a deal,” I say.
“What makes you think we’re here to make a deal?” Santangelo asks.
“Because river rats don’t usually warn us that they’re coming up to see us. They usually cruise around the place and create havoc and then expect us to negotiate just to stop the mayhem.”
“I don’t operate that way… we don’t operate that way.”
Judging by his sidekicks I’m not too sure.
“Well then, Santangelo. Is that what I should call him?” I turn to ask Raffaela. She doesn’t answer. She’s still fidgeting.
“Chaz,” he answers for her.
“Santangelo…Chaz, whatever they call you down there, let’s make a deal.”
“Then you start. Tell us what you want.”
First rule of negotiation: never let them think you want something.
“We want access to the Prayer Tree,” Raffaela blurts out.
Raffaela failed negotiating class in year eight. The seniors in our House once had her in mind for leadership after I went through my arsonist stage and burnt half of the oval. We have a collection of arsonists at our school. There are at least two in year seven in my House who are going to set fire to us in our beds one day.
“We want access to the Club House,” Santangelo states bluntly, looking at me and not her.
“Club House isn’t ours. It belongs to the Cadets.”
“Yeah, but it’s a massive hike for them unless you let them use the river. They want access to the path that leads to it, and you’ve got that.”
“Why the Club House?” Ben asks.
“Limited options. We can’t get into any of the pubs, so it’s hanging out at the Seven-Eleven at night or the car park at Coles. We’re looking for peaceful coexistence, here. One night a week, Saturday night, maybe even two.”
“You’re talking to the wrong people. The Cadets will never allow you in.”
“They might if you give them access to the path.”
I shake my head. “The path is too close to the school boundaries.”
“And the problem is?” he asks.
“We have junior girls,” Raffaela says. “We don’t want strangers that close to our boundaries.”
“Why? Because last time the Cadets got that close you ran off with one of them?” The three Townies exchange looks and I am suddenly suspicious.
“You don’t know who you ran off with, do you?” one of the Mullets says, stepping towards me. “You are one stupid—”
“Is this the best you can do?” Raffaela snaps at Santangelo, pointing to his morons, her finger almost an inch away from the bigger Mullet. He growls and makes a bite for it and Ben drags her back.
Still nothing from Santangelo and then I realise he’s deliberately ignoring her and that they have some kind of history.
“You two know each other well, I presume.”
Just a sigh and pursed lips from her and a hellish scowl from him.
“This is ridiculous,” I say, walking to the door.
“No it’s not. It’s called coexistence.” Santangelo blocks my exit. “Once you and the Cadets get it right, we might even try to sell the idea to the Israelis and Palestinians. What do you reckon?”
“You haven’t told us what you have to offer us yet,” I say.
“The Prayer Tree,” Raffaela says immediately.
“I’m not negotiating with her.”
I glare at Raffaela. Personally, I’m not interested in the Prayer Tree. I’m curious about what they’re going to use as a bargaining tool.
“I’ve got information,” he says to me, “that you might want.”
“About?”
No answer, and for a moment I think we’re dealing with an amateur who has come with nothing to offer.
“What?” Ben asks.
I glance at Santangelo and I get a gut feeling that it’s not about the territory wars or the Club House.
“We have a map that could possibly be the draft for a tunnel,” he says, suddenly focusing on Raffaela and Ben.
A ploy. Doesn’t mean the map is non-existent but he’s holding back and I want to know why.
“Means absolutely nothing to us because they never finished it beyond your school
“What makes you think we’re here to make a deal?” Santangelo asks.
“Because river rats don’t usually warn us that they’re coming up to see us. They usually cruise around the place and create havoc and then expect us to negotiate just to stop the mayhem.”
“I don’t operate that way… we don’t operate that way.”
Judging by his sidekicks I’m not too sure.
“Well then, Santangelo. Is that what I should call him?” I turn to ask Raffaela. She doesn’t answer. She’s still fidgeting.
“Chaz,” he answers for her.
“Santangelo…Chaz, whatever they call you down there, let’s make a deal.”
“Then you start. Tell us what you want.”
First rule of negotiation: never let them think you want something.
“We want access to the Prayer Tree,” Raffaela blurts out.
Raffaela failed negotiating class in year eight. The seniors in our House once had her in mind for leadership after I went through my arsonist stage and burnt half of the oval. We have a collection of arsonists at our school. There are at least two in year seven in my House who are going to set fire to us in our beds one day.
“We want access to the Club House,” Santangelo states bluntly, looking at me and not her.
“Club House isn’t ours. It belongs to the Cadets.”
“Yeah, but it’s a massive hike for them unless you let them use the river. They want access to the path that leads to it, and you’ve got that.”
“Why the Club House?” Ben asks.
“Limited options. We can’t get into any of the pubs, so it’s hanging out at the Seven-Eleven at night or the car park at Coles. We’re looking for peaceful coexistence, here. One night a week, Saturday night, maybe even two.”
“You’re talking to the wrong people. The Cadets will never allow you in.”
“They might if you give them access to the path.”
I shake my head. “The path is too close to the school boundaries.”
“And the problem is?” he asks.
“We have junior girls,” Raffaela says. “We don’t want strangers that close to our boundaries.”
“Why? Because last time the Cadets got that close you ran off with one of them?” The three Townies exchange looks and I am suddenly suspicious.
“You don’t know who you ran off with, do you?” one of the Mullets says, stepping towards me. “You are one stupid—”
“Is this the best you can do?” Raffaela snaps at Santangelo, pointing to his morons, her finger almost an inch away from the bigger Mullet. He growls and makes a bite for it and Ben drags her back.
Still nothing from Santangelo and then I realise he’s deliberately ignoring her and that they have some kind of history.
“You two know each other well, I presume.”
Just a sigh and pursed lips from her and a hellish scowl from him.
“This is ridiculous,” I say, walking to the door.
“No it’s not. It’s called coexistence.” Santangelo blocks my exit. “Once you and the Cadets get it right, we might even try to sell the idea to the Israelis and Palestinians. What do you reckon?”
“You haven’t told us what you have to offer us yet,” I say.
“The Prayer Tree,” Raffaela says immediately.
“I’m not negotiating with her.”
I glare at Raffaela. Personally, I’m not interested in the Prayer Tree. I’m curious about what they’re going to use as a bargaining tool.
“I’ve got information,” he says to me, “that you might want.”
“About?”
No answer, and for a moment I think we’re dealing with an amateur who has come with nothing to offer.
“What?” Ben asks.
I glance at Santangelo and I get a gut feeling that it’s not about the territory wars or the Club House.
“We have a map that could possibly be the draft for a tunnel,” he says, suddenly focusing on Raffaela and Ben.
A ploy. Doesn’t mean the map is non-existent but he’s holding back and I want to know why.
“Means absolutely nothing to us because they never finished it beyond your school
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