Free Lords of Corruption by Kyle Mills Page B

need something, you go straight to him and he'll take care of you."
    "I appreciate that, but he doesn't really need to . . ."
    Flannary's frown silenced him.
    "Look, sport. You're not at home anymore. Here, you're rich. And as a rich person, you have an obligation to hire people less fortunate than you to do your work. There's nothing an African hates more than some rich, fat white guy who comes here and decides he's going to do his own laundry and gardening and whatnot."
    "I'm actually not rich, JB."
    He laughed but this time managed to not almost die. "As far as the Africans are concerned, all white people are rich. And you know what? They're right."
    "I don't think that's --"
    "Let me tell you something about the Africans that's going to serve you well. Are you listening?"
    Josh glanced uncomfortably at Luganda pawing through his boxer shorts and then back at Flannary, who seemed completely comfortable talking like the man wasn't there.
    "Yeah. Sure, I guess."
    "Africans are the world's greatest pigeonholers."
    "Huh?"
    "When an African meets someone, they immediately put that person into a category, and that category completely controls how they treat you. You're a European. Period. Whether you're Charles Manson or Mother Teresa makes absolutely no difference."
    "I find that hard to believe."
    Flannary rolled his icy glass across his forehead. "We had a black kid from Chicago come work here about a year ago. He lasted less than two months before he damn near went nuts."
    He paused, and it was obvious that h e m eant for Josh to inquire as to the cause of the mental breakdown.
    "Okay. Why?"
    "Because he didn't look European but also didn't have a tribe, so the Africans didn't know how to deal with him. The only thing they could figure out to do was completely ignore him. Strangest thing you ever saw. It was like he was a ghost only white people could see."
    Flannary started for the door, pausing at the threshold. "I'll let you settle in for a bit. Drinks are served by the pool starting in about an hour."
    "There's a pool?"
    "Sure. Why wouldn't there be?"
    Music began to play outside, and Josh pressed the phone tighter to his ear. Luganda, apparently finished unpacking for him, now sat behind the counter of the compound's office watching a speech by Umboto Mtiti on a black-and-white TV.
    Stephen Trent had provided a state-of-the-art GPS-enabled satellite phone but made it clear that Josh was to use it only for official business and emergencies. That left him at the mercy of the local phone system.
    "Hello?" he shouted into the handset. "Laura? Are you there?"
    "Josh! I can barely hear you. Are you in Africa? Did you make it okay?"
    TB Flannary wandered in and leaned on the counter, looking at the television and halfheartedly pretending not to listen in on Josh's conversation.
    "Yeah, I made it. But it took forever. It's nighttime here."
    "I've been waiting for you to call. I was starting to get --"
    Her voice was drowned out by hysterical shouting on her end.
    "Hang on a sec, Josh. . . . Calm down, Fawn! I don't know what's wrong with it."
    "Bullshit!" Fawn's muffled but still unmistakable screech. "You did something, you little bitch! I know you did. You're standing between me and enough money to get out of this shithole."
    "I don't know anything about cars, okay, Fawn? Call a mechanic."
    "Your mother --"
    The crash of the screen door sounded as Laura retreated outside.
    "Sorry about that, Josh. How are you? Is Africa amazing?"
    "What the hell was that all about?"
    He wasn't sure if it was a sigh or just static, but either way his sister sounded tired. "Fawn convinced Mom to let her sel l t he car to raise money for the Internet pill business she's doing."
    "I bought that goddamn car! You --" "Calm down! Geez, everybody's yelling a t m e." She lowered her voice. "I rearrange d t he wires on the distributor like you showe d m e, and for good measure, I hid the title." "Jesus Christ! Laura, you need to --" "Did you see any