"Don"t worry. Do you think I see a rival in you? It is useless, even if I don"t let him interfere with my orders, Orel will give you a couple of profitable jobs sooner or later, you"re his favorite, after all. I don"t have a choice, in any case I"m out of the game." Squint-Eye lit a new cigarette and looked at Nikto. "But I don"t mind. I told you, I"m sick and tired of everything. Let everything stay as it is – and then we"ll see."

"I think Lis owes you his nickname," Nikto smiled.

"Do you think I"m sly? No-o-o, but I wouldn"t mind exchanging nicknames with Lis. I"d give him mine gladly, together with my eye!"

Nikto laughed.

"With your eye? Why?"

"It just hinders me." Squint-Eye shook his head in irritation. "I see everything somehow dumb because of it. Besides, everyone is always staring at me and laughing." He looked at the dancers angrily. At the same time his squint eye looked straight at Nikto. It was so unnatural and funny that Nikto laughed involuntarily covering his mouth with his hand. Squint-Eye turned to him.

"You"re laughing! I"m so tired of it! An eternal clown, for fuck"s sake!"

"I"m sorry," Nikto said. "I understand you, I really do."

"No, you don"t," Squint-Eye said. "Your appearance frightens but doesn"t make people laugh. And my eyes always amuse everyone. I look like a fool."

"What"s your real name?"

"My name is Bert Dallen."

"Cool!"

"Yeah, it"s cool – but no one remembers that."

The friends, tired of jumping around, came back to their table in a noisy crowd. They laughed and talked all together.

"Pour some drinks, now, now!" Orel shouted. "Let"s toast for Squint-Eye once more!" he looked at him. "I"m so happy to have you on the team again!"

Tol yelled and started expressing his joy so flamboyantly than nearly overturned the table. Everyone sitting there started back; girls shrieked and Asa almost fell. She laughed and cursed in Unclean. Tol nearly fell, too. Nikto caught him just in time; his chain swayed and clicked against the hard mask loudly.

"Hey, Tol, watch out!" Nikto shouted.

Tol looked at him drunkenly and hugged him laughing.

"Nikto, Nikto, my friend!"

"Now, Tol, leave me alone! I don"t want you!" Nikto pushed him away and laughed.