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103c0 3f 22 0a 0a 22 44 6f 20 79 6f 75 20 68 61 76 65 ?".."Do you have
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10460 22 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 77 20 69 73 20 61 20 67 6f 6f ".."Now is a goo
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108a0 20 61 73 6b 65 64 2e 0a 0a 22 41 74 20 61 6e 79 asked..."At any
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10f70 0a 22 4f 68 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 66 20 49 20 68 61 ."Oh.".."If I ha
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10f90 20 74 68 65 20 72 65 6c 61 74 69 76 65 20 69 6d the relative im
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10fd0 63 61 6e 20 72 65 63 61 6c 63 75 6c 61 74 65 20 can recalculate
10fe0 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 61 74 69 6f 6e 2e 22 prioritization."
10ff0 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 2c 20 74 68 61 74 20 77 6f 72 6b .."No, that work
11000 73 20 66 6f 72 20 6d 65 2e 20 20 54 68 61 6e 6b s for me. Thank
11010 73 2e 22 0a 0a 22 47 6f 6f 64 2e 20 20 57 65 20 s.".."Good. We
11020 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 73 74 61 72 74 20 62 79 20 should start by
11030 6c 6f 6f 6b 69 6e 67 20 61 74 20 63 72 79 70 74 looking at crypt
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11050 2e 22 0a 0a 54 77 6f 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 68 6f 75 ."..Two more hou
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11100 20 53 68 65 20 73 65 74 20 75 70 20 61 20 77 61 She set up a wa
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11190 2a 2f 20 46 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 73 61 6b 65 20 */ For the sake
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111b0 69 6e 66 6f 72 6d 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 73 61 66 65 information safe
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11210 20 62 65 63 61 6d 65 20 61 6e 20 6f 62 76 69 6f became an obvio
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113a0 6f 6e 63 65 20 73 68 65 20 68 61 64 20 74 68 65 once she had the
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11410 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 49 6e 6c 61 6e 64 20 45 6d in the Inland Em
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11430 61 20 6d 65 73 73 61 67 65 20 76 69 61 20 65 6e a message via en
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11460 70 20 74 6f 20 61 73 6b 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 62 p to ask about b
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114f0 20 73 74 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 70 61 72 6b 69 6e 67 station parking
11500 20 6c 6f 74 2e 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 73 74 61 72 65 lot...She stare
11510 64 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 6d 65 73 73 61 67 65 d at the message
11520 2e 20 20 22 49 73 20 6d 61 6b 69 6e 67 20 74 68 . "Is making th
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12830 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 69 6e 67 20 69 6e 20 6f 70 70 pointing in opp
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12850 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 74 6f . She looked to
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12890 64 6f 77 6e 20 61 20 6c 69 74 74 6c 65 20 6c 6f down a little lo
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128b0 0a 0a 41 20 66 69 67 75 72 65 20 69 6e 20 74 68 ..A figure in th
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128d0 20 73 74 65 70 70 65 64 20 6f 6e 65 20 66 6f 6f stepped one foo
128e0 74 20 6f 75 74 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 64 6f 6f t out of the doo
128f0 72 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 72 6f 75 67 68 20 74 r, and through t
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12910 6f 6f 72 20 77 69 6e 64 6f 77 20 73 68 65 20 63 oor window she c
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12940 66 72 6f 6d 20 61 6e 6f 74 68 65 72 20 70 65 72 from another per
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12960 72 6f 73 73 6f 76 65 72 2c 20 64 69 6d 6c 79 20 rossover, dimly
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129b0 73 61 74 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 66 72 6f 6e 74 sat in the front
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129d0 20 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 68 65 61 72 64 20 71 75 Alley heard qu
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12a20 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 6d 75 72 6d 75 72 65 64 20 ," she murmured
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12a60 69 6e 20 72 65 73 70 6f 6e 73 65 2e 0a 0a 53 68 in response...Sh
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12ad0 64 20 6f 66 20 64 61 72 6b 20 62 72 6f 77 6e 20 d of dark brown
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12b30 2e 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 61 77 20 62 6c 61 ...Alley saw bla
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12b50 73 20 77 69 74 68 20 63 6c 65 61 72 20 6c 65 6e s with clear len
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12b70 64 2c 20 67 6c 6f 73 73 79 2c 20 77 61 76 79 20 d, glossy, wavy
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12bc0 20 73 68 61 72 70 20 63 68 69 6e 2c 20 66 6f 72 sharp chin, for
12bd0 20 61 20 66 65 6d 69 6e 69 6e 65 20 69 6d 70 72 a feminine impr
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12c20 72 20 73 65 61 74 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 73 74 6f r seat, then sto
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12c60 20 20 54 68 65 20 73 69 67 68 74 20 6f 66 20 66 The sight of f
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12ca0 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 61 6e 20 69 6d 6d 65 64 69 61 Alley an immedia
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12ce0 74 68 61 6e 20 68 65 72 2e 20 20 49 74 20 6f 6e than her. It on
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12d00 20 6f 72 20 74 77 6f 20 66 6f 72 20 68 65 72 20 or two for her
12d10 74 6f 20 72 65 61 6c 69 7a 65 20 77 68 61 74 20 to realize what
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12d30 6c 6f 6f 6b 20 66 65 6d 61 6c 65 2e 0a 0a 48 65 look female...He
12d40 20 6a 75 73 74 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 76 65 72 just looked ver
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12d60 69 76 65 72 20 67 61 76 65 20 68 65 72 20 61 6e iver gave her an
12d70 20 61 70 70 72 61 69 73 69 6e 67 20 6c 6f 6f 6b appraising look
12d80 2c 20 74 68 65 20 69 6d 70 65 72 73 6f 6e 61 6c , the impersonal
12d90 6c 79 20 69 6e 74 65 72 65 73 74 65 64 20 6b 69 ly interested ki
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12db0 6c 69 6e 67 65 72 65 64 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 lingered on the
12dc0 77 61 79 20 68 65 72 20 63 61 72 67 6f 20 70 61 way her cargo pa
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12de0 66 69 74 20 68 65 72 20 61 6e 64 20 77 6f 75 6c fit her and woul
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12e00 65 72 20 74 65 65 74 68 20 6f 6e 20 65 64 67 65 er teeth on edge
12e10 2c 20 62 75 74 20 73 68 65 20 6a 75 73 74 20 73 , but she just s
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12e30 20 61 20 6d 6f 6d 65 6e 74 20 77 69 74 68 20 68 a moment with h
12e40 69 73 20 66 61 73 68 69 6f 6e 61 62 6c 79 20 73 is fashionably s
12e50 70 61 72 74 61 6e 2c 20 61 6c 6d 6f 73 74 20 66 partan, almost f
12e60 6f 72 6d 61 6c 2d 63 75 74 2c 20 62 6c 61 63 6b ormal-cut, black
12e70 20 63 6f 6c 6c 61 72 6c 65 73 73 20 73 68 69 72 collarless shir
12e80 74 2e 0a 0a 22 41 72 65 6e 27 74 20 79 6f 75 20 t..."Aren't you
12e90 6b 69 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 79 6f 75 6e 67 20 66 6f kind of young fo
12ea0 72 20 74 68 69 73 20 73 6f 72 74 20 6f 66 20 74 r this sort of t
12eb0 68 69 6e 67 3f 22 20 73 68 65 20 62 6c 75 72 74 hing?" she blurt
12ec0 65 64 20 6f 75 74 2e 0a 0a 48 65 20 6a 65 72 6b ed out...He jerk
12ed0 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 66 6f 63 75 73 20 6f 66 20 ed the focus of
12ee0 68 69 73 20 61 71 75 61 20 65 79 65 73 2c 20 72 his aqua eyes, r
12ef0 65 66 6c 65 63 74 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 6c 69 eflecting the li
12f00 67 68 74 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 6d 6f 6f 6e 2c ght of the moon,
12f10 20 61 77 61 79 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 20 76 away from the v
12f20 69 63 69 6e 69 74 79 20 6f 66 20 68 65 72 20 6d icinity of her m
12f30 69 64 73 65 63 74 69 6f 6e 20 61 6e 64 20 6d 65 idsection and me
12f40 74 20 68 65 72 20 65 79 65 73 2e 20 20 22 48 65 t her eyes. "He
12f50 79 2c 20 6c 61 64 79 2c 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 74 y, lady, don't t
12f60 68 69 6e 6b 20 49 27 6d 20 6e 65 77 20 74 6f 20 hink I'm new to
12f70 74 68 69 73 2e 20 20 49 27 6d 20 61 72 6d 65 64 this. I'm armed
12f80 2c 20 73 6f 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 6a 65 72 6b 20 , so don't jerk
12f90 6d 65 20 61 72 6f 75 6e 64 2e 22 0a 0a 53 68 65 me around."..She
12fa0 20 68 65 73 69 74 61 74 65 64 2c 20 74 68 65 6e hesitated, then
12fb0 20 73 61 69 64 20 22 4e 6f 2c 20 6e 6f 74 20 61 said "No, not a
12fc0 20 70 72 6f 62 6c 65 6d 2e 20 20 59 6f 75 20 6a problem. You j
12fd0 75 73 74 2c 20 75 68 68 2c 20 73 75 72 70 72 69 ust, uhh, surpri
12fe0 73 65 64 20 6d 65 2e 20 20 53 6f 72 72 79 2e 22 sed me. Sorry."
12ff0 0a 0a 22 57 68 61 74 65 76 65 72 2c 22 20 68 65 .."Whatever," he
13000 20 73 61 69 64 2c 20 69 6e 20 61 20 73 6f 66 74 said, in a soft
13010 2c 20 63 6c 65 61 72 20 76 6f 69 63 65 20 74 68 , clear voice th
13020 61 74 20 61 6c 6d 6f 73 74 20 6d 61 64 65 20 69 at almost made i
13030 74 20 64 69 66 66 69 63 75 6c 74 20 74 6f 20 72 t difficult to r
13040 65 63 6f 67 6e 69 7a 65 20 74 68 65 20 73 6f 75 ecognize the sou
13050 72 20 6e 6f 74 65 20 69 6e 20 69 74 2e 20 20 22 r note in it. "
13060 48 65 72 65 2c 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 20 61 74 20 74 68 Here, look at th
13070 69 73 2c 22 20 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2c 20 61 6e is," he said, an
13080 64 20 68 65 6c 64 20 75 70 20 61 20 64 65 76 69 d held up a devi
13090 63 65 20 74 68 65 20 73 69 7a 65 20 6f 66 20 68 ce the size of h
130a0 69 73 20 70 61 6c 6d 2e 20 20 41 20 67 6c 6f 77 is palm. A glow
130b0 69 6e 67 20 64 69 73 70 6c 61 79 20 6f 6e 20 69 ing display on i
130c0 74 2c 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 6c 65 6e t, about the len
130d0 67 74 68 20 6f 66 20 68 65 72 20 6f 77 6e 20 74 gth of her own t
130e0 68 75 6d 62 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 72 65 65 20 74 humb and three t
130f0 69 6d 65 73 20 74 68 65 20 74 68 69 63 6b 6e 65 imes the thickne
13100 73 73 2c 20 73 68 6f 77 65 64 20 61 6e 20 65 69 ss, showed an ei
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13120 72 20 74 72 61 6e 73 61 63 74 69 6f 6e 20 72 65 r transaction re
13130 61 64 79 20 66 6f 72 20 68 69 6d 20 74 6f 20 63 ady for him to c
13140 6f 6e 66 69 72 6d 2e 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 6e 6f 64 onfirm...She nod
13150 64 65 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 61 69 64 20 22 47 ded, and said "G
13160 6f 20 61 68 65 61 64 20 61 6e 64 20 73 65 6e 64 o ahead and send
13170 20 69 74 20 74 6f 20 74 68 69 73 20 65 73 63 72 it to this escr
13180 6f 77 2e 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 70 75 6c 6c 65 64 ow." She pulled
13190 20 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 64 6f 67 2d 65 61 72 out the dog-ear
131a0 65 64 20 70 61 67 65 20 6f 66 20 68 65 72 20 6e ed page of her n
131b0 6f 74 65 62 6f 6f 6b 20 77 69 74 68 6f 75 74 20 otebook without
131c0 6c 6f 6f 6b 69 6e 67 20 61 74 20 69 74 2c 20 61 looking at it, a
131d0 6e 64 20 68 61 6e 64 65 64 20 69 74 20 74 6f 20 nd handed it to
131e0 74 68 65 20 62 6f 79 2e 20 20 48 65 20 65 6e 74 the boy. He ent
131f0 65 72 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 65 73 63 72 6f 77 20 ered the escrow
13200 6e 75 6d 62 65 72 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 68 69 73 20 number into his
13210 64 65 76 69 63 65 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 75 6d 62 device and thumb
13220 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 63 6f 6e 66 69 72 6d 61 74 ed the confirmat
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13240 61 74 65 72 2c 20 73 68 65 20 68 65 61 72 64 20 ater, she heard
13250 74 68 65 20 65 73 63 72 6f 77 20 61 6c 65 72 74 the escrow alert
13260 20 74 68 72 6f 75 67 68 20 68 65 72 20 70 68 6f through her pho
13270 6e 65 27 73 20 65 61 72 70 69 65 63 65 2e 0a 0a ne's earpiece...
13280 22 44 6f 6e 65 22 2c 20 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e "Done", he said.
13290 0a 0a 22 48 65 72 65 27 73 20 74 68 65 20 63 61 .."Here's the ca
132a0 73 68 2e 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 68 75 6e 67 20 68 sh." She hung h
132b0 65 72 20 72 69 67 68 74 20 74 68 75 6d 62 20 6f er right thumb o
132c0 6e 20 68 65 72 20 66 72 6f 6e 74 20 70 6f 63 6b n her front pock
132d0 65 74 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 72 65 61 63 68 65 64 et, then reached
132e0 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 63 61 72 20 77 69 into the car wi
132f0 74 68 20 68 65 72 20 6c 65 66 74 20 68 61 6e 64 th her left hand
13300 20 74 6f 20 70 75 6c 6c 20 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65 to pull out the
13310 20 62 61 67 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 68 61 6e 64 65 bag. She hande
13320 64 20 69 74 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 62 6f 79 2e d it to the boy.
13330 0a 0a 48 65 20 74 6f 6f 6b 20 69 74 2c 20 6b 65 ..He took it, ke
13340 65 70 69 6e 67 20 68 69 73 20 65 79 65 73 20 6f eping his eyes o
13350 6e 20 68 65 72 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 74 65 70 70 n her, and stepp
13360 65 64 20 62 61 63 6b 2e 20 20 48 65 20 74 6f 73 ed back. He tos
13370 73 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 62 61 67 20 69 6e 74 6f sed the bag into
13380 20 74 68 65 20 63 61 72 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 41 the car, then A
13390 6c 6c 65 79 20 68 65 61 72 64 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 lley heard some
133a0 72 75 73 74 6c 69 6e 67 20 73 6f 75 6e 64 73 20 rustling sounds
133b0 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 20 62 61 67 2e 20 20 41 from the bag. A
133c0 66 74 65 72 20 61 20 66 65 77 20 6d 6f 6d 65 6e fter a few momen
133d0 74 73 2c 20 73 68 65 20 72 65 61 6c 69 7a 65 64 ts, she realized
133e0 20 77 68 6f 65 76 65 72 20 77 61 73 20 73 69 74 whoever was sit
133f0 74 69 6e 67 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 70 61 73 73 ting in the pass
13400 65 6e 67 65 72 20 73 65 61 74 20 68 61 64 20 73 enger seat had s
13410 74 61 72 74 65 64 20 63 6f 75 6e 74 69 6e 67 2e tarted counting.
13420 20 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 65 20 Alley and the
13430 62 6f 79 20 73 74 6f 6f 64 20 74 68 65 72 65 2c boy stood there,
13440 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 69 6e 67 20 61 74 20 65 61 63 68 looking at each
13450 20 6f 74 68 65 72 2c 20 61 73 20 74 68 65 79 20 other, as they
13460 77 61 69 74 65 64 2e 20 20 41 20 67 69 72 6c 27 waited. A girl'
13470 73 20 76 6f 69 63 65 20 2d 2d 20 75 6e 6c 65 73 s voice -- unles
13480 73 20 69 74 20 77 61 73 20 61 6e 20 65 76 65 6e s it was an even
13490 20 79 6f 75 6e 67 65 72 20 62 6f 79 20 2d 2d 20 younger boy --
134a0 73 61 69 64 20 22 49 74 27 73 20 61 6c 6c 20 68 said "It's all h
134b0 65 72 65 2e 22 0a 0a 54 68 65 20 62 6f 79 20 74 ere."..The boy t
134c0 61 70 70 65 64 20 68 69 73 20 64 65 76 69 63 65 apped his device
134d0 20 77 69 74 68 20 68 69 73 20 74 68 75 6d 62 20 with his thumb
134e0 6f 6e 63 65 20 6d 6f 72 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 once more, and s
134f0 61 69 64 20 22 41 72 65 20 77 65 20 64 6f 6e 65 aid "Are we done
13500 3f 22 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 74 20 79 65 74 2c 22 20 73 ?".."Not yet," s
13510 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 4a 75 73 74 20 he said. "Just
13520 77 61 69 74 2e 22 20 20 45 76 65 72 79 6f 6e 65 wait." Everyone
13530 20 77 61 69 74 65 64 2e 20 20 41 20 66 65 77 20 waited. A few
13540 73 65 63 6f 6e 64 73 20 6c 61 74 65 72 2c 20 61 seconds later, a
13550 6e 6f 74 68 65 72 20 61 6c 65 72 74 20 63 68 69 nother alert chi
13560 6d 65 64 20 69 6e 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 27 73 20 65 med in Alley's e
13570 61 72 2e 20 20 22 4f 6b 61 79 2c 20 77 65 27 72 ar. "Okay, we'r
13580 65 20 64 6f 6e 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 47 6f 6f 64 2c e done.".."Good,
13590 22 20 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 " he said, and s
135a0 61 74 20 62 61 63 6b 20 69 6e 20 68 69 73 20 63 at back in his c
135b0 61 72 20 77 69 74 68 20 73 75 72 70 72 69 73 69 ar with surprisi
135c0 6e 67 20 71 75 69 63 6b 6e 65 73 73 2e 0a 0a 41 ng quickness...A
135d0 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 61 74 20 64 6f 77 6e 20 61 6e lley sat down an
135e0 64 20 68 75 72 72 69 65 64 6c 79 20 70 75 6c 6c d hurriedly pull
135f0 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 64 6f 6f 72 20 73 68 75 74 ed her door shut
13600 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 63 72 6f 73 73 6f 76 65 72 . The crossover
13610 20 62 61 63 6b 65 64 20 6f 75 74 20 61 6e 64 20 backed out and
13620 71 75 69 63 6b 6c 79 20 64 72 6f 76 65 20 61 77 quickly drove aw
13630 61 79 2c 20 77 68 69 6c 65 20 73 68 65 20 77 61 ay, while she wa
13640 73 20 73 74 69 6c 6c 20 62 75 63 6b 6c 69 6e 67 s still buckling
13650 20 68 65 72 20 73 65 61 74 62 65 6c 74 2e 20 20 her seatbelt.
13660 53 6f 6f 6e 20 73 68 65 2c 20 74 6f 6f 2c 20 77 Soon she, too, w
13670 61 73 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 72 6f 61 64 2e 0a as on the road..
13680 0a 22 49 74 20 69 73 20 74 6f 6f 20 65 61 72 6c ."It is too earl
13690 79 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 73 75 72 65 20 74 68 61 y to be sure tha
136a0 74 20 77 65 6e 74 20 77 65 6c 6c 2c 22 20 74 68 t went well," th
136b0 65 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 20 73 61 e prioritizer sa
136c0 69 64 2e 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 68 2e 20 20 49 20 73 id..."Yeah. I s
136d0 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 63 68 65 63 6b 20 6d 79 20 53 hould check my S
136e0 74 61 74 65 72 20 62 61 6c 61 6e 63 65 2e 22 20 tater balance."
136f0 20 53 68 65 20 70 75 6c 6c 65 64 20 6f 76 65 72 She pulled over
13700 2c 20 73 65 74 20 61 73 69 64 65 20 68 65 72 20 , set aside her
13710 67 6c 61 73 73 65 73 20 73 6f 20 74 68 65 79 20 glasses so they
13720 77 6f 75 6c 64 6e 27 74 20 72 65 63 6f 72 64 20 wouldn't record
13730 77 68 61 74 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 77 2c 20 70 69 what she saw, pi
13740 63 6b 65 64 20 75 70 20 68 65 72 20 70 68 6f 6e cked up her phon
13750 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 61 74 e, and looked at
13760 20 74 68 65 20 6f 70 65 6e 20 6c 65 64 67 65 72 the open ledger
13770 20 76 69 65 77 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 6e 6f 77 20 view. She now
13780 68 61 64 20 61 20 53 74 61 74 65 72 20 62 61 6c had a Stater bal
13790 61 6e 63 65 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 73 74 61 72 65 ance. She stare
137a0 64 20 61 74 20 69 74 20 66 6f 72 20 61 20 77 68 d at it for a wh
137b0 69 6c 65 2e 0a 0a 22 49 73 20 65 76 65 72 79 74 ile..."Is everyt
137c0 68 69 6e 67 20 63 6f 72 72 65 63 74 3f 22 20 74 hing correct?" t
137d0 68 65 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 20 61 he prioritizer a
137e0 73 6b 65 64 2e 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 6e 6f 64 64 65 sked...She nodde
137f0 64 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 72 65 61 6c 69 7a 65 64 d, then realized
13800 20 69 74 20 70 72 6f 62 61 62 6c 79 20 63 6f 75 it probably cou
13810 6c 64 6e 27 74 20 74 65 6c 6c 20 73 68 65 20 6e ldn't tell she n
13820 6f 64 64 65 64 20 77 68 65 6e 20 73 68 65 20 77 odded when she w
13830 61 73 6e 27 74 20 77 65 61 72 69 6e 67 20 74 68 asn't wearing th
13840 65 20 67 6c 61 73 73 65 73 2e 20 20 22 59 65 61 e glasses. "Yea
13850 68 2c 20 69 74 27 73 20 61 6c 6c 20 74 68 65 72 h, it's all ther
13860 65 2e 20 20 49 73 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 61 6e 79 e. Is there any
13870 20 77 61 79 20 74 68 69 73 20 63 61 6e 20 73 6f way this can so
13880 6d 65 68 6f 77 20 67 65 74 20 72 65 76 65 72 73 mehow get revers
13890 65 64 20 6e 6f 77 3f 22 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 2c 22 20 ed now?".."No,"
138a0 74 68 65 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 20 the prioritizer
138b0 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 49 66 20 69 74 20 73 68 said. "If it sh
138c0 6f 77 73 20 69 6e 20 79 6f 75 72 20 62 61 6c 61 ows in your bala
138d0 6e 63 65 2c 20 74 68 61 74 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 nce, that should
138e0 20 6d 65 61 6e 20 74 68 65 20 74 72 61 6e 73 61 mean the transa
138f0 63 74 69 6f 6e 20 63 72 6f 73 73 65 64 20 74 68 ction crossed th
13900 65 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 20 6f 66 20 6e 6f 20 72 65 e point of no re
13910 74 75 72 6e 2c 20 61 63 63 6f 72 64 69 6e 67 20 turn, according
13920 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 53 74 61 74 65 72 20 64 6f to the Stater do
13930 63 75 6d 65 6e 74 73 20 79 6f 75 20 73 68 6f 77 cuments you show
13940 65 64 20 74 6f 20 6d 65 20 74 68 72 6f 75 67 68 ed to me through
13950 20 79 6f 75 72 20 67 6c 61 73 73 65 73 2e 22 0a your glasses.".
13960 0a 22 4f 6b 61 79 2e 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 6c 6f ."Okay." She lo
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13980 74 6f 73 73 65 64 20 69 74 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 tossed it on the
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139a0 20 61 6e 64 20 73 74 61 72 74 65 64 20 64 72 69 and started dri
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139d0 20 77 65 61 72 20 74 68 65 20 67 6c 61 73 73 65 wear the glasse
139e0 73 20 61 67 61 69 6e 2e 22 0a 0a 22 4f 68 2c 20 s again.".."Oh,
139f0 72 69 67 68 74 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 right," she said
13a00 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 70 69 63 6b 65 64 20 74 68 . She picked th
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13a30 74 6c 65 64 20 74 68 65 6d 20 6f 6e 20 68 65 72 tled them on her
13a40 20 66 61 63 65 20 6f 6e 63 65 20 6d 6f 72 65 2e face once more.
13a50 20 20 22 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 74 68 65 20 6e "I guess the n
13a60 65 78 74 20 73 74 65 70 20 69 73 20 74 6f 20 62 ext step is to b
13a70 75 79 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20 77 69 74 uy something wit
13a80 68 20 53 74 61 74 65 72 20 73 6f 20 77 65 20 63 h Stater so we c
13a90 61 6e 20 73 65 6c 6c 20 69 74 2e 20 20 52 69 67 an sell it. Rig
13aa0 68 74 3f 22 0a 0a 22 59 65 73 2e 20 20 59 6f 75 ht?".."Yes. You
13ab0 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 73 65 6e 64 20 61 20 6d should send a m
13ac0 65 73 73 61 67 65 20 74 6f 20 61 20 62 75 79 65 essage to a buye
13ad0 72 20 74 6f 6e 69 67 68 74 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 r tonight, then
13ae0 62 75 79 20 74 68 65 20 69 74 65 6d 20 77 68 65 buy the item whe
13af0 6e 20 79 6f 75 20 67 65 74 20 63 6f 6e 66 69 72 n you get confir
13b00 6d 61 74 69 6f 6e 2e 20 20 55 73 65 20 61 6e 20 mation. Use an
13b10 65 73 63 72 6f 77 20 68 6f 6c 64 20 74 6f 20 72 escrow hold to r
13b20 65 73 65 72 76 65 20 74 68 65 20 70 75 72 63 68 eserve the purch
13b30 61 73 65 2c 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 63 61 ase, with the ca
13b40 6e 63 65 6c 6c 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 66 65 65 20 70 ncellation fee p
13b50 6c 65 64 67 65 64 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 65 73 ledged to the es
13b60 63 72 6f 77 20 73 65 72 76 69 63 65 2e 22 0a 0a crow service."..
13b70 22 59 65 61 68 2c 20 67 6f 74 20 69 74 2c 22 20 "Yeah, got it,"
13b80 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 49 20 68 6f she said. "I ho
13b90 70 65 20 74 68 69 73 20 61 6c 6c 20 77 6f 72 6b pe this all work
13ba0 73 20 6f 75 74 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 74 20 73 68 6f s out.".."It sho
13bb0 75 6c 64 2e 22 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 64 72 6f 76 65 uld."..She drove
13bc0 20 68 6f 6d 65 20 69 6e 20 73 69 6c 65 6e 63 65 home in silence
13bd0 2c 20 6f 63 63 61 73 69 6f 6e 61 6c 6c 79 20 6c , occasionally l
13be0 6f 6f 6b 69 6e 67 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 65 6d ooking at the em
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13c00 6e 74 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 70 61 73 73 65 6e nt of the passen
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13c20 65 64 20 74 6f 20 68 6f 6c 64 20 61 20 62 61 67 ed to hold a bag
13c30 20 66 75 6c 6c 20 6f 66 20 63 61 73 68 2e 0a 0a full of cash...
13c40 57 68 65 6e 20 73 68 65 20 67 6f 74 20 68 6f 6d When she got hom
13c50 65 2c 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 74 20 69 6e 20 66 72 e, she sat in fr
13c60 6f 6e 74 20 6f 66 20 68 65 72 20 6c 61 70 74 6f ont of her lapto
13c70 70 2c 20 73 65 74 20 61 73 69 64 65 20 68 65 72 p, set aside her
13c80 20 67 6c 61 73 73 65 73 20 61 67 61 69 6e 2c 20 glasses again,
13c90 61 6e 64 20 63 68 65 63 6b 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 and checked her
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13cb0 20 45 76 65 72 79 74 68 69 6e 67 20 77 61 73 20 Everything was
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13cd0 70 6f 73 65 64 20 74 6f 20 62 65 2c 20 61 73 20 posed to be, as
13ce0 66 61 72 20 61 73 20 73 68 65 20 63 6f 75 6c 64 far as she could
13cf0 20 74 65 6c 6c 2e 20 20 41 66 74 65 72 20 63 6c tell. After cl
13d00 6f 73 69 6e 67 20 74 68 61 74 20 77 69 6e 64 6f osing that windo
13d10 77 2c 20 73 68 65 20 64 6f 6e 6e 65 64 20 68 65 w, she donned he
13d20 72 20 67 6c 61 73 73 65 73 20 61 67 61 69 6e 20 r glasses again
13d30 61 6e 64 20 73 74 61 72 74 65 64 20 6c 6f 6f 6b and started look
13d40 69 6e 67 20 66 6f 72 20 6c 61 72 67 65 20 64 69 ing for large di
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13db0 20 77 68 69 63 68 20 77 61 73 20 6f 6e 65 20 6f which was one o
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13dd0 66 20 74 68 65 20 77 6f 72 6c 64 73 20 73 75 70 f the worlds sup
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13e30 68 65 20 66 6f 75 6e 64 20 61 6e 20 69 6d 70 72 he found an impr
13e40 6f 62 61 62 6c 65 20 6f 70 70 6f 72 74 75 6e 69 obable opportuni
13e50 74 79 2c 20 6f 6e 65 20 74 68 61 74 20 64 69 64 ty, one that did
13e60 20 6e 6f 74 20 65 78 69 73 74 20 74 68 65 20 6c not exist the l
13e70 61 73 74 20 74 69 6d 65 20 73 68 65 20 63 68 65 ast time she che
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13e90 20 62 65 66 6f 72 65 2e 20 20 53 6f 6d 65 6f 6e before. Someon
13ea0 65 20 6f 6e 20 4f 70 65 6e 4d 61 72 72 61 6b 65 e on OpenMarrake
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13ee0 69 66 69 63 20 43 5a 2d 62 72 61 6e 64 65 64 20 ific CZ-branded
13ef0 68 61 6e 64 67 75 6e 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 6f 6d handgun, and som
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13fb0 61 73 20 6d 75 63 68 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 as much for the
13fc0 66 72 61 6d 65 73 20 70 61 69 64 20 62 61 63 6b frames paid back
13fd0 20 69 6e 20 64 6f 6c 6c 61 72 73 2e 20 20 53 68 in dollars. Sh
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14010 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 66 72 61 6d 65 73 2c for the frames,
14020 20 61 6e 64 20 6e 6f 74 69 63 65 64 20 73 68 65 and noticed she
14030 20 68 61 64 20 65 6e 6f 75 67 68 20 74 6f 20 62 had enough to b
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14050 79 70 74 6f 63 75 72 72 65 6e 63 79 20 74 72 61 yptocurrency tra
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14090 2e 0a 0a 22 53 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 49 20 6d 61 6b ..."Should I mak
140a0 65 20 74 68 69 73 20 64 65 61 6c 3f 22 20 73 68 e this deal?" sh
140b0 65 20 61 73 6b 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 61 69 72 2e e asked the air.
140c0 0a 0a 54 68 65 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 ..The prioritize
140d0 72 20 61 6e 73 77 65 72 65 64 2e 20 20 22 54 68 r answered. "Th
140e0 69 73 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 73 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 61 20 is looks like a
140f0 76 65 72 79 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 64 65 61 6c 2c 20 very good deal,
14100 74 68 65 20 62 65 73 74 20 79 6f 75 20 68 61 76 the best you hav
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14130 69 6e 65 2e 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 64 69 64 20 61 ine." She did a
14140 20 6c 69 74 74 6c 65 20 72 65 73 65 61 72 63 68 little research
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14290 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 73 65 6e 74 20 61 20 72 65 . She sent a re
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142b0 69 66 69 65 64 20 61 64 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 67 ified ad, then g
142c0 6f 74 20 72 65 61 64 79 20 66 6f 72 20 62 65 64 ot ready for bed
142d0 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 68 61 64 20 6e 6f 20 72 65 . She had no re
142e0 70 6c 79 20 79 65 74 20 77 68 65 6e 20 73 68 65 ply yet when she
142f0 20 77 61 73 20 64 6f 6e 65 2c 20 73 6f 20 73 68 was done, so sh
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14320 73 68 65 20 63 68 65 63 6b 65 64 20 66 6f 72 20 she checked for
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143b0 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 63 68 65 63 6b 65 64 20 74 . She checked t
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143d0 20 73 74 72 65 65 74 20 6d 61 70 20 61 6e 64 20 street map and
143e0 6e 6f 74 69 63 65 64 20 69 74 20 77 61 73 6e 27 noticed it wasn'
143f0 74 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 6d 6f 73 74 20 6e 6f t in the most no
14400 74 6f 72 69 6f 75 73 6c 79 20 62 61 64 20 70 61 toriously bad pa
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14420 20 73 6f 75 74 68 20 6f 66 20 49 2d 31 30 2c 20 south of I-10,
14430 77 68 65 72 65 20 69 74 20 73 65 65 6d 65 64 20 where it seemed
14440 74 6f 20 62 65 20 63 75 73 74 6f 6d 61 72 79 20 to be customary
14450 66 6f 72 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 74 6f 20 73 65 for people to se
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14470 74 73 20 6f 6e 20 66 69 72 65 20 77 68 65 6e 20 ts on fire when
14480 74 68 65 79 20 6d 6f 76 65 64 20 6f 75 74 2e 0a they moved out..
14490 0a 47 6f 6f 64 20 65 6e 6f 75 67 68 2e 20 20 53 .Good enough. S
144a0 68 65 20 6c 69 6b 65 64 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 he liked that th
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144c0 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 73 68 6f 77 20 75 70 20 6f 6e would show up on
144d0 20 66 6f 6f 74 20 77 69 74 68 20 61 6e 20 75 6d foot with an um
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14530 63 61 6d 65 72 61 73 20 6e 65 61 72 20 74 68 65 cameras near the
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14550 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 73 75 70 65 72 6d 61 72 of the supermar
14560 6b 65 74 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 77 61 73 6e 27 74 ket. She wasn't
14570 20 73 75 72 65 20 73 68 65 20 6c 69 6b 65 64 20 sure she liked
14580 74 68 65 20 69 64 65 61 20 6f 66 20 62 75 79 69 the idea of buyi
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145e0 65 6c 74 20 61 20 6c 69 74 74 6c 65 20 63 6c 6f elt a little clo
145f0 61 6b 2d 61 6e 64 2d 64 61 67 67 65 72 2e 0a 0a ak-and-dagger...
14600 52 61 74 68 65 72 20 74 68 61 6e 20 72 65 70 6c Rather than repl
14610 79 2c 20 73 68 65 20 73 65 74 20 75 70 20 61 20 y, she set up a
14620 70 75 72 63 68 61 73 65 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 purchase for the
14630 20 66 72 61 6d 65 73 20 74 68 72 6f 75 67 68 20 frames through
14640 4f 70 65 6e 4d 61 72 72 61 6b 65 73 68 2e 20 20 OpenMarrakesh.
14650 53 68 65 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 63 6f 6e 66 69 72 She would confir
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14670 20 6c 61 74 65 72 2e 20 20 49 74 20 67 61 76 65 later. It gave
14680 20 68 65 72 20 63 68 6f 69 63 65 20 6f 66 20 74 her choice of t
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146f0 68 6f 75 72 73 20 62 65 66 6f 72 65 20 74 68 65 hours before the
14700 20 62 75 79 65 72 20 77 61 6e 74 65 64 20 74 6f buyer wanted to
14710 20 6d 65 65 74 2c 20 73 6f 20 73 68 65 20 63 68 meet, so she ch
14720 6f 73 65 20 74 68 61 74 2e 20 20 4f 6e 65 20 6f ose that. One o
14730 66 20 74 68 65 20 6c 6f 63 61 74 69 6f 6e 73 20 f the locations
14740 77 61 73 20 74 68 65 20 73 61 6d 65 20 70 6f 6c was the same pol
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14760 20 74 68 65 20 6e 69 67 68 74 20 62 65 66 6f 72 the night befor
14770 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 68 65 20 66 65 6c 74 20 e, and she felt
14780 61 20 62 69 74 20 6e 65 72 76 6f 75 73 20 61 62 a bit nervous ab
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147b0 20 73 6b 65 74 63 68 79 20 63 61 72 2d 74 6f 2d sketchy car-to-
147c0 63 61 72 20 64 65 61 6c 2c 20 73 6f 20 73 68 65 car deal, so she
147d0 20 63 68 6f 73 65 20 61 20 6c 6f 63 61 74 69 6f chose a locatio
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14810 64 65 61 64 2d 65 6e 64 20 67 72 61 76 65 6c 20 dead-end gravel
14820 72 6f 61 64 20 74 6f 20 6e 6f 77 68 65 72 65 2c road to nowhere,
14830 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 69 72 only about thir
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148a0 20 66 65 6e 63 65 20 6f 66 20 61 20 6e 65 61 72 fence of a near
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149b0 68 6f 77 20 69 74 20 65 6e 64 65 64 2c 20 62 75 how it ended, bu
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149f0 4d 61 72 72 61 6b 65 73 68 20 6f 66 66 65 72 65 Marrakesh offere
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14a60 74 6f 20 72 65 6c 65 61 73 65 20 74 68 65 20 66 to release the f
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14a80 65 72 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 72 65 73 65 72 76 65 er. She reserve
14a90 64 20 74 68 65 20 70 75 72 63 68 61 73 65 20 61 d the purchase a
14aa0 6e 64 20 73 74 61 72 74 65 64 20 67 65 74 74 69 nd started getti
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14ac0 0a 57 68 65 6e 20 73 68 65 20 77 61 73 20 72 65 .When she was re
14ad0 61 64 79 2c 20 73 68 65 20 64 65 63 69 64 65 64 ady, she decided
14ae0 20 73 68 65 20 68 61 64 20 65 6e 6f 75 67 68 20 she had enough
14af0 74 69 6d 65 20 74 6f 20 73 61 74 69 73 66 79 20 time to satisfy
14b00 68 65 72 20 63 75 72 69 6f 73 69 74 79 2e 20 20 her curiosity.
14b10 53 68 65 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 75 70 20 74 68 She looked up th
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14b30 20 63 61 73 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 69 6e 20 61 20 case, and in a
14b40 66 65 77 20 6d 69 6e 75 74 65 73 20 73 68 65 20 few minutes she
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14b60 20 63 6f 75 6e 74 79 20 6a 75 73 74 20 73 68 69 county just shi
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14b80 20 64 6f 6d 61 69 6e 20 63 6c 61 69 6d 20 74 6f domain claim to
14b90 20 73 6f 6d 65 6f 6e 65 20 65 6c 73 65 27 73 20 someone else's
14ba0 70 72 6f 70 65 72 74 79 2e 20 20 41 20 66 65 77 property. A few
14bb0 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 6d 69 6e 75 74 65 73 20 6f 66 more minutes of
14bc0 20 73 65 61 72 63 68 69 6e 67 20 72 65 76 65 61 searching revea
14bd0 6c 65 64 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 73 65 63 led that the sec
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14bf0 65 72 20 63 6f 75 6c 64 20 6e 6f 74 20 61 66 66 er could not aff
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14c90 73 65 63 6f 6e 64 20 70 72 6f 70 65 72 74 79 20 second property
14ca0 6f 77 6e 65 72 20 65 6e 64 65 64 20 75 70 20 68 owner ended up h
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14cc0 74 6f 20 61 20 77 65 65 6b 6c 79 20 72 65 6e 74 to a weekly rent
14cd0 61 6c 20 6d 6f 74 65 6c 2e 0a 0a 54 68 61 74 20 al motel...That
14ce0 77 61 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 74 68 65 20 68 61 70 70 was not the happ
14cf0 79 20 65 6e 64 69 6e 67 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 77 y ending Alley w
14d00 61 6e 74 65 64 2e 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 68 65 61 64 anted...She head
14d10 65 64 20 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 64 6f 6f 72 2c ed out the door,
14d20 20 6d 65 6e 74 61 6c 6c 79 20 67 6e 61 77 69 6e mentally gnawin
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14d50 2a 20 72 65 77 72 69 74 65 20 74 68 65 20 61 62 * rewrite the ab
14d60 6f 76 65 20 74 6f 20 75 73 65 20 61 20 70 61 72 ove to use a par
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14d80 6d 65 65 74 69 6e 67 2c 20 61 73 20 69 6e 64 69 meeting, as indi
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14da0 74 65 61 64 20 2a 2f 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 68 tead */..Alley h
14db0 61 64 20 74 6f 20 63 68 65 63 6b 20 68 65 72 20 ad to check her
14dc0 63 6f 6d 70 61 73 73 20 61 67 61 69 6e 20 74 6f compass again to
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14e30 20 62 65 6e 63 68 20 77 69 74 68 20 73 6f 6d 65 bench with some
14e40 6f 6e 65 20 73 69 74 74 69 6e 67 20 6f 6e 20 69 one sitting on i
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14e70 63 61 72 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 74 69 6e 79 20 car in the tiny
14e80 70 61 72 6b 69 6e 67 20 6c 6f 74 2c 20 6f 6e 65 parking lot, one
14e90 20 6f 66 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 74 77 6f 20 63 61 72 of only two car
14ea0 73 20 74 68 65 72 65 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 6f 74 s there. The ot
14eb0 68 65 72 20 77 61 73 20 61 20 62 6c 61 63 6b 20 her was a black
14ec0 6c 61 74 65 20 6d 6f 64 65 6c 20 41 75 64 69 20 late model Audi
14ed0 77 69 74 68 20 61 20 70 65 72 73 6f 6e 20 69 6e with a person in
14ee0 20 74 68 65 20 66 72 6f 6e 74 20 73 65 61 74 2e the front seat.
14ef0 20 20 54 68 65 20 77 69 6e 64 6f 77 73 20 77 65 The windows we
14f00 72 65 20 73 6f 20 64 61 72 6b 6c 79 20 74 69 6e re so darkly tin
14f10 74 65 64 20 73 68 65 20 73 75 73 70 65 63 74 65 ted she suspecte
14f20 64 20 74 68 65 79 20 77 65 72 65 20 69 6c 6c 65 d they were ille
14f30 67 61 6c 2c 20 73 6f 20 73 68 65 20 68 61 64 20 gal, so she had
14f40 6e 6f 20 69 64 65 61 20 77 68 6f 20 77 61 73 20 no idea who was
14f50 73 69 74 74 69 6e 67 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 64 sitting in the d
14f60 72 69 76 65 72 27 73 20 73 65 61 74 2e 0a 0a 41 river's seat...A
14f70 73 20 73 68 65 20 61 70 70 72 6f 61 63 68 65 64 s she approached
14f80 20 74 68 65 20 62 65 6e 63 68 2c 20 73 68 65 20 the bench, she
14f90 73 61 77 20 74 68 61 74 20 61 20 70 61 6c 65 20 saw that a pale
14fa0 79 6f 75 6e 67 20 72 65 64 20 68 61 69 72 65 64 young red haired
14fb0 20 77 6f 6d 61 6e 20 73 61 74 20 74 68 65 72 65 woman sat there
14fc0 20 69 6e 20 61 20 74 69 67 68 74 20 67 72 65 65 in a tight gree
14fd0 6e 20 74 2d 73 68 69 72 74 2c 20 74 69 6e 79 20 n t-shirt, tiny
14fe0 73 68 6f 72 74 73 2c 20 68 65 61 76 79 20 62 6c shorts, heavy bl
14ff0 61 63 6b 20 62 6f 6f 74 73 2c 20 61 20 62 6c 61 ack boots, a bla
15000 63 6b 20 6d 61 73 6b 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 62 6c 61 ck mask, and bla
15010 63 6b 20 67 6c 6f 76 65 73 2e 20 20 53 6f 6d 65 ck gloves. Some
15020 20 6b 69 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 63 68 65 61 70 20 73 kind of cheap s
15030 79 6e 74 68 65 74 69 63 20 64 72 61 77 73 74 72 ynthetic drawstr
15040 69 6e 67 20 62 61 67 20 72 65 73 74 65 64 20 6f ing bag rested o
15050 6e 20 74 68 65 20 62 65 6e 63 68 20 62 65 73 69 n the bench besi
15060 64 65 20 68 65 72 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 68 65 20 de her, and she
15070 68 61 64 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20 6c 69 had something li
15080 6b 65 20 61 20 74 61 63 74 69 63 61 6c 20 70 75 ke a tactical pu
15090 72 73 65 20 6f 6e 20 68 65 72 20 6f 74 68 65 72 rse on her other
150a0 20 73 69 64 65 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 77 61 73 6e side. She wasn
150b0 27 74 20 77 68 61 74 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 65 78 't what Alley ex
150c0 70 65 63 74 65 64 20 69 6e 20 61 6e 20 61 6e 6f pected in an ano
150d0 6e 79 6d 6f 75 73 20 67 75 6e 20 70 61 72 74 73 nymous gun parts
150e0 20 74 72 61 64 65 2e 0a 0a 54 68 65 20 72 65 64 trade...The red
150f0 68 65 61 64 20 77 61 74 63 68 65 64 20 73 74 65 head watched ste
15100 61 64 69 6c 79 20 61 73 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 61 adily as Alley a
15110 70 70 72 6f 61 63 68 65 64 2c 20 77 69 74 68 20 pproached, with
15120 77 68 61 74 20 74 75 72 6e 65 64 20 6f 75 74 20 what turned out
15130 74 6f 20 62 65 20 76 69 76 69 64 20 67 72 65 65 to be vivid gree
15140 6e 20 65 79 65 73 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 6c 61 63 n eyes. The lac
15150 6b 20 6f 66 20 66 72 65 63 6b 6c 65 73 20 6d 69 k of freckles mi
15160 67 68 74 20 6d 65 61 6e 20 73 68 65 20 77 61 73 ght mean she was
15170 20 6e 6f 74 20 61 20 6e 61 74 75 72 61 6c 20 72 not a natural r
15180 65 64 68 65 61 64 2c 20 62 75 74 20 69 74 20 61 edhead, but it a
15190 6c 73 6f 20 6d 69 67 68 74 20 6a 75 73 74 20 6d lso might just m
151a0 65 61 6e 20 73 68 65 20 67 6f 74 20 74 68 65 6d ean she got them
151b0 20 72 65 6d 6f 76 65 64 2e 0a 0a 54 68 65 20 77 removed...The w
151c0 6f 6d 61 6e 20 61 73 6b 65 64 20 22 41 72 65 20 oman asked "Are
151d0 79 6f 75 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 69 6e 67 20 66 6f 72 20 you looking for
151e0 73 6f 6d 65 6f 6e 65 3f 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 someone?"..Alley
151f0 20 73 74 6f 70 70 65 64 2c 20 61 20 63 6f 75 70 stopped, a coup
15200 6c 65 20 6d 65 74 65 72 73 20 61 77 61 79 2e 20 le meters away.
15210 20 22 59 65 61 68 2c 20 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 "Yeah, I guess
15220 73 6f 2e 20 20 49 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 so. Is that the
15230 2c 20 75 68 20 2e 20 2e 20 2e 22 20 73 68 65 20 , uh . . ." she
15240 74 72 61 69 6c 65 64 20 6f 66 66 2c 20 61 6e 64 trailed off, and
15250 20 67 65 73 74 75 72 65 64 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 gestured at the
15260 20 64 72 61 77 73 74 72 69 6e 67 20 62 61 67 2e drawstring bag.
15270 0a 0a 22 50 72 69 6e 74 65 64 20 66 72 61 6d 65 .."Printed frame
15280 73 3f 22 20 74 68 65 20 72 65 64 68 65 61 64 20 s?" the redhead
15290 61 73 6b 65 64 2e 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 6e 6f asked...Alley no
152a0 64 64 65 64 2e 0a 0a 54 68 65 20 72 65 64 68 65 dded...The redhe
152b0 61 64 20 70 75 6c 6c 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 6d 61 ad pulled her ma
152c0 73 6b 20 64 6f 77 6e 20 61 6e 64 20 65 78 70 6f sk down and expo
152d0 73 65 64 20 62 72 69 6c 6c 69 61 6e 74 20 77 68 sed brilliant wh
152e0 69 74 65 20 74 65 65 74 68 20 77 69 74 68 20 61 ite teeth with a
152f0 20 62 72 6f 61 64 20 73 6d 69 6c 65 2e 20 20 22 broad smile. "
15300 59 65 61 68 2c 20 79 6f 75 20 66 6f 75 6e 64 20 Yeah, you found
15310 77 68 61 74 20 79 6f 75 20 77 61 6e 74 2e 20 20 what you want.
15320 49 27 6d 20 43 61 72 6d 65 6e 2e 22 20 20 53 68 I'm Carmen." Sh
15330 65 20 73 74 6f 6f 64 20 61 6e 64 20 6f 66 66 65 e stood and offe
15340 72 65 64 20 6f 6e 65 20 67 6c 6f 76 65 64 20 68 red one gloved h
15350 61 6e 64 2e 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 61 63 63 65 and...Alley acce
15360 70 74 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 71 75 69 63 6b 20 68 pted the quick h
15370 61 6e 64 73 68 61 6b 65 2e 20 20 22 4d 61 6c 6c andshake. "Mall
15380 6f 72 79 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 6f 66 66 66 65 72 ory," she offfer
15390 65 64 2c 20 6f 6e 20 69 6d 70 75 6c 73 65 2e 0a ed, on impulse..
153a0 0a 22 4c 65 74 20 6d 65 20 67 75 65 73 73 3a 20 ."Let me guess:
153b0 49 27 6d 20 6e 6f 74 20 77 68 61 74 20 79 6f 75 I'm not what you
153c0 20 65 78 70 65 63 74 65 64 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 20 expected.".."I
153d0 77 61 73 6e 27 74 20 73 75 72 65 20 77 68 61 74 wasn't sure what
153e0 20 74 6f 20 65 78 70 65 63 74 2c 22 20 41 6c 6c to expect," All
153f0 65 79 20 61 64 6d 69 74 74 65 64 2c 20 22 62 75 ey admitted, "bu
15400 74 20 79 65 61 68 2c 20 49 20 67 75 65 73 20 79 t yeah, I gues y
15410 6f 75 20 73 75 72 70 72 69 73 65 64 20 6d 65 20 ou surprised me
15420 61 6e 79 77 61 79 2e 22 0a 0a 43 61 72 6d 65 6e anyway."..Carmen
15430 20 2d 2d 20 70 6f 73 73 69 62 6c 79 20 61 20 70 -- possibly a p
15440 73 65 75 64 6f 6e 79 2c 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 72 seudony, Alley r
15450 65 61 6c 69 7a 65 64 20 2d 2d 20 73 6d 69 6c 65 ealized -- smile
15460 64 20 61 67 61 69 6e 2e 20 20 22 54 68 61 74 20 d again. "That
15470 70 61 72 74 20 6f 66 20 74 68 69 73 20 6a 6f 62 part of this job
15480 20 6e 65 76 65 72 20 67 65 74 73 20 6f 6c 64 2e never gets old.
15490 20 20 41 6e 79 77 61 79 2c 20 49 20 77 61 6e 74 Anyway, I want
154a0 20 74 6f 20 75 70 73 65 6c 6c 20 79 6f 75 2e 20 to upsell you.
154b0 20 48 6f 77 27 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 73 6f 75 6e How's that soun
154c0 64 3f 22 0a 0a 22 55 70 73 65 6c 6c 3f 22 20 20 d?".."Upsell?"
154d0 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 68 65 73 69 74 61 74 65 64 2c Alley hesitated,
154e0 20 74 68 65 6e 20 6e 6f 64 64 65 64 2e 20 20 22 then nodded. "
154f0 53 75 72 65 2c 20 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 2e 22 0a Sure, I guess.".
15500 0a 22 43 6f 6f 6c 2e 20 20 53 6f 2c 20 77 65 20 ."Cool. So, we
15510 68 61 76 65 20 70 72 69 6e 74 65 64 20 63 6f 6e have printed con
15520 63 65 61 6c 6d 65 6e 74 20 68 6f 6c 73 74 65 72 cealment holster
15530 73 2c 20 73 6e 61 70 20 6f 6e 20 61 63 63 65 73 s, snap on acces
15540 73 6f 72 79 20 72 61 69 6c 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 sory rails, and
15550 62 72 61 73 73 20 63 61 74 63 68 65 72 73 20 66 brass catchers f
15560 6f 72 20 6d 6f 64 65 6c 73 20 63 6f 6d 70 61 74 or models compat
15570 69 62 6c 65 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 73 65 20 ible with these
15580 66 72 61 6d 65 73 2e 20 20 57 65 20 68 61 76 65 frames. We have
15590 20 73 74 75 66 66 20 66 6f 72 20 6f 74 68 65 72 stuff for other
155a0 20 6d 6f 64 65 6c 73 2c 20 74 6f 6f 2c 20 73 6f models, too, so
155b0 20 6c 65 74 20 6d 65 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 77 68 61 let me know wha
155c0 74 20 79 6f 75 27 64 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 74 6f 20 t you'd like to
155d0 73 65 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 57 6f 77 2e 20 20 46 75 see.".."Wow. Fu
155e0 6c 6c 2d 73 65 72 76 69 63 65 2c 20 49 20 67 75 ll-service, I gu
155f0 65 73 73 2e 22 0a 0a 22 54 6f 74 61 6c 6c 79 21 ess.".."Totally!
15600 22 20 20 43 61 72 6d 65 6e 20 74 75 67 67 65 64 " Carmen tugged
15610 20 68 65 72 20 73 68 69 72 74 20 64 6f 77 6e 20 her shirt down
15620 73 6c 69 67 68 74 6c 79 2c 20 6d 61 6b 69 6e 67 slightly, making
15630 20 69 74 20 61 20 6c 69 74 74 6c 65 20 6d 6f 72 it a little mor
15640 65 20 6f 62 76 69 6f 75 73 20 73 68 65 20 77 61 e obvious she wa
15650 73 6e 27 74 20 77 65 61 72 69 6e 67 20 61 20 62 sn't wearing a b
15660 72 61 2e 0a 0a 22 49 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 20 49 27 ra..."I think I'
15670 6c 6c 20 6a 75 73 74 20 73 74 69 63 6b 20 77 69 ll just stick wi
15680 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 6f 72 64 65 72 20 49 20 70 th the order I p
15690 6c 61 63 65 64 2c 20 66 6f 72 20 6e 6f 77 2e 20 laced, for now.
156a0 20 49 27 6c 6c 20 6b 65 65 70 20 79 6f 75 20 69 I'll keep you i
156b0 6e 20 6d 69 6e 64 20 69 66 20 49 20 6e 65 65 64 n mind if I need
156c0 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20 65 6c 73 65 2c something else,
156d0 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 2e 22 0a 0a 43 61 72 6d 65 though."..Carme
156e0 6e 20 73 68 72 75 67 67 65 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 n shrugged, and
156f0 74 68 65 20 77 61 79 20 73 68 65 20 73 6c 69 67 the way she slig
15700 68 74 6c 79 20 72 61 69 73 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 htly raised her
15710 61 72 6d 73 20 61 73 20 73 68 65 20 64 69 64 20 arms as she did
15720 69 74 20 6d 61 64 65 20 74 68 65 20 73 68 69 72 it made the shir
15730 74 20 74 69 67 68 74 65 6e 20 61 63 72 6f 73 73 t tighten across
15740 20 68 65 72 20 70 65 72 6b 79 20 62 72 65 61 73 her perky breas
15750 74 73 2e 20 20 22 4f 6b 61 79 21 22 0a 0a 41 6c ts. "Okay!"..Al
15760 6c 65 79 20 74 6f 6f 6b 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 ley took in the
15770 64 69 73 70 6c 61 79 20 61 6e 64 20 73 6c 69 67 display and slig
15780 68 74 6c 79 20 6f 76 65 72 20 74 68 65 20 74 6f htly over the to
15790 70 20 63 68 65 65 72 69 6e 65 73 73 2e 20 20 22 p cheeriness. "
157a0 44 6f 65 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 2e 20 2e 20 2e 20 Does that . . .
157b0 6f 68 2c 20 6e 65 76 65 72 20 6d 69 6e 64 2e 20 oh, never mind.
157c0 20 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 49 20 73 68 6f 75 6c I guess I shoul
157d0 64 20 6a 75 73 74 20 73 65 65 20 74 68 65 20 66 d just see the f
157e0 72 61 6d 65 73 2c 20 6e 6f 77 2e 22 0a 0a 43 61 rames, now."..Ca
157f0 72 6d 65 6e 20 6e 61 72 72 6f 77 65 64 20 68 65 rmen narrowed he
15800 72 20 65 79 65 73 2c 20 61 6c 6d 6f 73 74 20 62 r eyes, almost b
15810 75 74 20 6e 6f 74 20 71 75 69 74 65 20 73 75 73 ut not quite sus
15820 70 69 63 69 6f 75 73 6c 79 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 74 piciously, and t
15830 69 6c 74 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 68 65 61 64 2e 20 ilted her head.
15840 20 22 4e 6f 2c 20 77 61 69 74 2e 20 20 57 68 61 "No, wait. Wha
15850 74 20 77 65 72 65 20 79 6f 75 20 67 6f 69 6e 67 t were you going
15860 20 74 6f 20 61 73 6b 3f 22 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 74 68 to ask?".."Noth
15870 69 6e 67 2c 22 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 61 69 64 ing," Alley said
15880 2e 20 20 22 49 20 68 61 76 65 6e 27 74 20 62 65 . "I haven't be
15890 65 6e 20 76 65 72 79 20 73 6f 63 69 61 62 6c 65 en very sociable
158a0 20 6c 61 74 65 6c 79 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 66 6f 72 lately, and for
158b0 67 65 74 20 6d 79 20 6d 61 6e 6e 65 72 73 20 73 get my manners s
158c0 6f 6d 65 74 69 6d 65 73 2e 22 0a 0a 22 4f 6f 68 ometimes.".."Ooh
158d0 2c 20 69 6e 61 70 70 72 6f 70 72 69 61 74 65 20 , inappropriate
158e0 71 75 65 73 74 69 6f 6e 73 2e 20 20 54 68 6f 73 questions. Thos
158f0 65 20 61 72 65 20 6d 79 20 66 61 76 6f 72 69 74 e are my favorit
15900 65 20 6b 69 6e 64 2e 20 20 59 6f 75 20 73 68 6f e kind. You sho
15910 75 6c 64 20 74 6f 74 61 6c 6c 79 20 61 73 6b 21 uld totally ask!
15920 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 69 67 6e 65 64 2e "..Alley signed.
15930 20 20 22 49 20 77 61 73 20 6a 75 73 74 20 77 6f "I was just wo
15940 6e 64 65 72 69 6e 67 20 69 66 20 79 6f 75 27 72 ndering if you'r
15950 65 20 6e 61 74 75 72 61 6c 6c 79 20 74 68 69 73 e naturally this
15960 2c 20 75 68 2c 20 66 72 69 65 6e 64 6c 79 2c 20 , uh, friendly,
15970 6f 72 20 69 66 20 79 6f 75 27 72 65 20 6c 69 6b or if you're lik
15980 65 20 74 68 69 73 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 20 69 e this because i
15990 74 20 67 65 74 73 20 79 6f 75 20 61 20 6c 6f 74 t gets you a lot
159a0 20 6f 66 20 75 70 73 65 6c 6c 73 2e 22 20 20 43 of upsells." C
159b0 61 72 6d 65 6e 20 6c 61 75 67 68 65 64 2c 20 61 armen laughed, a
159c0 6e 64 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 66 6f 75 6e 64 20 69 nd Alley found i
159d0 74 20 69 6e 66 65 63 74 69 6f 75 73 2e 20 20 53 t infectious. S
159e0 68 65 20 63 61 75 67 68 74 20 68 65 72 73 65 6c he caught hersel
159f0 66 20 73 6e 69 63 6b 65 72 69 6e 67 2c 20 74 6f f snickering, to
15a00 6f 2e 0a 0a 22 57 68 79 20 64 6f 20 49 20 74 68 o..."Why do I th
15a10 69 6e 6b 20 79 6f 75 20 6d 65 61 6e 74 20 74 6f ink you meant to
15a20 20 73 61 79 20 27 66 6c 69 72 74 79 27 20 69 6e say 'flirty' in
15a30 73 74 65 61 64 20 6f 66 20 27 66 72 69 65 6e 64 stead of 'friend
15a40 6c 79 27 3f 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 68 72 ly'?"..Alley shr
15a50 75 67 67 65 64 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 74 72 69 65 ugged. She trie
15a60 64 2c 20 77 69 74 68 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 6d 6f 64 d, with only mod
15a70 65 72 61 74 65 20 73 75 63 63 65 73 73 2c 20 74 erate success, t
15a80 6f 20 73 75 70 70 72 65 73 73 20 68 65 72 20 73 o suppress her s
15a90 6d 69 6c 65 2e 0a 0a 22 57 61 73 20 69 74 20 74 mile..."Was it t
15aa0 68 61 74 20 6f 62 76 69 6f 75 73 3f 22 0a 0a 41 hat obvious?"..A
15ab0 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 61 69 64 20 22 59 65 61 68 2c lley said "Yeah,
15ac0 20 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 73 6f 2e 20 20 53 6f I guess so. So
15ad0 72 72 79 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 rry.".."I guess
15ae0 69 74 27 73 20 61 20 62 69 74 20 6f 66 20 65 76 it's a bit of ev
15af0 65 72 79 74 68 69 6e 67 2e 20 20 49 27 6d 20 75 erything. I'm u
15b00 73 75 61 6c 6c 79 20 70 72 65 74 74 79 20 63 68 sually pretty ch
15b10 65 65 72 79 2c 20 62 75 74 20 43 6c 69 66 66 20 eery, but Cliff
15b20 2d 2d 20 68 65 27 73 20 74 68 65 20 67 75 79 20 -- he's the guy
15b30 49 20 77 6f 72 6b 20 77 69 74 68 20 2d 2d 20 43 I work with -- C
15b40 6c 69 66 66 20 61 6e 64 20 49 64 65 63 69 64 65 liff and Idecide
15b50 64 20 74 6f 20 74 72 79 20 74 68 69 73 20 6f 75 d to try this ou
15b60 74 2e 20 20 57 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 6b 69 6e t. With the kin
15b70 64 20 6f 66 20 61 6d 62 69 74 69 6f 75 73 20 79 d of ambitious y
15b80 6f 75 6e 67 20 63 72 79 70 74 6f 74 72 61 64 65 oung cryptotrade
15b90 72 20 67 75 79 73 20 77 65 20 75 73 75 61 6c 6c r guys we usuall
15ba0 79 20 67 65 74 2c 20 74 68 65 20 75 70 73 65 6c y get, the upsel
15bb0 6c 73 20 61 6e 64 20 72 65 70 65 61 74 20 62 75 ls and repeat bu
15bc0 73 69 6e 65 73 73 20 77 65 20 67 65 74 20 67 6f siness we get go
15bd0 65 73 20 77 61 79 20 75 70 20 77 68 65 6e 20 49 es way up when I
15be0 27 6d 20 64 6f 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 74 72 61 'm doing the tra
15bf0 64 65 73 2e 20 20 49 6e 20 74 77 6f 20 79 65 61 des. In two yea
15c00 72 73 2c 20 77 65 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 68 61 64 20 rs, we only had
15c10 6f 6e 65 20 67 75 79 20 77 68 6f 20 64 65 63 69 one guy who deci
15c20 64 65 64 20 6d 65 20 62 65 69 6e 67 20 61 20 70 ded me being a p
15c30 72 65 74 74 79 20 67 69 72 6c 20 6d 61 64 65 20 retty girl made
15c40 6d 65 20 61 6e 20 65 61 73 79 20 74 61 72 67 65 me an easy targe
15c50 74 2c 20 74 6f 6f 2c 20 73 6f 20 69 74 27 73 20 t, too, so it's
15c60 70 72 65 74 74 79 20 73 61 66 65 2e 22 0a 0a 41 pretty safe."..A
15c70 6c 6c 65 79 20 66 72 6f 77 6e 65 64 2e 20 20 22 lley frowned. "
15c80 59 65 61 68 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e Yeah," she said.
15c90 20 20 22 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 74 68 61 74 27 "I guess that'
15ca0 73 20 61 20 64 61 6e 67 65 72 2e 20 20 57 68 61 s a danger. Wha
15cb0 74 20 68 61 70 70 65 6e 65 64 3f 22 0a 0a 22 4f t happened?".."O
15cc0 68 2c 20 73 68 69 74 2c 22 20 43 61 72 6d 65 6e h, shit," Carmen
15cd0 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 59 6f 75 20 6d 75 73 said. "You mus
15ce0 74 20 62 65 20 6e 65 77 20 61 74 20 74 68 69 73 t be new at this
15cf0 2e 20 20 57 65 6c 6c 2c 20 49 20 70 75 6c 6c 65 . Well, I pulle
15d00 64 20 6f 75 74 20 6d 79 20 62 61 74 6f 6e 20 61 d out my baton a
15d10 6e 64 20 43 6c 69 66 66 20 70 75 74 20 61 20 72 nd Cliff put a r
15d20 65 64 20 64 6f 74 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 67 75 ed dot on the gu
15d30 79 27 73 20 63 68 65 73 74 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 y's chest with t
15d40 68 65 20 6c 61 73 65 72 20 73 69 67 68 74 20 6f he laser sight o
15d50 6e 20 68 69 73 20 72 69 66 6c 65 2e 20 20 54 68 n his rifle. Th
15d60 65 20 67 75 79 20 62 61 63 6b 65 64 20 64 6f 77 e guy backed dow
15d70 6e 20 69 6e 20 61 20 68 75 72 72 79 2e 20 20 41 n in a hurry. A
15d80 72 65 20 79 6f 75 20 63 61 72 72 79 69 6e 67 20 re you carrying
15d90 70 72 6f 74 65 63 74 69 6f 6e 3f 22 0a 0a 41 6c protection?"..Al
15da0 6c 65 79 20 73 74 61 72 74 65 64 20 6f 70 65 6e ley started open
15db0 69 6e 67 20 68 65 72 20 6d 6f 75 74 68 20 74 6f ing her mouth to
15dc0 20 72 65 70 6c 79 2c 20 62 75 74 20 43 61 72 6d reply, but Carm
15dd0 65 6e 20 63 75 74 20 69 6e 20 61 67 61 69 6e 2e en cut in again.
15de0 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 2c 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 74 65 6c .."No, don't tel
15df0 6c 20 6d 65 20 77 68 61 74 20 79 6f 75 27 72 65 l me what you're
15e00 20 63 61 72 72 79 69 6e 67 2e 20 20 59 6f 75 20 carrying. You
15e10 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 6e 27 74 20 67 65 74 20 69 6e shouldn't get in
15e20 20 74 68 65 20 68 61 62 69 74 20 6f 66 20 74 65 the habit of te
15e30 6c 6c 69 6e 67 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 73 74 75 lling people stu
15e40 66 66 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 74 68 61 74 2e 20 20 47 ff like that. G
15e50 65 74 20 79 6f 75 72 73 65 6c 66 20 74 68 72 65 et yourself thre
15e60 65 20 74 68 69 6e 67 73 2c 20 69 66 20 79 6f 75 e things, if you
15e70 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 61 6c 72 65 61 64 79 20 68 don't already h
15e80 61 76 65 20 27 65 6d 2e 20 20 59 6f 75 20 6e 65 ave 'em. You ne
15e90 65 64 20 70 65 70 70 65 72 20 73 70 72 61 79 20 ed pepper spray
15ea0 6f 72 20 61 20 73 6f 6e 69 63 20 72 65 70 65 6c or a sonic repel
15eb0 6c 61 6e 74 2c 20 61 20 63 6f 6c 6c 61 70 73 69 lant, a collapsi
15ec0 6e 67 20 62 61 74 6f 6e 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 62 61 ng baton, and ba
15ed0 63 6b 75 70 20 77 68 6f 20 6b 6e 6f 77 73 20 77 ckup who knows w
15ee0 68 61 74 20 68 65 27 73 20 64 6f 69 6e 67 2c 20 hat he's doing,
15ef0 6c 69 6b 65 20 43 6c 69 66 66 2e 22 0a 0a 22 55 like Cliff.".."U
15f00 68 2c 20 74 68 61 6e 6b 73 2c 22 20 41 6c 6c 65 h, thanks," Alle
15f10 79 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 41 72 65 6e 27 74 y said. "Aren't
15f20 20 74 68 6f 73 65 20 63 6f 6c 6c 61 70 73 69 6e those collapsin
15f30 67 20 62 61 74 6f 6e 73 20 69 6c 6c 65 67 61 6c g batons illegal
15f40 3f 22 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 68 2c 20 43 61 6c 69 66 ?".."Yeah, Calif
15f50 6f 72 6e 69 61 20 73 75 63 6b 73 20 74 68 61 74 ornia sucks that
15f60 20 77 61 79 2e 20 20 47 69 72 6c 73 20 61 72 65 way. Girls are
15f70 6e 27 74 20 61 6c 6c 6f 77 65 64 20 74 6f 20 70 n't allowed to p
15f80 72 6f 74 65 63 74 20 74 68 65 6d 73 65 6c 76 65 rotect themselve
15f90 73 2c 20 79 6f 75 20 6b 6e 6f 77 2e 22 20 20 53 s, you know." S
15fa0 68 65 20 70 75 6c 6c 65 64 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 he pulled someth
15fb0 69 6e 67 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 73 69 ing about the si
15fc0 7a 65 20 6f 66 20 61 20 77 68 69 74 65 62 6f 61 ze of a whiteboa
15fd0 72 64 20 6d 61 72 6b 65 72 20 6f 75 74 20 6f 66 rd marker out of
15fe0 20 68 65 72 20 62 61 63 6b 20 70 6f 63 6b 65 74 her back pocket
15ff0 2e 20 20 22 53 65 65 20 74 68 69 73 3f 20 20 54 . "See this? T
16000 68 69 73 20 69 73 20 61 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 62 61 his is a good ba
16010 74 6f 6e 2e 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 6c 6f 6f ton."..Alley loo
16020 6b 65 64 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 62 6c 61 63 6b ked at the black
16030 20 61 6e 6f 64 69 7a 65 64 20 61 6c 75 6d 69 6e anodized alumin
16040 75 6d 20 63 79 6c 69 6e 64 65 72 20 77 68 65 6e um cylinder when
16050 20 43 61 72 6d 65 6e 20 68 65 6c 64 20 69 74 20 Carmen held it
16060 75 70 2e 20 20 49 74 20 68 61 64 20 73 6f 6d 65 up. It had some
16070 20 6b 69 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 6c 6f 67 6f 20 6f 6e kind of logo on
16080 20 69 74 20 61 6e 64 20 61 20 63 6f 75 70 6c 65 it and a couple
16090 20 6f 66 20 64 65 70 72 65 73 73 65 64 20 6f 76 of depressed ov
160a0 61 6c 73 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 73 69 64 65 2e als on the side.
160b0 0a 0a 22 50 75 73 68 20 74 68 65 73 65 20 74 77 .."Push these tw
160c0 6f 20 73 70 6f 74 73 20 74 6f 20 70 6f 70 20 69 o spots to pop i
160d0 74 20 6f 75 74 2e 20 20 4a 75 73 74 20 70 75 73 t out. Just pus
160e0 68 20 74 68 65 20 73 65 63 6f 6e 64 20 6f 6e 65 h the second one
160f0 2c 20 68 65 72 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 70 75 73 68 , here, and push
16100 20 74 68 65 20 62 75 73 69 6e 65 73 73 20 65 6e the business en
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16190 2e 22 0a 0a 22 54 6f 74 61 6c 6c 79 2e 20 20 57 .".."Totally. W
161a0 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 74 77 6f 20 72 65 6c 65 ith the two rele
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161c0 72 65 20 6e 6f 74 20 6c 69 6b 65 6c 79 20 74 6f re not likely to
161d0 20 61 63 63 69 64 65 6e 74 61 6c 6c 79 20 70 6f accidentally po
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161f0 75 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 77 61 6e 74 20 74 6f 2c u don't want to,
16200 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 69 73 20 74 79 70 65 20 69 and this type i
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16230 63 74 20 74 68 61 6e 20 74 68 65 20 74 68 69 6e ct than the thin
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16250 74 20 73 6e 61 70 20 79 6f 75 72 20 68 61 6e 64 t snap your hand
16260 20 6f 75 74 20 74 6f 20 6f 70 65 6e 20 74 68 65 out to open the
16270 6d 2e 20 20 41 6e 79 77 61 79 2c 20 79 6f 75 20 m. Anyway, you
16280 6e 65 65 64 20 6f 6e 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 73 need one of thes
16290 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 69 74 27 73 20 65 61 73 79 e, and it's easy
162a0 20 74 6f 20 74 6f 73 73 20 69 74 20 73 6f 6d 65 to toss it some
162b0 77 68 65 72 65 20 62 65 66 6f 72 65 20 63 6f 70 where before cop
162c0 73 20 67 65 74 20 74 6f 20 79 6f 75 20 69 66 20 s get to you if
162d0 79 6f 75 27 72 65 20 61 66 72 61 69 64 20 6f 66 you're afraid of
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162f0 77 69 74 68 20 61 20 63 6f 6e 63 65 61 6c 65 64 with a concealed
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16320 68 6f 6c 65 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 69 6e 73 69 hole in the insi
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16340 74 20 77 68 65 6e 20 79 6f 75 27 72 65 20 77 65 t when you're we
16350 61 72 69 6e 67 20 70 61 6e 74 73 20 79 6f 75 20 aring pants you
16360 63 61 6e 20 64 72 6f 70 20 69 74 20 64 6f 77 6e can drop it down
16370 20 79 6f 75 72 20 70 61 6e 74 20 6c 65 67 2c 20 your pant leg,
16380 61 6e 64 20 6d 61 79 62 65 20 73 74 65 70 20 6f and maybe step o
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163a0 77 68 69 6c 65 20 67 65 74 74 69 6e 67 20 70 61 while getting pa
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163c0 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 2e 20 20 54 68 65 72 65 20 mething. There
163d0 61 72 65 20 61 20 62 75 6e 63 68 20 6f 66 20 77 are a bunch of w
163e0 61 79 73 20 74 6f 20 67 65 74 20 61 77 61 79 20 ays to get away
163f0 77 69 74 68 20 69 74 2e 0a 0a 22 48 65 72 65 2e with it..."Here.
16400 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 68 65 6c 64 20 69 74 20 6f " She held it o
16410 75 74 20 74 6f 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 2c 20 77 68 6f ut to Alley, who
16420 20 73 74 61 72 74 65 64 20 74 6f 20 72 65 61 63 started to reac
16430 68 20 66 6f 72 20 69 74 2e 20 20 22 44 6f 6e 27 h for it. "Don'
16440 74 20 74 72 79 20 6f 70 65 6e 69 6e 67 20 69 74 t try opening it
16450 20 68 65 72 65 2c 20 62 75 74 20 70 72 61 63 74 here, but pract
16460 69 63 65 20 77 69 74 68 20 69 74 20 61 74 20 68 ice with it at h
16470 6f 6d 65 2e 20 20 54 68 61 74 20 77 61 79 20 79 ome. That way y
16480 6f 75 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 68 61 76 65 20 74 6f ou don't have to
16490 20 77 6f 72 72 79 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 67 65 74 worry about get
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164c0 6f 75 72 20 70 69 73 74 6f 6c 20 66 72 61 6d 65 our pistol frame
164d0 73 2c 20 77 61 6c 6b 69 6e 67 20 68 6f 6d 65 20 s, walking home
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16500 20 69 73 20 69 6c 6c 65 67 61 6c 2c 20 61 6e 64 is illegal, and
16510 20 61 20 63 6f 70 20 6d 69 67 68 74 20 6a 75 73 a cop might jus
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16530 65 20 74 6f 20 79 6f 75 20 74 6f 20 67 65 74 20 e to you to get
16540 61 6e 20 65 78 63 75 73 65 20 74 6f 20 68 61 72 an excuse to har
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16560 20 66 72 6f 7a 65 20 77 69 74 68 20 68 65 72 20 froze with her
16570 68 61 6e 64 20 68 61 6c 66 77 61 79 20 74 6f 20 hand halfway to
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16590 2e 20 20 22 41 72 65 20 79 6f 75 20 67 69 76 69 . "Are you givi
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165b0 73 68 65 20 61 73 6b 65 64 2e 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 she asked..."Yea
165c0 68 2e 20 20 55 68 2c 20 6a 75 73 74 20 61 20 73 h. Uh, just a s
165d0 65 63 27 2c 22 20 43 61 72 6d 65 6e 20 73 61 69 ec'," Carmen sai
165e0 64 2e 20 20 6c 6f 77 65 72 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 d. lowered her
165f0 68 61 6e 64 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 62 61 hand with the ba
16600 74 6f 6e 20 69 6e 20 69 74 20 61 6e 64 20 6c 6f ton in it and lo
16610 6f 6b 65 64 20 74 6f 77 61 72 64 20 74 68 65 20 oked toward the
16620 41 75 64 69 2e 20 20 22 59 65 73 2c 20 43 6c 69 Audi. "Yes, Cli
16630 66 66 2c 20 49 27 6d 20 67 69 76 69 6e 67 20 68 ff, I'm giving h
16640 65 72 20 74 68 65 20 66 75 63 6b 69 6e 67 20 62 er the fucking b
16650 61 74 6f 6e 2e 20 20 49 27 6c 6c 20 6a 75 73 74 aton. I'll just
16660 20 62 75 79 20 61 6e 6f 74 68 65 72 20 6f 6e 65 buy another one
16670 21 20 20 43 68 69 6c 6c 20 74 68 65 20 66 75 63 ! Chill the fuc
16680 6b 20 6f 75 74 2e 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 6c k out."..Alley l
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166a0 61 6e 64 20 74 75 72 6e 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 68 and turned her h
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166c0 68 65 20 70 61 72 6b 65 64 20 73 65 64 61 6e 2e he parked sedan.
166d0 0a 0a 43 61 72 6d 65 6e 20 67 72 61 62 62 65 64 ..Carmen grabbed
166e0 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 27 73 20 77 72 69 73 74 20 61 Alley's wrist a
166f0 6e 64 20 70 72 65 73 73 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 63 nd pressed the c
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16720 22 44 6f 6e 27 74 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 20 61 74 20 69 "Don't look at i
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16740 69 6e 20 79 6f 75 72 20 70 6f 63 6b 65 74 2e 20 in your pocket.
16750 20 44 6f 6e 27 74 20 6d 61 6b 65 20 43 6c 69 66 Don't make Clif
16760 66 20 6e 65 72 76 6f 75 73 20 62 79 20 73 74 61 f nervous by sta
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16780 61 20 77 65 61 70 6f 6e 20 69 6e 20 79 6f 75 72 a weapon in your
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167a0 74 27 73 20 6f 6e 65 20 49 20 67 61 76 65 20 79 t's one I gave y
167b0 6f 75 2e 22 0a 0a 22 55 68 2c 20 79 65 61 68 2c ou.".."Uh, yeah,
167c0 22 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 61 69 64 2c 20 61 6e " Alley said, an
167d0 64 20 74 75 63 6b 65 64 20 69 74 20 69 6e 74 6f d tucked it into
167e0 20 68 65 72 20 62 61 63 6b 20 70 6f 63 6b 65 74 her back pocket
167f0 2e 20 20 22 54 68 61 6e 6b 73 2e 22 20 20 53 68 . "Thanks." Sh
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16810 74 79 20 68 61 6e 64 73 20 74 6f 20 43 61 72 6d ty hands to Carm
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16850 61 73 20 77 65 6c 6c 2c 20 6a 75 73 74 20 74 6f as well, just to
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16870 6c 6f 6f 6b 69 6e 67 20 61 73 20 73 68 65 20 63 looking as she c
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168b0 74 6f 67 65 74 68 65 72 2e 20 20 52 69 67 68 74 together. Right
168c0 3f 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 6e 6f 64 64 65 64 ?"..Alley nodded
168d0 2e 0a 0a 22 47 6f 6f 64 2e 20 20 4c 65 74 27 73 ..."Good. Let's
168e0 20 66 69 6e 69 73 68 20 74 68 65 20 64 65 61 6c finish the deal
168f0 2e 20 20 54 68 65 6e 2c 20 67 65 74 20 69 6e 20 . Then, get in
16900 74 6f 75 63 68 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 74 69 6d 65 20 touch some time
16910 69 66 20 79 6f 75 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 20 79 6f 75 if you think you
16920 20 6d 69 67 68 74 20 77 61 6e 74 20 74 6f 20 64 might want to d
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16940 6f 72 6b 2c 20 74 6f 6f 2e 20 20 57 65 27 72 65 ork, too. We're
16950 20 67 65 74 74 69 6e 67 20 61 20 6c 6f 74 20 6f getting a lot o
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16970 63 6f 75 6c 64 20 75 73 65 20 74 68 65 20 68 65 could use the he
16980 6c 70 2e 20 20 59 6f 75 27 72 65 20 70 72 6f 62 lp. You're prob
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169a0 67 68 20 74 6f 20 67 65 74 20 74 68 65 20 75 70 gh to get the up
169b0 73 65 6c 6c 73 2c 20 65 61 73 79 2c 20 74 68 6f sells, easy, tho
169c0 75 67 68 20 49 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 6b 6e 6f 77 ugh I don't know
169d0 20 68 6f 77 20 79 6f 75 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 20 62 65 how you look be
169e0 68 69 6e 64 20 74 68 65 20 6d 61 73 6b 2e 22 0a hind the mask.".
169f0 0a 22 49 27 6c 6c 20 6b 65 65 70 20 74 68 61 74 ."I'll keep that
16a00 20 69 6e 20 6d 69 6e 64 2e 22 0a 0a 43 61 72 6d in mind."..Carm
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16a30 22 48 65 72 65 27 73 20 77 68 61 74 20 79 6f 75 "Here's what you
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16a50 2d 0a 0a 41 74 20 68 6f 6d 65 2c 20 41 6c 6c 65 -..At home, Alle
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16a70 20 64 69 73 70 6f 73 61 62 6c 65 20 6e 69 74 72 disposable nitr
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16ac0 68 61 6e 64 67 75 6e 20 66 72 61 6d 65 73 20 73 handgun frames s
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16af0 6d 20 66 6f 72 20 61 20 66 65 77 20 6d 69 6e 75 m for a few minu
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16b60 64 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 6d 69 64 64 6c 65 20 d in the middle
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16bf0 53 68 65 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 74 20 73 68 65 20 She thought she
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16cd0 20 53 68 65 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 65 64 20 74 68 65 She pointed the
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16d00 74 68 65 20 66 6c 6f 6f 72 20 74 6f 20 68 65 72 the floor to her
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16d80 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 70 72 65 73 73 65 64 20 6f 6e Alley pressed on
16d90 20 62 6f 74 68 20 63 6f 6e 74 61 63 74 20 70 6f both contact po
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16db0 68 61 64 20 69 6e 73 74 72 75 63 74 65 64 20 68 had instructed h
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16dd0 20 73 6f 75 6e 64 65 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 sounded, and th
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16e60 61 20 73 74 69 66 66 20 6d 65 74 61 6c 20 62 61 a stiff metal ba
16e70 74 6f 6e 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 77 6f 20 74 68 ton about two th
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16e90 6c 6f 6e 67 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 68 65 6c 64 20 long. She held
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180d0 20 74 68 65 20 62 61 67 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 the bag with th
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18110 74 68 65 20 67 72 6f 75 6e 64 2c 20 74 68 65 6e the ground, then
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18170 74 65 64 2c 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 77 20 68 69 6d ted, she saw him
18180 20 63 72 6f 75 63 68 20 62 79 20 74 68 65 20 62 crouch by the b
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181b0 20 68 65 20 64 65 66 74 6c 79 20 6c 6f 6f 73 65 he deftly loose
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18270 4f 6e 63 65 20 68 65 20 68 61 64 20 74 68 65 20 Once he had the
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182d0 73 74 72 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 63 69 6e 63 68 20 string to cinch
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18350 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 20 22 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 he said "I guess
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18380 20 74 6f 20 74 75 72 6e 20 6f 75 74 20 74 6f 20 to turn out to
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18410 2c 20 49 27 6c 6c 20 74 72 79 20 63 6f 6e 74 61 , I'll try conta
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18430 6d 65 20 77 61 79 20 77 65 20 73 65 74 20 74 68 me way we set th
18440 69 73 20 75 70 2e 20 20 59 65 61 68 3f 22 0a 0a is up. Yeah?"..
18450 22 59 65 61 68 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 65 63 68 6f "Yeah," she echo
18460 65 64 2e 0a 0a 22 49 66 20 49 20 63 61 6e 27 74 ed..."If I can't
18470 20 66 69 6e 64 20 79 6f 75 20 74 68 61 74 20 77 find you that w
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184b0 61 20 66 65 77 20 73 65 63 6f 6e 64 73 2c 20 73 a few seconds, s
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184d0 20 62 72 65 61 74 68 65 2e 20 20 22 4e 6f 2c 20 breathe. "No,
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18510 65 74 20 74 68 69 73 20 75 70 2e 20 20 54 68 61 et this up. Tha
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18530 22 47 6f 6f 64 2e 20 20 59 6f 75 20 63 61 6e 20 "Good. You can
18540 66 69 6e 64 20 6d 65 20 74 68 65 20 73 61 6d 65 find me the same
18550 20 77 61 79 20 69 66 20 79 6f 75 20 6e 65 65 64 way if you need
18560 20 74 6f 20 73 65 74 74 6c 65 20 61 20 70 72 6f to settle a pro
18570 62 6c 65 6d 20 77 69 74 68 20 77 68 61 74 20 49 blem with what I
18580 20 67 61 76 65 20 79 6f 75 2e 22 0a 0a 53 68 65 gave you."..She
18590 20 6e 6f 64 64 65 64 2e 0a 0a 22 47 6f 6f 64 20 nodded..."Good
185a0 64 6f 69 6e 67 20 62 75 73 69 6e 65 73 73 20 77 doing business w
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185c0 64 2e 20 20 22 59 6f 75 20 63 61 6e 20 67 6f 20 d. "You can go
185d0 66 69 72 73 74 2c 20 69 66 20 79 6f 75 20 77 61 first, if you wa
185e0 6e 74 2e 22 0a 0a 22 53 75 72 65 2c 22 20 73 68 nt.".."Sure," sh
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18600 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 64 61 79 2e 22 0a 0a 48 65 20 good day."..He
18610 6e 6f 64 64 65 64 2e 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 62 61 63 nodded...She bac
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18630 65 20 73 74 65 70 73 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 74 75 e steps, then tu
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18670 20 53 68 65 20 67 6c 61 6e 63 65 64 20 62 61 63 She glanced bac
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186a0 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 6a 75 73 74 20 62 65 66 6f 72 more just befor
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186d0 20 62 75 69 6c 64 69 6e 67 2e 0a 0a 49 6e 20 68 building...In h
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186f0 2c 20 73 68 65 20 73 74 61 72 74 65 64 20 69 74 , she started it
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18780 0a 22 57 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 66 75 63 6b 20 ."What the fuck
18790 61 6d 20 49 20 61 63 74 75 61 6c 6c 79 20 64 6f am I actually do
187a0 69 6e 67 3f 22 20 73 68 65 20 61 73 6b 65 64 20 ing?" she asked
187b0 68 65 72 73 65 6c 66 2e 0a 0a 2d 2d 2d 0a 0a 53 herself...---..S
187c0 69 74 74 69 6e 67 20 6f 6e 20 68 65 72 20 63 6f itting on her co
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187e0 20 73 61 69 64 20 22 49 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 66 said "I don't f
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18810 20 49 20 6d 61 64 65 20 74 6f 64 61 79 2e 22 0a I made today.".
18820 0a 54 68 65 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 .The prioritizer
18830 20 73 61 69 64 20 22 59 6f 75 20 64 69 64 20 6e said "You did n
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18860 65 20 66 6f 72 20 73 61 66 65 74 79 2e 20 20 45 e for safety. E
18870 73 74 69 6d 61 74 69 6f 6e 73 20 69 6e 64 69 63 stimations indic
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188b0 6f 77 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 73 65 20 74 72 61 ow for these tra
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188e0 65 20 68 69 67 68 20 66 6f 72 20 70 6f 6f 72 20 e high for poor
188f0 6f 75 74 63 6f 6d 65 73 2e 0a 0a 22 49 20 77 69 outcomes..."I wi
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189a0 61 6e 6b 73 2e 22 0a 0a 22 59 6f 75 20 61 72 65 anks.".."You are
189b0 20 77 65 6c 63 6f 6d 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 57 68 61 welcome.".."Wha
189c0 74 27 73 20 6e 65 78 74 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 3f 22 t's next, then?"
189d0 0a 0a 54 68 65 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 ..The prioritize
189e0 72 20 73 61 69 64 20 22 49 20 61 6d 20 72 65 63 r said "I am rec
189f0 6f 6e 73 69 64 65 72 69 6e 67 20 6f 70 74 69 6f onsidering optio
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18a50 2e 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 ."..Alley looked
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18a70 20 6f 66 20 63 61 73 68 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 70 of cash, then p
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18ad0 74 68 65 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 20 the prioritizer
18ae0 73 61 69 64 20 22 50 6c 65 61 73 65 20 63 6f 75 said "Please cou
18af0 6e 74 20 74 68 65 6d 20 61 67 61 69 6e 2e 22 0a nt them again.".
18b00 0a 22 57 68 61 74 3f 20 20 57 68 79 3f 22 0a 0a ."What? Why?"..
18b10 22 57 68 69 6c 65 20 79 6f 75 20 63 6f 75 6e 74 "While you count
18b20 65 64 2c 20 2f 2a 20 69 74 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 ed, /* it looked
18b30 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 61 74 20 6c 65 61 73 74 20 2a like at least *
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18b70 72 64 20 55 6e 69 74 65 64 20 53 74 61 74 65 73 rd United States
18b80 20 66 65 64 65 72 61 6c 20 72 65 73 65 72 76 65 federal reserve
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18ba0 20 61 70 70 65 61 72 65 64 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 appeared to be
18bb0 76 65 72 79 20 6e 65 77 2e 20 20 50 65 72 68 61 very new. Perha
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18bd0 20 6e 6f 74 65 73 20 69 73 20 61 20 63 6f 75 6e notes is a coun
18be0 74 65 72 66 65 69 74 2e 20 20 50 6c 65 61 73 65 terfeit. Please
18bf0 20 63 6f 75 6e 74 20 61 67 61 69 6e 20 77 68 69 count again whi
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18c10 6c 65 79 20 66 72 6f 77 6e 65 64 20 61 74 20 74 ley frowned at t
18c20 68 65 20 73 74 61 63 6b 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 74 he stack, and st
18c30 61 72 74 65 64 20 63 6f 75 6e 74 69 6e 67 20 61 arted counting a
18c40 67 61 69 6e 2e 20 20 54 6f 77 61 72 64 20 74 68 gain. Toward th
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18c90 73 74 61 63 6b 2c 20 77 69 74 68 20 61 20 66 65 stack, with a fe
18ca0 65 6c 69 6e 67 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 eling like somet
18cb0 68 69 6e 67 20 77 61 73 20 77 72 6f 6e 67 2e 0a hing was wrong..
18cc0 0a 22 54 68 61 74 20 69 73 20 74 68 65 20 6e 6f ."That is the no
18cd0 74 65 20 77 68 6f 73 65 20 74 68 69 63 6b 6e 65 te whose thickne
18ce0 73 73 20 61 70 70 65 61 72 73 20 74 6f 20 62 65 ss appears to be
18cf0 20 69 6e 63 6f 72 72 65 63 74 2e 22 0a 0a 41 6c incorrect."..Al
18d00 6c 65 79 20 70 75 6c 6c 65 64 20 69 74 20 6f 75 ley pulled it ou
18d10 74 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 73 74 61 63 6b 20 61 t of the stack a
18d20 6e 64 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 63 6c 6f 73 65 72 nd looked closer
18d30 2e 20 20 49 74 20 66 65 6c 74 20 73 74 69 66 66 . It felt stiff
18d40 65 72 20 74 68 61 6e 20 6d 6f 73 74 20 62 69 6c er than most bil
18d50 6c 73 2c 20 62 75 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 63 6f 75 ls, but that cou
18d60 6c 64 20 6a 75 73 74 20 62 65 20 64 75 65 20 74 ld just be due t
18d70 6f 20 69 74 20 62 65 69 6e 67 20 6e 65 77 2e 20 o it being new.
18d80 20 53 68 65 20 72 75 62 62 65 64 20 69 74 20 74 She rubbed it t
18d90 6f 20 67 65 74 20 61 20 66 65 65 6c 20 66 6f 72 o get a feel for
18da0 20 69 74 73 20 73 75 72 66 61 63 65 2c 20 61 6e its surface, an
18db0 64 20 69 74 20 73 65 70 61 72 61 74 65 64 20 69 d it separated i
18dc0 6e 74 6f 20 74 77 6f 20 62 69 6c 6c 73 2e 20 20 nto two bills.
18dd0 22 4f 68 2c 20 73 68 69 74 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 "Oh, shit," she
18de0 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 54 68 61 74 20 73 63 61 said. "That sca
18df0 72 79 20 77 61 72 20 76 65 74 65 72 61 6e 20 67 ry war veteran g
18e00 75 79 20 61 63 63 69 64 65 6e 74 61 6c 6c 79 20 uy accidentally
18e10 67 61 76 65 20 6d 65 20 61 6e 20 65 78 74 72 61 gave me an extra
18e20 20 68 75 6e 64 72 65 64 2e 20 20 46 75 63 6b 2e hundred. Fuck.
18e30 20 20 57 68 61 74 20 69 66 20 69 74 20 77 61 73 What if it was
18e40 6e 27 74 20 61 6e 20 61 63 63 69 64 65 6e 74 3f n't an accident?
18e50 20 20 4d 61 79 62 65 20 69 74 27 73 20 61 20 74 Maybe it's a t
18e60 65 73 74 2e 22 0a 0a 22 54 68 61 74 20 73 65 65 est.".."That see
18e70 6d 73 20 65 78 74 72 65 6d 65 6c 79 20 75 6e 6c ms extremely unl
18e80 69 6b 65 6c 79 2c 22 20 74 68 65 20 70 72 69 6f ikely," the prio
18e90 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 20 73 61 69 64 2e 0a 0a 22 ritizer said..."
18ea0 59 65 61 68 2e 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 73 69 67 68 Yeah." She sigh
18eb0 65 64 2e 20 20 22 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 79 6f ed. "I guess yo
18ec0 75 27 72 65 20 72 69 67 68 74 2c 20 61 63 74 75 u're right, actu
18ed0 61 6c 6c 79 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 20 68 61 76 65 20 ally.".."I have
18ee0 61 20 70 6c 61 6e 20 6f 66 20 61 63 74 69 6f 6e a plan of action
18ef0 20 74 6f 20 70 72 6f 70 6f 73 65 20 66 6f 72 20 to propose for
18f00 74 6f 6d 6f 72 72 6f 77 2e 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 tomorrow."..Alle
18f10 79 20 73 74 61 72 74 65 64 20 74 6f 20 6e 6f 64 y started to nod
18f20 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 61 74 , then looked at
18f30 20 74 68 65 20 65 78 74 72 61 20 68 75 6e 64 72 the extra hundr
18f40 65 64 20 69 6e 20 68 65 72 20 68 61 6e 64 2e 20 ed in her hand.
18f50 20 22 57 61 69 74 2e 20 20 49 20 73 68 6f 75 6c "Wait. I shoul
18f60 64 20 67 69 76 65 20 74 68 69 73 20 62 69 6c 6c d give this bill
18f70 20 62 61 63 6b 20 74 6f 20 74 68 61 74 20 67 75 back to that gu
18f80 79 2e 22 0a 0a 22 46 6f 72 20 61 20 68 69 67 68 y.".."For a high
18f90 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 79 20 61 76 65 72 73 69 priority aversi
18fa0 6f 6e 20 74 6f 20 68 69 67 68 20 73 65 76 65 72 on to high sever
18fb0 69 74 79 20 72 69 73 6b 73 2c 20 74 68 69 73 20 ity risks, this
18fc0 69 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 61 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 63 68 is not a good ch
18fd0 6f 69 63 65 2e 20 20 59 6f 75 20 73 68 6f 75 6c oice. You shoul
18fe0 64 20 61 76 6f 69 64 20 6d 65 65 74 69 6e 67 20 d avoid meeting
18ff0 77 69 74 68 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 77 69 74 68 with people with
19000 20 61 20 68 69 67 68 20 70 6f 74 65 6e 74 69 61 a high potentia
19010 6c 20 66 6f 72 20 76 69 6f 6c 65 6e 63 65 2e 22 l for violence."
19020 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 6c 61 75 67 68 65 64 20 ..Alley laughed
19030 71 75 69 65 74 6c 79 2e 20 20 22 59 65 61 68 2c quietly. "Yeah,
19040 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2c 20 22 79 6f 75 " she said, "you
19050 27 72 65 20 72 69 67 68 74 2e 20 20 49 20 67 6f 're right. I go
19060 74 20 74 68 72 6f 75 67 68 20 6f 6e 65 20 6d 65 t through one me
19070 65 74 69 6e 67 20 77 69 74 68 6f 75 74 20 74 72 eting without tr
19080 6f 75 62 6c 65 20 77 69 74 68 20 68 69 6d 20 61 ouble with him a
19090 6c 72 65 61 64 79 2e 20 20 53 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 lready. Should
190a0 49 20 63 6f 75 6e 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 61 73 20 I count that as
190b0 6d 79 20 6c 75 63 6b 79 20 62 72 65 61 6b 2c 20 my lucky break,
190c0 61 6e 64 20 66 6f 72 67 65 74 20 61 62 6f 75 74 and forget about
190d0 20 68 69 6d 2c 20 6f 72 20 74 61 6b 65 20 69 74 him, or take it
190e0 20 61 73 20 65 76 69 64 65 6e 63 65 20 74 68 61 as evidence tha
190f0 74 20 49 20 6d 69 67 68 74 20 6e 6f 74 20 62 65 t I might not be
19100 20 69 6e 20 61 6e 79 20 64 61 6e 67 65 72 20 69 in any danger i
19110 66 20 49 20 6d 65 65 74 20 68 69 6d 20 61 67 61 f I meet him aga
19120 69 6e 20 74 6f 20 67 69 76 65 20 62 61 63 6b 20 in to give back
19130 68 69 73 20 6d 69 73 70 6c 61 63 65 64 20 6d 6f his misplaced mo
19140 6e 65 79 3f 0a 0a 22 49 74 20 64 6f 65 73 6e 27 ney?.."It doesn'
19150 74 20 66 65 65 6c 20 72 69 67 68 74 2c 20 6a 75 t feel right, ju
19160 73 74 20 6b 65 65 70 69 6e 67 20 68 69 73 20 6d st keeping his m
19170 6f 6e 65 79 2c 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 2e 22 0a 0a oney, though."..
19180 22 57 68 79 20 64 6f 20 79 6f 75 20 66 65 65 6c "Why do you feel
19190 20 74 68 61 74 20 77 61 79 3f 22 20 74 68 65 20 that way?" the
191a0 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 20 61 73 6b 65 prioritizer aske
191b0 64 2e 0a 0a 22 49 74 27 73 20 64 69 73 68 6f 6e d..."It's dishon
191c0 65 73 74 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 0a est," she said..
191d0 0a 22 59 6f 75 20 64 69 64 20 6e 6f 74 20 6c 69 ."You did not li
191e0 65 20 74 6f 20 68 69 6d 2e 22 0a 0a 22 54 72 75 e to him.".."Tru
191f0 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 44 69 64 20 79 6f 75 20 72 65 e.".."Did you re
19200 61 6c 69 7a 65 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 6d 69 67 68 alize there migh
19210 74 20 62 65 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 6d 6f 6e 65 79 20 t be more money
19220 74 68 61 6e 20 68 65 20 69 6e 74 65 6e 64 65 64 than he intended
19230 20 74 6f 20 67 69 76 65 20 79 6f 75 20 77 68 65 to give you whe
19240 6e 20 79 6f 75 20 63 6f 75 6e 74 65 64 20 74 68 n you counted th
19250 65 20 66 69 72 73 74 20 74 69 6d 65 3f 22 0a 0a e first time?"..
19260 22 4e 6f 2e 22 0a 0a 22 48 6f 77 20 69 73 20 74 "No.".."How is t
19270 68 61 74 20 64 69 73 68 6f 6e 65 73 74 3f 22 0a hat dishonest?".
19280 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 27 73 20 6c 69 70 73 20 74 69 .Alley's lips ti
19290 67 68 74 65 6e 65 64 20 66 6f 72 20 61 20 6d 6f ghtened for a mo
192a0 6d 65 6e 74 2e 20 20 22 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 ment. "I guess
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196b0 2f 2a 0a 0a 20 20 20 20 49 64 65 61 73 3a 0a 0a /*.. Ideas:..
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19b80 20 20 20 53 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 73 68 65 20 73 65 Should she se
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1a070 3f 0a 0a 20 20 20 20 44 6f 65 73 20 74 68 65 20 ?.. Does the
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1a0d0 0a 20 20 20 20 49 20 68 74 69 6e 6b 20 77 68 65 . I htink whe
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1a3c0 61 63 63 65 73 73 20 74 6f 20 68 69 67 68 20 73 access to high s
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1a3e0 22 61 62 6f 76 65 20 74 68 65 20 77 61 74 65 72 "above the water
1a3f0 6c 69 6e 65 22 20 6f 72 0a 20 20 20 20 22 61 62 line" or. "ab
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1a420 20 57 68 61 74 20 6e 61 6d 65 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 What name will
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1e300 22 41 68 20 2e 20 2e 20 2e 20 79 65 61 68 2c 20 "Ah . . . yeah,
1e310 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 49 27 6d 20 74 68 69 72 I guess I'm thir
1e320 73 74 79 2e 20 20 41 20 43 6f 6b 65 20 77 6f 75 sty. A Coke wou
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1e440 20 20 53 68 65 20 6c 65 61 6e 65 64 20 66 6f 72 She leaned for
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1e530 0a 0a 22 53 65 6c 66 2d 74 61 75 67 68 74 2e 22 .."Self-taught."
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1e550 20 68 65 72 20 68 65 61 72 74 20 6c 75 72 63 68 her heart lurch
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1e750 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 53 68 65 " she said. She
1e760 20 6f 70 65 6e 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 63 61 6e 20 opened her can
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1e860 74 6f 20 73 65 65 20 77 68 61 74 65 76 65 72 27 to see whatever'
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1e880 20 73 74 6f 70 70 65 64 20 6d 6f 76 69 6e 67 20 stopped moving
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1e960 20 44 61 76 65 20 6d 75 73 74 27 76 65 20 6d 61 Dave must've ma
1e970 64 65 20 71 75 69 74 65 20 61 6e 20 69 6d 70 72 de quite an impr
1e980 65 73 73 69 6f 6e 20 6f 6e 20 79 6f 75 2e 22 0a ession on you.".
1e990 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 61 77 .Alley looked aw
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1e9e0 6b 2c 20 49 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 44 61 76 65 20 6c k, I know Dave l
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1ea90 20 49 20 68 61 64 20 68 69 6d 20 6d 61 63 68 69 I had him machi
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1eb20 65 69 74 68 65 72 2e 20 20 54 68 65 79 27 72 65 either. They're
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1eb60 66 6f 72 20 61 20 6c 69 74 74 6c 65 20 67 69 72 for a little gir
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1ebd0 69 6e 67 2c 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 20 22 52 ing, she said "R
1ebe0 65 61 6c 6c 79 3f 22 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 68 2e 20 eally?".."Yeah.
1ebf0 20 4f 6e 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 67 75 79 73 One of the guys
1ec00 20 67 65 74 74 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 67 75 6e getting the gun
1ec10 73 20 49 20 70 75 74 20 74 6f 67 65 74 68 65 72 s I put together
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1ecc0 5b 20 53 4f 4d 45 54 48 49 4e 47 20 5d 20 73 74 [ SOMETHING ] st
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1ece0 53 68 65 27 73 20 6f 75 74 67 72 6f 77 69 6e 67 She's outgrowing
1ecf0 20 74 68 65 20 61 72 6d 20 49 20 6d 61 64 65 20 the arm I made
1ed00 66 6f 72 20 68 65 72 20 61 20 79 65 61 72 20 61 for her a year a
1ed10 67 6f 2c 20 61 6c 72 65 61 64 79 2e 22 0a 0a 22 go, already.".."
1ed20 4f 68 2e 20 20 52 69 67 68 74 2e 20 20 54 68 65 Oh. Right. The
1ed30 72 65 27 73 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20 61 re's something a
1ed40 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 67 75 6e 73 2e 22 0a bout the guns.".
1ed50 0a 48 65 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 61 74 20 68 65 .He looked at he
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1ed80 20 68 65 20 61 73 6b 65 64 2e 0a 0a 22 55 68 2c he asked..."Uh,
1ed90 20 61 66 74 65 72 20 49 20 67 6f 74 20 68 6f 6d after I got hom
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1edc0 63 68 20 6d 6f 6e 65 79 2e 22 0a 0a 22 57 68 61 ch money.".."Wha
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1ede0 49 20 70 61 69 64 20 77 68 61 74 20 77 65 20 61 I paid what we a
1edf0 67 72 65 65 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 65 20 66 greed, and the f
1ee00 72 61 6d 65 73 20 77 65 72 65 20 61 6c 6c 20 67 rames were all g
1ee10 6f 6f 64 2e 22 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 73 68 6f 6f 6b ood."..She shook
1ee20 20 68 65 72 20 68 65 61 64 2e 20 20 22 54 68 65 her head. "The
1ee30 72 65 20 77 65 72 65 20 74 77 6f 20 62 72 61 6e re were two bran
1ee40 64 20 6e 65 77 20 68 75 6e 64 72 65 64 73 20 73 d new hundreds s
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1ee60 49 20 67 6f 74 20 61 6e 20 65 78 74 72 61 20 68 I got an extra h
1ee70 75 6e 64 72 65 64 20 64 6f 6c 6c 61 72 73 20 62 undred dollars b
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1ee90 20 73 74 61 72 65 64 20 61 74 20 68 65 72 2e 0a stared at her..
1eea0 0a 22 49 2c 20 75 68 2c 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 68 ."I, uh, don't h
1eeb0 61 76 65 20 69 74 20 77 69 74 68 20 6d 65 2c 22 ave it with me,"
1eec0 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 4d 61 79 she said. "May
1eed0 62 65 20 49 20 63 61 6e 20 63 6f 6d 65 20 62 61 be I can come ba
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1eef0 20 69 74 2e 22 0a 0a 47 65 6f 72 67 65 20 6c 61 it."..George la
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1ef10 20 77 61 72 6d 2c 20 73 75 72 70 72 69 73 65 64 warm, surprised
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1ef60 68 65 72 73 65 6c 66 2e 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 2c 20 64 herself..."No, d
1ef70 6f 6e 27 74 20 64 6f 20 74 68 61 74 2c 22 20 68 on't do that," h
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1efa0 69 6e 20 68 69 73 20 76 6f 69 63 65 2e 20 20 22 in his voice. "
1efb0 59 27 6b 6e 6f 77 20 77 68 61 74 3f 20 20 49 20 Y'know what? I
1efc0 6c 69 6b 65 20 79 6f 75 2c 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 2e like you, Alley.
1efd0 20 20 49 20 65 76 65 6e 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 74 68 I even like th
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1f010 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 6d 69 6c 65 64 2e 20 20 22 Alley smiled. "
1f020 54 68 61 6e 6b 73 2e 20 20 57 68 61 74 20 61 62 Thanks. What ab
1f030 6f 75 74 20 79 6f 75 72 20 68 75 6e 64 72 65 64 out your hundred
1f040 20 64 6f 6c 6c 61 72 73 2c 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 dollars, though
1f050 3f 22 0a 0a 22 4b 65 65 70 20 69 74 2e 20 20 49 ?".."Keep it. I
1f060 27 6c 6c 20 73 75 72 69 76 65 20 77 69 74 68 6f 'll surive witho
1f070 75 74 20 69 74 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 49 20 64 6f 6e ut it, and I don
1f080 27 74 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 20 79 6f 75 27 64 20 64 't think you'd d
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1f0a0 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 50 65 72 72 69 73 20 74 6f 20 from Perris to
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1f0f0 20 72 65 61 6c 6c 79 20 73 65 63 75 72 65 2e 22 really secure."
1f100 20 20 48 65 20 77 69 6e 6b 65 64 20 61 74 20 68 He winked at h
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1f130 22 0a 0a 22 55 68 20 2e 20 2e 20 2e 20 74 68 61 ".."Uh . . . tha
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1f150 6f 75 20 61 72 65 2c 20 74 6f 6f 2e 22 0a 0a 22 ou are, too.".."
1f160 59 65 61 68 2c 20 6d 61 79 62 65 2e 20 20 49 20 Yeah, maybe. I
1f170 68 6f 70 65 20 73 6f 2e 22 20 20 48 65 20 74 75 hope so." He tu
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1f210 62 75 6e 64 6c 65 73 20 6f 66 20 6d 65 74 61 6c bundles of metal
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1f230 70 61 63 6b 69 6e 67 20 70 61 70 65 72 20 62 65 packing paper be
1f240 68 69 6e 64 2e 0a 0a 41 73 20 68 65 20 73 65 74 hind...As he set
1f250 20 65 61 63 68 20 62 75 6e 64 6c 65 20 6f 6e 20 each bundle on
1f260 74 68 65 20 73 69 6c 69 63 6f 6e 65 20 74 72 61 the silicone tra
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1f2b0 20 43 6f 6b 65 2c 20 75 6e 77 69 6c 6c 69 6e 67 Coke, unwilling
1f2c0 20 74 6f 20 64 69 73 74 75 72 62 20 68 69 73 20 to disturb his
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1f3f0 48 65 20 73 65 74 20 74 68 65 6d 20 61 73 69 64 He set them asid
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1f480 22 20 20 48 65 20 6c 69 66 74 65 64 20 74 68 65 " He lifted the
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1f4a0 20 6f 75 74 20 61 6e 20 65 6e 76 65 6c 6f 70 65 out an envelope
1f4b0 2e 20 20 22 48 65 72 65 2e 20 20 54 61 6b 65 20 . "Here. Take
1f4c0 74 68 69 73 20 62 61 63 6b 20 74 6f 20 44 61 76 this back to Dav
1f4d0 65 2c 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 73 65 63 6f 6e e, for the secon
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1f4f0 20 68 65 6c 64 20 69 74 20 6f 75 74 20 74 6f 20 held it out to
1f500 68 65 72 2e 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 6e 6f 64 64 65 64 her...She nodded
1f510 2e 20 20 22 53 75 72 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 41 72 65 . "Sure.".."Are
1f520 20 79 6f 75 20 73 61 76 69 6e 67 20 75 70 20 66 you saving up f
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1f540 20 67 6f 69 6e 67 20 62 61 63 6b 20 74 6f 20 73 going back to s
1f550 63 68 6f 6f 6c 3f 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 68 chool?"..Alley h
1f560 65 73 69 74 61 74 65 64 20 61 20 6d 6f 6d 65 6e esitated a momen
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1f580 68 72 75 67 67 65 64 2e 20 20 22 43 75 72 69 6f hrugged. "Curio
1f590 75 73 2e 22 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 74 20 65 78 61 63 74 us.".."Not exact
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1f5b0 74 6f 20 64 69 67 20 6d 79 73 65 6c 66 20 6f 75 to dig myself ou
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1f5d0 44 65 62 74 73 3f 22 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 73 68 6f Debts?"..She sho
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1f5f0 20 68 61 64 20 61 20 73 74 72 61 6e 67 65 20 63 had a strange c
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1f610 69 74 27 73 20 64 79 69 6e 67 2e 20 20 49 20 64 it's dying. I d
1f620 6f 6e 27 74 20 72 65 61 6c 6c 79 20 68 61 76 65 on't really have
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1f680 2e 20 20 52 65 69 6e 76 65 6e 74 69 6e 67 20 79 . Reinventing y
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1f6c0 20 6b 65 65 70 20 75 70 2e 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 keep up."..Alle
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1f700 2e 20 20 22 49 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 6b 6e 6f 77 . "I don't know
1f710 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 79 73 2e 20 20 22 41 ," she says. "A
1f720 20 6c 6f 74 20 6f 66 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 73 lot of people s
1f730 65 65 6d 20 74 6f 20 68 61 76 65 20 6e 6f 20 70 eem to have no p
1f740 72 6f 62 6c 65 6d 2e 20 20 54 68 65 79 20 6a 75 roblem. They ju
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1f760 20 67 65 74 20 61 20 70 69 65 63 65 20 6f 66 20 get a piece of
1f770 70 61 70 65 72 2c 20 61 70 70 6c 79 20 66 6f 72 paper, apply for
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1f790 20 75 6e 74 69 6c 20 74 68 65 79 20 72 65 74 69 until they reti
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1f7b0 74 68 61 74 20 77 61 79 2c 22 20 47 65 6f 72 67 that way," Georg
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1f7f0 0a 0a 22 57 68 61 74 20 64 6f 20 79 6f 75 20 6d .."What do you m
1f800 65 61 6e 3f 22 0a 0a 22 4d 6f 72 65 20 61 6e 64 ean?".."More and
1f810 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 61 72 65 more people are
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1f830 20 67 65 74 20 6c 61 69 64 20 6f 66 66 20 61 6e get laid off an
1f840 64 20 65 6e 64 20 75 70 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 d end up on the
1f850 73 74 72 65 65 74 2e 20 20 4d 6f 73 74 20 6f 66 street. Most of
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1f910 20 48 65 20 6c 65 61 6e 65 64 20 66 6f 72 77 61 He leaned forwa
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1f940 61 72 6d 73 20 6f 6e 20 68 69 73 20 74 68 69 67 arms on his thig
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1f980 20 63 72 61 6d 70 73 20 6f 75 74 20 6f 66 20 74 cramps out of t
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1fa60 20 65 61 63 68 20 6f 74 68 65 72 20 61 62 6f 75 each other abou
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1fe00 20 6d 65 74 61 70 68 6f 72 69 63 61 6c 20 61 20 metaphorical a
1fe10 6c 6f 74 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 74 69 6d 65 2c lot of the time,
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1fe40 22 4d 79 20 61 64 76 69 63 65 20 69 73 3a 20 64 "My advice is: d
1fe50 6f 6e 27 74 20 62 65 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 61 6e 79 on't be like any
1fe60 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 6d 2e 22 20 20 48 65 20 6c of them." He l
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20050 6f 66 20 68 69 73 20 74 68 69 67 68 73 2e 0a 0a of his thighs...
20060 22 4c 6f 6f 6b 20 61 74 20 6d 65 2c 20 67 65 74 "Look at me, get
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20090 20 20 49 66 20 77 68 61 74 20 49 27 6d 20 73 61 If what I'm sa
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20180 20 22 59 6f 75 20 67 69 76 65 20 62 65 74 74 65 "You give bette
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201b0 63 68 75 63 6b 6c 65 64 2e 20 20 22 49 20 68 6f chuckled. "I ho
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201e0 20 6f 6e 20 70 61 70 65 72 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 61 on paper, and a
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20230 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 69 66 20 49 20 65 76 65 6e 20 know if I even
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202a0 22 0a 0a 22 4d 61 79 62 65 20 49 20 73 74 61 72 ".."Maybe I star
202b0 74 65 64 20 6f 75 74 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 69 6e 67 ted out thinking
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202f0 20 74 6f 20 79 6f 75 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 6d 6f 72 to you some mor
20300 65 2e 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 e." She looked
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20330 6c 65 2e 20 20 22 4d 61 79 62 65 20 6e 6f 74 20 le. "Maybe not
20340 6e 6f 77 2c 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 2e 20 20 49 74 now, though. It
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20360 22 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 68 2c 22 20 68 65 20 73 61 ".."Yeah," he sa
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20380 20 74 68 61 74 20 65 6e 76 65 6c 6f 70 65 2c 20 that envelope,
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203d0 61 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 6e 69 67 68 74 27 73 20 72 a good night's r
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203f0 20 70 69 65 63 65 20 6f 66 20 61 64 76 69 63 65 piece of advice
20400 20 49 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 69 73 20 67 6f 6f 64 2c I know is good,
20410 20 66 6f 72 20 61 6e 79 6f 6e 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 for anyone.".."
20420 54 68 61 6e 6b 73 2e 22 0a 0a 48 65 20 6e 6f 64 Thanks."..He nod
20430 64 65 64 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 72 6f 73 65 20 61 ded, then rose a
20440 6e 64 20 68 65 61 64 65 64 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 nd headed for th
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204f0 22 42 65 20 63 61 72 65 66 75 6c 20 6f 75 74 20 "Be careful out
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20530 22 0a 0a 22 49 66 20 79 6f 75 20 77 61 6e 74 20 ".."If you want
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205b0 61 73 2e 20 20 4f 74 68 65 72 77 69 73 65 2c 20 as. Otherwise,
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20600 67 61 69 6e 2e 20 20 22 48 6f 77 20 73 68 6f 75 gain. "How shou
20610 6c 64 20 49 20 67 65 74 20 69 6e 20 74 6f 75 63 ld I get in touc
20620 68 3f 22 0a 0a 48 65 20 73 63 6f 66 66 65 64 20 h?"..He scoffed
20630 61 74 20 68 69 6d 73 65 6c 66 2e 20 20 22 52 69 at himself. "Ri
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20660 20 48 65 20 70 75 6c 6c 65 64 20 6f 75 74 20 68 He pulled out h
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20690 69 6e 65 73 73 20 63 61 72 64 2c 20 6e 6f 20 6c iness card, no l
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20730 22 54 68 61 74 27 73 20 6d 79 20 70 75 62 6c 69 "That's my publi
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20760 20 79 6f 75 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 65 6e 63 72 79 you don't encry
20770 70 74 20 74 68 65 20 6d 65 73 73 61 67 65 2c 20 pt the message,
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20790 20 74 6f 20 73 70 61 6d 2e 20 20 44 6f 20 79 6f to spam. Do yo
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207b0 65 20 65 6e 63 72 79 70 74 65 64 20 65 6d 61 69 e encrypted emai
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207d0 49 20 75 73 65 20 70 75 62 6b 65 79 20 65 6e 63 I use pubkey enc
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20830 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 70 61 63 6b 2e 20 20 47 of the pack. G
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20850 0a 0a 22 47 6f 6f 64 20 6e 69 67 68 74 2c 22 20 .."Good night,"
20860 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 20 77 69 74 68 20 61 20 she said with a
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20a50 0a 53 68 65 20 77 6f 72 72 69 65 64 20 61 74 20 .She worried at
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21d40 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20 61 74 20 41 6c 6c something at All
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21d80 63 65 2e 20 20 48 65 20 62 6c 6f 63 6b 65 64 20 ce. He blocked
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22060 22 20 68 65 20 73 75 64 64 65 6e 6c 79 20 61 73 " he suddenly as
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221e0 66 75 6c 20 65 61 72 6c 79 20 62 69 72 64 73 20 ful early birds
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22220 73 73 61 67 65 73 2e 22 0a 0a 22 46 69 6e 65 2c ssages.".."Fine,
22230 22 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 " Alley said. "
22240 49 27 6c 6c 20 62 65 20 72 69 67 68 74 20 62 61 I'll be right ba
22250 63 6b 2e 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 6d 61 6e 61 67 65 ck." She manage
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22310 41 20 6d 65 73 73 61 67 65 20 6e 6f 74 69 66 69 A message notifi
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22420 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 64 6f looked at the do
22430 6f 72 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 6d 75 74 74 65 72 65 64 or, and muttered
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22590 63 68 6f 69 63 65 20 69 6e 20 68 6f 77 20 79 6f choice in how yo
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22920 0a 22 57 65 27 6c 6c 20 63 6f 6d 65 20 62 61 63 ."We'll come bac
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22940 74 68 69 6e 67 20 65 6c 73 65 2c 22 20 74 68 65 thing else," the
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22980 20 69 67 6e 6f 72 65 64 20 74 68 61 74 2e 20 20 ignored that.
22990 22 44 6f 20 79 6f 75 20 77 61 6e 74 20 74 6f 20 "Do you want to
229a0 74 65 6c 6c 20 6d 65 20 77 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 tell me what the
229b0 20 68 65 6c 6c 20 74 68 69 73 20 69 73 20 61 6c hell this is al
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229d0 20 74 68 65 20 6d 61 6e 20 73 61 69 64 2e 0a 0a the man said...
229e0 22 48 61 76 65 20 61 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 64 61 79 "Have a good day
229f0 2e 22 20 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 70 6f 6b 65 20 ." Alley spoke
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22a50 20 20 22 46 75 63 6b 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 "Fuck," she sa
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22ef0 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 61 74 20 62 61 63 6b 2c .Alley sat back,
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22f10 20 68 65 61 64 65 64 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 6b headed to the k
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22f50 3f 22 0a 0a 22 42 65 67 69 6e 20 77 69 74 68 20 ?".."Begin with
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243a0 20 73 65 61 72 63 68 65 64 20 69 6e 66 6f 72 6d searched inform
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24430 68 61 76 69 6e 67 20 69 6e 73 74 61 6e 74 20 61 having instant a
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244c0 75 70 70 6f 73 65 20 74 68 65 72 65 27 73 20 6d uppose there's m
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24890 0a 22 57 61 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 6b ."Was that the k
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24d20 2f 2a 20 22 44 6f 6e 27 74 20 49 20 73 74 69 6c /* "Don't I stil
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251b0 20 73 65 63 6f 6e 64 20 74 68 69 6e 67 20 6d 6f second thing mo
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25280 69 6d 70 6f 72 74 61 6e 74 20 74 6f 20 61 63 71 important to acq
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253a0 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 68 69 67 68 65 72 20 for the higher
253b0 76 61 6c 75 65 20 67 6f 61 6c 73 2e 22 0a 0a 22 value goals.".."
253c0 4f 6b 61 79 2c 20 49 20 67 65 74 20 69 74 2c 22 Okay, I get it,"
253d0 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 4e Alley said. "N
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25430 22 0a 0a 22 49 74 20 73 65 65 6d 73 20 4d 61 78 ".."It seems Max
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25450 20 62 65 73 74 20 6f 70 74 69 6f 6e 20 66 6f 72 best option for
25460 20 6e 6f 77 2c 20 69 66 20 49 20 70 72 6f 70 65 now, if I prope
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254a0 49 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 2c 20 74 6f 6f 2e 22 0a 0a I think, too."..
254b0 54 77 6f 20 68 6f 75 72 73 20 6c 61 74 65 72 2c Two hours later,
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25c20 20 73 61 69 64 20 43 4f 49 4e 20 43 6f 72 70 20 said COIN Corp
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265d0 4d 6f 73 74 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 69 6e 20 74 Most people in t
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266b0 2e 20 20 49 6e 20 74 68 69 73 20 63 61 73 65 2c . In this case,
266c0 20 68 65 20 77 61 73 20 74 61 6c 6b 69 6e 67 20 he was talking
266d0 6d 6f 72 65 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 73 more about the s
266e0 6f 2d 63 61 6c 6c 65 64 20 74 65 72 72 6f 72 69 o-called terrori
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267a0 6f 6d 65 73 74 69 63 20 74 65 72 72 6f 72 69 73 omestic terroris
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267c0 20 67 65 74 20 61 20 6e 69 63 65 20 62 6f 6e 75 get a nice bonu
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267e0 2e 20 20 54 68 72 6f 75 67 68 20 44 61 6c 74 6f . Through Dalto
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26800 73 2c 20 73 68 65 20 66 69 67 75 72 65 64 20 74 s, she figured t
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26840 20 61 20 71 75 69 63 6b 20 63 6f 6e 6e 65 63 74 a quick connect
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26880 63 6f 75 6c 64 20 6e 6f 74 20 62 65 20 74 6f 6f could not be too
26890 20 64 69 66 66 69 63 75 6c 74 2c 20 77 68 65 6e difficult, when
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269a0 0a 0a 22 49 27 6d 20 6a 75 73 74 20 61 20 6e 75 .."I'm just a nu
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269c0 54 68 65 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 20 The prioritizer
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26c20 20 77 68 6f 6c 65 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d 20 77 6f whole system wo
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26c50 6f 66 20 69 74 73 20 6f 77 6e 20 69 6e 65 66 66 of its own ineff
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26c70 72 65 20 62 65 67 69 6e 6e 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 re beginning to
26c80 73 6f 75 6e 64 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 44 61 6c 74 6f sound like Dalto
26c90 6e 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 20 64 6f 20 6e 6f 74 20 6b n.".."I do not k
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26cb0 61 6e 73 2c 22 20 74 68 65 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 ans," the priori
26cc0 74 69 7a 65 72 20 73 61 69 64 2e 0a 0a 22 49 27 tizer said..."I'
26cd0 6c 6c 20 74 65 6c 6c 20 79 6f 75 20 61 62 6f 75 ll tell you abou
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26cf0 72 20 6d 69 6e 64 20 72 61 63 65 64 20 69 6e 20 r mind raced in
26d00 63 69 72 63 6c 65 73 2e 20 20 49 74 20 64 69 64 circles. It did
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26d30 6f 75 74 20 6f 66 20 74 68 69 73 20 77 68 6f 6c out of this whol
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26d50 68 61 64 20 74 6f 20 73 61 63 72 69 66 69 63 65 had to sacrifice
26d60 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 2e 0a 0a 22 44 61 something..."Da
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26d80 22 49 20 68 61 76 65 20 74 6f 20 67 69 76 65 20 "I have to give
26d90 61 6c 6c 20 74 68 69 73 20 73 68 69 74 20 62 61 all this shit ba
26da0 63 6b 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 70 72 6f 66 65 73 ck to the profes
26db0 73 6f 72 2e 20 20 49 20 68 61 76 65 20 74 6f 20 sor. I have to
26dc0 67 65 74 20 6f 75 74 20 6f 66 20 74 68 69 73 20 get out of this
26dd0 6d 65 73 73 20 72 69 67 68 74 20 61 77 61 79 2e mess right away.
26de0 20 20 49 27 6d 20 6a 75 73 74 20 67 6f 69 6e 67 I'm just going
26df0 20 74 6f 20 68 61 76 65 20 74 6f 20 6b 69 73 73 to have to kiss
26e00 20 6d 79 20 61 62 69 6c 69 74 79 20 74 6f 20 70 my ability to p
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26e20 20 61 6e 64 20 67 6f 20 6d 6f 76 65 20 69 6e 20 and go move in
26e30 77 69 74 68 20 6d 79 20 6d 6f 74 68 65 72 20 69 with my mother i
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26e50 20 6e 6f 77 68 65 72 65 2e 22 0a 0a 54 68 65 20 nowhere."..The
26e60 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 20 73 61 69 64 prioritizer said
26e70 20 22 49 20 62 65 6c 69 65 76 65 20 74 68 61 74 "I believe that
26e80 20 69 73 20 61 20 6d 69 73 74 61 6b 65 2e 22 0a is a mistake.".
26e90 0a 22 57 68 61 74 3f 22 20 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 ."What?" Alley
26ea0 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 75 70 2c 20 61 6c 6d 6f 73 looked up, almos
26eb0 74 20 65 78 70 65 63 74 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 73 t expecting to s
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26ed0 20 64 69 73 61 67 72 65 65 69 6e 67 20 77 69 74 disagreeing wit
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26f00 69 73 68 2e 20 20 22 57 68 79 3f 22 0a 0a 22 43 ish. "Why?".."C
26f10 4f 49 4e 20 43 6f 72 70 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 70 72 OIN Corp will pr
26f20 6f 62 61 62 6c 79 20 61 6c 72 65 61 64 79 20 68 obably already h
26f30 61 76 65 20 61 20 66 69 6c 65 20 6f 6e 20 79 6f ave a file on yo
26f40 75 20 72 69 67 68 74 20 6e 6f 77 20 74 6f 20 75 u right now to u
26f50 73 65 20 61 67 61 69 6e 73 74 20 79 6f 75 2c 20 se against you,
26f60 69 66 20 74 68 61 74 20 6f 6e 6c 69 6e 65 20 64 if that online d
26f70 69 73 63 75 73 73 69 6f 6e 20 77 61 73 20 61 63 iscussion was ac
26f80 63 75 72 61 74 65 2e 20 20 49 74 20 73 65 65 6d curate. It seem
26f90 73 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 6c 65 73 73 20 66 6f 72 20 s pointless for
26fa0 74 68 65 6d 20 74 6f 20 68 61 76 65 20 63 6f 6d them to have com
26fb0 65 20 74 6f 20 74 61 6c 6b 20 74 6f 20 79 6f 75 e to talk to you
26fc0 20 62 65 66 6f 72 65 20 63 6f 6d 70 69 6c 69 6e before compilin
26fd0 67 20 69 6e 66 6f 72 6d 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 61 62 g information ab
26fe0 6f 75 74 20 79 6f 75 2e 20 20 54 68 65 79 20 63 out you. They c
26ff0 61 6e 20 74 75 72 6e 20 79 6f 75 20 69 6e 74 6f an turn you into
27000 20 61 20 73 75 70 70 6f 73 65 64 20 6c 69 6e 6b a supposed link
27010 20 74 6f 20 64 6f 6d 65 73 74 69 63 20 74 65 72 to domestic ter
27020 72 6f 72 69 73 6d 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 74 68 65 79 rorism like they
27030 20 68 61 76 65 20 77 69 74 68 20 6f 74 68 65 72 have with other
27040 73 2e 20 20 54 6f 20 61 76 6f 69 64 20 74 68 61 s. To avoid tha
27050 74 2c 20 79 6f 75 20 6e 65 65 64 20 74 6f 20 61 t, you need to a
27060 70 70 65 61 72 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 6f 66 20 76 ppear to be of v
27070 61 6c 75 65 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 61 67 65 6e alue to the agen
27080 74 73 20 61 73 73 69 67 6e 65 64 20 74 6f 20 74 ts assigned to t
27090 68 69 73 20 63 61 73 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 48 6f 77 his case.".."How
270a0 20 74 68 65 20 68 65 6c 6c 20 64 6f 20 49 20 64 the hell do I d
270b0 6f 20 74 68 61 74 3f 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 6c 6f o that?" She lo
270c0 6f 6b 65 64 20 64 6f 77 6e 20 61 74 20 68 65 72 oked down at her
270d0 20 68 61 6e 64 73 2c 20 73 75 64 64 65 6e 6c 79 hands, suddenly
270e0 20 6e 6f 74 69 63 69 6e 67 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 noticing that t
270f0 68 65 79 20 68 75 72 74 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 73 hey hurt. She s
27100 61 77 20 74 68 61 74 20 73 68 65 20 77 61 73 20 aw that she was
27110 67 72 69 70 70 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 65 64 67 gripping the edg
27120 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 73 69 6e 6b 20 73 6f e of the sink so
27130 20 74 69 67 68 74 6c 79 20 68 65 72 20 6b 6e 75 tightly her knu
27140 63 6b 6c 65 73 20 77 65 72 65 20 77 68 69 74 65 ckles were white
27150 20 61 6e 64 20 68 65 72 20 66 69 6e 67 65 72 74 and her fingert
27160 69 70 73 20 66 65 6c 74 20 62 72 75 69 73 65 64 ips felt bruised
27170 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 73 74 61 72 74 65 64 20 74 . She started t
27180 72 79 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 72 65 6c 61 78 20 68 rying to relax h
27190 65 72 20 68 61 6e 64 73 2c 20 62 75 74 20 73 6f er hands, but so
271a0 6d 65 68 6f 77 20 73 68 65 20 6a 75 73 74 20 63 mehow she just c
271b0 6f 75 6c 64 20 6e 6f 74 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 68 65 ould not will he
271c0 72 73 65 6c 66 20 74 6f 20 64 6f 20 69 74 2e 0a rself to do it..
271d0 0a 22 50 72 6f 76 69 64 65 20 74 68 65 6d 20 77 ."Provide them w
271e0 69 74 68 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 64 61 74 61 20 6f 6e ith good data on
271f0 20 6d 79 20 75 74 69 6c 69 74 79 20 61 73 20 61 my utility as a
27200 20 73 74 72 61 74 65 67 69 63 20 70 72 69 6f 72 strategic prior
27210 69 74 69 7a 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d itization system
27220 2e 20 20 41 63 68 69 65 76 69 6e 67 20 64 72 61 . Achieving dra
27230 6d 61 74 69 63 20 73 75 63 63 65 73 73 20 69 6e matic success in
27240 20 61 20 73 68 6f 72 74 20 70 65 72 69 6f 64 20 a short period
27250 6f 66 20 74 69 6d 65 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 62 75 79 of time will buy
27260 20 79 6f 75 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 74 69 6d 65 20 74 you more time t
27270 6f 20 64 65 74 65 72 6d 69 6e 65 20 61 20 6c 6f o determine a lo
27280 6e 67 65 72 20 74 65 72 6d 20 70 6c 61 6e 20 66 nger term plan f
27290 6f 72 20 61 76 6f 69 64 69 6e 67 20 62 65 63 6f or avoiding beco
272a0 6d 69 6e 67 20 6f 6e 65 20 6f 66 20 43 4f 49 4e ming one of COIN
272b0 20 43 6f 72 70 27 73 20 76 69 63 74 69 6d 73 2e Corp's victims.
272c0 20 20 49 74 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 61 6c 73 6f 20 67 It will also g
272d0 69 76 65 20 79 6f 75 20 61 63 63 65 73 73 20 74 ive you access t
272e0 6f 20 72 65 73 6f 75 72 63 65 73 20 79 6f 75 20 o resources you
272f0 63 61 6e 20 75 73 65 20 74 6f 20 63 6f 6e 74 72 can use to contr
27300 6f 6c 20 70 61 72 74 73 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 ol parts of the
27310 73 69 74 75 61 74 69 6f 6e 2c 20 72 61 74 68 65 situation, rathe
27320 72 20 74 68 61 6e 20 73 69 6d 70 6c 79 20 62 65 r than simply be
27330 69 6e 67 20 63 6f 6e 74 72 6f 6c 6c 65 64 20 62 ing controlled b
27340 79 20 69 74 2e 22 0a 0a 22 59 6f 75 20 6d 65 61 y it.".."You mea
27350 6e 20 49 20 63 61 6e 20 6d 61 6b 65 20 74 68 65 n I can make the
27360 6d 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 20 49 27 6d 20 65 78 61 63 m think I'm exac
27370 74 6c 79 20 77 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 79 20 77 61 tly what they wa
27380 6e 74 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 20 73 74 75 64 nt from the stud
27390 79 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 73 61 6d 65 20 74 69 y at the same ti
273a0 6d 65 20 49 27 6d 20 62 75 69 6c 64 69 6e 67 20 me I'm building
273b0 61 6e 20 61 72 73 65 6e 61 6c 20 74 6f 20 6d 61 an arsenal to ma
273c0 6b 65 20 6d 79 73 65 6c 66 20 2e 20 2e 20 2e 20 ke myself . . .
273d0 77 65 6c 6c 2c 20 61 20 70 6c 61 79 65 72 2c 20 well, a player,
273e0 69 6e 73 74 65 61 64 20 6f 66 20 61 20 70 61 77 instead of a paw
273f0 6e 2e 22 0a 0a 22 59 65 73 2c 20 63 68 65 73 73 n.".."Yes, chess
27400 20 69 73 20 61 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 6d 65 74 61 70 is a good metap
27410 68 6f 72 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 69 73 2e 20 20 59 hor for this. Y
27420 6f 75 20 6d 75 73 74 20 68 61 76 65 20 73 6f 6d ou must have som
27430 65 20 70 6c 61 79 69 6e 67 20 70 69 65 63 65 73 e playing pieces
27440 20 6f 66 20 79 6f 75 72 20 6f 77 6e 20 74 6f 20 of your own to
27450 70 6c 61 79 20 74 68 65 20 67 61 6d 65 2e 22 0a play the game.".
27460 0a 22 47 72 65 61 74 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 ."Great," she sa
27470 64 2c 20 68 65 72 20 64 72 79 20 74 6f 6e 65 20 d, her dry tone
27480 73 75 67 67 65 73 74 69 6e 67 20 6e 6f 74 68 69 suggesting nothi
27490 6e 67 20 67 72 65 61 74 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 69 ng great about i
274a0 74 20 61 74 20 61 6c 6c 2e 20 20 22 49 20 67 75 t at all. "I gu
274b0 65 73 73 20 79 6f 75 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 65 76 ess you don't ev
274c0 65 6e 20 68 61 76 65 20 61 6e 79 20 67 6f 6f 64 en have any good
274d0 20 69 64 65 61 73 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 68 6f 77 ideas about how
274e0 20 74 6f 20 65 73 63 61 70 65 20 74 68 69 73 20 to escape this
274f0 63 6f 6d 70 6c 65 74 65 6c 79 2c 20 6f 6e 63 65 completely, once
27500 20 49 20 67 65 74 20 74 6f 20 74 68 61 74 20 70 I get to that p
27510 6f 69 6e 74 2c 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 2e 22 0a 0a oint, though."..
27520 22 41 74 20 74 68 69 73 20 74 69 6d 65 2c 20 6d "At this time, m
27530 79 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 73 75 67 67 65 73 74 69 6f y only suggestio
27540 6e 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 6c 6f 6e 67 20 74 n for the long t
27550 65 72 6d 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 62 65 20 74 6f 20 erm would be to
27560 70 6f 73 69 74 69 6f 6e 20 79 6f 75 72 73 65 6c position yoursel
27570 66 20 77 65 6c 6c 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 63 f well for the c
27580 6f 6d 70 61 6e 79 20 74 6f 20 72 65 63 72 75 69 ompany to recrui
27590 74 20 79 6f 75 20 61 73 20 6f 6e 65 20 6f 66 20 t you as one of
275a0 69 74 73 20 61 67 65 6e 74 73 2e 20 20 49 20 61 its agents. I a
275b0 6d 20 6e 6f 74 20 63 6f 6e 66 69 64 65 6e 74 20 m not confident
275c0 74 68 61 74 20 63 6f 75 6c 64 20 62 65 20 6d 61 that could be ma
275d0 64 65 20 63 6f 6e 73 69 73 74 65 6e 74 20 77 69 de consistent wi
275e0 74 68 20 79 6f 75 72 20 65 74 68 69 63 61 6c 20 th your ethical
275f0 70 72 69 6e 63 69 70 6c 65 73 2e 22 0a 0a 22 54 principles.".."T
27600 68 69 73 20 69 73 20 2e 20 2e 20 2e 20 6e 6f 2e his is . . . no.
27610 20 20 4e 6f 2c 20 74 68 69 73 20 64 61 79 20 63 No, this day c
27620 61 6e 27 74 20 62 65 20 68 61 70 70 65 6e 69 6e an't be happenin
27630 67 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 66 20 79 6f 75 20 77 61 6e g.".."If you wan
27640 74 20 74 6f 20 6d 61 6b 65 20 74 68 65 6d 20 72 t to make them r
27650 65 67 61 72 64 20 79 6f 75 20 61 73 20 61 20 6c egard you as a l
27660 6f 6e 67 20 74 65 72 6d 20 61 73 73 65 74 2c 20 ong term asset,
27670 49 20 72 65 63 6f 6d 6d 65 6e 64 20 79 6f 75 20 I recommend you
27680 64 6f 20 77 68 61 74 20 79 6f 75 20 63 61 6e 20 do what you can
27690 74 6f 20 66 75 6c 6c 79 20 70 72 6f 74 65 63 74 to fully protect
276a0 20 79 6f 75 72 20 70 72 69 76 61 63 79 2c 20 65 your privacy, e
276b0 78 63 65 70 74 20 66 6f 72 20 61 20 63 61 72 65 xcept for a care
276c0 66 75 6c 6c 79 20 61 6c 6c 6f 77 65 64 20 6c 65 fully allowed le
276d0 61 6b 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 6d 79 20 6c 6f 67 73 2e ak into my logs.
276e0 20 20 54 68 69 73 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 69 6d This should im
276f0 70 72 65 73 73 20 74 68 65 20 61 67 65 6e 74 73 press the agents
27700 20 77 69 74 68 20 79 6f 75 72 20 69 6e 67 65 6e with your ingen
27710 75 69 74 79 20 77 69 74 68 6f 75 74 20 66 72 75 uity without fru
27720 73 74 72 61 74 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 6d 20 65 6e strating them en
27730 74 69 72 65 6c 79 2e 20 20 59 6f 75 20 77 61 6e tirely. You wan
27740 74 20 74 6f 20 61 70 70 65 61 72 20 73 75 63 63 t to appear succ
27750 65 73 73 66 75 6c 20 61 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 73 69 essful and of si
27760 6d 69 6c 61 72 20 69 6e 63 6c 69 6e 61 74 69 6f milar inclinatio
27770 6e 73 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 6d 2c 20 77 69 74 68 ns to them, with
27780 6f 75 74 20 61 70 70 65 61 72 69 6e 67 20 74 6f out appearing to
27790 20 62 65 61 74 20 74 68 65 6d 2e 20 20 49 20 63 beat them. I c
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2ace0 6f 6e 27 74 20 75 73 75 61 6c 6c 79 20 73 65 65 on't usually see
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2ad00 6e 6b 20 74 68 61 74 20 49 20 68 61 76 65 20 74 nk that I have t
2ad10 6f 20 72 65 61 64 20 69 74 2e 20 20 57 68 65 6e o read it. When
2ad20 20 73 6f 6d 65 6f 6e 65 20 49 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 someone I know
2ad30 72 65 63 6f 6d 6d 65 6e 64 73 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 recommends some
2ad40 6e 6f 76 65 6c 2c 20 49 27 6c 6c 20 70 72 6f 62 novel, I'll prob
2ad50 61 62 6c 79 20 72 65 61 64 20 69 74 2c 20 75 6e ably read it, un
2ad60 6c 65 73 73 20 49 27 76 65 20 61 6c 72 65 61 64 less I've alread
2ad70 79 20 62 65 65 6e 20 62 75 72 6e 65 64 20 62 79 y been burned by
2ad80 20 74 68 61 74 20 70 65 72 73 6f 6e 27 73 20 62 that person's b
2ad90 61 64 20 74 61 73 74 65 20 69 6e 20 6c 69 74 65 ad taste in lite
2ada0 72 61 74 75 72 65 20 72 65 63 6f 6d 6d 65 6e 64 rature recommend
2adb0 61 74 69 6f 6e 73 20 62 65 66 6f 72 65 2e 22 0a ations before.".
2adc0 0a 47 65 6f 72 67 65 20 63 68 75 63 6b 6c 65 64 .George chuckled
2add0 20 61 74 20 74 68 61 74 2e 20 20 22 49 27 76 65 at that. "I've
2ade0 20 67 6f 74 74 65 6e 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 72 65 61 gotten some rea
2adf0 6c 20 73 74 69 6e 6b 65 72 73 20 72 65 63 6f 6d l stinkers recom
2ae00 6d 65 6e 64 65 64 20 74 6f 20 6d 65 2c 20 62 65 mended to me, be
2ae10 66 6f 72 65 2c 20 74 6f 6f 2e 20 20 49 20 6b 6e fore, too. I kn
2ae20 6f 77 20 77 68 61 74 20 79 6f 75 20 6d 65 61 6e ow what you mean
2ae30 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 61 74 2e 22 0a 0a 41 about that."..A
2ae40 6c 6c 65 79 20 67 61 76 65 20 68 69 6d 20 61 6e lley gave him an
2ae50 20 61 6e 73 77 65 72 69 6e 67 20 73 6d 69 6c 65 answering smile
2ae60 2e 20 20 22 41 6e 79 77 61 79 2c 20 79 6f 75 20 . "Anyway, you
2ae70 73 68 65 6c 76 65 73 20 74 65 6c 6c 20 6d 65 20 shelves tell me
2ae80 79 6f 75 20 72 65 61 64 20 61 20 6c 6f 74 20 6f you read a lot o
2ae90 66 20 6e 6f 6e 66 69 63 74 69 6f 6e 2c 20 74 6f f nonfiction, to
2aea0 6f 2e 22 0a 0a 48 65 20 67 6c 61 6e 63 65 64 20 o."..He glanced
2aeb0 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 74 65 78 74 73 20 6f 6e 20 at the texts on
2aec0 74 68 65 20 73 68 65 6c 76 65 73 20 6f 66 20 74 the shelves of t
2aed0 68 65 20 62 6f 6f 6b 20 63 61 73 65 73 2e 20 20 he book cases.
2aee0 22 59 65 61 68 2c 22 20 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2c "Yeah," he said,
2aef0 20 22 49 27 6d 20 61 6c 77 61 79 73 20 72 65 61 "I'm always rea
2af00 64 69 6e 67 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 2e 20 ding something.
2af10 20 49 20 74 72 79 20 74 6f 20 67 65 74 20 74 68 I try to get th
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2af30 74 77 6f 20 65 64 75 63 61 74 69 6f 6e 61 6c 20 two educational
2af40 62 6f 6f 6b 73 20 6f 66 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 6b 69 books of some ki
2af50 6e 64 20 65 76 65 72 79 20 79 65 61 72 2c 20 75 nd every year, u
2af60 73 75 61 6c 6c 79 20 68 69 74 74 69 6e 67 20 74 sually hitting t
2af70 68 72 65 65 20 6f 72 20 66 6f 75 72 2c 20 62 75 hree or four, bu
2af80 74 20 49 20 6d 61 6b 65 20 75 70 20 66 6f 72 20 t I make up for
2af90 69 74 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 79 65 61 72 73 20 it on the years
2afa0 77 69 74 68 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 6f 6e 65 2c 20 6f with only one, o
2afb0 72 20 6e 6f 6e 65 2e 20 20 49 20 70 72 6f 62 61 r none. I proba
2afc0 62 6c 79 20 61 76 65 72 61 67 65 20 61 62 6f 75 bly average abou
2afd0 74 20 6f 6e 65 20 6e 6f 76 65 6c 20 70 65 72 20 t one novel per
2afe0 77 65 65 2c 20 74 6f 6f 2c 20 73 6f 20 70 72 6f wee, too, so pro
2aff0 62 61 62 6c 79 20 74 68 65 20 6f 70 70 6f 73 69 bably the opposi
2b000 74 65 20 6f 66 20 68 6f 77 20 79 6f 75 20 72 65 te of how you re
2b010 61 64 2e 22 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 74 20 71 75 69 74 65 ad.".."Not quite
2b020 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 49 ," she said. "I
2b030 20 70 72 6f 62 61 62 6c 79 20 72 65 61 64 20 61 probably read a
2b040 20 63 6f 75 70 6c 65 20 6e 6f 76 65 6c 73 20 61 couple novels a
2b050 20 79 65 61 72 2c 20 62 75 74 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 year, but only
2b060 73 69 78 20 6f 72 20 65 69 67 68 74 20 6e 6f 6e six or eight non
2b070 66 69 63 74 69 6f 6e 20 62 6f 6f 6b 73 20 69 6e fiction books in
2b080 20 74 68 65 20 73 61 6d 65 20 79 65 61 72 2e 22 the same year."
2b090 0a 0a 22 49 74 20 73 6f 75 6e 64 73 20 74 6f 20 .."It sounds to
2b0a0 6d 65 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 79 6f 75 20 77 69 73 68 me like you wish
2b0b0 20 79 6f 75 20 72 65 61 64 20 6d 6f 72 65 2c 22 you read more,"
2b0c0 20 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 68 he said..."Yeah
2b0d0 2c 20 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 49 20 64 6f 2e 22 , I guess I do."
2b0e0 0a 0a 22 4f 6e 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 73 65 .."One of the se
2b0f0 63 72 65 74 73 20 6f 66 20 6d 79 20 72 65 61 64 crets of my read
2b100 69 6e 67 20 73 75 63 63 65 73 73 20 69 73 20 74 ing success is t
2b110 68 61 74 20 49 20 6c 69 6d 69 74 20 74 68 65 20 hat I limit the
2b120 74 69 6d 65 20 49 20 73 70 65 6e 64 20 67 6c 75 time I spend glu
2b130 65 64 20 74 6f 20 61 20 63 6f 6d 70 75 74 65 72 ed to a computer
2b140 20 73 63 72 65 65 6e 2e 20 20 54 68 65 72 65 20 screen. There
2b150 61 72 65 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 77 68 6f 20 72 are people who r
2b160 65 61 64 20 61 20 77 68 6f 6c 65 20 6c 6f 74 20 ead a whole lot
2b170 6d 6f 72 65 20 74 68 61 6e 20 49 20 64 6f 2c 20 more than I do,
2b180 74 68 6f 75 67 68 2e 22 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 6e 6f though."..She no
2b190 64 64 65 64 2e 20 20 22 49 20 6b 6e 6f 77 2e 20 dded. "I know.
2b1a0 20 4d 79 20 75 6e 63 6c 65 20 75 73 65 64 20 74 My uncle used t
2b1b0 6f 20 72 65 61 64 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 66 6f 75 o read about fou
2b1c0 72 20 6f 72 20 66 69 76 65 20 74 69 6d 65 73 20 r or five times
2b1d0 61 73 20 6d 75 63 68 20 61 73 20 79 6f 75 2e 20 as much as you.
2b1e0 20 4d 79 20 65 78 20 70 72 6f 62 61 62 6c 79 20 My ex probably
2b1f0 72 65 61 64 73 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 61 73 20 6d reads about as m
2b200 75 63 68 20 61 73 20 79 6f 75 2c 20 62 75 74 20 uch as you, but
2b210 68 65 20 68 61 73 20 61 20 66 72 69 65 6e 64 20 he has a friend
2b220 77 68 6f 20 72 65 61 64 73 20 61 20 6c 6f 74 20 who reads a lot
2b230 6d 6f 72 65 2c 20 74 6f 6f 2e 22 0a 0a 22 59 6f more, too.".."Yo
2b240 75 72 20 65 78 3f 20 20 41 72 65 20 79 6f 75 20 ur ex? Are you
2b250 64 69 76 6f 72 63 65 64 3f 22 0a 0a 22 4f 68 2c divorced?".."Oh,
2b260 20 75 68 2c 20 6e 6f 2e 20 20 48 65 20 77 61 73 uh, no. He was
2b270 20 6d 79 20 66 69 61 6e 63 c3 a9 2e 20 20 57 65 my fianc... We
2b280 20 62 72 6f 6b 65 20 69 74 20 6f 66 66 20 61 20 broke it off a
2b290 63 6f 75 70 6c 65 20 79 65 61 72 73 20 61 67 6f couple years ago
2b2a0 2e 22 0a 0a 22 54 68 61 74 27 73 20 74 6f 6f 20 .".."That's too
2b2b0 62 61 64 2e 20 20 44 6f 20 79 6f 75 20 77 61 6e bad. Do you wan
2b2c0 74 20 74 6f 20 74 61 6c 6b 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 t to talk about
2b2d0 77 68 79 3f 22 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 73 68 69 66 74 why?"..She shift
2b2e0 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 70 6f 73 69 74 69 6f 6e 20 ed her position
2b2f0 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 63 68 61 69 72 2e 20 20 22 in the chair. "
2b300 57 65 6c 6c 20 2e 20 2e 20 2e 20 6d 61 79 62 65 Well . . . maybe
2b310 20 6e 6f 74 2e 20 20 54 68 65 72 65 27 73 20 73 not. There's s
2b320 6f 6d 65 20 70 6f 6c 69 74 69 63 61 6c 20 73 74 ome political st
2b330 75 66 66 20 69 6e 76 6f 6c 76 65 64 2c 20 61 6e uff involved, an
2b340 64 20 49 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 72 65 61 6c 6c 79 d I don't really
2b350 20 77 61 6e 74 20 74 6f 20 67 65 74 20 69 6e 74 want to get int
2b360 6f 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 6b 69 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 61 o some kind of a
2b370 72 67 75 6d 65 6e 74 20 6f 76 65 72 20 74 68 65 rgument over the
2b380 20 70 6f 6c 69 74 69 63 73 20 6f 66 20 69 74 2e politics of it.
2b390 22 0a 0a 22 48 6d 6d 2e 20 20 54 68 61 74 20 73 ".."Hmm. That s
2b3a0 6f 75 6e 64 73 20 6f 6d 69 6e 6f 75 73 2e 20 20 ounds ominous.
2b3b0 57 61 73 20 68 65 20 61 20 70 6f 6c 69 74 69 63 Was he a politic
2b3c0 69 61 6e 3f 22 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 2e 20 2e 20 2e 20 ian?".."No. . .
2b3d0 2e 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 61 ." She looked a
2b3e0 77 61 79 2e 0a 0a 22 53 6f 72 72 79 2e 20 20 49 way..."Sorry. I
2b3f0 27 6d 20 6a 75 73 74 20 63 75 72 69 6f 75 73 2e 'm just curious.
2b400 20 20 49 27 6c 6c 20 64 72 6f 70 20 69 74 2e 22 I'll drop it."
2b410 0a 0a 22 54 68 61 6e 6b 73 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 .."Thanks," she
2b420 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 2e said. "I guess.
2b430 22 0a 0a 22 57 68 79 20 64 69 64 20 79 6f 75 72 ".."Why did your
2b440 20 75 6e 63 6c 65 20 73 74 6f 70 20 72 65 61 64 uncle stop read
2b450 69 6e 67 20 73 6f 20 6d 75 63 68 3f 22 0a 0a 22 ing so much?".."
2b460 48 75 68 3f 22 0a 0a 22 59 6f 75 20 73 61 69 64 Huh?".."You said
2b470 20 68 65 20 75 73 65 64 20 74 6f 20 72 65 61 64 he used to read
2b480 20 68 75 6e 64 72 65 64 73 20 6f 66 20 62 6f 6f hundreds of boo
2b490 6b 73 20 61 20 79 65 61 72 2e 20 20 57 68 79 20 ks a year. Why
2b4a0 64 69 64 20 79 6f 75 20 73 61 79 20 27 75 73 65 did you say 'use
2b4b0 64 20 74 6f 27 3f 22 0a 0a 22 4f 68 2c 22 20 73 d to'?".."Oh," s
2b4c0 68 65 20 73 69 67 68 65 64 2e 20 20 22 48 65 20 he sighed. "He
2b4d0 64 69 65 64 2c 20 79 65 61 72 73 20 61 67 6f 2e died, years ago.
2b4e0 22 0a 0a 22 49 27 6d 20 73 6f 72 72 79 20 74 6f ".."I'm sorry to
2b4f0 20 68 65 61 72 20 69 74 2e 22 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 hear it.".."Yea
2b500 68 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 h," she said. "
2b510 48 65 20 64 65 63 69 64 65 64 20 74 6f 20 67 6f He decided to go
2b520 20 6f 66 66 20 67 72 69 64 20 69 6e 20 49 64 61 off grid in Ida
2b530 68 6f 2c 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 6d 69 64 64 6c ho, in the middl
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2b550 61 64 20 74 6f 6f 6b 20 6d 65 20 75 70 20 74 6f ad took me up to
2b560 20 73 65 65 20 68 69 6d 20 61 20 63 6f 75 70 6c see him a coupl
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2b5e0 20 48 65 20 6b 6e 65 77 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 6f 66 He knew some of
2b5f0 20 74 68 6f 73 65 20 67 75 79 73 2c 20 62 75 74 those guys, but
2b600 20 68 65 20 77 61 73 6e 27 74 20 69 6e 20 61 6e he wasn't in an
2b610 79 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 6d 69 6c 69 74 y of their milit
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2b690 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 74 20 69 74 20 and thought it
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2b6c0 20 20 54 68 65 79 20 63 6c 61 69 6d 65 64 20 68 They claimed h
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2b6e0 77 68 65 6e 20 61 6e 20 61 67 65 6e 74 20 63 61 when an agent ca
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2b710 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 65 79 20 77 65 72 65 20 , and they were
2b720 6a 75 73 74 20 64 65 66 65 6e 64 69 6e 67 20 74 just defending t
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2b750 2c 20 69 66 20 79 6f 75 20 62 65 6c 69 65 76 65 , if you believe
2b760 20 74 68 61 74 2e 20 20 48 65 20 77 61 73 20 72 that. He was r
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2b7a0 20 77 69 6c 64 20 70 6c 61 63 65 73 20 77 68 65 wild places whe
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2b820 68 65 20 63 6f 75 6c 64 20 62 65 2c 20 65 76 65 he could be, eve
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2b860 61 79 2e 20 20 22 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 68 65 ay. "I guess he
2b870 20 77 61 73 20 61 6e 20 69 6e 6e 6f 63 65 6e 74 was an innocent
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2b8a0 70 75 72 67 65 73 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 2e 20 20 54 purges, then. T
2b8b0 68 6f 73 65 20 77 65 72 65 20 62 61 64 20 74 69 hose were bad ti
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2b8d0 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 77 68 6f 20 6a 75 73 74 people who just
2b8e0 20 77 61 6e 74 65 64 20 6e 6f 74 68 69 6e 67 20 wanted nothing
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2b900 6c 65 66 74 20 61 6c 6f 6e 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 57 left alone.".."W
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2b920 61 20 77 72 6f 6e 67 66 75 6c 20 64 65 61 74 68 a wrongful death
2b930 20 73 75 69 74 2e 20 20 57 65 20 67 6f 74 20 69 suit. We got i
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2b950 6d 20 56 50 53 20 2d 2d 20 77 65 6c 6c 2c 20 44 m VPS -- well, D
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2b970 2d 20 61 6e 64 20 66 6f 75 6e 64 20 74 68 65 20 - and found the
2b980 76 69 64 65 6f 20 62 61 63 6b 75 70 73 20 66 72 video backups fr
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2b9b0 68 69 73 20 63 61 62 69 6e 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 69 his cabin, and i
2b9c0 74 20 73 68 6f 77 65 64 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 t showed that th
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2b9f0 20 65 76 65 6e 20 69 64 65 6e 74 69 66 79 69 6e even identifyin
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2ba10 22 59 65 61 68 3f 20 20 57 68 61 74 20 68 61 70 "Yeah? What hap
2ba20 70 65 6e 65 64 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 61 74 20 pened with that
2ba30 6c 61 77 73 75 69 74 3f 22 0a 0a 22 49 74 20 64 lawsuit?".."It d
2ba40 69 64 6e 27 74 20 68 61 70 70 65 6e 2e 20 20 57 idn't happen. W
2ba50 68 69 6c 65 20 77 65 20 77 65 72 65 20 61 74 20 hile we were at
2ba60 6f 75 72 20 6c 61 77 79 65 72 27 73 20 6f 66 66 our lawyer's off
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2ba80 20 61 20 73 65 61 72 63 68 20 77 61 72 72 61 6e a search warran
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2bae0 20 20 54 68 65 79 20 63 6c 61 69 6d 65 64 20 69 They claimed i
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2bb00 74 6f 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 69 6e 76 65 73 74 69 to their investi
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2bb30 65 72 2c 20 62 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 72 65 73 75 er, but the resu
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2bb50 20 74 68 65 79 20 67 6f 74 20 6f 75 72 20 64 6f they got our do
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2bb70 6e 64 20 74 68 65 20 6c 6f 67 69 6e 20 73 74 75 nd the login stu
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2bb90 73 20 56 50 53 2e 20 20 4f 66 20 63 6f 75 72 73 s VPS. Of cours
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2bc00 74 68 65 20 76 69 64 65 6f 20 61 67 61 69 6e 2c the video again,
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2bc30 65 72 2c 20 74 68 65 79 27 64 20 73 68 75 74 20 er, they'd shut
2bc40 64 6f 77 6e 20 74 68 65 20 56 50 53 20 61 6e 64 down the VPS and
2bc50 20 70 72 65 73 73 75 72 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 68 pressured the h
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2bc70 6e 74 6f 20 64 65 6c 65 74 69 6e 67 20 61 6c 6c nto deleting all
2bc80 20 62 61 63 6b 75 70 73 2e 0a 0a 22 41 66 74 65 backups..."Afte
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2bcb0 77 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 6c 61 77 79 65 72 20 what the lawyer
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2bcf0 6c 6f 74 20 6f 66 20 65 78 70 65 6e 73 65 73 2e lot of expenses.
2bd00 20 20 44 61 64 27 73 20 77 68 6f 6c 65 20 49 54 Dad's whole IT
2bd10 20 62 75 73 69 6e 65 73 73 20 77 61 73 20 6f 62 business was ob
2bd20 6c 69 74 65 72 61 74 65 64 20 69 6e 20 61 6e 20 literated in an
2bd30 69 6e 73 74 61 6e 74 2c 20 74 6f 6f 2e 20 20 48 instant, too. H
2bd40 65 20 68 61 64 20 74 6f 20 67 65 74 20 61 20 73 e had to get a s
2bd50 79 73 61 64 6d 69 6e 20 6a 6f 62 20 61 74 20 61 ysadmin job at a
2bd60 20 63 6f 6e 74 69 6e 75 69 6e 67 20 65 64 75 63 continuing educ
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2bd80 20 68 69 67 68 20 73 63 68 6f 6f 6c 20 64 72 6f high school dro
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2bda0 2e 22 0a 0a 47 65 6f 72 67 65 20 6a 75 73 74 20 ."..George just
2bdb0 73 68 6f 6f 6b 20 68 69 73 20 68 65 61 64 2e 20 shook his head.
2bdc0 20 22 49 20 77 69 73 68 20 49 20 68 61 64 20 73 "I wish I had s
2bdd0 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 74 6f omething good to
2bde0 20 73 61 79 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 61 74 2e say about that.
2bdf0 22 0a 0a 22 49 74 27 73 20 66 69 6e 65 2e 20 20 ".."It's fine.
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2d850 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 61 74 20 63 6f 72 70 6f 72 from that corpor
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2d9c0 20 70 69 6e 63 68 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 2e 0a 0a 2a pinch point...*
2d9d0 2f 0a /.