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[ Tension drains out of him. He'd really thought he'd fucked something up. But no, it's good news. Thank goodness. ]

Send me information on it. And don't get too invested in the building yet. Property owners try to hide all sorts of crap. I'll find out what their skeletons are, and then you can get excited.

[ He lets out a breath and runs his hand over his hair. ]

Ambassador, huh? It's a dirty job.

Don't I know it. I had some surprises when I got my first place, in Bon Temps. Didn't know better at the time. [too young, too desperate to find a place to bury his past in.] I'm all for avoidin' that this time around.

And yeah. ...Yeah, I guess it is, but honestly I don't see it bein' too different from things I've done before. Mostly it sounds like bein' a mediator, and that I've got some experience with.

...Could probably use a campaign manager, though. Someone willin' to invest in me. If you happen to know anyone. [don't get too suspicious, Mark, but Sam might be hinting at something there.]

[ With a thoughtful frown: ]

Baelish, maybe?

...Was kind've anglin' for you, actually.

[ He chokes a little in alarmed surprise. ]

Me? I don't know how people work!

You know business. You know how to sell somethin' to people. Just make it someone.

I know how to make money. In stock trades. Which is different from...Look, I can finance you if you want to buy some votes, no question about it.

What? No. No, Christ, I'm not lookin' for that.

[ Mark shakes his head to himself. What's with these people, anyway? He understands Barrayarans being squeamish about the prospect of buying votes, sure - they have a bunch of ridiculous ideas about honor and fealty and your word being your bond tied up in notions of power. But Americans are basically all buying votes anyways. They do it a little more indirectly than it's done back on Jackson's Whole, sure, but that's just because the laws dictate that it can't be done directly. And it's not like he wouldn't be smart enough not to get caught... ]

Fine. Then I can finance you if you want to buy...television ads or whatever it is you use money for. Honestly, buying votes works out to being much more cost-effective, in the end. And when you pay for ads, the only people who benefit are television stations and newspapers. When you buy votes, the voters benefit.

I'm not really lookin' to finance ads either. Mostly I figured I'd make a post or two, make it clear I was interested. Let people ask questions from there. And if there's some debate or Q and A like there was for the last one, that'd be somethin' too. But I'm not interested in buttons and posters 'n such. Gonna rely on word of mouth.

[and whatever happens, happens. People could decide for themselves whether they wanted him or not; Sam would have his new business either way. But Baelish had convinced him his services could be useful to the people here, which didn't fail to strike a chord with the community-minded shifter.]

I just thought you'd help me keep track of some of it, point out areas I was lackin' in. But it's all right that you don't want the job, you've done more'n enough for me with helpin' bring Merlotte's together. [a pause.] Even with Six bein' Ported out.

[ He rubs at his head and frowns. ]

Are you really sure? If you're going to run, you should run to win. Otherwise it's just inviting danger.

Danger?

Well...Yeah. An attempt at seizing power that fails makes you look weak. And weakness invites attacks.

[ Mark might have a...slightly skewed point of view on things. ]

Edited 2016-10-05 01:19 (UTC)

There are one or two people who don't like me, but I don't think there's anyone waitin' to attack me.

[Sam's getting that.]

[ He shakes his head. ]

For now. Yeah. But as soon as you make it clear that you want power, you turn into either a potential threat or a potential tool to the people around you. Depending on how competent you seem.

[ Mark rubs at his chin, frowning. ]

...I think you might be worryin' a little too much, but I'll try and take that to heart.

In any case, I'll send over the paperwork on the building I found. And I hope I've got your support, even if you wont' help me run.

Yeah.

[ A hesitation, and then, a bit gruffly - ]

And if I'm not just worrying too much - remember that, uh, your business is an investment for me. And I protect my investments.

[...he can sort of tell that's meant to be something friendly. He thinks.]

Well... thanks. I appreciate that. You take care, now.

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