EXCEPTION
“Still the same pompous bastard. All these years, and you never changed.”
“Pompous?” I let the word hang, then chuckled low. “No, Fredrin. Pragmatist. That is what I am. Pragmatists live longer. Unlike fools who mistake greed for brilliance.” I sipped my drink slow, the burn pleasant. “And you, old friend… you have outdone yourself. A ridiculous plan, slow, predictable. You have shown just how foolish a man can be.”
He laughed, sharp and ugly. It echoed for a moment, then died.