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↑ Afterword	A sleepy voice next to me asked, "Who won?" I smiled and hit the switch that turned off the lights and TV. "We did." 7» "Okay, g'night," he said, then hung up. 7» "Can't this wait until morning ... Later in the morning?" He pleaded. "Just wanted you to get used to the idea." 7» "After midnight your time. We got paid several times over and I want to go on vacation." 7» Tampa Bay goes to the playoffs. And what does Blackbird do? What about a holiday? A vacation. I called Cloud. "Wa time izzit? He asked. 7» That's it. I'm restless; don't know what my next job is. Baltimore got a run. Two. That's it for Boston. Rays got a homer. 7» Yankees have a man on 3rd, no outs. Now one out, the man at 3rd. Another. Gardner up. Out at 1st. I ought to go to bed. Hate loose ends. 7» It never was all about the money, though. Boston 3, Baltimore 2. Winning Ray run at 2nd, 1 out. 2outs and another. 12th inning. 8» Sox and Orioles are back at it. 3-2 top of the 9th. 7-7 Yankees Rays. With all those diamonds we could all retire. 8» 10th inning, Rays intentionally walk Gardner, two outs ... Three outs. Top of the 11th, 7-7. Bluebird's asleep. I could be too. 8» I still have his cheap ass gun in my pocket. When we get back on the road tomorrow I'll distribute the parts over multiple counties. 8» Johnson of the Rays got a home run and NOW Giardi takes out the pitcher. Score 7-7. Thinking about Justin. Hope he's had enough. 9» Bottom of the 9th, 7-6, Yankees serene, Rays frantic, Rays at bat. Boston-Baltimore game still in rain delay 7th inning, 3-2 Sox. 9» Turned on the game and the Boston game was in rain delay. Yankees were 7-0 over the Rays. Took five minutes to make that 7-6! 9» Bluebird seems to think I have a control problem. I reminded her I wasn't the one Tasering junky hitchhikers to get them clean. 9» Afterword. Interesting meeting. Justin picked up a white key tag and a fellow took him to a detox. Meeting topic: Powerlessness. 9»	Joe Torio Mystery Novels on Kindle only $.99@

↑ 17	We'll be there. 1» The games and the meeting all start at Seven. I understand the NL wildcard is also tied up. one-game-to-go. Tonight! Carry the message, grrr 1» We found an NA meeting in Wichita Justin II agreed to attend if we'd go with him. The Rays and the Red Sox are tied for the AL wild card. 1» Ted Danson is to replace him. Can you see him going into the morgue singing, "You wanna go where everybody knows your name ...." 1» Lawrence Fishburn is leaving CSI. 1» "Paid-in-full," I said to the others. "Let's vanish." As we left the ranch, I wondered if we'd ever see this case on CSI. 1» I divided the rocks into five equal piles, one for Hammer, one for Ferret and his men, one for Bluebird, one for me, and one for Cloud. 1» I poured out three gin botles and three vodka bottles. All they contained were water and fifty million dollars worth of cut diamonds. 1» Diamonds have a specific gravity of 3.5. I had lifted my share of vodka and gin bottles in my time, and these were awfully heavy. 1» Then I looked at the bottles. I only had to pick them up one at a time. Vodka has a specfic gravity of .9498. Gin, about the same. 1» I took the hangings and posters off the walls, tap-tap-tapped all over, looked in all the bar cabinets, and in all the books. 1» The den is the heart of the man-cave. This is where cave man can grunt, belch, scratch, fart, eat Doritos, and watch The Games in peace. 1» It had to be somewhere, and somewhere nearby. Sam didn't strike me as a very trusting soul. He'd keep it, and keep it close. 1» Either there were a couple barrels of golden horseshoes somewhere or the house was insulated with dollars. I was in the den, looking. 1» About all we established after thirty minutes is that the ransom wasn't in the form of dollars. He hadn't put the money in any account. 1» Even in hundred dollar bills, that is one big hunk of cash. We scoured the house room by room, and more so once Hammer and Ferret showed. 1» Chapter 17. After dressing, putting the weapons back in their owners' hands, we began searching for the fifty million dollar ransom. 1»

↑ 16	Bluebird and I did a couple of laps. I won, but only because that bullet she took in her leg a couple jobs ago. She's getting stronger, though. 1» Didn't take more than four minutes. The kidnapper of Sam's son had just gotten what he had done to the boy, his speedo hooked to the drain. 1» "That's Sam Doppel," I said. "We're swimming." I cut off the call, took off my togs and jumped in. Held Sam by the ankles. 1» "With all the noise you guys were making, the cops ought to be there soon. Meet us at the ranch." A pause. "What's all that screaming?" he asked. 1» I called Hammer on the radio. "How goes the battle, General Meade?" He laughed back. "This time Bobby Lee didn't get away." 1» The last of her clothing dropped and she bent over and rolled Sam Doppel into the drink. "I think seventeen minutes'll be plenty." 1» "Yes," I croaked, someting of a case of dry mouth of my own. "The record is nineteen minutes twenty-one seconds. Swiss guy." 1» As Bluebird began removing her clothing, she asked, "Is it true you can hold your breath for seventeen minutes?" 2» And he'd only gotten a third of the way through the list of questions. He seems to be after some answerrs now, though. Meanwhile, back .... 2» 1:02PM(MT) Sorry for the delay.Justin just had himself a bit of an epiphany. Tears, hollering, crying, snot dribbling, group hugs, all that. 2» "I hadn't thought this part out very clearly," I said. "To fulfill our part of the contract, he needs to drown." Bluebird smiled. 2» Chapter 16. Meanwhile, once again back at the ranch, Bluebird and I stood side-by-side next to Sam Doppel's sleeping form. 2

↑ 15	He unfolded the piece of paper and began reading. It was going to be like a Nazi dentist pulling teeth. Very slowly. While she does that .... 2» "After you answer the questions," she said. 2» Bluebird took the "Am I An Addict?" IP from my fingers and handed it to Justin. "Answer the questions," she said. "Can I put on my pants?" 2» "Why?" he demanded. "What is it to you guys? You don't know me." I shook my head. "Nope. Don't want to until you stop playing with guns." 2» "By the time the corn harvester comes through here and finds your remains," I added, "the crows would've nearly picked your bones clean." 2» "Like hell I will," he said flatly. Bluebird leaned forward, staring him in the face."Refuse to go to a meeting and see how long you live." 3» "What choice?" he asked. "Very simple. Either you go to a meeting tonight and work at getting clean, or you'll kill yourself." 3» "You are now at such a point," I said. "I was once there. Either I was going to get clean or kill myself. That's your choice now." 3» "What about it?" he wanted to know. 3» I wiggled the IP. "You once wondered if you had a problem. I suppose you must have heard about that turning point, that fork in the road?" 3» "So, that gun you stuck in the back of my neck was just in the way of an introduction?" He seemed to be trying to overcome dry mouth. 3» "Yeah, I see that. That means I got a robber problem, not a drug problem. You're the robbers," he clarified. 3» "Yeah, I mean, no. I didn't have no problem." I pointed at him. "You do notice all you got on right now are your underpants. See that?" 3» "Yeah, you know," said Bluebird. Justin's eyes narrowed. "I wanted to see if I had a problem. I didn't." My eyebrows went up. "Really?" 3» I dangled the NA IP in front of him. "I see you made it to a meeting. Why?" He shrugged and looked down at the dirt. "I dunno." 3» "Mine don't," said Bluebird with something of a growl in her voice. "We'd have to get you washed first, though. Disinfected. Cleaned." 3» "What'd you do to me?" Sitting on the seat in the car, my feet on the ground, I laughed at him. "My tastes run a little different." 3» 84 degrees and no shade. There are a few clouds, but no help for us. We waited until Justin II, clad only in his briefs, came to. "What'd.." 3» The works for cocaine were there but all out of snow. At the bottom of the bag I found an NA information pamphlet, "Am I An Addict?" Not filled out. 3» I opened the back door, pulled him out, and let Bluebird do the strip search while I went through the back pack. Dirty clothes, two joints.. 3» Justin II was out counting dimensions and Bluebird took the next exit and found a country lane bordered by what looked like corn. 3» "Look at this piece of junk," I said. "The cylinder doesn't even line up with the barrel. He'd have as good a chance of doing himself." 3» "No," I said submissively. "Not that word." In a flash, Bluebird had her Taser frying up Justin as I grabbed his pistol between shocks. 3» "That's because you were that kind of druggie," she said. "I was more refined; beverages and prescriptions." "Shut up bitch!" Justin said ... 3» Chapter 15. "I win," I said to Bluebird, leaning my head forward getting the muzzle of his gun off my neck. "Didn't make the Kansas line." 3»

↑ 14	I turned to meet Bluebird at the pool when-- the druggie in the car, the bearded #JustinBieber, makes his move. 3» "I suppose we could do gang war; the other side won," he said. I nodded to myself. "Try it; probably be a great boost for night basketball." 3» "What're you trying to make it look like there?" he asked. "A couple of the guards went paranoid and wiped out the rest," I said. "Bad drugs." 3» "Have a lot?" I asked at last. "Well," he said, "It is beginning to look like Day Three at Gettysburg." 3» As I descended the stairs to the pool, I radioed Hammer. "How's the war going?" I asked. "About the body clumping thing," he began. 4» Taking the cigarette from Biff's fingers, I said,"Don't you know these things can kill you?" I stubbed it out in the ashtray he had brought. 4» Bluebird already had a bead on the remaining North guard. He was enjoying a smoke, too. Down he went. "Meet you at the pool," I said to her. 4» Crouching down I look over Biff's body to the porch beneath. That guard is flat on his face, a pool of blood spreading on the tiled deck. 4» I put one through his forehead, his hand lowered, cigarette still clutched between his fingers, his head lolls back against the door. 4» "Mmm, that's fine tobacco," says Biff Johnson, head wrangler for the Bullshitaki Mushroom Company. He glanced at me in mid-puff. 4» His rifle was leaning against the railing, his legs were crossed at the ankles, and he was rustic handsome and auditioning for a commerical. 4» I could smell the burning cigarette before I got to the bedroom. Opposite the entrance was a door leading to a tiny balcony. 4» Bluebird took the Glock, headed toward the porch while I moved to the second story to take care of the remaining rifleman beneath the eaves. 4» Bluebird crouched, I fired the silenced weapon over her head, and Tommy is credited with another kill. Boss guard had a Glock on him. Silenced. 4» He was standing thoughtfully at the top of the stairs, thought he heard something, and looked down at Bluebird. I had Crazy Tommy's gun. 4» We backed out, turned, went silently through a heavy door, closing it behind us. As we padded silently up the stairs, we met the head guard. 4» The rum and Coke mixings he had on ice next to him bespoke of a nap of a duration possibly sufficient to complete first our pest removal. 4» Quickly we cleared the pool area and spied our man, Sam Doppel himself, in a Speedo sunning himself on a huge towel alongside the pool. 4» Bluebird found a door leading from the West corrals and feed lot into the hacienda's private pool and gym area. Locked, but not for long. 4» "I dunno," sez Tommy to a disbelieving room full of detectives. "I think I got hit on the head." A likely story, no doubt. 4» That guard's weapon wasn't silenced either. They're going to wonder why guard Tommy whathisface wigged out and slaughtered his colleagues. 4» Chapter 14. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, using the first guard's Chinese 64, I popped the remaining guard on the west side. 4»

↑ 13	The Syracuse Desperados Group has a Wednesday meeting, also at Seven, and considerably out of our way. We may have to keep this one awhile. 4» Wednesday meeting in Burlington, CO. 7:00PM either we'd have to wait all day for him to make sure he shows or find something in Kansas. 4» I don't think he'll make the Kansas line. He's already eyeing the bag of Sovereigns. I'd better look up a meeting at www.NA.org. 5» Aside from a terminal case of the sniffles, he seems a personable sort. Bluebird gives him until Brewster in Kansas. 5» The conversation begins. We'll get back to you in a few minutes. "So," I ask, "You get ribbed a lot for looking like Justin Bieber?" 5» "As far as you can get me to Topeka," he says nervously. "Well," I say, "That's right where we're going. Hop in." 5» The more I look at him the more he looks like a dissolute #Justin Bieber. He comes up to my side and I open the window. "Where to?" I ask. 5» "Yup," she answered as we pulled off the road just past the hitchhiker. He was in his mid twenties clad in black leather and brown facial hair. 5» I glanced into the back seat and smiled. "An open bag of gold Sovereigns on the seat. Can't see why he'd try something. You open that bag?" 5» "You think he'll try something?" she asked innocently. "Don't know why," I said. "Needs a fix, got a gun, Grandpa amd his neice." 5» "I suppose with me tweeting all this flat country driving must be a bit dull. Okay," I agreed. "Carry the message. He's carrying, left hip." 5» The car is slowing down. "What is it?" I ask Bluebird. She nodded with her head. "Hitchhiker. He's pretty jumpy looking." 6» "We'll save that for last," I said, giving the first guard another tap with the rock. Then we hurridly moved around to the west, located--- 6» A barely audible "to" sound signaled the gate's vacancy. She returned with the gate guard's weapon. It was an Anaconda, but not silenced. 6» We put on gloves, she pointed at the rifle she had touched without them, and I nodded. As she left to take out the gate guard. I wiped the rifle. 6» "I always wanted one of those things," said Bluebird. "Let's stick with the plan," I urged. "You might as well try it out," I offered. 6» In a shoulder holster he had a Chinese silenced 64, the silencer non-detachable but integrated into the weapon's construction. Sweet. 6» That was all the man of the East said before I hit the back of his head with a rock. Bluebird caught his rifle, I lowered him to the ground. 6» Bluebird stood so the guard could see her. We judged correctly. the guards here were used to seeing Doppel's women about. "You better--" 6» "That's our cue," I whispered. I worked my way anti-clockwise around a walled riding paddock and she went in the opposite direction. 6» The head guard from his vantage point on the porch studied upon that side's security, talked into his radio, paused, went into the house. 6» I nod. "If he leaves the porch to check the other posts and grabs someone, there's only the gate guard, and he's not facing the grounds." 6» "Soon," whispered Bluebird, "The head guard is going to realize the South side is under staffed. If he leaves the porch---" 6» No one in the South eaves, one on the east side, the other heading to take over the recently vacated west, and unchanged on the North. 6» "And then there were seven," said Bluebird. She smiled. "Still lucky." One on the gate, the head guard taking over the South porch .... 6» Five guards, three from the south side and the two from the west, climbed into a white Forester and raced from the south entrance. 7» A clipped response, he moved quickly into the house to talk with Sam Doppel. Quickly, the head guard returned, barking orders. 7» Soon Hammer, Ferret and his boys had the auto graveyard sounding like the D-Day invasion. The latest guard on the porch answered his squawk. 7» She got on the button radio with Hammer. "Increase the odds. We need to draw off more of these guards." There was a "Will do," in return. 7» I nodded and smiled. "It's for the best. As soon as those yahoos start shooting, every gun-totin' Marlboro man within hearing will come." 7» I love seeing her happy. She places her lips next to my ear and whispers, "I suppose you'll want to cut down the odds a bit." 7» Her trigger finger twitches as she imagines working the guards with her M-85 modified to take a twelve-round mag and her own silencer. 7» Personally, I'd feel luckier with only five guards to take out instead of twelve, but that's why a Higher Power is a personal choice. 7» In twelves, it's a lucky sign to Bluebird. We met at a Twelve-Step program, it was the twlefth day of the twelfth month, in '93, 9+3=12. 7» ---I see a twelfth coming out of the front door to join the fellow on the South porch. "Lucky twelfth," whispered Bluebird to herself. 7» We worked our way around to the east and there were two guards there, both walking the grounds near the corrals. While settling on eleven--- 7» North are three more: One in the eaves, one on the north porch, another walking the grounds near the locked North Gate. Nine thus far. 7» There are more than five left behind. We moved around to the west. With my binocs I see two riflemen cocealed among a mountain of hay bales. 7» Guard on the south-facing porch. That makes four guards expecting something from the South. Unless that fifth guard really covers ground ... 7» Bluebird pointed out the rifleman in the eaves of the second story. She loves the tactical part of a hit more than anything else. 7» One guard, armed and in a booth at the Canyon Drive entrance, a second with a rifle walking the grounds south of the house and pool. 7» In the center of the horse ranch, about eighteen acres I estimated, was the rather large hacienda. Mrs. Doppel's millions, under red tile. 7» One needs a car more solid than an old Ford Focus to go busting through reinforced steel gates. Also, we didn't have the guards all placed. 8» In Chapter 12 we left our intrepid heroes in a junk Ford speeding toward Doppel's ranch gate. Before we arrived Bluebird slowed and stopped. 8» Bluebird driving, the country east of Denver is flat and terribly monotonous, especially staring into a sunrise. Good time to be tweeting. 8» Oh. Bluebird says, "Good morning." 8» I'm going to finish up my pancakes (real Maine maple syrup) and coffee, then continue with what happened at Doppel's Ranch in the car. 8» The authorities in Vegas, it seems, don't want a big deal being made out of what must appear to be a mass murder. What happens in Vegas .... 8» It's probably the smell of the coffee. It always smells better in a really good restaurant. The early morning paper has nothing on the hit. 8» It's 6:10AM(MT) and we're eating a good breakfast at the motel's excellent restaurant. I love eating out, especially breakfast. 8» Chapter 13. Something bad always happens in Chapter 13. Don't know why that is. The job is done so what could go wrong? Whoa, imagination! 8

↑ 12	Tampa Bay 5, New York 3 bottom of the 8th. Are the Yankees throwing games to cost Boston the wild card? Going to sleep. More in the morning. 10 » 7:34PM(MT) Bluebird and I made it to Denver, had dinner, put Cloud's and our shares of the payment beneath the bed and celebrated. 10 No, not a word from our sponsor, (See: Buy Books Page: http://www.sff.net/people/bblongyear/Index.htp), I need to charge the iPad. Grandpa gets confused, you know. 21 » So, there we were, approaching the gate, two brave adventurers ready to meet with and croak the Great Vegas Dragon in his lair. But first .. 21 » "Which is the other reason we're not doing this long distance," she said (this is part of the flashback. In Utah we know where money is). 21 » "Gee," I said, "whatever do you supposed happened to that $50 million ransom?" "I think the kidnapper has it," Bluebird said as she smiled. 21 » And now we're gone. Where was I? Ah, discussing Doppel killing his son and blaming it on unspecified "kidnappers." $50 million in ransom. 22 » "He's confused," Bluebird explains. "Sorry," apologized the cop. "Didn't mean to upset him." He nodded toward another cop, "Good to go." 22 » "We are not movin' a dadblamed inch, boy! You can't get more still than we are!" I return to the tweeting in injured innocence. 22 » "Cpl. Pettingill, sir." I frown, look at Bluebird, then back at the cop. "We are sittin' still." He grins. "No sir. Pettin-gill. My name--" 22 » "Ah hah," I say as I nod and look over the tops of my theatrical glasses at him. "What's your name, son?" I ask. 22 » After a tense moment, he hands back Bluebird's forgeries to her, and talks through the window across her to me. "That an iPad, Grandpa?" 22 » She hands him our very best forgeries and he half studies them and looks through the car windows at the same time. 22 » "Is there a problem?" Bluebird Caregiver asked with a trembling voice. "Nothing to worry about, ma'am. License and registration, please." 22 » Our turn. Bluebird pulls up at a teen-looking cop and lowers the window. The temperature is in the mid sixties. The cop's collar is up. 22 » Our makeup is really good. Bluebird is the harried middle-aged caretaker and I'm her dementia-affected charge, Unca Byrd. Tired enough. 22 » Quick check: we bought the car in a private sale off someone's front lawn. No bodies in the trunk. Bags of gold soverigns, on the other hand 22 » Give us a couple of minutes. The bleeding Utah staties are either breathalyzing the Interstate traffic or looking for us. 22 » Parents killing children for either monetary or sexual gratification is a sore point with Bluebird. With me, as w... Oh, crap! A Roadblock. 22 » Bluebird stared as we approached the gate,her eyes narrowed. "It won't be completely accurate," she said. "He'll have a fighting chance." 23 » "And he killed his own boy," she repeated her point. "Yes. Hence, who would know better than Sam if we're being accurate." 23 » "He worked his contract through Cloud, as requested. He agreed to a fee based on his son's murderers dying in the same manner as his son." 23 » "Why don't we just take Doppel out with the long arm," which is what she calls nailing someone with a sniper shot. 23 » Leaving behind the sniper rifles, we took the gray Ford downout of the hills and raced the mile and a half to the ranch. 23 » Trying to piece together what happened last night. By turning on my cell phone in that auto junkyard, Hammer pulled off most of the guards. 23 » Chapter 12. After six, I think. Different time zone and Bluebird and I are enroute to the east, sensible times, scrapple and maple syrup. 23

↑ 11	TweetTroubles . . . very v-e-r-y slow. We're going to take care of the Doppel hash now and I'll fill all of you in later. Bye. At this point Twitter jammed and no more could be downloaded. The most recent Tweet made, but unable to upload read:↑↑↑ "He killed his own son, didn't he?" asked Bluebird. "Ferret and I can draw off the guns if you have something special for Doppel." I nod. "Do that. The man wants me to drown his son's killer." 21 » Ferret said, "By my reckoning, there's only five left at the ranch." I frowned as I asked, "Is that too clumpy a pile of bodies for Cloud?" 26 » A column of four SUVs and a van rolled quickly from the north entrance of the ranch headed toward the junkyard. Three more SUVs followed. 31 » After I ran all this by Bluebird, she said, "Then we are the only incriminating things remaining." I pointed as the hive began buzzing. 1» After I ran all this by Bluebird, she said, "Then we are the only incriminating things remaining." The hive began buzzing. "Look," I said. 1» We were hired to dispose of Popeye and the army of ex-cops and PIs were hired to make certain nothing incriminating remained behind. 1» Popeye misunderstood the situation. He believed his linchpin status made him more valuable. He asked for a raise. 1» As the linchpin to the entire scam, without whom there was no way to tie Sam to our client and visa versa, Popeye's days were numbered. 2» Popeye Mark, our original contracted target, was the individual who supplied Old Sam with alibis for both deaths: Son's and ex-wife's. 2» Some might consider it suspicious that our original client was and is Sam's banker. And one might wonder at another little item: 2» The late ex-Mrs. Doppel's will, in the event of the boy's death before his eighteenth birthday, left the works to his "nearest." Old Sam. 2» Sam's expenditures went up, his purchase of this particular horse ranch for one example. Millions in the red, but Sam's bankers minded not. 2» Sam sued for custody of his son, then eleven years old, and monies sufficient for his upkeep came into the Doppel coffers. Lots of upkeep. 2» Just about then, the ex-Mrs. Doppel died in an auto accident. "It looked like the other driver was aiming at her," reported an eye-witness. 2» These bankers, however, did not believe in deficit spending. "Either pay up or learn to walk on your elbows." (Our Motto). 2» Meanwhile, old Sam Doppel went broke and got mixed up with some financiers only a little less crooked than U.S. Treasury appointees. 2» Time passed, The ex-Mrs. managed to regain her fortune, estimated between four hundred and six hundred million dollars. 2» The Doppel's three year long marriage was sufficient to produce a son, who the ex-Mrs. Doppel took with her when she departed. 2» Our Sam Elliot lookalike had been married, but after seeing her bank accounts shrink, the wealthy woman got wise, left, and filed papers. 2» While Doppel took the time to detect and mull over our return invitation, I pondered the information we'd gotten from Popeye Mark. 2» The call was to Hammer who was situated in an auto junkyard approximately a mile away. Hammer had my cell and turned it on. We waited. 3» I motioned with my hand toward Ferret who made a call on one of the throwaway cell phones we'd picked up. 3» "'Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy." I completed. 3» I pointed it out to Bluebird, who responded by quoting Mary Howitt: "Will you walk into my parlour? said a spider to a fly." 3» A gnat couln't make it across that distance without being detected. The north side, bordering on Grand Teton Dr., only had two men on guard. 3» The valley floor is flat and dotted with sagebrush. Around the ranch's perimeter I can see at least nine fellows armed with scoped rifles. 3» The only vantage point from which to observe the ranch is some low hills about three miles northwest of the ranch. 3» You know, before I got into the program and got all better? I'd better take another look at that ranch. 3» With the makeup and bags, Bluebird says I look like a destitute Johnny Depp. Well, I certainly feel like the Old Crow used to feel. 3» Done with that, I watched the second game on my iPad. Fourteen innings. Boston won. The bags under my eyes have bags. 3» Then there was getting into position and a couple of recon missions making certain Sam was at the center of all those PIs and cops. 4» First game we couldn't watch because Ford Escorts don't have TV as standard, and we spent some time locating the ranch on Kyle Canyon Rd. 4» Chapter 11. 7:16AM(PT) Now, here's a funny thing. Yankees and Red Sox double header last night while we attempted to hunt down Doppel & Co.

↑ 10	"It's the Yankees and the Red Sox," she explained as though I had somehow misunderstood. "I know, and if we miss it, I'll know who to blame." 21» "The game is in less than half an hour," she reminded me. "I know," I answered. "And I believe old Sam Doppel knows it, as well." 21» "Those," I called from the open window. I turned to Bluebird. "We need new faces and different clothes, too." She glanced at her watch. 21» Ferret pointed at a ten year-old gray Ford Escort and another one in the adjoining row of parked cars. Dirt and scrapes. I nodded to him. 21» "I presumed that Doppel trying to have all of us killed rather invalidated that agreement. Have I been hasty?" I nodded. "You have." 21» "I promised the man I'd find his son's kidnappers and do to them what they did to his boy." Bluebird's eyes went wide. 21» "The mark is dead," said Bluebird as Ferret and Hammer looked for dirty cars. "Why are we still in Vegas?" I smiled a bitter little smile. 21» "Considering all the stuff we know Doppel knows about us and how we operate, we can count on him knowing our preferences in transportation." 21» "Not those," I said to him through the window. "Find something with dirt on it." His eyebrows went up. "You hate dirty cars." 21» Ferret found a new black Grand Cherokee away from the cameras parked four places away from an identical vehicle. Practically tailored for us. 21» We pay to have high-speed all the time; It only fails to deliver when I need it. Perhaps I should be grateful. It's 73F.Gratitude expired. 22» As we ride among the offerings at the airport's long-term parking facilities, I find the internet even slower than it was last night. 22» It's going to be another visit to the plastic man for the lot of us. After ... after this "milk run." 22» Ferret has a line on Doppel's location, a small ranch north of the city probably housing a small army. All our faces are in the media. 22» The cops and Doppel's PIs are using Stingray to track our cells, and Popeye Mark had revealed that all now have Cloud's private number. 22» Bluebird came out to drive wearing a patch over her left eye. I guess it was a little bit amusing. Need to discuss procedures with Cloud. 22» Chapter 10. 8AM(PT) the weather bunny wants a high of 98F. Doppel now has the cops looking for us and Yankees v. Red Sox in 2 hours. Tense. 23

↑ 9	"Yankees play the Red Sox tomorrow afternoon," announced Blackbird. "I want this all wrapped up before then." 8 » I looked up from my weather app. "Supposed to be hotter tomorrow," I said. 9 » "Anybody know where the pieces of that satellite came down?" Blackbird asked. He got a series of shrugs and "nos." 9 » Mark talked and what he said stunned us, then the Old Crow slipped behind Mark and broke his neck, replacing the eye afterward. 9 » Blackbird slipped the spoon's bowl behind Mark's eye and popped the eyeball out of its orbit. 9 » He grabbed Mark's nose with one hand, placed the tip of the spoon's bowl at the outside corner of one eye with the other hand-- 9 » Things that stab, gouge, grind, and scrape. But instead he went to the coffee station and came back with a metal teaspoon. 9 » "Too noisy," he said, looking around the tiny room. It looked and smelled like a garage office. Lots of tools. 9 » "Sorry," I said. "Doppelgänger and company cleaned out my purse back at the hospital. We still have the C-4." 9 » Mark grinned. "Nah. You're not that kind of man." Blackbird held his hand out toward me. 9 » He leaned in close toward Mark. "You keep making me suffer this god awful heat, slick, and I start making a crowd out of you." 9 » "Incorrect. You tell me and I don't torture you to death. You get it quick and clean." 10 » "I tell you and you let me go, right?" Mark offered hopefully. 10 » I'm hot, cranky, and tired. All I want to know is what set this Sam Elliot Doppelgänger fellow on my trail and after my case? 10 » "Please," Blackbird interrupted. "I should kill you a second time for imagining me capable of taking a bribe. 10 » "I've been hired to snuff you, Mark. That's the end of it." Mark shakes his head. "No! I can pay you a--" 10 » "You've got to be joking. I mean, I've never done anything to you, have I?" Blackbird slowly shakes his head. 10 » "All that's left to decide," cautioned Blackbird, "are the number and order of pieces." Mark laughed weakly. 10 » "You are already dead, Mark," says Blackbird patiently, just an edge of tension in his voice. 10 » Mark is talking, which is good; however, he is not saying anything useful, which is a waste of Blackbird's time. At 94F. Not good. 11 » The mark (we've taken to calling him "Mark") is hanging by his bound wrists from the top edge of a steel door. 11 » Being irritated brings on low-grade migraines which, if left unchecked, develop into high-grade, four alarm, skull busters. 11 » Chapter 9. Bluebird here, it's around 8:30pm Vegas time, 94 degrees, and in a room with no AC. Blackbird is hot and headachy. Not good. 11

↑ 8	Doppelganger's units Stingray equipped. Cell phones off. Later. 13 » 6:01PM(PT) Things moving fast. QuickTweet: Ferret found the mark. Rushing there now to pose a question or two. 13There are questions that need answers, people to see, bodies to make dead. This stone-age tweeting will have to wait 'til the net opens. 7 » Man! "Sorry. We did something wrong. Try sending your tweet again," and again, and again--I don't have time for this! ...temper ...temper ... 11 » Doppel was separated from his wife, Dumpling, she was in the book, and we (Hammer and I) took a look at her Spartan apartment. 15 » The corruption of the anti-corruption night riders. Doppel was looking less like Conagher and more like a White House staffer. 20 » One of the mark's tasks was to pay tribute to this noble cause and make sure that Doppel's vigilantes stayed out of the client's business. 25 » His private army of ex-cops and ex-Green Berets figured in the disappearances of several notable local criminals, nothing provable in court. 28 » I asked if the mark had any connection with our Sam Elliot lookalike. My, yes, he does. The doppelganger had a vigilante thing years ago. 33 » Sorry, all, that these tweets come so slowly. I'm at a keyboard, so it's not that. The net is criminally slow here. --Back to the mark. 35 » I began by consulting with our original client, who couldn't care less where the mark was, just so he's dead. 41 » Below 68 and I start thinking about snow and skiing. It's distracting. It's ninety degrees, though. Careful to watch my temper. 43 » Chapter 8. It's not even noon yet and and it's 90F. I have a narrow comfort range between 68-72 degrees F. Above that and I'm in a bad mood. 52	\

↑ 7	Well, it's full dark and I have a busy night ahead of me. Goodnight, all, and I hope to fill you in on the details in the morning. 13 hours» "I'll see what I can do," I answered helpfully. I was a bit stumped on how we were going pay for this one, though. 13 hours» "Can you spread the bodies out a bit over time and location? These clumps of bodies you've been leaving are drawing notice." 13 hours» "Is this going to up the body count?" he asked, a somewhat anxious tone in his voice. "Could be," I responded. 13 hours» "That's sleuth talk for 'eureka!' It means that almost nothing is as it seems. 14 hours» "Ah-hah," I said. "Ah-hah?" he repeated. "Ah-hah, what?" I rubbed my chin as I thought." 14 hours» "The second time," I prompted. "The second time, my friend, it was to obtain your target his current position." 14 hours» "Our client, has he used our services before?" I asked. "Twice," Cloud said. "Once to remove competition." 14 hours» And why kill Bluebird? In theory we were going to help him find his son's killers. Unless ... Once she was safe, I called Cloud. 14 hours» When I had called her, she said she was getting nothing out of Doppel's men. The man was about to make a very confusing move. 14 hours» Sooner or later someone at the hospital is going to discover the two dead PIs Bluebird had to dispatch, currently in a laundry bin. 14 hours» I gathered the paramedic and the doc stopped making threats once they saw what they were to be paid. Tax free. Take that, Gietner! 14 hours» Ferret and two of his team, Charity and Spike, made off with Bluebird, an ambulance, a driver, and a doctor, setting up in an okay motel. 15 hours» Chapter 7. 7:03PM(PT) At last the dark comes. My corner in the Clark County Library is deserted, save for Hammer, who watcheth my six. 15 hours

↑ 6	"I'll be seeing you," I said, then cut off the call. 3 hours » Well, if you put yourself in his shoes, what was there to say? Sorry I missed you? It was a bad call? Gee, can we start over? Pretty please? 3 hours » I block my ID for just such occasions. "Hi, there. I got your message, and I cannot tell you how disappointed I am." Silence. More silence. 4 hours » When I was well away, the sounds of sirens in the air, I punched in Doppel's number in my cell and kept walking. "Yes?" he answered. 4 hours » "Here," I said to the nearest approaching do-gooder. "Help me get these men out." I opened the door, said, "You first," then walked. 4 hours » The car turned lazily toward the left, crumpled into a parked VW beetle redux, and stalled. Putting my Colt back in the stable, I got out. 4 hours » That's one of the advantages to using a .44 Magnum.It does tend to be messy firing at mere flesh, but now and then one needs an extra punch. 4 hours » The man on the driver's side took through his forehead, the other one flattened out on the road where I got him by firing through the door. 4 hours » Two men, one on either side of the car, approached the back seat with weapons drawn. I shot the two up front, then fired through the glass. 4 hours » "Shayne, Bob," I implore, "after all we've been through together to end it like this." The car suddenly braked pitching me slightly forward. 4 hours » A tsunami of silence washes from the front of the vehicle. These two do not make their livings playing poker. The car is hardly moving. 4 hours » "Ah!" I exclaim somewhat sarcastically, "a fellow film buff. But before I can chat up the flicks, there is the matter of my proposition?" 4 hours » "Edward G. Robinson? Little Caesar? 'Could this be the end of Rico?'" Bob's frown deepens. "You talkin' about a movie?" 4 hours » "I am quicker than you two," I caution. "If I see anyone twitch, well, that's the end of Rico." Bob turns his head and frowns at me, "Rico?" 4 hours » Now Bob's neck is red. "Told you I should be with him in back!" he chides. It's pretty obvious they both have out their guns. 4 hours » "A fair question," I say. "In exchange for supplying me with accurate information and depositing me safe to yon sidewalk, I let you live." 4 hours » "The proposition is this: Tell me where my target is, pull over, and I get out." Bob grinned. "And what do we get, man?" 4 hours » "Oh?"Shayne glances in the rear-view mirror, searching for me. I'm on the other side of the car. "What proposition?" Bob turns, looks at me. 4 hours » His neck is red. He glances at Shotgun Bob. Shotgun Bob glances at Shayne. "Gentlemen, I have a proposition for you to consider." 4 hours » "Just like he told you. We take you to the place, let you in, then whatever you want. We stay and help, we leave you alone, whatever." 5 hours » "Shayne," I begin,"would you mind sharing with me your employer's instructions?" His right shoulder goes up and falls in an insincere shrug. 5 hours » "What. Like gettin' girls?" Bob chuckles. "Or boys?" More chuckles. It's like sharing a carriage with Voltaire. Shayne isn't smiling, though. 5 hours » "What's that tweet shit stuff you're doin'?" inquired Shotgun Bob. "It's a social networking platform," I respond, a pearl before oinker. 5 hours » Chapter 6. Seven in the morning and already 70F. TV weather troll says it will hit 100. Shayne drives, "Bob" rides shotgun, I'm in back. 5 hours

↑ 5	Shayne is at the door.I say good-bye to Bluebird, and good-bye to all of you for the nonce. Time to deal with the man we were hired to kill. 51 » "We'll have to be careful," I said. And a message to whomever: When I show to let the mark go, he'd best be alive. My grudges are terminal. 55 » Her eyebrows went up. "Actually, I thought we were being smart. Keeping our cards close to our vests? But," she relented, "it was lonely." 58 » we're making lots of new friends. Didn't you feel cut off the way we did things before? Lonely?" 1 hour » "They also saved our proverbial bacon the previous time," I pointed out. "They're a great instrument of misdirection." I smiled. "Besides, 1 hour » "Maybe we should quit the tweets?" she suggested. "They've dropped us in it this time." 1 hour » "While arranging a lethal needle for you," she added. "How did Doppel get a line on us? The tweets?" I nodded. "That and I mentioned Vegas." 1 hour » "It's either that or perform in front of witnesses, who wouldn't be shy about contriving a story exonerating themselves." 1 hour » "That seems risky," she said. I nodded in agreement. "Chances are it'll allow him to get armed, gather his men, and come a-hunting for us." 1 hour » "What are you going to do about the mark?" she asked as she stuffed the explosives in her nightstand. "Let him go," I replied haplessly. 1 hour » I managed to smuggle in a few weapons: Blue's Glock, her ankle knife, and I left her the C-4 vest. "In case they try to bill you," I said. 1 hour » In a few minutes. Talk about shooting fish in a barrel. I think they want to walk me in there, I pop the mark, then they have me but good. 1 hour » She may be right, although it hardly seems sporting. In that vein, Doppel's head PI will take me to where they're holding the Vegas mark. 1 hour » Bluebird thinks the Yanks threw the game to help the Rays in the wildcard standings, playing the Red Sox still something of a season curse. 1 hour » Chapter 5. 5:05AM(PT) Much catching up to do. Bluebird and I watched the Rays-Yankee game last night until I ran out of tears. Rays 15-8. 1 hour

↑ 4	I smiled. "I already have a buyer." His eyebrows met in a frown. "You sellin' that to some jihadi?" "No," I said. "A Mets Fan." 2 hours» He turned and began talking. Meanwhile, the ex-cop nodded at my vest. "You gonna need some help disposing of that?" I shook my head. "No." 2 hours» "If I decide to take the case, sir, they will die and in the prescribed manner." I pointed at the phone. "Talk to Cloud." 2 hours» Another nod from Doppel. "You can have your prize. Can you assure me that you will find my son's killers and take them out?" 2 hours» Doppel glanced at the head PI, we'll call Shayne, and nodded. "We're holding him in a safe place." I held out my hand. "Address." 2 hours» you keep your men away from Bluebird until she wants them for questioning or to do errands for her. And one more thing, my target." 2 hours» "Wait," he repeated. "That's right," I said. "Wait for me to decide if I want the case, and if I do, what I want to do about it. Meanwhile, 2 hours» "Make your request through the regular channels, arrange for payment, make available to me all the information I need, then wait." 2 hours» He nibbled at the inside of his lower lip. "So ... what can I do? To make this right?" I handed him my cell and speed dialed Cloud. 2 hours» "No," I said. "What I'm telling you is that I only take on cases I want, and right now, because of your actions, this is not a case I want." 2 hours» "You're telling me a bunch of assassains fool away their days twittering, or whatever it is?" The head PI laughed. The ex-cop frowned. 3 hours» "Don't bother. You've been following my tweets, and that offends me, sir. I'm communicating with my colleagues on Twitter. It's private!" 3 hours» "It's possible. First, I want to know what you've done with my target; the fellow we came here to kill." He raised his hand to protest. 3 hours» He studied me for a long time. At last he nodded. "Very well," he said. "I apologize for being ham-fisted. Can we work out something?" 3 hours» Right now I have more reason to dislike and kill you than I have your son's kidnappers. I don't butcher meat, sir; I exterminate scumbags." 3 hours» "It was supposed to be an incentive," he said, again with the smirk. I slowly shook my head. "Your actions functioned as a disincentive. 3 hours» "You want me to drown an unspecified number of unnamed kidnappers simply on your word and because you hold as hostage someone dear to me." 3 hours» The ex-cop wanted tp know if I was joking. "I rarely joke about death," I answered. Looking at Doppel Senior, I began: 3 hours» "What, then, are you?" asked the head PI. "I am an artist in the true sense of the word. I don't do it unless I feel it. I need to care." 3 hours» His eyebrows went up. "That's right," I confirmed. "I am not a butcher-for-hire, slaying persons I never met in exchange for monies." 3 hours» "Then what is this," he wanted to know. I frowned as I chose my words. "This, sir, is a negotiation on the issue of working conditions." 3 hours» He smirked. "You think she's that good?" he asked. "I think she's that deadly," I answered. "But I'm not attempting to rescuing anyone." 3 hours» "What's this about?" Doppel demands. "I can have my men make your lady friend dead at any time." I nodded. "I have no doubt you could try." 3 hours» "Anyone who doesn't know what a dead man's switch is doesn't belong here," I suggested gently. Dopple shook his head; the gun disappeared. 3 hours» As we moved toward an unoccupied patient room, one of Doppel's PIs raised a silenced pistol toward me. I held up my gripped switch. 3 hours» Here's how it went down: Tossing the ex-cop a ball of C-4 to establish its genuineness, Doppel, the ex-cop, and the head PI agreed to talk. 3 hours» Negotiations end in an atmosphere of mutual understanding conducive to productive outcomes. In other words, I had him by the short hairs. 3 hours» aTwitMystery Barry Longyear I felt the weight of the C-4 bricks wired in my vest, depressed the grip on my dead-man's switch. Let the negotiations begin. Back in a sec. 4 hours» I got us into this mess. It's up to me to get us out. Here he comes, commander and entourage, five total. Two more PIs, a lawyer, and a cop. 4 hours» I also need to return to being in charge of my own destiny. I was tired and got sloppy, mentioning Las Vegas, thereby targeting us. 4 hours» A noise in the hall. Doppel pauses at the nurse's station. He looks fresh, strong, in command. On the other hand, I need sleep and a shower. 4 hours» The pair of PIs on the door, Frick and Frack, have their orders, they say. They also have their weapons, I see. Another PI is in with Blue. 4 hours» Chapter 4. 6:10AM(PT) Back at the hospital waiting for Sam Doppel Senior to allow me to see Bluebird. Much is wearing quite thin. 4 hours

↑ 3	Time to borrow one of Senior's PI's and go over what they, the media, and the cops have on the case. And find the connection to Vegas Mark. 21 hours » It would be amazingly stupid of the kidnappers still to be within the borders of the United States . . . or astonishingly daring. 21 hours » He had lost his son, been swapped his corpse for fifty million dollars, and had put Senior to obsessing about hunting, torture, and murder. 21 hours » Perhaps the original mark tipped off Doppel Senior to crowd up my schedule allowing Vegas to escape. Pix of Senior looking at son's corpse. 21 hours » Thus he needs a criminal to do that which he cannot do adequately himself. But did he tip off the Vegas mark to clear my schedule? Or .... 21 hours » To list them would be to ID him, which wouldn't do on a number of levels. Nonetheless, he is a very big deal in Nevada. Not criminal. 21 hours » Somehow shots of the boy's decomposed and bloated body had made it into the files, and had been seen by Doppel Senior. Details on Senior. 21 hours » The Clark County Library from the outside looks uncomfortably like a prison. Inside I hit the newspaper files, and the kidnapping was real. 21 hours » Need to know more about Doppel, the kidnapping (if there was one), his possible connection to the Vegas mark, and from where all these PIs. 21 hours » Chapter 3. 8:19AM(PT) Called Cloud, let him know the Vegas mark had disappeared. The same time Doppel nabbed Bluebird? Suspicious. 21 hours

↑ 2	Blackbird to Blue... For when you come down: OK on everything. Find out how long Doppel's PI's have been Doppel's PI's. Original mark gone. 32 » Oops. Here come the meds. Bye! 37 » Should I grill Doppel on the kidnapping? Cop files, PI reports, and so on? Okay to use his PI's to chase down leads? They're handy. 38 » Be advised that your boy Doppel or one of his goons will be looking over my shoulder as I tweet. Yankees beat the Rays 5-0 last night. 41 » Blackbird, I'm not clear if you're going for the original mark or the kidnappers first. I have a computer I can work between painkillers. 45 » The doppelganger ... Blackbird gets me all shot up, dumped in a hospital, my best blouse spattered with brains, and left a hostage. 50 » Before I could fly into action, the jailer handed me the iPad from my purse, the image already at the Catchup Page at: http://www.sff.net/people/bblongyear/TwitMysteryCatchup.html 57 » Nice fantasy, I tell myself, then he takes my hand Oh, still my thumping heart! and tells me he's not Sam Elliot but is my jailer. 1 » Chapter 2. 5:42am(PT) Bluebird here. Still woozy from the anesthetic, they wheel me to my room and Sam Elliot is there waiting for me.

↑ 1	But, I thought, she loves Sam Elliot. Why not let the doppelganger inform her? 18 hours » Time to negotiate with Sam's wealthy Doppelganger. Then, I thought, "Oh crap. Who is going to tell Bluebird?" Doesn't like being pushed. 18 hours » I hung up on him. I sure hope he was kidding. Cloud's right though: Conagher is a great film.18 hours » "I didn't say it is Sam Elliot; I said he looks like Sam Elliot." A very long pause. Then Cloud returns. "Can you get me an autograph?" 18 hours » "Yeah. The guy sort of looks like Sam Elliot -- a lot like him, actually." I could hear Cloud almost pant. "I loved him in Conagher." 18 hours » I'll see if I can work it in. Sam isn't going to get his son back any later if I do take out on our own mark first." A puzzled pause. "Sam?" 18 hours » "You mean the one who actually hired us?" asked Cloud sarcastically. "I don't know. The only request he had was to get it done ASAP." 18 hours » I thought on it a bit longer. "It's not a set up. Just what seems to be: a man with more money than he has closure. What about the client?" 18 hours » I called Cloud and brought him up to speed. "Do you think you can trust him?" Cloud asked. "Not much choice as long as he has Bluebird." 18 hours » He at least wanted to get the image of his son's celebrating kidnappers out of his mind. Remember, revenge is nature's release. 19 hours » There wasn't much to think about; The man didn't look like a shark, but he had motive and lots of teeth. He wasn't getting his son back. 19 hours » I rubbed the back of my neck. "Give me a minute to think. A few minutes and a phone call." He nodded again, still facing the window. 19 hours » Her expenses, as well," he said nodding at the empty bed. "I have influence. While my men protect her, you won't be bothered by the police." 19 hours » He turned back to the window. "I will pay all your expenses and you may keep whatever remaining ransom monies you might recover. 19 hours » I want you to find my son's killers, their accomplices, and give to them what they gave my son... He was alive when he went into that lake." 19 hours » The ransom was fifty million dollars. My son was not released and his body was found floating in Lake Meade three weeks later. 19 hours » "Three years ago my son was kidnapped. I did not notify the police nor the FBI. I did exactly what the kidnappers ordered. 19 hours » He told me his name. Although something of a recluse since the death of his eleven year-old son, he could afford to pay for competence. 19 hours » He nodded at the two PIs in the room. They left, closing the door behind them. "I have a favor to ask," he said. "I'm listening, Mr. ..?" 20 hours » I looked behind myself through the open door and saw two more fellows at the ready in the hallway. I turned back. "And if I am?" I asked. 20 hours » He turned and faced me. The man resembled actor Sam Elliot, but with shorter hair. King-sized cookie duster. "You are Blackbird," he stated. 20 hours » One of the PI's was by the door, the second on the other side of the room. The third fellow, the man in charge, was facing the window. 20 hours » Two of the fellows looked like private dicks and carried themselves with an air of confidence born from experience. Armed but not obvious. 20 hours » By six Bluebird was under the knife and I went back to her room to wait. There was someone there waiting for me. Three someones, actually. 20 hours » Perhaps we ought to rethink abandonment of the gold standard. Admitted, need for an operation confirmed, & patient prepped by 5:00AM. 20 hours » His opinion was that Bluebird needs a hospital and admitting her under his name would be too risky, unless... I mentioned we pay in gold. 20 hours » It's infected. I call Hammer to find us a doctor in Vegas with a closed mouth and clean hands. Two in the morning the fellow shows. 20 hours » So, there we were in Sin City, in bed watching the Yankees beat the Twins when she wants me to check the dressing on her wound, which I do. 20 hours » She didn't feel well, so we got bagels and coffee at a Duncan Donuts. After throwing up, Bluebird suggested we stay in and watch the game. 20 hours » Chapter 1. Eight in the AM and the milk run has developed complications. For openers, Bluebird and I never made it to dinner and a show. 20 hours

↑ Intro	"Piece of cake," she relented. "Milk Run." 18 hours» She nodded but she was still irked. Her sudden moves had opened up her wound again, spotting her new white slacks. "It'll be easy," I said. 18 hours» "Dinner, a show, a car with a little less heat on it, then tomorrow we remove Underboss Toad. Then perhaps another show." I suggested. 18 hours» "I want to see some shows," she insisted. "And I want a really fine meal." I handed her a hanky. "For your nails," I suggested. 18 hours» We found a shopping center with a large, crowded parking lot, arranged the boys into a lover's murder-suicide, took the gold, and a Jeep. 18 hours» No one looking. The screaming was distracting so Bluebird chopped Tubby in his voice box then popped him in his low forehead with his gun. 18 hours» Tubby faced Bluebird, hostile and wide-eyed, and I averted my gaze before her long fingernails reached his pupils. I looked for witnesses. 19 hours» Well, in less time than it takes to describe it, Bluebird leaned back, Took tubby's gun away from him and shot his partner through the eye. 19 hours» His companion was a tubby skinhead, who said, "Don't say nothin', asshole, or we do the bitch!" Now, there are certain terms--- 19 hours» "That was rather rude," I said, turning to look at the fellow in back of me. skinhead holding his gun so the ejects would go into his eye. 19 hours» I nodded and was braking for a stoplight, when two young men with very cheap guns, ran up, pulled open the back doors and climbed in. 19 hours» "You don't gamble or drink and I can't dance until my leg gets better," she said, "What about catching a couple of shows?" 19 hours» Although still gimping from the bullet wound in her leg, Bluebird wanted to come along. I drove and she navigated and played the car radio. 19 hours» A preliminary scan of his particulars made it clear that exxing him would be a service both to humanity and the environment. 19 hours» The client was a mobster who needed a crooked sub-boss removed, and the client didn't care how. The mark was a real toerag, too. 19 hours» "How good can it get?" Bluebird asked the universe. After the complications of our previous job, this was going to be a genuine treat. 19 hours» 12:03PM(PT) Blackbird: "The Milk Run" Few clouds in the desert sky, mid-eighties, $300K in gold in the trunk, and on our way to an easy hit. 19 hours
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