. He had an important speech to finish writing before the next day, and he didn't relish in the thought of a distraction. The audacity the servant had to interrupt him in the first place told him the matter was urgent. At least, it was in the eyes of his inferiors.

"Sir, Hathaway is on the phone," came the nervous answer. Greg's fingers froze over the keyboard, and he very nearly gave an exclamation of surprise. Quickly composing himself, he turned to the servant.

"Hathaway? The vigilante from the week before? What does he want?" Greg cracked his knuckles. To speak with him, obviously.

The servant held the phone in front of him. "To speak with you," he echoed Greg's thoughts. Getting to his feet with a sigh, Greg crossed the small room and took the phone. He motioned for the servant to leave the room. Once the door clicked shut, he pressed the phone to his ear.

"Hello?" Greg said, straining to keep his voice calm. He knew if he aggravated the annoyance that was sure to be on the other end of the line, it would create trouble for him in the future. The vigilante had already caused enough trouble as it was. How dare the man think he was important enough to disrupt Greg's plans.

The deep, grating voice that followed was enough to make Greg cringe. The man was masking his voice. Who did he think he was, Batman? "Hello Gregory. I do believe you know who is calling?" The arrogance in the voice made Greg's tongue curl.

"I have an inkling," Greg agreed. "What reason do you have for interrupting my work?"

"You're a very powerful man," Hathaway said. Greg sighed. If the man had phoned simply to state the obvious... "I wish a personal meeting with you," the man continued. "Alone."

The impudence of the statement made Greg laugh. "You truly believe I'll meet with you?" he retorted. To actually believe that he would do so took gall at an unprecedented level. Not to mention overwhelming naivety.

"You are a coward," the vigilante replied. Greg snorted. He could see where the conversation was going.

"Cowardice," Greg said in return, "is in the eye of the beholder. What you consider bravery, I find complete foolishness." Greg mentally slapped himself. He hand promised not to taunt his opponent.

Mumbling on the other end caused Greg to raise his eyebrow. Then: "Gregory, I am forced to set a deal with you. If you do not change your path and step down from your dictatorship, I will be forced to kill you."

That's what he calls a deal? Greg had to keep himself from simply hanging up the phone. The man was ridiculous! "I'll tell you what. I'll spend a couple days in quiet contemplation within my bunker. I bet once I'm done I'll have changed my evil ways and returned to the path you wish of me."

"Thank-you," the vigilante replied. "I'm sure that is an agreeable compromise." The phone went dead. Greg chuckled to himself. The man would be in a sour mood when he saw his speech on the television tomorrow afternoon.
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Note: Overlord Rule taken from: www.eviloverlord.com/lists/overlord.html