`You want the stuff on this list, you pay the price I just gave you. Your lot sent you here to buy it and I'm not here for haggling mister, I'm just dropping off and collecting my money. Understand?'
Maddox lowered his gaze to the inventory list displayed on the pad in his right hand, hoping like hell his frustration did not appear too obvious to the over-zealous trader he was forced to deal with.
She had obviously hiked up the prices in the certain knowledge that he had been sent to do the deal, and would be forced to give in and pay as the supply of thermo-couplings was scarce when you did not trade openly on the regular markets, and their own supply had mysteriously vanished from their supposedly secure storage depot. Why some fool had decided to put the all in the one place he could not even imagine, but now they were faced with paying an extortionate amount of credits to this entrepreneurial team who just so happened to have a good supply of the things. They could investigate the more salubrious supplies from sources within the black market but quite simply, he could not afford the extra time to save quite a substantial amount of credits.
With a disarming smile he raised his gaze to the face of the eager young trader and chuckled slightly, placing the pad onto the table in front of him as he shrugged his shoulders rather dismissively.
`Yes, I understand what you are saying. Thing is I'm finding it hard to believe how lucky we were to find a merchant such as yourself with a generous supply of these things, especially after someone cleaned out our storage compound.'
`So now you're accusing me of stealing?' The Venusian girl put on her most defiant face and pose, obviously confident that in the end, he would have to do the deal but the price may just go up in the interim. `Well, that's fine. You go and get your couplings elsewhere, pal. I'm not dealing with someone who tries to tarnish my rep just to get lower prices. You can go to hell.'
She tapped her earpiece communicator with her right forefinger. `Tam, close it up and warm the core. We're leaving.'
`Oh very good,' Maddox said with an amused smile. `Now you play the injured party and I cave in to persuade you to stay and do business but now I must pay a bit more for the insult. It's a nice ploy but it won't work here.'
`You think so?' She replied. `Well, you just keep thinking that as you watch me leave. See? This is me, leaving!'
Maddox raised an eyebrow and regarded her closely, deciding just how far he could push this and how daft he would look if he had misjudged the whole affair. No, he was pretty sure he had read her right from the moment she had strutted up to the table for their pre-arranged meeting.
Click Follow to receive emails when this author adds content on Bublish
Comment on this Bubble
Your comment and a link to this bubble will also appear in your Facebook feed.