Alongside Night(25)
He tried reading a novel chosen from Phillip’s shelves: he was unable to read more than a few pages before his mind Alongside Night
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began to wander. He turned on the television. The games seemed impossibly insipid, and he turned the set off angrily. Finally, he selected a holosonic cassette and put it on Phillip’s music system; it was the Reiner-Chicago Symphony recording of Brahms’ Third Symphony. Finding it soothing, he was able to sit for the first time in hours. Elliot sank into Phillip’s recliner, and when the second movement began, he closed his eyes.
The Grosses returned home together at about four o’clock.
“It’s all set,” Phillip’s uncle said as soon as the door closed.
“The chairman doesn’t like to take this sort of case, but—knowing your father was at stake—decided to help.”
“The chairman?” Elliot asked anxiously.
“Merce Rampart,” said Mr. Gross. “Chairman of the Revolutionary Agorist Cadre.”
Elliot stood stunned, as if again hit by the tire wrench. His mind was a jumble of conflicting imagery. All in the same instant he felt betrayed, vulnerable. “These are your ‘associates’?”
“Yes,” Mr. Gross said.
“You approve of what they do?”
“Wholeheartedly.”
“Phil? How do you feel about all this?”
“I don’t know much more than you do, Ell.”
Elliot stood there a moment, weighing the lives of his family against political considerations he was not yet fully competent to weigh. At present the government was on one side, and he—along with his family and an “unholy alliance between the Mafia and anarchist-terrorists”—was on the other. But what if loyalty to his family required him to choose the wrong side?
His father’s words came back to him: “It’s much too late for me to impart values to you; but if you don’t have them, then I’m not much of a father.”
“All right,” said Elliot. “I’ll see this Rampart. What do I have to do?”
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Part Two
A sleeper met in his dreams the Prince of Darkness, finding him to be erect of figure and fair in countenance. He addressed him, “O
handsome Prince! Men know nothing of your beauty, but always depict you as fearful-looking and hideous!”
Lucifer smiled, replying, “Those figures have been drawn by my enemies, who blame me for their eviction from Paradise. It is in malice that they portray me so.”
—SHEIKH MUSHARIFF-UD-DIN SA’DI, 1184-1291, best known as Sa’di of Shiraz, translated from Bustan (“Garden”) 88
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Chapter 10
“Sign here.”
Mr. Gross gestured to the document he had just placed on the coffee table, extending Elliot a pen. Phillip was in the kitchen preparing dinner.
“I knew there was a catch somewhere,” Elliot said. “What is it?”
“A skeptic, eh?” replied Mr. Gross. “Well, I can’t say I blame you. Read it for yourself, then, if you have any more questions, I’ll answer them if I can.”
Elliot picked up the paper and began reading it aloud:
“GENERAL SUBMISSION TO ARBITRATION
“Agreement, among the undersigned Submittor, the Independent Arbitration Group [there was an address], hereafter IAG, and all other persons who have made or may make General Submissions to Arbitration …
“In consideration of the mutual promises herein …and other good and valuable consideration, the Submittor agrees that any disputes arising, or which have arisen, between Submittor and any other person(s) who has made or makes a General Submission to Arbitration shall be arbitrated by IAG under its Rules then in effect. Submittor acknowledges receipt of a copy of the Rules.”
“Which I just happen to have a spare copy of,” said Mr. Gross, handing Elliot a booklet.
“Mmmmm,” Elliot acknowledged. He then skimmed over a technical passage about filings, notices, and such, then concluded:
“Arbitration shall enforce the law of the contract to effectuate its purposes, and shall decide the issues by the application of reason to the facts under the guidance of the Law of Equal Liberty (each has the right to do with his/her own what he/she wishes so long as he/
she does not forcibly interfere with the equal right of another).”
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“Okay I get the point,” said Elliot. “But what does this have to do with me?”
“Everything,” Mr. Gross said. “Every single person who works with—or does business with—the Revolutionary Agorist Cadre has signed just such an agreement as this, either with this group or another with which they have swapped reciprocal jurisdiction. The Cadre will not do business with—will not even talk to—anyone who has not signed a Submission to Arbitrate.”