Part 9


	"You thought what?"  Marco sneered.

	"You can't stand this, can you?"  Hotaru challenged.

	"Listen you- I'm not playing..."  Marco shook his head and started
over.  "I'm not going to put-"

	"You almost said 'I'm not playing games here,' didn't you?"

	"Enough little girl!"  Marco exclaimed.

	"You're armed, aren't you?"

	Marco took his pistol out from the hoslter on his belt.  "Of
course I am.  And I'm not afraid to use this!"  He then pointed the
weapon at Hotaru's chest.

	"I know that,"  Hotaru answered calmly.

	"You want to join your mother and father, don't you?"  Marco
dared.

	"In due time,"  Hotaru replied.  "My mother outright dared you
to fire, which you did.  I, on the other hand, am trying to offer my
explaination of what makes you tick."

	"You started out by mocking me, why?"

	"To test my theory."

	"I hold your life in the balence and you wish to
test-"

	"You wish to use both Carmen and I in some sort of game, am I
correct?"

	"That was an easy assessment."

	"Then, might I conclude that killing me would then end your plan?"

	Marco stopped.  She indeed had him there.  

	Carmen raised her eyebrow in surprise.  Hotaru had somehow managed to
stand up to Marco.  How could Marco have suddenly let his guard down?  Or did
he?

	<<If young Hotaru can stand up to this man, why do I always
feel so afraid of him?  Is it because he never led me into this sort of
situation where I could legitimately challenge him?>>  Carmen thought.

	"Marco?"  Carmen asked.

	"Haven't I told you enough to be quiet?"  Marco growled.

	"You know, I have been thinking about Hotaru's theory."

	"I don't want to hear another word!"  Marco growled staring at
Carmen with an icy glare.

	For so long Carmen had feared Marco's evil glares and was always
was so concerned for the lives of others that Marco's threats scared her.
Of course, Marco was a dangerous man, but in this case, neither she
nor Hotaru was expendable.  That was indeed a first.

	To be continued....