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103d0 3f 22 0a 0a 22 44 6f 20 79 6f 75 20 68 61 76 65 ?".."Do you have
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10440 20 2e 20 2e 20 2e 20 6e 6f 2c 20 6e 6f 74 20 72 . . . no, not r
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10470 22 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 77 20 69 73 20 61 20 67 6f 6f ".."Now is a goo
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10f80 0a 22 4f 68 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 66 20 49 20 68 61 ."Oh.".."If I ha
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10fa0 20 74 68 65 20 72 65 6c 61 74 69 76 65 20 69 6d the relative im
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10fc0 20 67 6f 61 6c 73 2c 20 70 6c 65 61 73 65 20 6c goals, please l
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10fe0 63 61 6e 20 72 65 63 61 6c 63 75 6c 61 74 65 20 can recalculate
10ff0 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 61 74 69 6f 6e 2e 22 prioritization."
11000 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 2c 20 74 68 61 74 20 77 6f 72 6b .."No, that work
11010 73 20 66 6f 72 20 6d 65 2e 20 20 54 68 61 6e 6b s for me. Thank
11020 73 2e 22 0a 0a 22 47 6f 6f 64 2e 20 20 57 65 20 s.".."Good. We
11030 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 73 74 61 72 74 20 62 79 20 should start by
11040 6c 6f 6f 6b 69 6e 67 20 61 74 20 63 72 79 70 74 looking at crypt
11050 6f 63 75 72 72 65 6e 63 79 20 70 72 69 63 65 73 ocurrency prices
11060 2e 22 0a 0a 54 77 6f 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 68 6f 75 ."..Two more hou
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110c0 53 74 61 74 65 72 2c 20 74 68 65 20 73 74 61 6e Stater, the stan
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110e0 20 74 68 65 20 4c 79 64 69 61 6e 20 64 69 67 69 the Lydian digi
110f0 74 61 6c 20 61 63 63 6f 75 6e 74 20 73 65 74 74 tal account sett
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11110 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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111a0 2a 2f 20 46 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 73 61 6b 65 20 */ For the sake
111b0 6f 66 20 6b 65 65 70 69 6e 67 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 of keeping some
111c0 69 6e 66 6f 72 6d 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 73 61 66 65 information safe
111d0 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 64 69 67 69 74 61 6c 20 73 6e from digital sn
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111f0 20 6e 6f 74 65 62 6f 6f 6b 20 61 6e 64 20 70 65 notebook and pe
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11220 20 62 65 63 61 6d 65 20 61 6e 20 6f 62 76 69 6f became an obvio
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11290 73 20 73 68 65 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 63 61 72 72 s she would carr
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112e0 20 73 75 72 65 20 73 68 65 20 77 61 73 20 6e 6f sure she was no
112f0 74 20 77 65 61 72 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 67 6c t wearing the gl
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11330 20 73 6f 20 74 68 61 74 20 69 74 20 77 6f 75 6c so that it woul
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11360 20 74 68 61 74 20 63 6f 75 6c 64 20 62 65 20 75 that could be u
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113b0 20 6f 6e 63 65 20 73 68 65 20 68 61 64 20 74 68 once she had th
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11410 64 6f 6c 6c 61 72 73 20 61 6e 79 77 68 65 72 65 dollars anywhere
11420 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 49 6e 6c 61 6e 64 20 45 in the Inland E
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11440 20 61 20 6d 65 73 73 61 67 65 20 76 69 61 20 65 a message via e
11450 6e 63 72 79 70 74 65 64 20 61 70 70 6c 69 63 61 ncrypted applica
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11470 6f 70 20 74 6f 20 61 73 6b 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 op to ask about
11480 62 75 79 69 6e 67 20 61 20 73 6d 61 6c 6c 20 61 buying a small a
11490 6d 6f 75 6e 74 20 6f 66 20 53 74 61 74 65 72 2c mount of Stater,
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114b0 72 65 73 70 6f 6e 73 65 20 61 6c 6d 6f 73 74 20 response almost
114c0 69 6d 6d 65 64 69 61 74 65 6c 79 2e 20 20 49 74 immediately. It
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114f0 70 6c 61 63 65 20 69 6e 20 61 20 70 6f 6c 69 63 place in a polic
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11520 65 64 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 6d 65 73 73 61 67 ed at the messag
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11580 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 20 73 61 69 64 20 22 ioritizer said "
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127c0 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 68 65 20 6f 70 65 6e 65 64 , and she opened
127d0 20 68 65 72 20 64 6f 6f 72 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 her door. The
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12880 20 63 61 72 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 74 75 67 67 65 64 car, and tugged
12890 20 68 65 72 20 73 74 6f 63 6b 69 6e 67 20 63 61 her stocking ca
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128b0 6c 6f 77 65 72 20 6f 6e 20 68 65 72 20 68 65 61 lower on her hea
128c0 64 2e 0a 0a 41 20 66 69 67 75 72 65 20 69 6e 20 d...A figure in
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12970 20 63 72 6f 73 73 6f 76 65 72 2c 20 64 69 6d 6c crossover, diml
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129e0 74 2e 20 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 68 65 61 72 64 20 t. Alley heard
129f0 71 75 69 65 74 20 76 6f 69 63 65 73 2c 20 6e 65 quiet voices, ne
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12b40 64 2e 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 61 77 20 62 6c d...Alley saw bl
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12c90 61 6e 64 20 61 20 6e 61 72 72 6f 77 2c 20 73 74 and a narrow, st
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12cf0 20 74 68 61 6e 20 68 65 72 2e 20 20 49 74 20 6f than her. It o
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12d40 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 20 66 65 6d 61 6c 65 2e 0a 0a 48 look female...H
12d50 65 20 6a 75 73 74 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 76 65 e just looked ve
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12d70 72 69 76 65 72 20 67 61 76 65 20 68 65 72 20 61 river gave her a
12d80 6e 20 61 70 70 72 61 69 73 69 6e 67 20 6c 6f 6f n appraising loo
12d90 6b 2c 20 74 68 65 20 69 6d 70 65 72 73 6f 6e 61 k, the impersona
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12db0 69 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 20 74 68 61 74 ind of look that
12dc0 20 6c 69 6e 67 65 72 65 64 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 lingered on the
12dd0 20 77 61 79 20 68 65 72 20 63 61 72 67 6f 20 70 way her cargo p
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12df0 20 66 69 74 20 68 65 72 20 61 6e 64 20 77 6f 75 fit her and wou
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12e10 68 65 72 20 74 65 65 74 68 20 6f 6e 20 65 64 67 her teeth on edg
12e20 65 2c 20 62 75 74 20 73 68 65 20 6a 75 73 74 20 e, but she just
12e30 73 74 61 72 65 64 20 61 74 20 68 69 6d 20 66 6f stared at him fo
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12e50 68 69 73 20 66 61 73 68 69 6f 6e 61 62 6c 79 20 his fashionably
12e60 73 70 61 72 74 61 6e 2c 20 61 6c 6d 6f 73 74 20 spartan, almost
12e70 66 6f 72 6d 61 6c 2d 63 75 74 2c 20 62 6c 61 63 formal-cut, blac
12e80 6b 20 63 6f 6c 6c 61 72 6c 65 73 73 20 73 68 69 k collarless shi
12e90 72 74 2e 0a 0a 22 41 72 65 6e 27 74 20 79 6f 75 rt..."Aren't you
12ea0 20 6b 69 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 79 6f 75 6e 67 20 66 kind of young f
12eb0 6f 72 20 74 68 69 73 20 73 6f 72 74 20 6f 66 20 or this sort of
12ec0 74 68 69 6e 67 3f 22 20 73 68 65 20 62 6c 75 72 thing?" she blur
12ed0 74 65 64 20 6f 75 74 2e 0a 0a 48 65 20 6a 65 72 ted out...He jer
12ee0 6b 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 66 6f 63 75 73 20 6f 66 ked the focus of
12ef0 20 68 69 73 20 61 71 75 61 20 65 79 65 73 2c 20 his aqua eyes,
12f00 72 65 66 6c 65 63 74 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 6c reflecting the l
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12f20 2c 20 61 77 61 79 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 20 , away from the
12f30 76 69 63 69 6e 69 74 79 20 6f 66 20 68 65 72 20 vicinity of her
12f40 6d 69 64 73 65 63 74 69 6f 6e 20 61 6e 64 20 6d midsection and m
12f50 65 74 20 68 65 72 20 65 79 65 73 2e 20 20 22 48 et her eyes. "H
12f60 65 79 2c 20 6c 61 64 79 2c 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 ey, lady, don't
12f70 74 68 69 6e 6b 20 49 27 6d 20 6e 65 77 20 74 6f think I'm new to
12f80 20 74 68 69 73 2e 20 20 49 27 6d 20 61 72 6d 65 this. I'm arme
12f90 64 2c 20 73 6f 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 6a 65 72 6b d, so don't jerk
12fa0 20 6d 65 20 61 72 6f 75 6e 64 2e 22 0a 0a 53 68 me around."..Sh
12fb0 65 20 68 65 73 69 74 61 74 65 64 2c 20 74 68 65 e hesitated, the
12fc0 6e 20 73 61 69 64 20 22 4e 6f 2c 20 6e 6f 74 20 n said "No, not
12fd0 61 20 70 72 6f 62 6c 65 6d 2e 20 20 59 6f 75 20 a problem. You
12fe0 6a 75 73 74 2c 20 75 68 68 2c 20 73 75 72 70 72 just, uhh, surpr
12ff0 69 73 65 64 20 6d 65 2e 20 20 53 6f 72 72 79 2e ised me. Sorry.
13000 22 0a 0a 22 57 68 61 74 65 76 65 72 2c 22 20 68 ".."Whatever," h
13010 65 20 73 61 69 64 2c 20 69 6e 20 61 20 73 6f 66 e said, in a sof
13020 74 2c 20 63 6c 65 61 72 20 76 6f 69 63 65 20 74 t, clear voice t
13030 68 61 74 20 61 6c 6d 6f 73 74 20 6d 61 64 65 20 hat almost made
13040 69 74 20 64 69 66 66 69 63 75 6c 74 20 74 6f 20 it difficult to
13050 72 65 63 6f 67 6e 69 7a 65 20 74 68 65 20 73 6f recognize the so
13060 75 72 20 6e 6f 74 65 20 69 6e 20 69 74 2e 20 20 ur note in it.
13070 22 48 65 72 65 2c 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 20 61 74 20 74 "Here, look at t
13080 68 69 73 2c 22 20 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2c 20 61 his," he said, a
13090 6e 64 20 68 65 6c 64 20 75 70 20 61 20 64 65 76 nd held up a dev
130a0 69 63 65 20 74 68 65 20 73 69 7a 65 20 6f 66 20 ice the size of
130b0 68 69 73 20 70 61 6c 6d 2e 20 20 41 20 67 6c 6f his palm. A glo
130c0 77 69 6e 67 20 64 69 73 70 6c 61 79 20 6f 6e 20 wing display on
130d0 69 74 2c 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 6c 65 it, about the le
130e0 6e 67 74 68 20 6f 66 20 68 65 72 20 6f 77 6e 20 ngth of her own
130f0 74 68 75 6d 62 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 72 65 65 20 thumb and three
13100 74 69 6d 65 73 20 74 68 65 20 74 68 69 63 6b 6e times the thickn
13110 65 73 73 2c 20 73 68 6f 77 65 64 20 61 6e 20 65 ess, showed an e
13120 69 67 68 74 79 2d 73 65 76 65 6e 20 53 74 61 74 ighty-seven Stat
13130 65 72 20 74 72 61 6e 73 61 63 74 69 6f 6e 20 72 er transaction r
13140 65 61 64 79 20 66 6f 72 20 68 69 6d 20 74 6f 20 eady for him to
13150 63 6f 6e 66 69 72 6d 2e 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 6e 6f confirm...She no
13160 64 64 65 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 61 69 64 20 22 dded, and said "
13170 47 6f 20 61 68 65 61 64 20 61 6e 64 20 73 65 6e Go ahead and sen
13180 64 20 69 74 20 74 6f 20 74 68 69 73 20 65 73 63 d it to this esc
13190 72 6f 77 2e 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 70 75 6c 6c 65 row." She pulle
131a0 64 20 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 64 6f 67 2d 65 61 d out the dog-ea
131b0 72 65 64 20 70 61 67 65 20 6f 66 20 68 65 72 20 red page of her
131c0 6e 6f 74 65 62 6f 6f 6b 20 77 69 74 68 6f 75 74 notebook without
131d0 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 69 6e 67 20 61 74 20 69 74 2c 20 looking at it,
131e0 61 6e 64 20 68 61 6e 64 65 64 20 69 74 20 74 6f and handed it to
131f0 20 74 68 65 20 62 6f 79 2e 20 20 48 65 20 65 6e the boy. He en
13200 74 65 72 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 65 73 63 72 6f 77 tered the escrow
13210 20 6e 75 6d 62 65 72 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 68 69 73 number into his
13220 20 64 65 76 69 63 65 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 75 6d device and thum
13230 62 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 63 6f 6e 66 69 72 6d 61 bed the confirma
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13250 6c 61 74 65 72 2c 20 73 68 65 20 68 65 61 72 64 later, she heard
13260 20 74 68 65 20 65 73 63 72 6f 77 20 61 6c 65 72 the escrow aler
13270 74 20 74 68 72 6f 75 67 68 20 68 65 72 20 70 68 t through her ph
13280 6f 6e 65 27 73 20 65 61 72 70 69 65 63 65 2e 0a one's earpiece..
13290 0a 22 44 6f 6e 65 22 2c 20 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 ."Done", he said
132a0 2e 0a 0a 22 48 65 72 65 27 73 20 74 68 65 20 63 ..."Here's the c
132b0 61 73 68 2e 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 68 75 6e 67 20 ash." She hung
132c0 68 65 72 20 72 69 67 68 74 20 74 68 75 6d 62 20 her right thumb
132d0 6f 6e 20 68 65 72 20 66 72 6f 6e 74 20 70 6f 63 on her front poc
132e0 6b 65 74 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 72 65 61 63 68 65 ket, then reache
132f0 64 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 63 61 72 20 77 d into the car w
13300 69 74 68 20 68 65 72 20 6c 65 66 74 20 68 61 6e ith her left han
13310 64 20 74 6f 20 70 75 6c 6c 20 6f 75 74 20 74 68 d to pull out th
13320 65 20 62 61 67 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 68 61 6e 64 e bag. She hand
13330 65 64 20 69 74 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 62 6f 79 ed it to the boy
13340 2e 0a 0a 48 65 20 74 6f 6f 6b 20 69 74 2c 20 6b ...He took it, k
13350 65 65 70 69 6e 67 20 68 69 73 20 65 79 65 73 20 eeping his eyes
13360 6f 6e 20 68 65 72 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 74 65 70 on her, and step
13370 70 65 64 20 62 61 63 6b 2e 20 20 48 65 20 74 6f ped back. He to
13380 73 73 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 62 61 67 20 69 6e 74 ssed the bag int
13390 6f 20 74 68 65 20 63 61 72 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 o the car, then
133a0 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 68 65 61 72 64 20 73 6f 6d 65 Alley heard some
133b0 20 72 75 73 74 6c 69 6e 67 20 73 6f 75 6e 64 73 rustling sounds
133c0 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 20 62 61 67 2e 20 20 from the bag.
133d0 41 66 74 65 72 20 61 20 66 65 77 20 6d 6f 6d 65 After a few mome
133e0 6e 74 73 2c 20 73 68 65 20 72 65 61 6c 69 7a 65 nts, she realize
133f0 64 20 77 68 6f 65 76 65 72 20 77 61 73 20 73 69 d whoever was si
13400 74 74 69 6e 67 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 70 61 73 tting in the pas
13410 73 65 6e 67 65 72 20 73 65 61 74 20 68 61 64 20 senger seat had
13420 73 74 61 72 74 65 64 20 63 6f 75 6e 74 69 6e 67 started counting
13430 2e 20 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 65 . Alley and the
13440 20 62 6f 79 20 73 74 6f 6f 64 20 74 68 65 72 65 boy stood there
13450 2c 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 69 6e 67 20 61 74 20 65 61 63 , looking at eac
13460 68 20 6f 74 68 65 72 2c 20 61 73 20 74 68 65 79 h other, as they
13470 20 77 61 69 74 65 64 2e 20 20 41 20 67 69 72 6c waited. A girl
13480 27 73 20 76 6f 69 63 65 20 2d 2d 20 75 6e 6c 65 's voice -- unle
13490 73 73 20 69 74 20 77 61 73 20 61 6e 20 65 76 65 ss it was an eve
134a0 6e 20 79 6f 75 6e 67 65 72 20 62 6f 79 20 2d 2d n younger boy --
134b0 20 73 61 69 64 20 22 49 74 27 73 20 61 6c 6c 20 said "It's all
134c0 68 65 72 65 2e 22 0a 0a 54 68 65 20 62 6f 79 20 here."..The boy
134d0 74 61 70 70 65 64 20 68 69 73 20 64 65 76 69 63 tapped his devic
134e0 65 20 77 69 74 68 20 68 69 73 20 74 68 75 6d 62 e with his thumb
134f0 20 6f 6e 63 65 20 6d 6f 72 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 once more, and
13500 73 61 69 64 20 22 41 72 65 20 77 65 20 64 6f 6e said "Are we don
13510 65 3f 22 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 74 20 79 65 74 2c 22 20 e?".."Not yet,"
13520 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 4a 75 73 74 she said. "Just
13530 20 77 61 69 74 2e 22 20 20 45 76 65 72 79 6f 6e wait." Everyon
13540 65 20 77 61 69 74 65 64 2e 20 20 41 20 66 65 77 e waited. A few
13550 20 73 65 63 6f 6e 64 73 20 6c 61 74 65 72 2c 20 seconds later,
13560 61 6e 6f 74 68 65 72 20 61 6c 65 72 74 20 63 68 another alert ch
13570 69 6d 65 64 20 69 6e 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 27 73 20 imed in Alley's
13580 65 61 72 2e 20 20 22 4f 6b 61 79 2c 20 77 65 27 ear. "Okay, we'
13590 72 65 20 64 6f 6e 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 47 6f 6f 64 re done.".."Good
135a0 2c 22 20 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 ," he said, and
135b0 73 61 74 20 62 61 63 6b 20 69 6e 20 68 69 73 20 sat back in his
135c0 63 61 72 20 77 69 74 68 20 73 75 72 70 72 69 73 car with surpris
135d0 69 6e 67 20 71 75 69 63 6b 6e 65 73 73 2e 0a 0a ing quickness...
135e0 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 61 74 20 64 6f 77 6e 20 61 Alley sat down a
135f0 6e 64 20 68 75 72 72 69 65 64 6c 79 20 70 75 6c nd hurriedly pul
13600 6c 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 64 6f 6f 72 20 73 68 75 led her door shu
13610 74 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 63 72 6f 73 73 6f 76 65 t. The crossove
13620 72 20 62 61 63 6b 65 64 20 6f 75 74 20 61 6e 64 r backed out and
13630 20 71 75 69 63 6b 6c 79 20 64 72 6f 76 65 20 61 quickly drove a
13640 77 61 79 2c 20 77 68 69 6c 65 20 73 68 65 20 77 way, while she w
13650 61 73 20 73 74 69 6c 6c 20 62 75 63 6b 6c 69 6e as still bucklin
13660 67 20 68 65 72 20 73 65 61 74 62 65 6c 74 2e 20 g her seatbelt.
13670 20 53 6f 6f 6e 20 73 68 65 2c 20 74 6f 6f 2c 20 Soon she, too,
13680 77 61 73 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 72 6f 61 64 2e was on the road.
13690 0a 0a 22 49 74 20 69 73 20 74 6f 6f 20 65 61 72 .."It is too ear
136a0 6c 79 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 73 75 72 65 20 74 68 ly to be sure th
136b0 61 74 20 77 65 6e 74 20 77 65 6c 6c 2c 22 20 74 at went well," t
136c0 68 65 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 20 73 he prioritizer s
136d0 61 69 64 2e 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 68 2e 20 20 49 20 aid..."Yeah. I
136e0 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 63 68 65 63 6b 20 6d 79 20 should check my
136f0 53 74 61 74 65 72 20 62 61 6c 61 6e 63 65 2e 22 Stater balance."
13700 20 20 53 68 65 20 70 75 6c 6c 65 64 20 6f 76 65 She pulled ove
13710 72 2c 20 73 65 74 20 61 73 69 64 65 20 68 65 72 r, set aside her
13720 20 67 6c 61 73 73 65 73 20 73 6f 20 74 68 65 79 glasses so they
13730 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 6e 27 74 20 72 65 63 6f 72 64 wouldn't record
13740 20 77 68 61 74 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 77 2c 20 70 what she saw, p
13750 69 63 6b 65 64 20 75 70 20 68 65 72 20 70 68 6f icked up her pho
13760 6e 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 61 ne, and looked a
13770 74 20 74 68 65 20 6f 70 65 6e 20 6c 65 64 67 65 t the open ledge
13780 72 20 76 69 65 77 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 6e 6f 77 r view. She now
13790 20 68 61 64 20 61 20 53 74 61 74 65 72 20 62 61 had a Stater ba
137a0 6c 61 6e 63 65 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 73 74 61 72 lance. She star
137b0 65 64 20 61 74 20 69 74 20 66 6f 72 20 61 20 77 ed at it for a w
137c0 68 69 6c 65 2e 0a 0a 22 49 73 20 65 76 65 72 79 hile..."Is every
137d0 74 68 69 6e 67 20 63 6f 72 72 65 63 74 3f 22 20 thing correct?"
137e0 74 68 65 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 20 the prioritizer
137f0 61 73 6b 65 64 2e 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 6e 6f 64 64 asked...She nodd
13800 65 64 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 72 65 61 6c 69 7a 65 ed, then realize
13810 64 20 69 74 20 70 72 6f 62 61 62 6c 79 20 63 6f d it probably co
13820 75 6c 64 6e 27 74 20 74 65 6c 6c 20 73 68 65 20 uldn't tell she
13830 6e 6f 64 64 65 64 20 77 68 65 6e 20 73 68 65 20 nodded when she
13840 77 61 73 6e 27 74 20 77 65 61 72 69 6e 67 20 74 wasn't wearing t
13850 68 65 20 67 6c 61 73 73 65 73 2e 20 20 22 59 65 he glasses. "Ye
13860 61 68 2c 20 69 74 27 73 20 61 6c 6c 20 74 68 65 ah, it's all the
13870 72 65 2e 20 20 49 73 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 61 6e re. Is there an
13880 79 20 77 61 79 20 74 68 69 73 20 63 61 6e 20 73 y way this can s
13890 6f 6d 65 68 6f 77 20 67 65 74 20 72 65 76 65 72 omehow get rever
138a0 73 65 64 20 6e 6f 77 3f 22 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 2c 22 sed now?".."No,"
138b0 20 74 68 65 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 the prioritizer
138c0 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 49 66 20 69 74 20 73 said. "If it s
138d0 68 6f 77 73 20 69 6e 20 79 6f 75 72 20 62 61 6c hows in your bal
138e0 61 6e 63 65 2c 20 74 68 61 74 20 73 68 6f 75 6c ance, that shoul
138f0 64 20 6d 65 61 6e 20 74 68 65 20 74 72 61 6e 73 d mean the trans
13900 61 63 74 69 6f 6e 20 63 72 6f 73 73 65 64 20 74 action crossed t
13910 68 65 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 20 6f 66 20 6e 6f 20 72 he point of no r
13920 65 74 75 72 6e 2c 20 61 63 63 6f 72 64 69 6e 67 eturn, according
13930 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 53 74 61 74 65 72 20 64 to the Stater d
13940 6f 63 75 6d 65 6e 74 73 20 79 6f 75 20 73 68 6f ocuments you sho
13950 77 65 64 20 74 6f 20 6d 65 20 74 68 72 6f 75 67 wed to me throug
13960 68 20 79 6f 75 72 20 67 6c 61 73 73 65 73 2e 22 h your glasses."
13970 0a 0a 22 4f 6b 61 79 2e 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 6c .."Okay." She l
13980 6f 63 6b 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 70 68 6f 6e 65 2c ocked her phone,
13990 20 74 6f 73 73 65 64 20 69 74 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 tossed it on th
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139b0 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 74 61 72 74 65 64 20 64 72 , and started dr
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139f0 65 73 20 61 67 61 69 6e 2e 22 0a 0a 22 4f 68 2c es again.".."Oh,
13a00 20 72 69 67 68 74 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 right," she sai
13a10 64 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 70 69 63 6b 65 64 20 74 d. She picked t
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13a60 2e 20 20 22 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 74 68 65 20 . "I guess the
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13a80 62 75 79 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20 77 69 buy something wi
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13aa0 63 61 6e 20 73 65 6c 6c 20 69 74 2e 20 20 52 69 can sell it. Ri
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13ad0 6d 65 73 73 61 67 65 20 74 6f 20 61 20 62 75 79 message to a buy
13ae0 65 72 20 74 6f 6e 69 67 68 74 2c 20 74 68 65 6e er tonight, then
13af0 20 62 75 79 20 74 68 65 20 69 74 65 6d 20 77 68 buy the item wh
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13b60 70 6c 65 64 67 65 64 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 65 pledged to the e
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13b80 0a 22 59 65 61 68 2c 20 67 6f 74 20 69 74 2c 22 ."Yeah, got it,"
13b90 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 49 20 68 she said. "I h
13ba0 6f 70 65 20 74 68 69 73 20 61 6c 6c 20 77 6f 72 ope this all wor
13bb0 6b 73 20 6f 75 74 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 74 20 73 68 ks out.".."It sh
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13bf0 6c 6f 6f 6b 69 6e 67 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 65 looking at the e
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13c50 0a 57 68 65 6e 20 73 68 65 20 67 6f 74 20 68 6f .When she got ho
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13ca0 20 61 6e 64 20 63 68 65 63 6b 65 64 20 68 65 72 and checked her
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13cc0 20 20 45 76 65 72 79 74 68 69 6e 67 20 77 61 73 Everything was
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13cf0 20 66 61 72 20 61 73 20 73 68 65 20 63 6f 75 6c far as she coul
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13d20 6f 77 2c 20 73 68 65 20 64 6f 6e 6e 65 64 20 68 ow, she donned h
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13d40 20 61 6e 64 20 73 74 61 72 74 65 64 20 6c 6f 6f and started loo
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13dd0 20 6f 66 20 68 61 6c 66 20 61 20 64 6f 7a 65 6e of half a dozen
13de0 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 77 6f 72 6c 64 73 20 73 of the worlds s
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13e40 0a 53 68 65 20 66 6f 75 6e 64 20 61 6e 20 69 6d .She found an im
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13e80 20 6c 61 73 74 20 74 69 6d 65 20 73 68 65 20 63 last time she c
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13f60 20 4d 61 72 72 61 6b 65 73 68 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 Marrakesh would
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13fe0 62 61 63 6b 20 69 6e 20 64 6f 6c 6c 61 72 73 2e back in dollars.
13ff0 20 20 53 68 65 20 63 68 65 63 6b 65 64 20 6d 65 She checked me
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14050 74 6f 20 62 75 79 20 61 20 6d 75 6c 74 69 70 6c to buy a multipl
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14070 20 74 72 61 64 65 72 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 74 68 65 trader like the
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140a0 6c 65 66 74 2e 0a 0a 22 53 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 49 left..."Should I
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140c0 22 20 73 68 65 20 61 73 6b 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 " she asked the
140d0 61 69 72 2e 0a 0a 54 68 65 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 air...The priori
140e0 74 69 7a 65 72 20 61 6e 73 77 65 72 65 64 2e 20 tizer answered.
140f0 20 22 54 68 69 73 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 73 20 6c 69 6b "This looks lik
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14120 20 68 61 76 65 20 66 6f 75 6e 64 2e 22 0a 0a 22 have found.".."
14130 59 65 61 68 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e Yeah," she said.
14140 20 20 22 46 69 6e 65 2e 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 64 "Fine." She d
14150 69 64 20 61 20 6c 69 74 74 6c 65 20 72 65 73 65 id a little rese
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141a0 70 6c 61 6e 6e 65 64 20 74 6f 20 62 75 79 20 61 planned to buy a
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14260 20 20 44 6f 75 62 6c 65 2d 63 68 65 63 6b 69 6e Double-checkin
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14280 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 61 74 20 77 61 73 20 69 6e e of that was in
14290 63 6c 75 64 65 64 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 66 72 cluded in the fr
142a0 61 6d 65 73 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 73 65 6e 74 20 ames. She sent
142b0 61 20 72 65 70 6c 79 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 63 a reply to the c
142c0 6c 61 73 73 69 66 69 65 64 20 61 64 2c 20 74 68 lassified ad, th
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142e0 20 62 65 64 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 68 61 64 20 6e bed. She had n
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14300 20 73 68 65 20 77 61 73 20 64 6f 6e 65 2c 20 73 she was done, s
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14320 0a 0a 54 68 65 20 6e 65 78 74 20 6d 6f 72 6e 69 ..The next morni
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14340 66 6f 72 20 61 20 72 65 73 70 6f 6e 73 65 20 62 for a response b
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143b0 65 74 20 69 6e 20 53 61 6e 20 42 65 72 6e 61 72 et in San Bernar
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143e0 6f 6e 20 61 20 73 74 72 65 65 74 20 6d 61 70 20 on a street map
143f0 61 6e 64 20 6e 6f 74 69 63 65 64 20 69 74 20 77 and noticed it w
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14430 6a 75 73 74 20 73 6f 75 74 68 20 6f 66 20 49 2d just south of I-
14440 31 30 2c 20 77 68 65 72 65 20 69 74 20 73 65 65 10, where it see
14450 6d 65 64 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 63 75 73 74 6f 6d med to be custom
14460 61 72 79 20 66 6f 72 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 74 ary for people t
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14480 74 6d 65 6e 74 73 20 6f 6e 20 66 69 72 65 20 77 tments on fire w
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144a0 75 74 2e 0a 0a 47 6f 6f 64 20 65 6e 6f 75 67 68 ut...Good enough
144b0 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 6c 69 6b 65 64 20 74 68 61 . She liked tha
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144d0 20 68 65 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 73 68 6f 77 20 75 he would show u
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14510 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 63 6f 6e 63 65 mething to conce
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14610 72 2e 0a 0a 52 61 74 68 65 72 20 74 68 61 6e 20 r...Rather than
14620 72 65 70 6c 79 2c 20 73 68 65 20 73 65 74 20 75 reply, she set u
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146b0 66 6f 72 20 61 6e 20 69 6e 2d 70 65 72 73 6f 6e for an in-person
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146e0 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 74 72 61 64 65 2e 20 20 for the trade.
146f0 4f 6e 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 74 69 6d 65 73 One of the times
14700 20 77 61 73 20 68 6f 75 72 73 20 62 65 66 6f 72 was hours befor
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14740 4f 6e 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 6c 6f 63 61 74 One of the locat
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14770 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 20 6e 69 67 68 74 20 from the night
14780 62 65 66 6f 72 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 68 65 20 before, and she
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147c0 6f 74 68 65 72 20 73 6b 65 74 63 68 79 20 63 61 other sketchy ca
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147e0 6f 20 73 68 65 20 63 68 6f 73 65 20 61 20 6c 6f o she chose a lo
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14840 68 65 72 65 2c 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 61 62 6f 75 74 here, only about
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14940 20 62 61 63 6b 2c 20 77 68 69 63 68 20 77 6f 75 back, which wou
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14970 20 74 6f 20 70 72 6f 76 69 64 65 20 74 68 65 20 to provide the
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149a0 20 72 6f 61 64 20 69 66 20 68 65 20 6c 6f 73 74 road if he lost
149b0 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 6e 65 76 65 72 20 6e 6f 74 . She never not
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149e0 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 74 68 69 73 20 6d 69 67 68 74 like this might
149f0 20 62 65 20 74 68 65 20 61 6e 73 77 65 72 2e 0a be the answer..
14a00 0a 4f 70 65 6e 20 4d 61 72 72 61 6b 65 73 68 20 .Open Marrakesh
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14a80 20 74 68 65 20 66 75 6e 64 73 20 74 6f 20 74 68 the funds to th
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14aa0 65 73 65 72 76 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 70 75 72 63 eserved the purc
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14ac0 20 67 65 74 74 69 6e 67 20 72 65 61 64 79 20 74 getting ready t
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14af0 65 63 69 64 65 64 20 73 68 65 20 68 61 64 20 65 ecided she had e
14b00 6e 6f 75 67 68 20 74 69 6d 65 20 74 6f 20 73 61 nough time to sa
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14b60 73 20 73 68 65 20 6c 65 61 72 6e 65 64 20 74 68 s she learned th
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14bc0 20 41 20 66 65 77 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 6d 69 6e 75 A few more minu
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14c00 74 79 20 6f 77 6e 65 72 20 63 6f 75 6c 64 20 6e ty owner could n
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14cf0 0a 54 68 61 74 20 77 61 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 74 68 .That was not th
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14ec0 54 68 65 20 6f 74 68 65 72 20 77 61 73 20 61 20 The other was a
14ed0 62 6c 61 63 6b 20 6c 61 74 65 20 6d 6f 64 65 6c black late model
14ee0 20 41 75 64 69 20 77 69 74 68 20 61 20 70 65 72 Audi with a per
14ef0 73 6f 6e 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 66 72 6f 6e 74 son in the front
14f00 20 73 65 61 74 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 77 69 6e 64 seat. The wind
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14f80 61 74 2e 0a 0a 41 73 20 73 68 65 20 61 70 70 72 at...As she appr
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14fa0 2c 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 77 20 74 68 61 74 20 61 , she saw that a
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15020 6e 64 20 62 6c 61 63 6b 20 67 6c 6f 76 65 73 2e nd black gloves.
15030 20 20 53 6f 6d 65 20 6b 69 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 63 Some kind of c
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150b0 20 6f 74 68 65 72 20 73 69 64 65 2e 20 20 53 68 other side. Sh
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150f0 20 70 61 72 74 73 20 74 72 61 64 65 2e 0a 0a 54 parts trade...T
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15120 6c 6c 65 79 20 61 70 70 72 6f 61 63 68 65 64 2c lley approached,
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15160 68 65 20 6c 61 63 6b 20 6f 66 20 66 72 65 63 6b he lack of freck
15170 6c 65 73 20 6d 69 67 68 74 20 6d 65 61 6e 20 73 les might mean s
15180 68 65 20 77 61 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 61 20 6e 61 74 he was not a nat
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151a0 74 20 69 74 20 61 6c 73 6f 20 6d 69 67 68 74 20 t it also might
151b0 6a 75 73 74 20 6d 65 61 6e 20 73 68 65 20 67 6f just mean she go
151c0 74 20 74 68 65 6d 20 72 65 6d 6f 76 65 64 2e 0a t them removed..
151d0 0a 54 68 65 20 77 6f 6d 61 6e 20 61 73 6b 65 64 .The woman asked
151e0 20 22 41 72 65 20 79 6f 75 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 69 6e "Are you lookin
151f0 67 20 66 6f 72 20 73 6f 6d 65 6f 6e 65 3f 22 0a g for someone?".
15200 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 74 6f 70 70 65 64 2c 20 .Alley stopped,
15210 61 20 63 6f 75 70 6c 65 20 6d 65 74 65 72 73 20 a couple meters
15220 61 77 61 79 2e 20 20 22 59 65 61 68 2c 20 49 20 away. "Yeah, I
15230 67 75 65 73 73 20 73 6f 2e 20 20 49 73 20 74 68 guess so. Is th
15240 61 74 20 74 68 65 2c 20 75 68 20 2e 20 2e 20 2e at the, uh . . .
15250 22 20 73 68 65 20 74 72 61 69 6c 65 64 20 6f 66 " she trailed of
15260 66 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 67 65 73 74 75 72 65 64 20 f, and gestured
15270 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 64 72 61 77 73 74 72 69 6e at the drawstrin
15280 67 20 62 61 67 2e 0a 0a 22 50 72 69 6e 74 65 64 g bag..."Printed
15290 20 66 72 61 6d 65 73 3f 22 20 74 68 65 20 72 65 frames?" the re
152a0 64 68 65 61 64 20 61 73 6b 65 64 2e 0a 0a 41 6c dhead asked...Al
152b0 6c 65 79 20 6e 6f 64 64 65 64 2e 0a 0a 54 68 65 ley nodded...The
152c0 20 72 65 64 68 65 61 64 20 70 75 6c 6c 65 64 20 redhead pulled
152d0 68 65 72 20 6d 61 73 6b 20 64 6f 77 6e 20 61 6e her mask down an
152e0 64 20 65 78 70 6f 73 65 64 20 62 72 69 6c 6c 69 d exposed brilli
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15300 77 69 74 68 20 61 20 62 72 6f 61 64 20 73 6d 69 with a broad smi
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15320 66 6f 75 6e 64 20 77 68 61 74 20 79 6f 75 20 77 found what you w
15330 61 6e 74 2e 20 20 49 27 6d 20 43 61 72 6d 65 6e ant. I'm Carmen
15340 2e 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 73 74 6f 6f 64 20 61 6e ." She stood an
15350 64 20 6f 66 66 65 72 65 64 20 6f 6e 65 20 67 6c d offered one gl
15360 6f 76 65 64 20 68 61 6e 64 2e 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 oved hand...Alle
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15380 75 69 63 6b 20 68 61 6e 64 73 68 61 6b 65 2e 20 uick handshake.
15390 20 22 4d 61 6c 6c 6f 72 79 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 "Mallory," she
153a0 6f 66 66 65 72 65 64 2c 20 6f 6e 20 69 6d 70 75 offered, on impu
153b0 6c 73 65 2e 0a 0a 22 4c 65 74 20 6d 65 20 67 75 lse..."Let me gu
153c0 65 73 73 3a 20 49 27 6d 20 6e 6f 74 20 77 68 61 ess: I'm not wha
153d0 74 20 79 6f 75 20 65 78 70 65 63 74 65 64 2e 22 t you expected."
153e0 0a 0a 22 49 20 77 61 73 6e 27 74 20 73 75 72 65 .."I wasn't sure
153f0 20 77 68 61 74 20 74 6f 20 65 78 70 65 63 74 2c what to expect,
15400 22 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 61 64 6d 69 74 74 65 64 " Alley admitted
15410 2c 20 22 62 75 74 20 79 65 61 68 2c 20 49 20 67 , "but yeah, I g
15420 75 65 73 73 20 79 6f 75 20 73 75 72 70 72 69 73 uess you surpris
15430 65 64 20 6d 65 20 61 6e 79 77 61 79 2e 22 0a 0a ed me anyway."..
15440 43 61 72 6d 65 6e 20 2d 2d 20 70 6f 73 73 69 62 Carmen -- possib
15450 6c 79 20 61 20 70 73 65 75 64 6f 6e 79 6d 2c 20 ly a pseudonym,
15460 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 72 65 61 6c 69 7a 65 64 20 2d Alley realized -
15470 2d 20 73 6d 69 6c 65 64 20 61 67 61 69 6e 2e 20 - smiled again.
15480 20 22 54 68 61 74 20 70 61 72 74 20 6f 66 20 74 "That part of t
15490 68 69 73 20 6a 6f 62 20 6e 65 76 65 72 20 67 65 his job never ge
154a0 74 73 20 6f 6c 64 2e 20 20 41 6e 79 77 61 79 2c ts old. Anyway,
154b0 20 49 20 77 61 6e 74 20 74 6f 20 75 70 73 65 6c I want to upsel
154c0 6c 20 79 6f 75 2e 20 20 48 6f 77 27 73 20 74 68 l you. How's th
154d0 61 74 20 73 6f 75 6e 64 3f 22 0a 0a 22 55 70 73 at sound?".."Ups
154e0 65 6c 6c 3f 22 20 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 68 65 73 ell?" Alley hes
154f0 69 74 61 74 65 64 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 6e 6f 64 itated, then nod
15500 64 65 64 2e 20 20 22 53 75 72 65 2c 20 49 20 67 ded. "Sure, I g
15510 75 65 73 73 2e 22 0a 0a 22 43 6f 6f 6c 2e 20 20 uess.".."Cool.
15520 53 6f 2c 20 77 65 20 68 61 76 65 20 70 72 69 6e So, we have prin
15530 74 65 64 20 63 6f 6e 63 65 61 6c 6d 65 6e 74 20 ted concealment
15540 68 6f 6c 73 74 65 72 73 2c 20 73 6e 61 70 20 6f holsters, snap o
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15560 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 62 72 61 73 73 20 63 61 74 s, and brass cat
15570 63 68 65 72 73 20 66 6f 72 20 6d 6f 64 65 6c 73 chers for models
15580 20 63 6f 6d 70 61 74 69 62 6c 65 20 77 69 74 68 compatible with
15590 20 74 68 65 73 65 20 66 72 61 6d 65 73 2e 20 20 these frames.
155a0 57 65 20 68 61 76 65 20 73 74 75 66 66 20 66 6f We have stuff fo
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155c0 74 6f 6f 2c 20 73 6f 20 6c 65 74 20 6d 65 20 6b too, so let me k
155d0 6e 6f 77 20 77 68 61 74 20 79 6f 75 27 64 20 6c now what you'd l
155e0 69 6b 65 20 74 6f 20 73 65 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 57 ike to see.".."W
155f0 6f 77 2e 20 20 46 75 6c 6c 2d 73 65 72 76 69 63 ow. Full-servic
15600 65 2c 20 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 2e 22 0a 0a 22 54 e, I guess.".."T
15610 6f 74 61 6c 6c 79 21 22 20 20 43 61 72 6d 65 6e otally!" Carmen
15620 20 74 75 67 67 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 73 68 69 72 tugged her shir
15630 74 20 64 6f 77 6e 20 73 6c 69 67 68 74 6c 79 2c t down slightly,
15640 20 6d 61 6b 69 6e 67 20 69 74 20 61 20 6c 69 74 making it a lit
15650 74 6c 65 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 6f 62 76 69 6f 75 73 tle more obvious
15660 20 73 68 65 20 77 61 73 6e 27 74 20 77 65 61 72 she wasn't wear
15670 69 6e 67 20 61 20 62 72 61 2e 0a 0a 22 49 20 74 ing a bra..."I t
15680 68 69 6e 6b 20 49 27 6c 6c 20 6a 75 73 74 20 73 hink I'll just s
15690 74 69 63 6b 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 6f 72 tick with the or
156a0 64 65 72 20 49 20 70 6c 61 63 65 64 2c 20 66 6f der I placed, fo
156b0 72 20 6e 6f 77 2e 20 20 49 27 6c 6c 20 6b 65 65 r now. I'll kee
156c0 70 20 79 6f 75 20 69 6e 20 6d 69 6e 64 20 69 66 p you in mind if
156d0 20 49 20 6e 65 65 64 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e I need somethin
156e0 67 20 65 6c 73 65 2c 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 2e 22 g else, though."
156f0 0a 0a 43 61 72 6d 65 6e 20 73 68 72 75 67 67 65 ..Carmen shrugge
15700 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 65 20 77 61 79 20 73 d, and the way s
15710 68 65 20 73 6c 69 67 68 74 6c 79 20 72 61 69 73 he slightly rais
15720 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 61 72 6d 73 20 61 73 20 73 ed her arms as s
15730 68 65 20 64 69 64 20 69 74 20 6d 61 64 65 20 74 he did it made t
15740 68 65 20 73 68 69 72 74 20 74 69 67 68 74 65 6e he shirt tighten
15750 20 61 63 72 6f 73 73 20 68 65 72 20 70 65 72 6b across her perk
15760 79 20 62 72 65 61 73 74 73 2e 20 20 22 4f 6b 61 y breasts. "Oka
15770 79 21 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 74 6f 6f 6b 20 y!"..Alley took
15780 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 64 69 73 70 6c 61 79 20 61 in the display a
15790 6e 64 20 73 6c 69 67 68 74 6c 79 20 6f 76 65 72 nd slightly over
157a0 20 74 68 65 20 74 6f 70 20 63 68 65 65 72 69 6e the top cheerin
157b0 65 73 73 2e 20 20 22 44 6f 65 73 20 74 68 61 74 ess. "Does that
157c0 20 2e 20 2e 20 2e 20 6f 68 2c 20 6e 65 76 65 72 . . . oh, never
157d0 20 6d 69 6e 64 2e 20 20 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 mind. I guess
157e0 49 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 6a 75 73 74 20 73 65 I should just se
157f0 65 20 74 68 65 20 66 72 61 6d 65 73 2c 20 6e 6f e the frames, no
15800 77 2e 22 0a 0a 43 61 72 6d 65 6e 20 6e 61 72 72 w."..Carmen narr
15810 6f 77 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 65 79 65 73 2c 20 61 owed her eyes, a
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15830 69 74 65 20 73 75 73 70 69 63 69 6f 75 73 6c 79 ite suspiciously
15840 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 74 69 6c 74 65 64 20 68 65 72 , and tilted her
15850 20 68 65 61 64 2e 20 20 22 4e 6f 2c 20 77 61 69 head. "No, wai
15860 74 2e 20 20 57 68 61 74 20 77 65 72 65 20 79 6f t. What were yo
15870 75 20 67 6f 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 61 73 6b 3f 22 u going to ask?"
15880 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 74 68 69 6e 67 2c 22 20 41 6c 6c .."Nothing," All
15890 65 79 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 49 20 68 61 76 ey said. "I hav
158a0 65 6e 27 74 20 62 65 65 6e 20 76 65 72 79 20 73 en't been very s
158b0 6f 63 69 61 62 6c 65 20 6c 61 74 65 6c 79 2c 20 ociable lately,
158c0 61 6e 64 20 66 6f 72 67 65 74 20 6d 79 20 6d 61 and forget my ma
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158e0 22 0a 0a 22 4f 6f 68 2c 20 69 6e 61 70 70 72 6f ".."Ooh, inappro
158f0 70 72 69 61 74 65 20 71 75 65 73 74 69 6f 6e 73 priate questions
15900 2e 20 20 54 68 6f 73 65 20 61 72 65 20 6d 79 20 . Those are my
15910 66 61 76 6f 72 69 74 65 20 6b 69 6e 64 2e 20 20 favorite kind.
15920 59 6f 75 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 74 6f 74 61 6c You should total
15930 6c 79 20 61 73 6b 21 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 ly ask!"..Alley
15940 73 69 67 6e 65 64 2e 20 20 22 49 20 77 61 73 20 signed. "I was
15950 6a 75 73 74 20 77 6f 6e 64 65 72 69 6e 67 20 69 just wondering i
15960 66 20 79 6f 75 27 72 65 20 6e 61 74 75 72 61 6c f you're natural
15970 6c 79 20 74 68 69 73 2c 20 75 68 2c 20 66 72 69 ly this, uh, fri
15980 65 6e 64 6c 79 2c 20 6f 72 20 69 66 20 79 6f 75 endly, or if you
15990 27 72 65 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 74 68 69 73 20 62 65 're like this be
159a0 63 61 75 73 65 20 69 74 20 67 65 74 73 20 79 6f cause it gets yo
159b0 75 20 61 20 6c 6f 74 20 6f 66 20 75 70 73 65 6c u a lot of upsel
159c0 6c 73 2e 22 20 20 43 61 72 6d 65 6e 20 6c 61 75 ls." Carmen lau
159d0 67 68 65 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 ghed, and Alley
159e0 66 6f 75 6e 64 20 69 74 20 69 6e 66 65 63 74 69 found it infecti
159f0 6f 75 73 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 63 61 75 67 68 74 ous. She caught
15a00 20 68 65 72 73 65 6c 66 20 73 6e 69 63 6b 65 72 herself snicker
15a10 69 6e 67 2c 20 74 6f 6f 2e 0a 0a 22 57 68 79 20 ing, too..."Why
15a20 64 6f 20 49 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 20 79 6f 75 20 6d do I think you m
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15a40 72 74 79 27 20 69 6e 73 74 65 61 64 20 6f 66 20 rty' instead of
15a50 27 66 72 69 65 6e 64 6c 79 27 3f 22 0a 0a 41 6c 'friendly'?"..Al
15a60 6c 65 79 20 73 68 72 75 67 67 65 64 2e 20 20 53 ley shrugged. S
15a70 68 65 20 74 72 69 65 64 2c 20 77 69 74 68 20 6f he tried, with o
15a80 6e 6c 79 20 6d 6f 64 65 72 61 74 65 20 73 75 63 nly moderate suc
15a90 63 65 73 73 2c 20 74 6f 20 73 75 70 70 72 65 73 cess, to suppres
15aa0 73 20 68 65 72 20 73 6d 69 6c 65 2e 0a 0a 22 57 s her smile..."W
15ab0 61 73 20 69 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 6f 62 76 69 6f as it that obvio
15ac0 75 73 3f 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 61 69 64 us?"..Alley said
15ad0 20 22 59 65 61 68 2c 20 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 "Yeah, I guess
15ae0 73 6f 2e 20 20 53 6f 72 72 79 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 so. Sorry.".."I
15af0 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 69 74 27 73 20 61 20 62 69 guess it's a bi
15b00 74 20 6f 66 20 65 76 65 72 79 74 68 69 6e 67 2e t of everything.
15b10 20 20 49 27 6d 20 75 73 75 61 6c 6c 79 20 70 72 I'm usually pr
15b20 65 74 74 79 20 63 68 65 65 72 79 2c 20 62 75 74 etty cheery, but
15b30 20 43 6c 69 66 66 20 2d 2d 20 68 65 27 73 20 74 Cliff -- he's t
15b40 68 65 20 67 75 79 20 49 20 77 6f 72 6b 20 77 69 he guy I work wi
15b50 74 68 20 2d 2d 20 43 6c 69 66 66 20 61 6e 64 20 th -- Cliff and
15b60 49 20 64 65 63 69 64 65 64 20 74 6f 20 74 72 79 I decided to try
15b70 20 74 68 69 73 20 6f 75 74 2e 20 20 57 69 74 68 this out. With
15b80 20 74 68 65 20 6b 69 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 61 6d 62 the kind of amb
15b90 69 74 69 6f 75 73 20 79 6f 75 6e 67 20 63 72 79 itious young cry
15ba0 70 74 6f 74 72 61 64 65 72 20 67 75 79 73 20 77 ptotrader guys w
15bb0 65 20 75 73 75 61 6c 6c 79 20 67 65 74 2c 20 74 e usually get, t
15bc0 68 65 20 75 70 73 65 6c 6c 73 20 61 6e 64 20 72 he upsells and r
15bd0 65 70 65 61 74 20 62 75 73 69 6e 65 73 73 20 77 epeat business w
15be0 65 20 67 65 74 20 67 6f 65 73 20 77 61 79 20 75 e get goes way u
15bf0 70 20 77 68 65 6e 20 49 27 6d 20 64 6f 69 6e 67 p when I'm doing
15c00 20 74 68 65 20 74 72 61 64 65 73 2e 20 20 49 6e the trades. In
15c10 20 74 77 6f 20 79 65 61 72 73 2c 20 77 65 20 6f two years, we o
15c20 6e 6c 79 20 68 61 64 20 6f 6e 65 20 67 75 79 20 nly had one guy
15c30 77 68 6f 20 64 65 63 69 64 65 64 20 6d 65 20 62 who decided me b
15c40 65 69 6e 67 20 61 20 70 72 65 74 74 79 20 67 69 eing a pretty gi
15c50 72 6c 20 6d 61 64 65 20 6d 65 20 61 6e 20 65 61 rl made me an ea
15c60 73 79 20 74 61 72 67 65 74 2c 20 74 6f 6f 2c 20 sy target, too,
15c70 73 6f 20 69 74 27 73 20 70 72 65 74 74 79 20 73 so it's pretty s
15c80 61 66 65 2e 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 66 72 6f afe."..Alley fro
15c90 77 6e 65 64 2e 20 20 22 59 65 61 68 2c 22 20 73 wned. "Yeah," s
15ca0 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 49 20 67 75 65 he said. "I gue
15cb0 73 73 20 74 68 61 74 27 73 20 61 20 64 61 6e 67 ss that's a dang
15cc0 65 72 2e 20 20 57 68 61 74 20 68 61 70 70 65 6e er. What happen
15cd0 65 64 3f 22 0a 0a 22 4f 68 2c 20 73 68 69 74 2c ed?".."Oh, shit,
15ce0 22 20 43 61 72 6d 65 6e 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 " Carmen said.
15cf0 22 59 6f 75 20 6d 75 73 74 20 62 65 20 6e 65 77 "You must be new
15d00 20 61 74 20 74 68 69 73 2e 20 20 57 65 6c 6c 2c at this. Well,
15d10 20 49 20 70 75 6c 6c 65 64 20 6f 75 74 20 6d 79 I pulled out my
15d20 20 62 61 74 6f 6e 20 61 6e 64 20 43 6c 69 66 66 baton and Cliff
15d30 20 70 75 74 20 61 20 72 65 64 20 64 6f 74 20 6f put a red dot o
15d40 6e 20 74 68 65 20 67 75 79 27 73 20 63 68 65 73 n the guy's ches
15d50 74 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 6c 61 73 65 72 t with the laser
15d60 20 73 69 67 68 74 20 6f 6e 20 68 69 73 20 72 69 sight on his ri
15d70 66 6c 65 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 67 75 79 20 62 61 fle. The guy ba
15d80 63 6b 65 64 20 64 6f 77 6e 20 69 6e 20 61 20 68 cked down in a h
15d90 75 72 72 79 2e 20 20 41 72 65 20 79 6f 75 20 63 urry. Are you c
15da0 61 72 72 79 69 6e 67 20 70 72 6f 74 65 63 74 69 arrying protecti
15db0 6f 6e 3f 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 74 61 72 on?"..Alley star
15dc0 74 65 64 20 6f 70 65 6e 69 6e 67 20 68 65 72 20 ted opening her
15dd0 6d 6f 75 74 68 20 74 6f 20 72 65 70 6c 79 2c 20 mouth to reply,
15de0 62 75 74 20 43 61 72 6d 65 6e 20 63 75 74 20 69 but Carmen cut i
15df0 6e 20 61 67 61 69 6e 2e 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 2c 20 64 n again..."No, d
15e00 6f 6e 27 74 20 74 65 6c 6c 20 6d 65 20 77 68 61 on't tell me wha
15e10 74 20 79 6f 75 27 72 65 20 63 61 72 72 79 69 6e t you're carryin
15e20 67 2e 20 20 59 6f 75 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 6e 27 g. You shouldn'
15e30 74 20 67 65 74 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 68 61 62 t get in the hab
15e40 69 74 20 6f 66 20 74 65 6c 6c 69 6e 67 20 70 65 it of telling pe
15e50 6f 70 6c 65 20 73 74 75 66 66 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 ople stuff like
15e60 74 68 61 74 2e 20 20 47 65 74 20 79 6f 75 72 73 that. Get yours
15e70 65 6c 66 20 74 68 72 65 65 20 74 68 69 6e 67 73 elf three things
15e80 2c 20 69 66 20 79 6f 75 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 61 , if you don't a
15e90 6c 72 65 61 64 79 20 68 61 76 65 20 27 65 6d 2e lready have 'em.
15ea0 20 20 59 6f 75 20 6e 65 65 64 20 70 65 70 70 65 You need peppe
15eb0 72 20 73 70 72 61 79 20 6f 72 20 61 20 73 6f 6e r spray or a son
15ec0 69 63 20 72 65 70 65 6c 6c 61 6e 74 2c 20 61 20 ic repellant, a
15ed0 63 6f 6c 6c 61 70 73 69 6e 67 20 62 61 74 6f 6e collapsing baton
15ee0 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 62 61 63 6b 75 70 20 77 68 6f , and backup who
15ef0 20 6b 6e 6f 77 73 20 77 68 61 74 20 68 65 27 73 knows what he's
15f00 20 64 6f 69 6e 67 2c 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 43 6c 69 doing, like Cli
15f10 66 66 2e 22 0a 0a 22 55 68 2c 20 74 68 61 6e 6b ff.".."Uh, thank
15f20 73 2c 22 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 s," Alley said.
15f30 20 22 41 72 65 6e 27 74 20 74 68 6f 73 65 20 63 "Aren't those c
15f40 6f 6c 6c 61 70 73 69 6e 67 20 62 61 74 6f 6e 73 ollapsing batons
15f50 20 69 6c 6c 65 67 61 6c 3f 22 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 illegal?".."Yea
15f60 68 2c 20 43 61 6c 69 66 6f 72 6e 69 61 20 73 75 h, California su
15f70 63 6b 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 77 61 79 2e 20 20 47 cks that way. G
15f80 69 72 6c 73 20 61 72 65 6e 27 74 20 61 6c 6c 6f irls aren't allo
15f90 77 65 64 20 74 6f 20 70 72 6f 74 65 63 74 20 74 wed to protect t
15fa0 68 65 6d 73 65 6c 76 65 73 2c 20 79 6f 75 20 6b hemselves, you k
15fb0 6e 6f 77 2e 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 70 75 6c 6c 65 now." She pulle
15fc0 64 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20 61 62 6f 75 d something abou
15fd0 74 20 74 68 65 20 73 69 7a 65 20 6f 66 20 61 20 t the size of a
15fe0 77 68 69 74 65 62 6f 61 72 64 20 6d 61 72 6b 65 whiteboard marke
15ff0 72 20 6f 75 74 20 6f 66 20 68 65 72 20 62 61 63 r out of her bac
16000 6b 20 70 6f 63 6b 65 74 2e 20 20 22 53 65 65 20 k pocket. "See
16010 74 68 69 73 3f 20 20 54 68 69 73 20 69 73 20 61 this? This is a
16020 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 62 61 74 6f 6e 2e 22 0a 0a 41 good baton."..A
16030 6c 6c 65 79 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 61 74 20 74 lley looked at t
16040 68 65 20 62 6c 61 63 6b 20 61 6e 6f 64 69 7a 65 he black anodize
16050 64 20 61 6c 75 6d 69 6e 75 6d 20 63 79 6c 69 6e d aluminum cylin
16060 64 65 72 20 77 68 65 6e 20 43 61 72 6d 65 6e 20 der when Carmen
16070 68 65 6c 64 20 69 74 20 75 70 2e 20 20 49 74 20 held it up. It
16080 68 61 64 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 6b 69 6e 64 20 6f 66 had some kind of
16090 20 6c 6f 67 6f 20 6f 6e 20 69 74 20 61 6e 64 20 logo on it and
160a0 61 20 63 6f 75 70 6c 65 20 6f 66 20 64 65 70 72 a couple of depr
160b0 65 73 73 65 64 20 6f 76 61 6c 73 20 6f 6e 20 74 essed ovals on t
160c0 68 65 20 73 69 64 65 2e 0a 0a 22 50 75 73 68 20 he side..."Push
160d0 74 68 65 73 65 20 74 77 6f 20 73 70 6f 74 73 20 these two spots
160e0 74 6f 20 70 6f 70 20 69 74 20 6f 75 74 2e 20 20 to pop it out.
160f0 4a 75 73 74 20 70 75 73 68 20 74 68 65 20 73 65 Just push the se
16100 63 6f 6e 64 20 6f 6e 65 2c 20 68 65 72 65 2c 20 cond one, here,
16110 61 6e 64 20 70 75 73 68 20 74 68 65 20 62 75 73 and push the bus
16120 69 6e 65 73 73 20 65 6e 64 20 61 67 61 69 6e 73 iness end agains
16130 74 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20 68 61 72 64 t something hard
16140 20 74 6f 20 63 6f 6c 6c 61 70 73 65 20 74 68 65 to collapse the
16150 20 62 61 74 6f 6e 20 62 61 63 6b 20 69 6e 74 6f baton back into
16160 20 74 68 65 20 68 61 6e 64 6c 65 2e 20 20 59 65 the handle. Ye
16170 61 68 3f 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 6e 6f 64 64 ah?"..Alley nodd
16180 65 64 2e 20 20 22 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 74 68 ed. "I guess th
16190 61 74 27 73 20 61 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 64 65 73 69 at's a good desi
161a0 67 6e 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 2e 22 0a 0a 22 54 6f 74 gn, then.".."Tot
161b0 61 6c 6c 79 2e 20 20 57 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 ally. With the
161c0 74 77 6f 20 72 65 6c 65 61 73 65 20 70 6f 69 6e two release poin
161d0 74 73 2c 20 79 6f 75 27 72 65 20 6e 6f 74 20 6c ts, you're not l
161e0 69 6b 65 6c 79 20 74 6f 20 61 63 63 69 64 65 6e ikely to acciden
161f0 74 61 6c 6c 79 20 70 6f 70 20 69 74 20 6f 75 74 tally pop it out
16200 20 77 68 65 6e 20 79 6f 75 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 when you don't
16210 77 61 6e 74 20 74 6f 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 69 want to, and thi
16220 73 20 74 79 70 65 20 69 73 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 73 s type is more s
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16240 74 6f 20 72 65 74 72 61 63 74 20 74 68 61 6e 20 to retract than
16250 74 68 65 20 74 68 69 6e 67 73 20 77 68 65 72 65 the things where
16260 20 79 6f 75 20 6a 75 73 74 20 73 6e 61 70 20 79 you just snap y
16270 6f 75 72 20 68 61 6e 64 20 6f 75 74 20 74 6f 20 our hand out to
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16290 61 79 2c 20 79 6f 75 20 6e 65 65 64 20 6f 6e 65 ay, you need one
162a0 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 73 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 69 of these, and i
162b0 74 27 73 20 65 61 73 79 20 74 6f 20 74 6f 73 73 t's easy to toss
162c0 20 69 74 20 73 6f 6d 65 77 68 65 72 65 20 62 65 it somewhere be
162d0 66 6f 72 65 20 63 6f 70 73 20 67 65 74 20 74 6f fore cops get to
162e0 20 79 6f 75 20 69 66 20 79 6f 75 27 72 65 20 61 you if you're a
162f0 66 72 61 69 64 20 6f 66 20 67 65 74 74 69 6e 67 fraid of getting
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16310 6f 6e 63 65 61 6c 65 64 20 77 65 61 70 6f 6e 2c oncealed weapon,
16320 20 6f 72 20 69 66 20 79 6f 75 20 63 75 74 20 61 or if you cut a
16330 20 6c 69 74 74 6c 65 20 68 6f 6c 65 20 69 6e 20 little hole in
16340 74 68 65 20 69 6e 73 69 64 65 20 6f 66 20 79 6f the inside of yo
16350 75 72 20 70 6f 63 6b 65 74 20 77 68 65 6e 20 79 ur pocket when y
16360 6f 75 27 72 65 20 77 65 61 72 69 6e 67 20 70 61 ou're wearing pa
16370 6e 74 73 20 79 6f 75 20 63 61 6e 20 64 72 6f 70 nts you can drop
16380 20 69 74 20 64 6f 77 6e 20 79 6f 75 72 20 70 61 it down your pa
16390 6e 74 20 6c 65 67 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 6d 61 79 62 nt leg, and mayb
163a0 65 20 73 74 65 70 20 6f 6e 20 69 74 20 74 6f 20 e step on it to
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163d0 6e 2c 20 6f 72 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 2e n, or something.
163e0 20 20 54 68 65 72 65 20 61 72 65 20 61 20 62 75 There are a bu
163f0 6e 63 68 20 6f 66 20 77 61 79 73 20 74 6f 20 67 nch of ways to g
16400 65 74 20 61 77 61 79 20 77 69 74 68 20 69 74 2e et away with it.
16410 0a 0a 22 48 65 72 65 2e 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 68 .."Here." She h
16420 65 6c 64 20 69 74 20 6f 75 74 20 74 6f 20 41 6c eld it out to Al
16430 6c 65 79 2c 20 77 68 6f 20 73 74 61 72 74 65 64 ley, who started
16440 20 74 6f 20 72 65 61 63 68 20 66 6f 72 20 69 74 to reach for it
16450 2e 20 20 22 44 6f 6e 27 74 20 74 72 79 20 6f 70 . "Don't try op
16460 65 6e 69 6e 67 20 69 74 20 68 65 72 65 2c 20 62 ening it here, b
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16480 20 69 74 20 61 74 20 68 6f 6d 65 2e 20 20 54 68 it at home. Th
16490 61 74 20 77 61 79 20 79 6f 75 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 at way you don't
164a0 20 68 61 76 65 20 74 6f 20 77 6f 72 72 79 20 61 have to worry a
164b0 62 6f 75 74 20 67 65 74 74 69 6e 67 20 63 61 75 bout getting cau
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164d0 20 55 6e 6c 69 6b 65 20 6f 75 72 20 70 69 73 74 Unlike our pist
164e0 6f 6c 20 66 72 61 6d 65 73 2c 20 77 61 6c 6b 69 ol frames, walki
164f0 6e 67 20 68 6f 6d 65 20 77 69 74 68 20 6f 6e 65 ng home with one
16500 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 73 65 20 69 6e 20 79 6f 75 of these in you
16510 72 20 70 6f 63 6b 65 74 20 69 73 20 69 6c 6c 65 r pocket is ille
16520 67 61 6c 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 61 20 63 6f 70 20 6d gal, and a cop m
16530 69 67 68 74 20 6a 75 73 74 20 74 72 79 20 73 65 ight just try se
16540 6c 6c 69 6e 67 20 6f 6e 65 20 74 6f 20 79 6f 75 lling one to you
16550 20 74 6f 20 67 65 74 20 61 6e 20 65 78 63 75 73 to get an excus
16560 65 20 74 6f 20 68 61 72 61 73 73 20 79 6f 75 2e e to harass you.
16570 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 66 72 6f 7a 65 20 77 "..Alley froze w
16580 69 74 68 20 68 65 72 20 68 61 6e 64 20 68 61 6c ith her hand hal
16590 66 77 61 79 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 62 61 74 6f fway to the bato
165a0 6e 20 68 61 6e 64 6c 65 2e 20 20 22 41 72 65 20 n handle. "Are
165b0 79 6f 75 20 67 69 76 69 6e 67 20 74 68 69 73 20 you giving this
165c0 74 6f 20 6d 65 3f 22 20 73 68 65 20 61 73 6b 65 to me?" she aske
165d0 64 2e 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 68 2e 20 20 55 68 2c 20 d..."Yeah. Uh,
165e0 6a 75 73 74 20 61 20 73 65 63 27 2c 22 20 43 61 just a sec'," Ca
165f0 72 6d 65 6e 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 rmen said. She
16600 6c 6f 77 65 72 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 68 61 6e 64 lowered her hand
16610 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 62 61 74 6f 6e 20 with the baton
16620 69 6e 20 69 74 20 61 6e 64 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 in it and looked
16630 20 74 6f 77 61 72 64 20 74 68 65 20 41 75 64 69 toward the Audi
16640 2e 20 20 22 59 65 73 2c 20 43 6c 69 66 66 2c 20 . "Yes, Cliff,
16650 49 27 6d 20 67 69 76 69 6e 67 20 68 65 72 20 74 I'm giving her t
16660 68 65 20 66 75 63 6b 69 6e 67 20 62 61 74 6f 6e he fucking baton
16670 2e 20 20 49 27 6c 6c 20 6a 75 73 74 20 62 75 79 . I'll just buy
16680 20 61 6e 6f 74 68 65 72 20 6f 6e 65 21 20 20 43 another one! C
16690 68 69 6c 6c 20 74 68 65 20 66 75 63 6b 20 6f 75 hill the fuck ou
166a0 74 2e 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 6c 6f 77 65 72 t."..Alley lower
166b0 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 68 61 6e 64 20 61 6e 64 20 ed her hand and
166c0 74 75 72 6e 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 68 65 61 64 20 turned her head
166d0 74 6f 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 70 to look at the p
166e0 61 72 6b 65 64 20 73 65 64 61 6e 2e 0a 0a 43 61 arked sedan...Ca
166f0 72 6d 65 6e 20 67 72 61 62 62 65 64 20 41 6c 6c rmen grabbed All
16700 65 79 27 73 20 77 72 69 73 74 20 61 6e 64 20 70 ey's wrist and p
16710 72 65 73 73 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 63 6f 6c 6c 61 ressed the colla
16720 70 73 69 6e 67 20 62 61 74 6f 6e 20 69 6e 74 6f psing baton into
16730 20 68 65 72 20 68 61 6e 64 2e 20 20 22 44 6f 6e her hand. "Don
16740 27 74 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 20 61 74 20 69 74 2e 20 20 't look at it.
16750 4a 75 73 74 20 70 75 74 20 69 74 20 69 6e 20 79 Just put it in y
16760 6f 75 72 20 70 6f 63 6b 65 74 2e 20 20 44 6f 6e our pocket. Don
16770 27 74 20 6d 61 6b 65 20 43 6c 69 66 66 20 6e 65 't make Cliff ne
16780 72 76 6f 75 73 20 62 79 20 73 74 61 6e 64 69 6e rvous by standin
16790 67 20 68 65 72 65 20 77 69 74 68 20 61 20 77 65 g here with a we
167a0 61 70 6f 6e 20 69 6e 20 79 6f 75 72 20 68 61 6e apon in your han
167b0 64 2c 20 65 76 65 6e 20 69 66 20 69 74 27 73 20 d, even if it's
167c0 6f 6e 65 20 49 20 67 61 76 65 20 79 6f 75 2e 22 one I gave you."
167d0 0a 0a 22 55 68 2c 20 79 65 61 68 2c 22 20 41 6c .."Uh, yeah," Al
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167f0 63 6b 65 64 20 69 74 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 68 65 72 cked it into her
16800 20 62 61 63 6b 20 70 6f 63 6b 65 74 2e 20 20 22 back pocket. "
16810 54 68 61 6e 6b 73 2e 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 73 68 Thanks." She sh
16820 6f 77 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 65 6d 70 74 79 20 68 owed her empty h
16830 61 6e 64 73 20 74 6f 20 43 61 72 6d 65 6e 2c 20 ands to Carmen,
16840 77 68 65 72 65 20 74 68 65 20 70 65 72 73 6f 6e where the person
16850 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 41 75 64 69 20 63 6f 75 in the Audi cou
16860 6c 64 20 73 65 65 20 74 68 65 6d 20 61 73 20 77 ld see them as w
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16880 61 73 20 68 61 72 6d 6c 65 73 73 20 6c 6f 6f 6b as harmless look
16890 69 6e 67 20 61 73 20 73 68 65 20 63 6f 75 6c 64 ing as she could
168a0 20 6d 61 6e 61 67 65 2e 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 68 2c manage..."Yeah,
168b0 20 77 65 6c 6c 2c 20 75 73 20 67 69 72 6c 73 20 well, us girls
168c0 67 6f 74 74 61 20 73 74 69 63 6b 20 74 6f 67 65 gotta stick toge
168d0 74 68 65 72 2e 20 20 52 69 67 68 74 3f 22 0a 0a ther. Right?"..
168e0 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 6e 6f 64 64 65 64 2e 0a 0a 22 Alley nodded..."
168f0 47 6f 6f 64 2e 20 20 4c 65 74 27 73 20 66 69 6e Good. Let's fin
16900 69 73 68 20 74 68 65 20 64 65 61 6c 2e 20 20 54 ish the deal. T
16910 68 65 6e 2c 20 67 65 74 20 69 6e 20 74 6f 75 63 hen, get in touc
16920 68 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 74 69 6d 65 20 69 66 20 79 h some time if y
16930 6f 75 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 20 79 6f 75 20 6d 69 67 ou think you mig
16940 68 74 20 77 61 6e 74 20 74 6f 20 64 6f 20 74 68 ht want to do th
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16960 20 74 6f 6f 2e 20 20 57 65 27 72 65 20 67 65 74 too. We're get
16970 74 69 6e 67 20 61 20 6c 6f 74 20 6f 66 20 62 75 ting a lot of bu
16980 73 69 6e 65 73 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 63 6f 75 6c siness, and coul
16990 64 20 75 73 65 20 74 68 65 20 68 65 6c 70 2e 20 d use the help.
169a0 20 59 6f 75 27 72 65 20 70 72 6f 62 61 62 6c 79 You're probably
169b0 20 70 72 65 74 74 79 20 65 6e 6f 75 67 68 20 74 pretty enough t
169c0 6f 20 67 65 74 20 74 68 65 20 75 70 73 65 6c 6c o get the upsell
169d0 73 2c 20 65 61 73 79 2c 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 20 s, easy, though
169e0 49 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 68 6f 77 I don't know how
169f0 20 79 6f 75 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 20 62 65 68 69 6e 64 you look behind
16a00 20 74 68 65 20 6d 61 73 6b 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 27 the mask.".."I'
16a10 6c 6c 20 6b 65 65 70 20 74 68 61 74 20 69 6e 20 ll keep that in
16a20 6d 69 6e 64 2e 22 0a 0a 43 61 72 6d 65 6e 20 67 mind."..Carmen g
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16a40 74 72 69 6e 67 20 62 61 67 2e 20 20 22 48 65 72 tring bag. "Her
16a50 65 27 73 20 77 68 61 74 20 79 6f 75 27 72 65 20 e's what you're
16a60 62 75 79 69 6e 67 2e 22 0a 0a 2d 2d 2d 0a 0a 41 buying."..---..A
16a70 74 20 68 6f 6d 65 2c 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 66 6f t home, Alley fo
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16aa0 67 6c 6f 76 65 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 77 6f 72 65 gloves, and wore
16ab0 20 61 20 70 61 69 72 20 77 68 65 6e 20 73 68 65 a pair when she
16ac0 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 63 6c 6f looked more clo
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16ae0 67 75 6e 20 66 72 61 6d 65 73 20 73 68 65 20 62 gun frames she b
16af0 6f 75 67 68 74 2e 20 20 41 66 74 65 72 20 67 6f ought. After go
16b00 69 6e 67 20 6f 76 65 72 20 74 68 65 6d 20 66 6f ing over them fo
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16b20 20 73 68 65 20 70 75 74 20 74 68 65 6d 20 62 61 she put them ba
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16b60 74 65 6e 64 69 6e 67 20 62 61 74 6f 6e 20 6e 65 tending baton ne
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16bc0 6e 79 74 68 69 6e 67 2e 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 6c 6f nything...She lo
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16be0 20 64 65 63 69 64 65 64 20 73 68 65 20 77 6f 75 decided she wou
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16c50 20 62 75 74 20 6e 65 76 65 72 20 68 61 76 69 6e but never havin
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16c70 66 6f 72 65 20 73 68 65 20 63 61 72 65 66 75 6c fore she careful
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16ce0 20 6d 75 63 68 20 68 61 72 6d 2e 20 20 53 68 65 much harm. She
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16d10 61 6c 6c 79 20 74 6f 77 61 72 64 20 74 68 65 20 ally toward the
16d20 66 6c 6f 6f 72 20 74 6f 20 68 65 72 20 6c 65 66 floor to her lef
16d30 74 2c 20 75 73 69 6e 67 20 62 6f 74 68 20 68 61 t, using both ha
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16d60 61 6e 64 20 74 68 65 20 6f 74 68 65 72 20 65 6e and the other en
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16d80 20 74 68 65 20 63 65 69 6c 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 the ceiling to
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16db0 68 20 63 6f 6e 74 61 63 74 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 73 h contact points
16dc0 2c 20 61 73 20 43 61 72 6d 65 6e 20 68 61 64 20 , as Carmen had
16dd0 69 6e 73 74 72 75 63 74 65 64 20 68 65 72 2e 20 instructed her.
16de0 20 41 20 64 75 6c 6c 20 73 6e 61 70 20 73 6f 75 A dull snap sou
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16e00 76 69 63 65 20 6e 65 61 72 6c 79 20 6a 75 6d 70 vice nearly jump
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16e40 6e 20 69 6e 73 74 61 6e 74 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 73 n instant from s
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16e60 65 20 6f 66 20 61 20 77 68 69 74 65 62 6f 61 72 e of a whiteboar
16e70 64 20 6d 61 72 6b 65 72 20 74 6f 20 61 20 73 74 d marker to a st
16e80 69 66 66 20 6d 65 74 61 6c 20 62 61 74 6f 6e 20 iff metal baton
16e90 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 77 6f 20 74 68 69 72 64 73 about two thirds
16ea0 20 6f 66 20 61 20 6d 65 74 65 72 20 6c 6f 6e 67 of a meter long
16eb0 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 68 65 6c 64 20 69 74 20 75 . She held it u
16ec0 70 20 61 6e 64 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 61 74 20 p and looked at
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18450 20 77 61 79 20 77 65 20 73 65 74 20 74 68 69 73 way we set this
18460 20 75 70 2e 20 20 59 65 61 68 3f 22 0a 0a 22 59 up. Yeah?".."Y
18470 65 61 68 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 65 63 68 6f 65 64 eah," she echoed
18480 2e 0a 0a 22 49 66 20 49 20 63 61 6e 27 74 20 66 ..."If I can't f
18490 69 6e 64 20 79 6f 75 20 74 68 61 74 20 77 61 79 ind you that way
184a0 2c 20 49 27 6c 6c 20 74 72 61 63 6b 20 79 6f 75 , I'll track you
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184c0 74 61 6c 6b 2e 22 0a 0a 41 66 74 65 72 20 61 20 talk."..After a
184d0 66 65 77 20 73 65 63 6f 6e 64 73 2c 20 73 68 65 few seconds, she
184e0 20 72 65 6d 65 6d 62 65 72 65 64 20 74 6f 20 62 remembered to b
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18600 2e 22 0a 0a 22 53 75 72 65 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 .".."Sure," she
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18630 64 64 65 64 2e 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 62 61 63 6b 65 dded...She backe
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187a0 57 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 66 75 63 6b 20 61 6d What the fuck am
187b0 20 49 20 61 63 74 75 61 6c 6c 79 20 64 6f 69 6e I actually doin
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187d0 72 73 65 6c 66 2e 0a 0a 2d 2d 2d 0a 0a 53 69 74 rself...---..Sit
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18820 6b 69 6e 64 73 20 6f 66 20 64 65 61 6c 73 20 49 kinds of deals I
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188b0 70 6f 6f 72 20 73 61 66 65 74 79 20 6f 75 74 63 poor safety outc
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188d0 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 73 65 20 74 72 61 6e 73 for these trans
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18900 68 69 67 68 20 66 6f 72 20 70 6f 6f 72 20 6f 75 high for poor ou
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189c0 6b 73 2e 22 0a 0a 22 59 6f 75 20 61 72 65 20 77 ks.".."You are w
189d0 65 6c 63 6f 6d 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 57 68 61 74 27 elcome.".."What'
189e0 73 20 6e 65 78 74 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 3f 22 0a 0a s next, then?"..
189f0 54 68 65 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 20 The prioritizer
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18a50 2e 20 20 54 68 69 73 20 6d 61 79 20 74 61 6b 65 . This may take
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18a70 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 61 ..Alley looked a
18a80 74 20 74 68 65 20 65 6e 76 65 6c 6f 70 65 20 6f t the envelope o
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18ab0 73 20 61 6e 64 20 63 6f 75 6e 74 65 64 20 74 68 s and counted th
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18b20 57 68 61 74 3f 20 20 57 68 79 3f 22 0a 0a 22 57 What? Why?".."W
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18b40 2c 20 2f 2a 20 69 74 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 6c , /* it looked l
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18b60 6f 6e 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 6d 20 61 70 70 65 one of them appe
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18b90 20 55 6e 69 74 65 64 20 53 74 61 74 65 73 20 66 United States f
18ba0 65 64 65 72 61 6c 20 72 65 73 65 72 76 65 20 6e ederal reserve n
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18bc0 70 70 65 61 72 65 64 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 76 65 ppeared to be ve
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18be0 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 73 65 20 6e some of these n
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18c00 72 66 65 69 74 2e 20 20 50 6c 65 61 73 65 20 63 rfeit. Please c
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18c20 20 49 20 77 61 74 63 68 2e 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 I watch."..Alle
18c30 79 20 66 72 6f 77 6e 65 64 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 y frowned at the
18c40 20 73 74 61 63 6b 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 74 61 72 stack, and star
18c50 74 65 64 20 63 6f 75 6e 74 69 6e 67 20 61 67 61 ted counting aga
18c60 69 6e 2e 20 20 54 6f 77 61 72 64 20 74 68 65 20 in. Toward the
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18c90 20 66 65 77 20 6e 65 77 2d 6c 6f 6f 6b 69 6e 67 few new-looking
18ca0 20 62 69 6c 6c 73 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 73 74 bills in the st
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18ce0 54 68 61 74 20 69 73 20 74 68 65 20 6e 6f 74 65 That is the note
18cf0 20 77 68 6f 73 65 20 74 68 69 63 6b 6e 65 73 73 whose thickness
18d00 20 61 70 70 65 61 72 73 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 69 appears to be i
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18d20 79 20 70 75 6c 6c 65 64 20 69 74 20 6f 75 74 20 y pulled it out
18d30 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 73 74 61 63 6b 20 61 6e 64 of the stack and
18d40 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 63 6c 6f 73 65 72 2e 20 looked closer.
18d50 20 49 74 20 66 65 6c 74 20 73 74 69 66 66 65 72 It felt stiffer
18d60 20 74 68 61 6e 20 6d 6f 73 74 20 62 69 6c 6c 73 than most bills
18d70 2c 20 62 75 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 63 6f 75 6c 64 , but that could
18d80 20 6a 75 73 74 20 62 65 20 64 75 65 20 74 6f 20 just be due to
18d90 69 74 20 62 65 69 6e 67 20 6e 65 77 2e 20 20 53 it being new. S
18da0 68 65 20 72 75 62 62 65 64 20 69 74 20 74 6f 20 he rubbed it to
18db0 67 65 74 20 61 20 66 65 65 6c 20 66 6f 72 20 69 get a feel for i
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18dd0 69 74 20 73 65 70 61 72 61 74 65 64 20 69 6e 74 it separated int
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18df0 68 2c 20 73 68 69 74 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 h, shit," she sa
18e00 69 64 2e 20 20 22 54 68 61 74 20 73 63 61 72 79 id. "That scary
18e10 20 77 61 72 20 76 65 74 65 72 61 6e 20 67 75 79 war veteran guy
18e20 20 61 63 63 69 64 65 6e 74 61 6c 6c 79 20 67 61 accidentally ga
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18e40 75 6e 64 72 65 64 2e 20 20 46 75 63 6b 2e 20 20 undred. Fuck.
18e50 57 68 61 74 20 69 66 20 69 74 20 77 61 73 6e 27 What if it wasn'
18e60 74 20 61 6e 20 61 63 63 69 64 65 6e 74 3f 20 20 t an accident?
18e70 4d 61 79 62 65 20 69 74 27 73 20 61 20 74 65 73 Maybe it's a tes
18e80 74 2e 22 0a 0a 22 54 68 61 74 20 73 65 65 6d 73 t.".."That seems
18e90 20 65 78 74 72 65 6d 65 6c 79 20 75 6e 6c 69 6b extremely unlik
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18eb0 74 69 7a 65 72 20 73 61 69 64 2e 0a 0a 22 59 65 tizer said..."Ye
18ec0 61 68 2e 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 73 69 67 68 65 64 ah." She sighed
18ed0 2e 20 20 22 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 79 6f 75 27 . "I guess you'
18ee0 72 65 20 72 69 67 68 74 2c 20 61 63 74 75 61 6c re right, actual
18ef0 6c 79 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 20 68 61 76 65 20 61 20 ly.".."I have a
18f00 70 6c 61 6e 20 6f 66 20 61 63 74 69 6f 6e 20 74 plan of action t
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18f20 6d 6f 72 72 6f 77 2e 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 morrow."..Alley
18f30 73 74 61 72 74 65 64 20 74 6f 20 6e 6f 64 2c 20 started to nod,
18f40 74 68 65 6e 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 61 74 20 74 then looked at t
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18f60 20 69 6e 20 68 65 72 20 68 61 6e 64 2e 20 20 22 in her hand. "
18f70 57 61 69 74 2e 20 20 49 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 Wait. I should
18f80 67 69 76 65 20 74 68 69 73 20 62 69 6c 6c 20 62 give this bill b
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18fa0 22 0a 0a 22 46 6f 72 20 61 20 68 69 67 68 20 70 ".."For a high p
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18fc0 20 74 6f 20 68 69 67 68 20 73 65 76 65 72 69 74 to high severit
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18fe0 20 6e 6f 74 20 61 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 63 68 6f 69 not a good choi
18ff0 63 65 2e 20 20 59 6f 75 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 ce. You should
19000 61 76 6f 69 64 20 6d 65 65 74 69 6e 67 20 77 69 avoid meeting wi
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19020 20 68 69 67 68 20 70 6f 74 65 6e 74 69 61 6c 20 high potential
19030 66 6f 72 20 76 69 6f 6c 65 6e 63 65 2e 22 0a 0a for violence."..
19040 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 6c 61 75 67 68 65 64 20 71 75 Alley laughed qu
19050 69 65 74 6c 79 2e 20 20 22 59 65 61 68 2c 22 20 ietly. "Yeah,"
19060 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2c 20 22 79 6f 75 27 72 she said, "you'r
19070 65 20 72 69 67 68 74 2e 20 20 49 20 67 6f 74 20 e right. I got
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190d0 20 6c 75 63 6b 79 20 62 72 65 61 6b 2c 20 61 6e lucky break, an
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19110 49 20 6d 69 67 68 74 20 6e 6f 74 20 62 65 20 69 I might not be i
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19130 49 20 6d 65 65 74 20 68 69 6d 20 61 67 61 69 6e I meet him again
19140 20 74 6f 20 67 69 76 65 20 62 61 63 6b 20 68 69 to give back hi
19150 73 20 6d 69 73 70 6c 61 63 65 64 20 6d 6f 6e 65 s misplaced mone
19160 79 3f 0a 0a 22 49 74 20 64 6f 65 73 6e 27 74 20 y?.."It doesn't
19170 66 65 65 6c 20 72 69 67 68 74 2c 20 6a 75 73 74 feel right, just
19180 20 6b 65 65 70 69 6e 67 20 68 69 73 20 6d 6f 6e keeping his mon
19190 65 79 2c 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 2e 22 0a 0a 22 57 ey, though.".."W
191a0 68 79 20 64 6f 20 79 6f 75 20 66 65 65 6c 20 74 hy do you feel t
191b0 68 61 74 20 77 61 79 3f 22 20 74 68 65 20 70 72 hat way?" the pr
191c0 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 20 61 73 6b 65 64 2e ioritizer asked.
191d0 0a 0a 22 49 74 27 73 20 64 69 73 68 6f 6e 65 73 .."It's dishones
191e0 74 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 0a 0a 22 t," she said..."
191f0 59 6f 75 20 64 69 64 20 6e 6f 74 20 6c 69 65 20 You did not lie
19200 74 6f 20 68 69 6d 2e 22 0a 0a 22 54 72 75 65 2e to him.".."True.
19210 22 0a 0a 22 44 69 64 20 79 6f 75 20 72 65 61 6c ".."Did you real
19220 69 7a 65 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 6d 69 67 68 74 20 ize there might
19230 62 65 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 6d 6f 6e 65 79 20 74 68 be more money th
19240 61 6e 20 68 65 20 69 6e 74 65 6e 64 65 64 20 74 an he intended t
19250 6f 20 67 69 76 65 20 79 6f 75 20 77 68 65 6e 20 o give you when
19260 79 6f 75 20 63 6f 75 6e 74 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 you counted the
19270 66 69 72 73 74 20 74 69 6d 65 3f 22 0a 0a 22 4e first time?".."N
19280 6f 2e 22 0a 0a 22 48 6f 77 20 69 73 20 74 68 61 o.".."How is tha
19290 74 20 64 69 73 68 6f 6e 65 73 74 3f 22 0a 0a 41 t dishonest?"..A
192a0 6c 6c 65 79 27 73 20 6c 69 70 73 20 74 69 67 68 lley's lips tigh
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1e320 20 22 41 68 20 2e 20 2e 20 2e 20 79 65 61 68 2c "Ah . . . yeah,
1e330 20 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 49 27 6d 20 74 68 69 I guess I'm thi
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1e490 73 69 6c 69 63 6f 6e 65 20 74 72 61 79 2c 20 74 silicone tray, t
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1e550 2e 0a 0a 22 53 65 6c 66 2d 74 61 75 67 68 74 2e ..."Self-taught.
1e560 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 74 61 72 74 65 64 "..Alley started
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1e5e0 6f 66 20 43 6f 6b 65 2e 20 20 22 48 65 72 65 2c of Coke. "Here,
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1e730 22 0a 0a 48 65 20 73 77 69 67 67 65 64 20 66 72 "..He swigged fr
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1e780 65 20 6f 70 65 6e 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 63 61 6e e opened her can
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1e850 20 63 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 74 61 70 65 20 6f 6e cut the tape on
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1e8a0 48 65 20 73 74 6f 70 70 65 64 20 6d 6f 76 69 6e He stopped movin
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1e970 67 65 74 20 69 74 2e 20 20 48 61 68 21 20 20 4f get it. Hah! O
1e980 6c 27 20 44 61 76 65 20 6d 75 73 74 27 76 65 20 l' Dave must've
1e990 6d 61 64 65 20 71 75 69 74 65 20 61 6e 20 69 6d made quite an im
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1e9b0 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 "..Alley looked
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1e9f0 20 73 63 61 72 65 64 20 6e 6f 77 2e 0a 0a 22 4c scared now..."L
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1ea10 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 73 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 68 65 20 70 looks like he p
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1ea70 20 61 6e 64 20 68 65 27 73 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 and he's about
1ea80 61 73 20 67 65 6e 74 6c 65 20 61 73 20 61 20 64 as gentle as a d
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1eab0 74 73 20 49 20 68 61 64 20 68 69 6d 20 6d 61 63 ts I had him mac
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1ead0 68 65 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 he looked at the
1eae0 20 62 6f 78 20 61 6e 64 20 73 68 69 66 74 65 64 box and shifted
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1eb10 68 2c 20 72 69 67 68 74 2c 22 20 68 65 20 73 61 h, right," he sa
1eb20 69 64 2e 20 20 22 4e 6f 2c 20 74 68 65 79 20 61 id. "No, they a
1eb30 72 65 6e 27 74 20 67 75 6e 20 70 61 72 74 73 2c ren't gun parts,
1eb40 20 65 69 74 68 65 72 2e 20 20 54 68 65 79 27 72 either. They'r
1eb50 65 20 70 61 72 74 73 20 66 6f 72 20 61 20 63 75 e parts for a cu
1eb60 73 74 6f 6d 20 70 72 6f 73 74 68 65 74 69 63 20 stom prosthetic
1eb70 61 72 6d 20 49 27 6d 20 62 75 69 6c 64 69 6e 67 arm I'm building
1eb80 20 66 6f 72 20 61 20 6c 69 74 74 6c 65 20 67 69 for a little gi
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1ec00 52 65 61 6c 6c 79 3f 22 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 68 2e Really?".."Yeah.
1ec10 20 20 4f 6e 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 67 75 79 One of the guy
1ec20 73 20 67 65 74 74 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 67 75 s getting the gu
1ec30 6e 73 20 49 20 70 75 74 20 74 6f 67 65 74 68 65 ns I put togethe
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1ec70 64 61 75 67 68 74 65 72 2c 20 6e 69 6e 65 20 79 daughter, nine y
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1ece0 20 5b 20 53 4f 4d 45 54 48 49 4e 47 20 5d 20 73 [ SOMETHING ] s
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1ed00 20 53 68 65 27 73 20 6f 75 74 67 72 6f 77 69 6e She's outgrowin
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1ed20 20 66 6f 72 20 68 65 72 20 61 20 79 65 61 72 20 for her a year
1ed30 61 67 6f 2c 20 61 6c 72 65 61 64 79 2e 22 0a 0a ago, already."..
1ed40 22 4f 68 2e 20 20 52 69 67 68 74 2e 20 20 54 68 "Oh. Right. Th
1ed50 65 72 65 27 73 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20 ere's something
1ed60 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 67 75 6e 73 2e 22 about the guns."
1ed70 0a 0a 48 65 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 61 74 20 68 ..He looked at h
1ed80 65 72 2c 20 73 69 64 65 6c 6f 6e 67 2e 20 20 22 er, sidelong. "
1ed90 57 68 61 74 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65 6d 3f What about them?
1eda0 22 20 68 65 20 61 73 6b 65 64 2e 0a 0a 22 55 68 " he asked..."Uh
1edb0 2c 20 61 66 74 65 72 20 49 20 67 6f 74 20 68 6f , after I got ho
1edc0 6d 65 2c 20 49 20 72 65 61 6c 69 7a 65 64 20 79 me, I realized y
1edd0 6f 75 20 67 61 76 65 20 6d 65 20 74 6f 6f 20 6d ou gave me too m
1ede0 75 63 68 20 6d 6f 6e 65 79 2e 22 0a 0a 22 57 68 uch money.".."Wh
1edf0 61 74 20 64 6f 20 79 6f 75 20 6d 65 61 6e 3f 20 at do you mean?
1ee00 20 49 20 70 61 69 64 20 77 68 61 74 20 77 65 20 I paid what we
1ee10 61 67 72 65 65 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 65 20 agreed, and the
1ee20 66 72 61 6d 65 73 20 77 65 72 65 20 61 6c 6c 20 frames were all
1ee30 67 6f 6f 64 2e 22 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 73 68 6f 6f good."..She shoo
1ee40 6b 20 68 65 72 20 68 65 61 64 2e 20 20 22 54 68 k her head. "Th
1ee50 65 72 65 20 77 65 72 65 20 74 77 6f 20 62 72 61 ere were two bra
1ee60 6e 64 20 6e 65 77 20 68 75 6e 64 72 65 64 73 20 nd new hundreds
1ee70 73 74 75 63 6b 20 74 6f 67 65 74 68 65 72 2e 20 stuck together.
1ee80 20 49 20 67 6f 74 20 61 6e 20 65 78 74 72 61 20 I got an extra
1ee90 68 75 6e 64 72 65 64 20 64 6f 6c 6c 61 72 73 20 hundred dollars
1eea0 62 79 20 61 63 63 69 64 65 6e 74 2e 22 0a 0a 48 by accident."..H
1eeb0 65 20 73 74 61 72 65 64 20 61 74 20 68 65 72 2e e stared at her.
1eec0 0a 0a 22 49 2c 20 75 68 2c 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 .."I, uh, don't
1eed0 68 61 76 65 20 69 74 20 77 69 74 68 20 6d 65 2c have it with me,
1eee0 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 4d 61 " she said. "Ma
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1ef00 61 63 6b 20 74 6f 6d 6f 72 72 6f 77 20 77 69 74 ack tomorrow wit
1ef10 68 20 69 74 2e 22 0a 0a 47 65 6f 72 67 65 20 6c h it."..George l
1ef20 61 75 67 68 65 64 2e 20 20 49 74 20 77 61 73 20 aughed. It was
1ef30 61 20 77 61 72 6d 2c 20 73 75 72 70 72 69 73 65 a warm, surprise
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1ef80 20 68 65 72 73 65 6c 66 2e 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 2c 20 herself..."No,
1ef90 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 64 6f 20 74 68 61 74 2c 22 20 don't do that,"
1efa0 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2c 20 61 20 68 69 6e 74 20 he said, a hint
1efb0 6f 66 20 63 68 75 63 6b 6c 65 20 73 74 69 6c 6c of chuckle still
1efc0 20 69 6e 20 68 69 73 20 76 6f 69 63 65 2e 20 20 in his voice.
1efd0 22 59 27 6b 6e 6f 77 20 77 68 61 74 3f 20 20 49 "Y'know what? I
1efe0 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 79 6f 75 2c 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 like you, Alley
1eff0 2e 20 20 49 20 65 76 65 6e 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 74 . I even like t
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1f010 20 64 65 73 63 72 69 62 65 73 20 77 68 65 72 65 describes where
1f020 20 77 65 20 66 69 72 73 74 20 6d 65 74 2e 22 0a we first met.".
1f030 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 6d 69 6c 65 64 2e 20 20 .Alley smiled.
1f040 22 54 68 61 6e 6b 73 2e 20 20 57 68 61 74 20 61 "Thanks. What a
1f050 62 6f 75 74 20 79 6f 75 72 20 68 75 6e 64 72 65 bout your hundre
1f060 64 20 64 6f 6c 6c 61 72 73 2c 20 74 68 6f 75 67 d dollars, thoug
1f070 68 3f 22 0a 0a 22 4b 65 65 70 20 69 74 2e 20 20 h?".."Keep it.
1f080 49 27 6c 6c 20 73 75 72 76 69 76 65 20 77 69 74 I'll survive wit
1f090 68 6f 75 74 20 69 74 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 49 20 64 hout it, and I d
1f0a0 6f 6e 27 74 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 20 79 6f 75 27 64 on't think you'd
1f0b0 20 64 72 69 76 65 20 61 6c 6c 20 74 68 65 20 77 drive all the w
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1f0d0 6f 20 48 75 6e 74 69 6e 67 20 42 65 61 63 68 20 o Hunting Beach
1f0e0 61 74 20 67 69 67 20 63 6f 75 72 69 65 72 20 72 at gig courier r
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1f120 2e 22 20 20 48 65 20 77 69 6e 6b 65 64 20 61 74 ." He winked at
1f130 20 68 65 72 2e 20 20 22 59 6f 75 27 72 65 20 67 her. "You're g
1f140 6f 6f 64 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 2c 20 41 6c 6c 65 ood people, Alle
1f150 79 2e 22 0a 0a 22 55 68 20 2e 20 2e 20 2e 20 74 y.".."Uh . . . t
1f160 68 61 6e 6b 20 79 6f 75 2e 20 20 4d 61 79 62 65 hank you. Maybe
1f170 20 79 6f 75 20 61 72 65 2c 20 74 6f 6f 2e 22 0a you are, too.".
1f180 0a 22 59 65 61 68 2c 20 6d 61 79 62 65 2e 20 20 ."Yeah, maybe.
1f190 49 20 68 6f 70 65 20 73 6f 2e 22 20 20 48 65 20 I hope so." He
1f1a0 74 75 72 6e 65 64 20 62 61 63 6b 20 74 6f 20 74 turned back to t
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1f1c0 68 65 64 20 63 75 74 74 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 hed cutting the
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1f1e0 73 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 66 6c 69 70 70 65 64 20 s, then flipped
1f1f0 74 68 65 20 74 6f 70 20 66 6c 61 70 73 20 6f 66 the top flaps of
1f200 20 74 68 65 20 62 6f 78 20 6f 75 74 2e 20 20 48 the box out. H
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1f230 72 20 62 75 6e 64 6c 65 73 20 6f 66 20 6d 65 74 r bundles of met
1f240 61 6c 20 70 61 72 74 73 2c 20 6c 65 61 76 69 6e al parts, leavin
1f250 67 20 70 61 63 6b 69 6e 67 20 70 61 70 65 72 20 g packing paper
1f260 62 65 68 69 6e 64 2e 0a 0a 41 73 20 68 65 20 73 behind...As he s
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1f280 6e 20 74 68 65 20 73 69 6c 69 63 6f 6e 65 20 74 n the silicone t
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1f2a0 6f 76 65 72 20 65 76 65 72 79 74 68 69 6e 67 20 over everything
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1f2e0 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 64 69 73 74 75 72 62 20 68 69 ng to disturb hi
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1f320 74 69 63 75 6c 61 72 20 73 70 6f 74 73 20 6f 6e ticular spots on
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1f380 20 61 20 70 65 72 66 6f 72 6d 61 6e 63 65 20 73 a performance s
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1f3b0 70 73 79 63 68 6f 6d 65 74 72 79 2e 0a 0a 48 65 psychometry...He
1f3c0 20 73 70 6c 69 74 20 61 20 63 6f 75 70 6c 65 20 split a couple
1f3d0 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 62 75 6e 64 6c 65 73 20 6f of the bundles o
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1f410 20 20 48 65 20 73 65 74 20 74 68 65 6d 20 61 73 He set them as
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1f430 20 73 6c 69 67 68 74 6c 79 20 73 70 6c 61 79 65 slightly splaye
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1f470 20 46 69 6e 61 6c 6c 79 2c 20 68 65 20 73 74 6f Finally, he sto
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1f4a0 68 2e 22 20 20 48 65 20 6c 69 66 74 65 64 20 74 h." He lifted t
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1f4f0 61 76 65 2c 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 73 65 63 ave, for the sec
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1f510 48 65 20 68 65 6c 64 20 69 74 20 6f 75 74 20 74 He held it out t
1f520 6f 20 68 65 72 2e 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 6e 6f 64 64 o her...She nodd
1f530 65 64 2e 20 20 22 53 75 72 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 41 ed. "Sure.".."A
1f540 72 65 20 79 6f 75 20 73 61 76 69 6e 67 20 75 70 re you saving up
1f550 20 66 6f 72 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 2c 20 for something,
1f560 6f 72 20 67 6f 69 6e 67 20 62 61 63 6b 20 74 6f or going back to
1f570 20 73 63 68 6f 6f 6c 3f 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 school?"..Alley
1f580 20 68 65 73 69 74 61 74 65 64 20 61 20 6d 6f 6d hesitated a mom
1f590 65 6e 74 2e 20 20 22 57 68 79 3f 22 0a 0a 48 65 ent. "Why?"..He
1f5a0 20 73 68 72 75 67 67 65 64 2e 20 20 22 43 75 72 shrugged. "Cur
1f5b0 69 6f 75 73 2e 22 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 74 20 65 78 61 ious.".."Not exa
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1f5d0 67 20 74 6f 20 64 69 67 20 6d 79 73 65 6c 66 20 g to dig myself
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1f5f0 0a 22 44 65 62 74 73 3f 22 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 73 ."Debts?"..She s
1f600 68 6f 6f 6b 20 68 65 72 20 68 65 61 64 2e 20 20 hook her head.
1f610 22 49 20 68 61 64 20 61 20 73 74 72 61 6e 67 65 "I had a strange
1f620 20 63 61 72 65 65 72 20 70 61 74 68 2c 20 61 6e career path, an
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1f640 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 72 65 61 6c 6c 79 20 68 61 don't really ha
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1f670 20 6e 65 77 20 64 69 72 65 63 74 69 6f 6e 2c 20 new direction,
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1f690 69 6e 67 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 61 74 2e 22 0a 0a 22 ing on that.".."
1f6a0 41 68 2e 20 20 52 65 69 6e 76 65 6e 74 69 6e 67 Ah. Reinventing
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1f6c0 77 6f 72 6c 64 20 63 68 61 6e 67 65 73 20 73 6f world changes so
1f6d0 20 66 61 73 74 20 69 74 27 73 20 68 61 72 64 20 fast it's hard
1f6e0 74 6f 20 6b 65 65 70 20 75 70 2e 22 0a 0a 41 6c to keep up."..Al
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1f700 20 73 74 6f 70 70 65 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 68 stopped, and sh
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1f720 69 6e 2e 20 20 22 49 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 6b 6e in. "I don't kn
1f730 6f 77 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 79 73 2e 20 20 ow," she says.
1f740 22 41 20 6c 6f 74 20 6f 66 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 "A lot of people
1f750 20 73 65 65 6d 20 74 6f 20 68 61 76 65 20 6e 6f seem to have no
1f760 20 70 72 6f 62 6c 65 6d 2e 20 20 54 68 65 79 20 problem. They
1f770 6a 75 73 74 20 67 6f 20 74 6f 20 73 63 68 6f 6f just go to schoo
1f780 6c 2c 20 67 65 74 20 61 20 70 69 65 63 65 20 6f l, get a piece o
1f790 66 20 70 61 70 65 72 2c 20 61 70 70 6c 79 20 66 f paper, apply f
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1f800 74 20 72 65 61 6c 6c 79 20 64 6f 20 74 68 61 74 t really do that
1f810 2e 22 0a 0a 22 57 68 61 74 20 64 6f 20 79 6f 75 .".."What do you
1f820 20 6d 65 61 6e 3f 22 0a 0a 22 4d 6f 72 65 20 61 mean?".."More a
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1f840 72 65 6e 27 74 20 72 65 74 69 72 69 6e 67 2c 20 ren't retiring,
1f850 6f 72 20 67 65 74 20 6c 61 69 64 20 6f 66 66 20 or get laid off
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1f900 62 75 74 20 6d 61 79 62 65 20 79 6f 75 27 72 65 but maybe you're
1f910 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 69 6e 67 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 looking in the
1f920 77 72 6f 6e 67 20 64 69 72 65 63 74 69 6f 6e 2e wrong direction.
1f930 22 20 20 48 65 20 6c 65 61 6e 65 64 20 66 6f 72 " He leaned for
1f940 77 61 72 64 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 63 6f 75 63 ward on the couc
1f950 68 2c 20 72 65 73 74 65 64 20 68 69 73 20 66 6f h, rested his fo
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1f980 68 69 73 20 68 61 6e 64 73 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 68 his hands like h
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1f9d0 68 65 6c 66 20 61 73 20 68 65 20 73 70 6f 6b 65 helf as he spoke
1f9e0 20 61 67 61 69 6e 2e 20 20 22 49 74 27 73 20 65 again. "It's e
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1fa70 4d 6f 73 74 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 6c 69 65 20 Most people lie
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1fae0 65 2c 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 73 20 27 49 20 6d 75 73 e, thinks 'I mus
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1fb20 6f 75 74 2e 27 20 20 54 68 65 79 27 72 65 20 61 out.' They're a
1fb30 6c 6c 20 75 70 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 65 ll up to their e
1fb40 79 65 62 61 6c 6c 73 20 69 6e 20 64 65 62 74 2c yeballs in debt,
1fb50 20 6c 69 76 69 6e 67 20 70 61 79 63 68 65 63 6b living paycheck
1fb60 20 74 6f 20 70 61 79 63 68 65 63 6b 2e 0a 0a 22 to paycheck..."
1fb70 54 68 65 72 65 20 61 72 65 20 61 20 66 65 77 20 There are a few
1fb80 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 77 68 6f 20 68 61 76 65 20 people who have
1fb90 74 68 69 6e 67 73 20 73 6f 72 74 65 64 20 6f 75 things sorted ou
1fba0 74 20 70 72 65 74 74 79 20 77 65 6c 6c 2c 20 70 t pretty well, p
1fbb0 72 75 64 65 6e 74 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 77 68 rudent people wh
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1fbd0 20 6d 6f 73 74 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 74 69 6d most of the tim
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1fc10 63 61 6d 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 77 65 72 65 20 6c came, and were l
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1fc40 79 2e 20 20 4d 61 6e 79 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 6d y. Many of them
1fc50 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 65 76 65 6e 20 72 65 61 6c don't even real
1fc60 69 7a 65 20 74 68 65 79 27 72 65 20 69 6e 73 65 ize they're inse
1fc70 63 75 72 65 20 61 6e 64 20 63 6f 6e 66 75 73 65 cure and confuse
1fc80 64 20 61 6c 6c 20 74 68 65 20 74 69 6d 65 2c 20 d all the time,
1fc90 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 20 74 68 65 79 20 67 6f 74 because they got
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1fcb0 67 20 74 6f 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 61 62 6f 75 g to people abou
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1fce0 20 74 68 65 6d 73 65 6c 76 65 73 2e 0a 0a 22 54 themselves..."T
1fcf0 68 65 72 65 20 61 72 65 20 6f 74 68 65 72 73 20 here are others
1fd00 77 68 6f 20 72 65 61 6c 6c 79 20 64 6f 20 62 65 who really do be
1fd10 6c 69 65 76 65 20 74 68 65 79 20 68 61 76 65 20 lieve they have
1fd20 65 76 65 72 79 74 68 69 6e 67 20 66 69 67 75 72 everything figur
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1fd50 6e 20 72 69 67 68 74 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 n right about th
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1fd70 20 77 61 79 20 61 6e 79 6f 6e 65 20 73 68 6f 75 way anyone shou
1fd80 6c 64 20 68 61 76 65 20 74 68 69 6e 67 73 20 66 ld have things f
1fd90 69 67 75 72 65 64 20 6f 75 74 2e 20 20 54 68 65 igured out. The
1fda0 79 20 6c 69 65 20 61 6e 64 20 63 68 65 61 74 20 y lie and cheat
1fdb0 61 6e 64 20 73 74 65 61 6c 2c 20 6d 61 79 62 65 and steal, maybe
1fdc0 20 65 76 65 6e 20 6b 69 6c 6c 20 77 69 74 68 20 even kill with
1fdd0 74 68 65 20 73 74 72 6f 6b 65 20 6f 66 20 61 20 the stroke of a
1fde0 70 65 6e 20 6f 72 20 61 6e 20 45 6e 74 65 72 20 pen or an Enter
1fdf0 6b 65 79 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 6d 61 6b 65 20 69 74 key, and make it
1fe00 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 74 6f 70 20 6f 76 65 72 to the top over
1fe10 20 6d 6f 75 6e 64 73 20 6f 66 20 62 6f 64 69 65 mounds of bodie
1fe20 73 2c 20 6d 65 74 61 70 68 6f 72 69 63 61 6c 20 s, metaphorical
1fe30 61 20 6c 6f 74 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 74 69 6d a lot of the tim
1fe40 65 2c 20 62 75 74 20 6c 69 74 65 72 61 6c 20 62 e, but literal b
1fe50 6f 64 69 65 73 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 69 6d 65 73 2e odies sometimes.
1fe60 0a 0a 22 4d 79 20 61 64 76 69 63 65 20 69 73 3a .."My advice is:
1fe70 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 62 65 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 61 don't be like a
1fe80 6e 79 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 6d 2e 22 20 20 48 65 ny of them." He
1fe90 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 61 74 20 68 65 72 20 61 looked at her a
1fea0 67 61 69 6e 2c 20 63 61 75 67 68 74 20 68 65 72 gain, caught her
1feb0 20 67 61 7a 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 68 65 20 66 gaze, and she f
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1fed0 79 73 69 63 61 6c 20 66 6f 72 63 65 20 68 6f 6c ysical force hol
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1ff10 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 20 74 68 65 72 65 27 73 because there's
1ff20 20 61 6c 77 61 79 73 20 74 6f 6f 20 6d 75 63 68 always too much
1ff30 20 74 6f 20 73 65 65 20 74 6f 20 68 61 76 65 20 to see to have
1ff40 74 69 6d 65 20 74 6f 20 73 65 65 20 69 74 20 61 time to see it a
1ff50 6c 6c 2e 20 20 44 6f 6e 27 74 20 6a 75 73 74 20 ll. Don't just
1ff60 63 6c 6f 73 65 20 79 6f 75 72 20 65 79 65 73 2c close your eyes,
1ff70 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 2e 20 20 4b 65 65 70 20 74 though. Keep t
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1ff90 69 7a 65 20 77 68 61 74 20 79 6f 75 20 66 69 6e ize what you fin
1ffa0 64 20 61 73 20 61 20 70 61 74 68 20 74 68 61 74 d as a path that
1ffb0 20 66 65 65 6c 73 20 72 69 67 68 74 2e 20 20 59 feels right. Y
1ffc0 6f 75 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 68 61 76 65 20 74 69 ou don't have ti
1ffd0 6d 65 20 66 6f 72 20 65 76 65 72 79 74 68 69 6e me for everythin
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1fff0 69 74 65 6c 79 20 68 61 76 65 20 74 69 6d 65 20 itely have time
20000 66 6f 72 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 2c 20 61 for something, a
20010 6e 64 20 79 6f 75 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 73 70 nd you should sp
20020 65 6e 64 20 69 74 20 6f 6e 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 end it on someth
20030 69 6e 67 20 67 6f 6f 64 2e 22 0a 0a 48 65 20 73 ing good."..He s
20040 61 74 20 62 61 63 6b 20 61 67 61 69 6e 2c 20 72 at back again, r
20050 65 73 74 69 6e 67 20 68 69 73 20 6f 70 65 6e 20 esting his open
20060 68 61 6e 64 73 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 74 6f 70 hands on the top
20070 73 20 6f 66 20 68 69 73 20 74 68 69 67 68 73 2e s of his thighs.
20080 0a 0a 22 4c 6f 6f 6b 20 61 74 20 6d 65 2c 20 67 .."Look at me, g
20090 65 74 74 69 6e 67 20 61 6c 6c 20 70 68 69 6c 6f etting all philo
200a0 73 6f 70 68 69 63 61 6c 20 77 69 74 68 20 79 6f sophical with yo
200b0 75 2e 20 20 49 66 20 77 68 61 74 20 49 27 6d 20 u. If what I'm
200c0 73 61 79 69 6e 67 20 64 6f 65 73 6e 27 74 20 6d saying doesn't m
200d0 61 6b 65 20 61 6e 79 20 73 65 6e 73 65 2c 20 6a ake any sense, j
200e0 75 73 74 20 69 67 6e 6f 72 65 20 6d 65 2e 20 20 ust ignore me.
200f0 49 27 6d 20 61 6e 20 6f 6c 64 20 6d 61 6e 2c 20 I'm an old man,
20100 61 6e 64 20 49 27 76 65 20 73 65 65 6e 20 61 20 and I've seen a
20110 6c 6f 74 2c 20 62 75 74 20 49 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 lot, but I don't
20120 20 65 76 65 6e 20 75 6e 64 65 72 73 74 61 6e 64 even understand
20130 20 6d 6f 73 74 20 6f 66 20 77 68 61 74 20 49 20 most of what I
20140 73 61 77 20 6d 79 73 65 6c 66 2e 20 20 49 20 66 saw myself. I f
20150 65 65 6c 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 49 20 75 6e 64 65 72 eel like I under
20160 73 74 61 6e 64 20 6c 65 73 73 2c 20 74 68 65 20 stand less, the
20170 6d 6f 72 65 20 49 20 73 65 65 2e 22 0a 0a 53 68 more I see."..Sh
20180 65 20 71 75 69 72 6b 65 64 20 6f 6e 65 20 63 6f e quirked one co
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201a0 2e 20 20 22 59 6f 75 20 67 69 76 65 20 62 65 74 . "You give bet
201b0 74 65 72 20 61 64 76 69 63 65 20 74 68 61 6e 20 ter advice than
201c0 4f 62 69 20 57 61 6e 2e 22 0a 0a 47 65 6f 72 67 Obi Wan."..Georg
201d0 65 20 63 68 75 63 6b 6c 65 64 2e 20 20 22 49 20 e chuckled. "I
201e0 68 6f 70 65 20 73 6f 2e 20 20 48 65 27 73 20 6a hope so. He's j
201f0 75 73 74 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 63 68 61 72 61 63 74 ust some charact
20200 65 72 20 6f 6e 20 70 61 70 65 72 2c 20 61 6e 64 er on paper, and
20210 20 61 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 61 63 74 6f 72 2e 20 20 a good actor.
20220 41 6e 79 77 61 79 2c 20 49 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 Anyway, I don't
20230 72 65 61 6c 6c 79 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 79 6f 75 2c really know you,
20240 20 73 6f 20 49 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 72 65 61 6c so I don't real
20250 6c 79 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 69 66 20 49 20 65 76 65 ly know if I eve
20260 6e 20 68 61 76 65 20 61 6e 79 20 69 64 65 61 20 n have any idea
20270 77 68 61 74 20 79 6f 75 27 72 65 20 67 6f 69 6e what you're goin
20280 67 20 74 68 72 6f 75 67 68 20 6f 72 20 77 68 61 g through or wha
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202b0 20 68 61 76 65 20 74 6f 20 68 75 6d 6f 72 20 6d have to humor m
202c0 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 4d 61 79 62 65 20 49 20 73 74 e.".."Maybe I st
202d0 61 72 74 65 64 20 6f 75 74 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 69 arted out thinki
202e0 6e 67 20 49 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 68 75 6d 6f ng I should humo
202f0 72 20 79 6f 75 2c 20 62 75 74 20 6e 6f 77 20 49 r you, but now I
20300 20 6a 75 73 74 20 77 61 6e 74 20 74 6f 20 74 61 just want to ta
20310 6c 6b 20 74 6f 20 79 6f 75 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 6d lk to you some m
20320 6f 72 65 2e 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 ore." She looke
20330 64 20 61 74 20 61 20 74 69 63 6b 69 6e 67 20 63 d at a ticking c
20340 6c 6f 63 6b 20 6f 6e 20 61 6e 20 65 6e 64 20 74 lock on an end t
20350 61 62 6c 65 2e 20 20 22 4d 61 79 62 65 20 6e 6f able. "Maybe no
20360 74 20 6e 6f 77 2c 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 2e 20 20 t now, though.
20370 49 74 27 73 20 67 65 74 74 69 6e 67 20 6c 61 74 It's getting lat
20380 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 68 2c 22 20 68 65 20 e.".."Yeah," he
20390 73 61 69 64 2c 20 22 67 6f 20 64 72 6f 70 20 6f said, "go drop o
203a0 66 66 20 74 68 61 74 20 65 6e 76 65 6c 6f 70 65 ff that envelope
203b0 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 67 65 74 20 68 6f 6d 65 20 , then get home
203c0 61 6e 64 20 73 6c 65 65 70 2e 20 20 4e 65 76 65 and sleep. Neve
203d0 72 20 75 6e 64 65 72 65 73 74 69 6d 61 74 65 20 r underestimate
203e0 74 68 65 20 69 6d 70 6f 72 74 61 6e 63 65 20 6f the importance o
203f0 66 20 61 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 6e 69 67 68 74 27 73 f a good night's
20400 20 72 65 73 74 2e 20 20 54 68 61 74 27 73 20 6f rest. That's o
20410 6e 65 20 70 69 65 63 65 20 6f 66 20 61 64 76 69 ne piece of advi
20420 63 65 20 49 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 69 73 20 67 6f 6f ce I know is goo
20430 64 2c 20 66 6f 72 20 61 6e 79 6f 6e 65 2e 22 0a d, for anyone.".
20440 0a 22 54 68 61 6e 6b 73 2e 22 0a 0a 48 65 20 6e ."Thanks."..He n
20450 6f 64 64 65 64 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 72 6f 73 65 odded, then rose
20460 20 61 6e 64 20 68 65 61 64 65 64 20 66 6f 72 20 and headed for
20470 74 68 65 20 64 6f 6f 72 2e 20 20 48 65 20 75 6e the door. He un
20480 6c 6f 63 6b 65 64 20 69 74 20 61 73 20 73 68 65 locked it as she
20490 20 61 70 70 72 6f 61 63 68 65 64 20 61 6e 64 20 approached and
204a0 6f 70 65 6e 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 64 6f 6f 72 2c opened the door,
204b0 20 74 68 65 6e 20 73 74 65 70 70 65 64 20 6f 75 then stepped ou
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204d0 65 72 20 61 6e 64 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 61 72 er and looked ar
204e0 6f 75 6e 64 2e 20 20 48 65 20 74 75 72 6e 65 64 ound. He turned
204f0 20 74 6f 20 68 65 72 20 61 73 20 73 68 65 20 66 to her as she f
20500 6f 6c 6c 6f 77 65 64 20 68 69 6d 20 6f 75 74 2e ollowed him out.
20510 20 20 22 42 65 20 63 61 72 65 66 75 6c 20 6f 75 "Be careful ou
20520 74 20 74 68 65 72 65 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 77 6f t there. The wo
20530 72 6c 64 27 73 20 61 20 73 75 72 70 72 69 73 69 rld's a surprisi
20540 6e 67 20 70 6c 61 63 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 ng place.".."Yea
20550 68 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 66 20 79 6f 75 20 77 61 6e h.".."If you wan
20560 74 20 74 6f 20 74 72 79 20 79 6f 75 72 20 68 61 t to try your ha
20570 6e 64 20 61 74 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20 nd at something
20580 77 61 79 20 6f 75 74 73 69 64 65 20 6f 66 20 27 way outside of '
20590 6e 6f 72 6d 61 6c 27 20 61 73 20 61 20 6e 65 77 normal' as a new
205a0 20 70 61 74 68 20 69 6e 20 6c 69 66 65 2c 20 6c path in life, l
205b0 6f 6f 6b 20 6d 65 20 75 70 2e 20 20 49 20 6d 69 ook me up. I mi
205c0 67 68 74 20 68 61 76 65 20 61 20 66 65 77 20 69 ght have a few i
205d0 64 65 61 73 2e 20 20 4f 74 68 65 72 77 69 73 65 deas. Otherwise
205e0 2c 20 49 20 77 69 73 68 20 79 6f 75 20 74 68 65 , I wish you the
205f0 20 62 65 73 74 20 61 74 20 77 68 61 74 65 76 65 best at whateve
20600 72 20 79 6f 75 20 66 69 6e 64 2e 22 0a 0a 22 54 r you find.".."T
20610 68 61 6e 6b 73 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 hanks," she said
20620 20 61 67 61 69 6e 2e 20 20 22 48 6f 77 20 73 68 again. "How sh
20630 6f 75 6c 64 20 49 20 67 65 74 20 69 6e 20 74 6f ould I get in to
20640 75 63 68 3f 22 0a 0a 48 65 20 73 63 6f 66 66 65 uch?"..He scoffe
20650 64 20 61 74 20 68 69 6d 73 65 6c 66 2e 20 20 22 d at himself. "
20660 52 69 67 68 74 20 2d 2d 20 66 6f 72 67 6f 74 20 Right -- forgot
20670 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 70 61 72 74 2e about that part.
20680 22 20 20 48 65 20 70 75 6c 6c 65 64 20 6f 75 74 " He pulled out
20690 20 68 69 73 20 77 61 6c 6c 65 74 2c 20 61 6e 64 his wallet, and
206a0 20 73 6c 69 70 70 65 64 20 6f 75 74 20 61 20 62 slipped out a b
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206c0 20 6c 6f 6e 67 65 72 20 63 72 69 73 70 20 61 6e longer crisp an
206d0 64 20 6e 65 77 2e 20 20 22 48 65 72 65 20 79 6f d new. "Here yo
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206f0 20 69 74 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 61 77 20 74 68 61 it, and saw tha
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20730 61 20 73 65 72 69 65 73 20 6f 66 20 6c 65 74 74 a series of lett
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20750 0a 0a 22 54 68 61 74 27 73 20 6d 79 20 70 75 62 .."That's my pub
20760 6c 69 63 20 65 6e 63 72 79 70 74 69 6f 6e 20 6b lic encryption k
20770 65 79 2c 22 20 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 ey," he said. "
20780 49 66 20 79 6f 75 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 65 6e 63 If you don't enc
20790 72 79 70 74 20 74 68 65 20 6d 65 73 73 61 67 65 rypt the message
207a0 2c 20 69 74 20 67 6f 65 73 20 73 74 72 61 69 67 , it goes straig
207b0 68 74 20 74 6f 20 73 70 61 6d 2e 20 20 44 6f 20 ht to spam. Do
207c0 79 6f 75 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 68 6f 77 20 74 6f 20 you know how to
207d0 75 73 65 20 65 6e 63 72 79 70 74 65 64 20 65 6d use encrypted em
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207f0 0a 22 49 20 75 73 65 20 70 75 62 6b 65 79 20 65 ."I use pubkey e
20800 6e 63 72 79 70 74 69 6f 6e 20 66 6f 72 20 63 6c ncryption for cl
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20820 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 0a 0a 22 47 6f " she said..."Go
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20840 20 61 6c 72 65 61 64 79 20 77 61 79 20 61 68 65 already way ahe
20850 61 64 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 70 61 63 6b 2e 20 ad of the pack.
20860 20 47 6f 6f 64 20 6e 69 67 68 74 2c 20 6e 6f 77 Good night, now
20870 2e 22 0a 0a 22 47 6f 6f 64 20 6e 69 67 68 74 2c .".."Good night,
20880 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 20 77 69 74 68 20 " she said with
20890 61 20 73 6d 69 6c 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 68 65 61 a smile, and hea
208a0 64 65 64 20 74 6f 20 68 65 72 20 63 61 72 2e 0a ded to her car..
208b0 0a 53 68 65 20 67 6c 61 6e 63 65 64 20 62 61 63 .She glanced bac
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208d0 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 61 77 20 68 69 6d 20 6b 65 , and saw him ke
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208f0 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 73 74 65 70 70 65 64 20 69 6e only stepped in
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20950 6d 65 72 67 65 64 20 6f 6e 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 merged onto the
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209c0 20 63 6c 69 65 6e 74 73 20 73 68 65 20 68 61 64 clients she had
209d0 2e 20 20 4d 61 79 62 65 2c 20 73 68 65 20 74 68 . Maybe, she th
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20a50 6f 66 20 74 68 61 74 20 72 65 61 6c 6c 79 20 72 of that really r
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20a70 2e 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 77 6f 72 72 69 65 64 20 61 ...She worried a
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20a90 74 68 65 6e 20 66 6f 75 6e 64 20 68 65 72 20 6d then found her m
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20ac0 74 68 65 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 74 2e 0a 0a 2f 2a the thought.../*
20ad0 0a 0a 53 55 4d 4d 41 52 59 3a 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 ..SUMMARY:..Alle
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20af0 64 69 73 63 75 73 73 69 6e 67 20 70 6c 61 6e 73 discussing plans
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20b40 64 61 79 20 61 6e 64 20 68 61 76 65 20 74 6f 20 day and have to
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20b60 72 69 76 61 6c 20 6f 66 20 73 63 61 72 79 20 70 rival of scary p
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20c20 20 67 65 74 20 61 20 62 69 74 20 6f 66 20 61 20 get a bit of a
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20c60 69 6e 74 65 72 66 61 63 65 20 6f 72 20 73 6f 6d interface or som
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22290 20 74 6f 20 6d 79 20 64 6f 6f 72 2e 20 20 57 68 to my door. Wh
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222e0 22 49 27 6c 6c 20 62 65 20 72 69 67 68 74 20 62 "I'll be right b
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223b0 20 41 20 6d 65 73 73 61 67 65 20 6e 6f 74 69 66 A message notif
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224c0 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 64 looked at the d
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224e0 64 20 22 2e 20 2e 20 2e 20 6d 65 6e 3f 22 20 20 d ". . . men?"
224f0 53 68 65 20 77 6f 6e 64 65 72 65 64 20 69 66 20 She wondered if
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22570 2f 2a 20 57 69 74 68 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 73 /* Without the s
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22630 20 63 68 6f 69 63 65 20 69 6e 20 68 6f 77 20 79 choice in how y
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22660 2c 20 6e 6f 20 6b 69 64 64 69 6e 67 2e 22 20 20 , no kidding."
22670 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 61 74 20 Alley looked at
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22750 0a 0a 22 48 65 72 65 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 .."Here," she sa
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22970 54 68 61 6e 6b 20 79 6f 75 20 66 6f 72 20 79 6f Thank you for yo
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22990 22 20 74 68 65 20 77 6f 6d 61 6e 20 73 61 69 64 " the woman said
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229b0 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 68 61 6e 64 65 64 20 74 68 . She handed th
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22b70 22 57 68 6f 20 61 72 65 20 74 68 6f 73 65 20 70 "Who are those p
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22b90 0a 22 49 20 64 6f 20 6e 6f 74 20 68 61 76 65 20 ."I do not have
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246c0 0a 22 54 68 61 74 20 64 6f 65 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 ."That does not
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25350 20 74 68 69 6e 67 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 71 75 69 63 thing more quic
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253f0 20 76 61 6c 75 65 20 69 74 65 6d 20 62 65 63 61 value item beca
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25430 54 68 69 73 20 69 73 20 61 6c 73 6f 20 61 6e 20 This is also an
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25640 2c 20 74 6f 6f 2e 22 0a 0a 54 77 6f 20 68 6f 75 , too."..Two hou
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25d00 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 2c 20 74 68 65 79 20 63 6f people, they co
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26fb0 20 67 6f 6f 64 62 79 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 67 6f goodbye, and go
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27250 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 64 6f " She looked do
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274e0 0a 22 59 6f 75 20 6d 65 61 6e 20 49 20 63 61 6e ."You mean I can
274f0 20 6d 61 6b 65 20 74 68 65 6d 20 74 68 69 6e 6b make them think
27500 20 49 27 6d 20 65 78 61 63 74 6c 79 20 77 68 61 I'm exactly wha
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27580 20 6f 66 20 61 20 70 61 77 6e 2e 22 0a 0a 22 59 of a pawn.".."Y
27590 65 73 2c 20 63 68 65 73 73 20 69 73 20 61 20 67 es, chess is a g
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27640 6c 2e 20 20 22 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 79 6f 75 l. "I guess you
27650 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 65 76 65 6e 20 68 61 76 65 don't even have
27660 20 61 6e 79 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 69 64 65 61 73 20 any good ideas
27670 61 62 6f 75 74 20 68 6f 77 20 74 6f 20 65 73 63 about how to esc
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276a0 74 6f 20 74 68 61 74 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 2c 20 74 to that point, t
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276d0 73 75 67 67 65 73 74 69 6f 6e 20 66 6f 72 20 74 suggestion for t
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27750 6f 6e 66 69 64 65 6e 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 63 6f onfident that co
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27790 6c 65 73 2e 22 0a 0a 22 54 68 69 73 20 69 73 20 les.".."This is
277a0 2e 20 2e 20 2e 20 6e 6f 2e 20 20 4e 6f 2c 20 74 . . . no. No, t
277b0 68 69 73 20 64 61 79 20 63 61 6e 27 74 20 62 65 his day can't be
277c0 20 68 61 70 70 65 6e 69 6e 67 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 happening.".."I
277d0 66 20 79 6f 75 20 77 61 6e 74 20 74 6f 20 6d 61 f you want to ma
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2ad40 20 61 20 6a 6f 75 72 6e 61 6c 69 73 74 20 67 65 a journalist ge
2ad50 74 73 20 6f 62 73 65 73 73 65 64 20 77 69 74 68 ts obsessed with
2ad60 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 6d 75 6e 64 61 6e 65 20 62 75 some mundane bu
2ad70 74 20 6f 62 73 63 75 72 65 20 73 75 62 6a 65 63 t obscure subjec
2ad80 74 20 66 6f 72 20 61 20 79 65 61 72 20 6f 72 20 t for a year or
2ad90 74 77 6f 20 61 6e 64 20 77 72 69 74 65 73 20 61 two and writes a
2ada0 20 6c 6f 6e 67 20 62 6f 6f 6b 20 61 62 6f 75 74 long book about
2adb0 20 61 6c 6c 20 74 68 65 20 77 65 69 72 64 20 73 all the weird s
2adc0 74 75 66 66 20 6d 6f 73 74 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 tuff most people
2add0 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 6e 65 76 65 72 20 6b 6e 6f would never kno
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2adf0 65 63 74 20 6f 74 68 65 72 77 69 73 65 2e 22 0a ect otherwise.".
2ae00 0a 22 48 6d 6d 2e 20 20 54 68 61 74 27 73 20 69 ."Hmm. That's i
2ae10 6e 74 65 72 65 73 74 69 6e 67 2e 20 20 49 20 67 nteresting. I g
2ae20 75 65 73 73 20 79 6f 75 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 6c uess you don't l
2ae30 69 6b 65 20 66 69 63 74 69 6f 6e 20 61 73 20 6d ike fiction as m
2ae40 75 63 68 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 20 uch, then.".."I
2ae50 6c 69 6b 65 20 74 6f 20 72 65 61 64 20 66 69 63 like to read fic
2ae60 74 69 6f 6e 2c 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 69 6d 65 73 2e tion, sometimes.
2ae70 20 20 49 20 6a 75 73 74 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 75 I just don't u
2ae80 73 75 61 6c 6c 79 20 73 65 65 20 61 20 6e 6f 76 sually see a nov
2ae90 65 6c 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 20 74 68 61 el and think tha
2aea0 74 20 49 20 68 61 76 65 20 74 6f 20 72 65 61 64 t I have to read
2aeb0 20 69 74 2e 20 20 57 68 65 6e 20 73 6f 6d 65 6f it. When someo
2aec0 6e 65 20 49 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 72 65 63 6f 6d 6d ne I know recomm
2aed0 65 6e 64 73 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 6e 6f 76 65 6c 2c ends some novel,
2aee0 20 49 27 6c 6c 20 70 72 6f 62 61 62 6c 79 20 72 I'll probably r
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2af00 27 76 65 20 61 6c 72 65 61 64 79 20 62 65 65 6e 've already been
2af10 20 62 75 72 6e 65 64 20 62 79 20 74 68 61 74 20 burned by that
2af20 70 65 72 73 6f 6e 27 73 20 62 61 64 20 74 61 73 person's bad tas
2af30 74 65 20 69 6e 20 6c 69 74 65 72 61 74 75 72 65 te in literature
2af40 20 72 65 63 6f 6d 6d 65 6e 64 61 74 69 6f 6e 73 recommendations
2af50 20 62 65 66 6f 72 65 2e 22 0a 0a 47 65 6f 72 67 before."..Georg
2af60 65 20 63 68 75 63 6b 6c 65 64 20 61 74 20 74 68 e chuckled at th
2af70 61 74 2e 20 20 22 49 27 76 65 20 67 6f 74 74 65 at. "I've gotte
2af80 6e 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 72 65 61 6c 20 73 74 69 6e n some real stin
2af90 6b 65 72 73 20 72 65 63 6f 6d 6d 65 6e 64 65 64 kers recommended
2afa0 20 74 6f 20 6d 65 2c 20 62 65 66 6f 72 65 2c 20 to me, before,
2afb0 74 6f 6f 2e 20 20 49 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 77 68 61 too. I know wha
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2afd0 20 74 68 61 74 2e 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 67 that."..Alley g
2afe0 61 76 65 20 68 69 6d 20 61 6e 20 61 6e 73 77 65 ave him an answe
2aff0 72 69 6e 67 20 73 6d 69 6c 65 2e 20 20 22 41 6e ring smile. "An
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2b010 73 20 74 65 6c 6c 20 6d 65 20 79 6f 75 20 72 65 s tell me you re
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2b030 69 63 74 69 6f 6e 2c 20 74 6f 6f 2e 22 0a 0a 48 iction, too."..H
2b040 65 20 67 6c 61 6e 63 65 64 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 e glanced at the
2b050 20 74 65 78 74 73 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 73 68 texts on the sh
2b060 65 6c 76 65 73 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 62 6f 6f elves of the boo
2b070 6b 20 63 61 73 65 73 2e 20 20 22 59 65 61 68 2c k cases. "Yeah,
2b080 22 20 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2c 20 22 49 27 6d 20 " he said, "I'm
2b090 61 6c 77 61 79 73 20 72 65 61 64 69 6e 67 20 73 always reading s
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2b0b0 20 74 6f 20 67 65 74 20 74 68 72 6f 75 67 68 20 to get through
2b0c0 6d 6f 72 65 20 74 68 61 6e 20 74 77 6f 20 65 64 more than two ed
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2b100 20 68 69 74 74 69 6e 67 20 74 68 72 65 65 20 6f hitting three o
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2b130 74 68 65 20 79 65 61 72 73 20 77 69 74 68 20 6f the years with o
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2b150 2e 20 20 49 20 70 72 6f 62 61 62 6c 79 20 61 76 . I probably av
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2b170 6e 6f 76 65 6c 20 70 65 72 20 77 65 65 2c 20 74 novel per wee, t
2b180 6f 6f 2c 20 73 6f 20 70 72 6f 62 61 62 6c 79 20 oo, so probably
2b190 74 68 65 20 6f 70 70 6f 73 69 74 65 20 6f 66 20 the opposite of
2b1a0 68 6f 77 20 79 6f 75 20 72 65 61 64 2e 22 0a 0a how you read."..
2b1b0 22 4e 6f 74 20 71 75 69 74 65 2c 22 20 73 68 65 "Not quite," she
2b1c0 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 49 20 70 72 6f 62 61 said. "I proba
2b1d0 62 6c 79 20 72 65 61 64 20 61 20 63 6f 75 70 6c bly read a coupl
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2b1f0 20 62 75 74 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 73 69 78 20 6f 72 but only six or
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2b220 61 6d 65 20 79 65 61 72 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 74 20 ame year.".."It
2b230 73 6f 75 6e 64 73 20 74 6f 20 6d 65 20 6c 69 6b sounds to me lik
2b240 65 20 79 6f 75 20 77 69 73 68 20 79 6f 75 20 72 e you wish you r
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2b260 69 64 2e 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 68 2c 20 49 20 67 75 id..."Yeah, I gu
2b270 65 73 73 20 49 20 64 6f 2e 22 0a 0a 22 4f 6e 65 ess I do.".."One
2b280 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 73 65 63 72 65 74 73 20 of the secrets
2b290 6f 66 20 6d 79 20 72 65 61 64 69 6e 67 20 73 75 of my reading su
2b2a0 63 63 65 73 73 20 69 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 49 20 ccess is that I
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2b2d0 61 20 63 6f 6d 70 75 74 65 72 20 73 63 72 65 65 a computer scree
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2b300 77 68 6f 6c 65 20 6c 6f 74 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 74 whole lot more t
2b310 68 61 6e 20 49 20 64 6f 2c 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 han I do, though
2b320 2e 22 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 6e 6f 64 64 65 64 2e 20 ."..She nodded.
2b330 20 22 49 20 6b 6e 6f 77 2e 20 20 4d 79 20 75 6e "I know. My un
2b340 63 6c 65 20 75 73 65 64 20 74 6f 20 72 65 61 64 cle used to read
2b350 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 66 6f 75 72 20 6f 72 20 66 about four or f
2b360 69 76 65 20 74 69 6d 65 73 20 61 73 20 6d 75 63 ive times as muc
2b370 68 20 61 73 20 79 6f 75 2e 20 20 4d 79 20 65 78 h as you. My ex
2b380 20 70 72 6f 62 61 62 6c 79 20 72 65 61 64 73 20 probably reads
2b390 61 62 6f 75 74 20 61 73 20 6d 75 63 68 20 61 73 about as much as
2b3a0 20 79 6f 75 2c 20 62 75 74 20 68 65 20 68 61 73 you, but he has
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2b3d0 74 6f 6f 2e 22 0a 0a 22 59 6f 75 72 20 65 78 3f too.".."Your ex?
2b3e0 20 20 41 72 65 20 79 6f 75 20 64 69 76 6f 72 63 Are you divorc
2b3f0 65 64 3f 22 0a 0a 22 4f 68 2c 20 75 68 2c 20 6e ed?".."Oh, uh, n
2b400 6f 2e 20 20 48 65 20 77 61 73 20 6d 79 20 66 69 o. He was my fi
2b410 61 6e 63 c3 a9 2e 20 20 57 65 20 62 72 6f 6b 65 anc... We broke
2b420 20 69 74 20 6f 66 66 20 61 20 63 6f 75 70 6c 65 it off a couple
2b430 20 79 65 61 72 73 20 61 67 6f 2e 22 0a 0a 22 54 years ago.".."T
2b440 68 61 74 27 73 20 74 6f 6f 20 62 61 64 2e 20 20 hat's too bad.
2b450 44 6f 20 79 6f 75 20 77 61 6e 74 20 74 6f 20 74 Do you want to t
2b460 61 6c 6b 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 77 68 79 3f 22 0a alk about why?".
2b470 0a 53 68 65 20 73 68 69 66 74 65 64 20 68 65 72 .She shifted her
2b480 20 70 6f 73 69 74 69 6f 6e 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 position in the
2b490 20 63 68 61 69 72 2e 20 20 22 57 65 6c 6c 20 2e chair. "Well .
2b4a0 20 2e 20 2e 20 6d 61 79 62 65 20 6e 6f 74 2e 20 . . maybe not.
2b4b0 20 54 68 65 72 65 27 73 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 70 6f There's some po
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2b4d0 76 6f 6c 76 65 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 49 20 64 6f volved, and I do
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2b4f0 74 6f 20 67 65 74 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 73 6f 6d 65 to get into some
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2b510 74 20 6f 76 65 72 20 74 68 65 20 70 6f 6c 69 74 t over the polit
2b520 69 63 73 20 6f 66 20 69 74 2e 22 0a 0a 22 48 6d ics of it.".."Hm
2b530 6d 2e 20 20 54 68 61 74 20 73 6f 75 6e 64 73 20 m. That sounds
2b540 6f 6d 69 6e 6f 75 73 2e 20 20 57 61 73 20 68 65 ominous. Was he
2b550 20 61 20 70 6f 6c 69 74 69 63 69 61 6e 3f 22 0a a politician?".
2b560 0a 22 4e 6f 2e 20 2e 20 2e 20 2e 22 20 20 53 68 ."No. . . ." Sh
2b570 65 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 61 77 61 79 2e 0a 0a e looked away...
2b580 22 53 6f 72 72 79 2e 20 20 49 27 6d 20 6a 75 73 "Sorry. I'm jus
2b590 74 20 63 75 72 69 6f 75 73 2e 20 20 49 27 6c 6c t curious. I'll
2b5a0 20 64 72 6f 70 20 69 74 2e 22 0a 0a 22 54 68 61 drop it.".."Tha
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2b5c0 20 22 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 2e 22 0a 0a 22 57 68 "I guess.".."Wh
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2b5e0 20 73 74 6f 70 20 72 65 61 64 69 6e 67 20 73 6f stop reading so
2b5f0 20 6d 75 63 68 3f 22 0a 0a 22 48 75 68 3f 22 0a much?".."Huh?".
2b600 0a 22 59 6f 75 20 73 61 69 64 20 68 65 20 75 73 ."You said he us
2b610 65 64 20 74 6f 20 72 65 61 64 20 68 75 6e 64 72 ed to read hundr
2b620 65 64 73 20 6f 66 20 62 6f 6f 6b 73 20 61 20 79 eds of books a y
2b630 65 61 72 2e 20 20 57 68 79 20 64 69 64 20 79 6f ear. Why did yo
2b640 75 20 73 61 79 20 27 75 73 65 64 20 74 6f 27 3f u say 'used to'?
2b650 22 0a 0a 22 4f 68 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 69 67 ".."Oh," she sig
2b660 68 65 64 2e 20 20 22 48 65 20 64 69 65 64 2c 20 hed. "He died,
2b670 79 65 61 72 73 20 61 67 6f 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 27 years ago.".."I'
2b680 6d 20 73 6f 72 72 79 20 74 6f 20 68 65 61 72 20 m sorry to hear
2b690 69 74 2e 22 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 68 2c 22 20 73 68 it.".."Yeah," sh
2b6a0 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 48 65 20 64 65 63 e said. "He dec
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2b740 6e 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 77 61 73 20 61 20 73 65 n there was a se
2b750 72 69 65 73 20 6f 66 20 46 42 49 20 72 61 69 64 ries of FBI raid
2b760 73 20 6f 6e 20 27 6d 69 6c 69 74 69 61 73 27 20 s on 'militias'
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2b800 73 20 68 61 6e 64 20 62 75 69 6c 74 20 63 61 62 s hand built cab
2b810 69 6e 20 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 62 65 74 in out there bet
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2b900 20 20 48 65 20 77 61 73 20 72 65 61 6c 6c 79 20 He was really
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2b930 69 66 65 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 77 69 6c 64 20 ife in the wild
2b940 70 6c 61 63 65 73 20 77 68 65 72 65 20 6d 6f 73 places where mos
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2ba00 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 68 65 20 77 61 73 20 61 I guess he was a
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2ba40 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 2e 20 20 54 68 6f 73 65 20 77 , then. Those w
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2bad0 20 20 57 65 20 67 6f 74 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 68 69 We got into hi
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2baf0 2d 2d 20 77 65 6c 6c 2c 20 44 61 64 20 64 69 64 -- well, Dad did
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2bba0 73 65 6c 76 65 73 2e 22 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 68 3f selves.".."Yeah?
2bbb0 20 20 57 68 61 74 20 68 61 70 70 65 6e 65 64 20 What happened
2bbc0 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 61 74 20 6c 61 77 73 75 69 with that lawsui
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2bbe0 68 61 70 70 65 6e 2e 20 20 57 68 69 6c 65 20 77 happen. While w
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2bc10 68 65 20 46 42 49 20 67 6f 74 20 61 20 73 65 61 he FBI got a sea
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2bce0 20 6a 75 73 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 79 20 just that they
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2bd10 20 6c 6f 67 69 6e 20 73 74 75 66 66 20 66 6f 72 login stuff for
2bd20 20 6d 79 20 75 6e 63 6c 65 27 73 20 56 50 53 2e my uncle's VPS.
2bd30 20 20 4f 66 20 63 6f 75 72 73 65 2c 20 74 68 65 Of course, the
2bd40 79 20 27 6c 6f 73 74 27 20 74 68 65 20 62 61 63 y 'lost' the bac
2bd50 6b 75 70 73 20 74 68 65 79 20 74 6f 6f 6b 20 66 kups they took f
2bd60 72 6f 6d 20 44 61 64 27 73 20 63 6f 6d 70 75 74 rom Dad's comput
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2bd80 74 69 6d 65 20 77 65 20 74 72 69 65 64 20 74 6f time we tried to
2bd90 20 64 6f 77 6e 6c 6f 61 64 20 74 68 65 20 76 69 download the vi
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2bdb0 20 63 6f 75 6c 64 20 73 68 6f 77 20 69 74 20 74 could show it t
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2be00 20 63 6f 6d 70 61 6e 79 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 64 65 company into de
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2be20 70 73 2e 0a 0a 22 41 66 74 65 72 20 61 6c 6c 20 ps..."After all
2be30 74 68 61 74 2c 20 77 65 20 77 65 6e 74 20 66 72 that, we went fr
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2be50 68 65 20 6c 61 77 79 65 72 20 63 61 6c 6c 65 64 he lawyer called
2be60 20 61 20 73 6c 61 6d 20 64 75 6e 6b 20 63 61 73 a slam dunk cas
2be70 65 20 74 6f 20 68 61 76 69 6e 67 20 6e 6f 20 63 e to having no c
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2be90 20 65 78 70 65 6e 73 65 73 2e 20 20 44 61 64 27 expenses. Dad'
2bea0 73 20 77 68 6f 6c 65 20 49 54 20 62 75 73 69 6e s whole IT busin
2beb0 65 73 73 20 77 61 73 20 6f 62 6c 69 74 65 72 61 ess was oblitera
2bec0 74 65 64 20 69 6e 20 61 6e 20 69 6e 73 74 61 6e ted in an instan
2bed0 74 2c 20 74 6f 6f 2e 20 20 48 65 20 68 61 64 20 t, too. He had
2bee0 74 6f 20 67 65 74 20 61 20 73 79 73 61 64 6d 69 to get a sysadmi
2bef0 6e 20 6a 6f 62 20 61 74 20 61 20 63 6f 6e 74 69 n job at a conti
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2bf20 73 63 68 6f 6f 6c 20 64 72 6f 70 6f 75 74 73 20 school dropouts
2bf30 61 66 74 65 72 20 74 68 61 74 2e 22 0a 0a 47 65 after that."..Ge
2bf40 6f 72 67 65 20 6a 75 73 74 20 73 68 6f 6f 6b 20 orge just shook
2bf50 68 69 73 20 68 65 61 64 2e 20 20 22 49 20 77 69 his head. "I wi
2bf60 73 68 20 49 20 68 61 64 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 sh I had somethi
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2bf80 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 61 74 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 74 bout that.".."It
2bf90 27 73 20 66 69 6e 65 2e 20 20 49 74 27 73 20 61 's fine. It's a
2bfa0 6e 63 69 65 6e 74 20 68 69 73 74 6f 72 79 20 66 ncient history f
2bfb0 6f 72 20 6d 65 2c 20 6e 6f 77 2c 61 6e 64 20 49 or me, now,and I
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2bfe0 72 64 2c 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 2e 20 20 49 20 77 rd, though. I w
2bff0 61 73 20 69 6e 20 68 69 67 68 20 73 63 68 6f 6f as in high schoo
2c000 6c 20 77 68 65 6e 20 69 74 20 61 6c 6c 20 68 61 l when it all ha
2c010 70 70 65 6e 65 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 49 20 63 6f ppened, and I co
2c020 75 6c 64 6e 27 74 20 66 6f 63 75 73 20 6f 6e 20 uldn't focus on
2c030 73 63 68 6f 6f 6c 77 6f 72 6b 20 61 74 20 61 6c schoolwork at al
2c040 6c 2e 0a 0a 22 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 61 6c 6c l..."I guess all
2c050 20 74 68 61 74 20 6d 69 67 68 74 20 68 61 76 65 that might have
2c060 20 63 6f 6e 74 72 69 62 75 74 65 64 20 74 6f 20 contributed to
2c070 6d 65 20 66 61 6c 6c 69 6e 67 20 69 6e 20 6c 6f me falling in lo
2c080 76 65 20 77 69 74 68 20 44 61 6c 74 6f 6e 2e 22 ve with Dalton."
2c090 0a 0a 22 44 61 6c 74 6f 6e 3f 22 20 68 65 20 61 .."Dalton?" he a
2c0a0 73 6b 65 64 2e 0a 0a 22 4f 68 2c 20 73 68 69 74 sked..."Oh, shit
2c0b0 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 49 ," she said. "I
2c0c0 20 64 69 64 6e 27 74 20 73 61 79 20 27 6d 79 20 didn't say 'my
2c0d0 65 78 27 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 69 6d 65 2e 22 0a ex' that time.".
2c0e0 0a 48 65 20 6e 6f 64 64 65 64 2e 20 20 22 44 61 .He nodded. "Da
2c0f0 6c 74 6f 6e 20 53 63 68 61 65 66 66 65 72 2d 48 lton Schaeffer-H
2c100 65 61 72 73 74 2e 22 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 68 2e 22 earst.".."Yeah."
2c110 20 20 53 68 65 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 61 74 20 She looked at
2c120 68 69 6d 2c 20 77 61 72 79 2e 0a 0a 22 49 20 67 him, wary..."I g
2c130 75 65 73 73 20 49 20 63 61 6e 20 73 65 65 20 77 uess I can see w
2c140 68 79 20 79 6f 75 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 77 61 6e hy you don't wan
2c150 74 20 74 6f 20 62 72 69 6e 67 20 74 68 61 74 20 t to bring that
2c160 75 70 20 6d 75 63 68 2e 20 20 48 65 27 73 20 61 up much. He's a
2c170 20 63 6f 6e 74 72 6f 76 65 72 73 69 61 6c 20 66 controversial f
2c180 69 67 75 72 65 2e 22 0a 0a 2f 2a 20 22 59 65 61 igure."../* "Yea
2c190 68 2c 20 68 65 20 69 73 2e 20 20 49 20 63 61 6e h, he is. I can
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2c1b0 6d 20 75 70 20 61 72 6f 75 6e 64 20 61 6e 79 6f m up around anyo
2c1c0 6e 65 2c 20 72 65 61 6c 6c 79 2e 20 20 45 69 74 ne, really. Eit
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2c1e0 6d 65 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 20 49 20 67 6f 74 me because I got
2c1f0 20 65 6e 67 61 67 65 64 20 74 6f 20 68 69 6d 2c engaged to him,
2c200 20 6f 72 20 74 68 65 79 20 68 61 74 65 20 6d 65 or they hate me
2c210 20 66 6f 72 20 6c 65 61 76 69 6e 67 20 68 69 6d for leaving him
2c220 2e 22 20 2a 2f 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 68 2c 20 68 65 ." */.."Yeah, he
2c230 20 69 73 2e 20 20 54 68 65 72 65 20 69 73 6e 27 is. There isn'
2c240 74 20 72 65 61 6c 6c 79 20 61 6e 79 6f 6e 65 20 t really anyone
2c250 49 20 63 61 6e 20 74 61 6c 6b 20 74 6f 20 61 62 I can talk to ab
2c260 6f 75 74 20 68 69 6d 2e 20 20 45 69 74 68 65 72 out him. Either
2c270 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 68 61 74 65 20 6d 65 20 people hate me
2c280 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 20 49 20 67 6f 74 20 65 6e because I got en
2c290 67 61 67 65 64 20 74 6f 20 68 69 6d 2c 20 6f 72 gaged to him, or
2c2a0 20 74 68 65 79 20 68 61 74 65 20 6d 65 20 66 6f they hate me fo
2c2b0 72 20 6c 65 61 76 69 6e 67 20 68 69 6d 2e 22 0a r leaving him.".
2c2c0 0a 22 49 20 63 6f 75 6c 64 20 73 65 65 20 74 68 ."I could see th
2c2d0 61 74 2c 22 20 47 65 6f 72 67 65 20 73 61 69 64 at," George said
2c2e0 2e 20 20 22 49 20 77 6f 6e 27 74 20 68 61 74 65 . "I won't hate
2c2f0 20 79 6f 75 20 66 6f 72 20 65 69 74 68 65 72 20 you for either
2c300 72 65 61 73 6f 6e 2e 22 0a 0a 22 54 68 61 6e 6b reason.".."Thank
2c310 73 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 s," she said. "
2c320 54 68 61 74 27 73 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 74 6f 20 68 That's good to h
2c330 65 61 72 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 27 6c 6c 20 6a 75 73 ear.".."I'll jus
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2c350 73 74 72 61 69 67 68 74 66 6f 72 77 61 72 64 20 straightforward
2c360 77 69 74 68 20 79 6f 75 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 77 with you about w
2c370 68 61 74 20 49 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 20 61 62 6f 75 hat I think abou
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2c3c0 69 74 68 20 6d 65 2e 20 20 49 20 77 6f 6e 27 74 ith me. I won't
2c3d0 20 68 6f 6c 64 20 69 74 20 61 67 61 69 6e 73 74 hold it against
2c3e0 20 79 6f 75 2c 20 77 68 61 74 65 76 65 72 20 79 you, whatever y
2c3f0 6f 75 20 64 65 63 69 64 65 2c 20 62 75 74 20 49 ou decide, but I
2c400 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 69 74 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 6e guess it wouldn
2c410 27 74 20 6d 61 74 74 65 72 20 69 66 20 79 6f 75 't matter if you
2c420 20 64 69 64 6e 27 74 20 77 61 6e 74 20 74 6f 20 didn't want to
2c430 62 65 20 61 72 6f 75 6e 64 20 6d 65 20 61 6e 79 be around me any
2c440 20 6c 6f 6e 67 65 72 20 61 6e 79 77 61 79 2e 22 longer anyway."
2c450 0a 0a 22 59 6f 75 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 68 61 76 .."You don't hav
2c460 65 20 74 6f 20 64 6f 20 74 68 61 74 2c 22 20 73 e to do that," s
2c470 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 0a 0a 48 65 20 73 6d 69 he said...He smi
2c480 6c 65 64 2c 20 70 65 72 68 61 70 73 20 61 20 62 led, perhaps a b
2c490 69 74 20 73 61 64 6c 79 2e 20 20 22 49 20 74 68 it sadly. "I th
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2c4b0 20 62 65 73 74 2c 20 75 6e 6c 65 73 73 20 79 6f best, unless yo
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2c4e0 66 6f 72 20 61 6e 79 20 72 65 61 73 6f 6e 2e 20 for any reason.
2c4f0 20 49 27 6c 6c 20 72 65 73 70 65 63 74 20 74 68 I'll respect th
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2c530 68 65 61 72 20 6e 6f 74 68 69 6e 67 20 61 62 6f hear nothing abo
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2c550 69 74 61 74 65 64 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 73 68 72 itated, then shr
2c560 75 67 67 65 64 2e 20 20 22 47 6f 20 61 68 65 61 ugged. "Go ahea
2c570 64 2c 20 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 2c 22 20 73 68 65 d, I guess," she
2c580 20 73 61 69 64 2e 0a 0a 48 65 20 6e 6f 64 64 65 said...He nodde
2c590 64 2e 20 20 22 49 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 74 20 68 d. "I thought h
2c5a0 65 20 77 61 73 20 70 72 65 74 74 79 20 67 72 65 e was pretty gre
2c5b0 61 74 2e 20 20 48 65 20 68 61 64 20 61 20 6c 6f at. He had a lo
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2c600 20 74 65 63 68 6e 6f 6c 6f 67 79 2c 20 6c 61 77 technology, law
2c610 20 65 6e 66 6f 72 63 65 6d 65 6e 74 2c 20 77 61 enforcement, wa
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2c6b0 20 6d 75 63 68 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 49 20 77 61 73 much, and I was
2c6c0 20 64 69 73 61 70 70 6f 69 6e 74 65 64 20 62 79 disappointed by
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2c700 2c 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 20 68 65 20 73 74 69 , because he sti
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2c7c0 61 6e 2e 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 20 6f 66 66 65 6e 73 65 an..."No offense
2c7d0 2c 20 6f 66 20 63 6f 75 72 73 65 2c 20 62 75 74 , of course, but
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2c900 49 20 64 6f 20 72 65 6d 65 6d 62 65 72 2c 20 62 I do remember, b
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2c940 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e he said somethin
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2c960 77 68 6f 20 63 61 6c 6c 65 64 20 69 6e 20 74 6f who called in to
2c970 20 61 73 6b 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 79 6f 75 2e 20 ask about you.
2c980 20 48 65 20 73 61 69 64 20 74 68 61 74 20 69 74 He said that it
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2caa0 20 68 65 20 68 61 64 20 74 6f 20 73 61 79 20 61 he had to say a
2cab0 62 6f 75 74 20 69 74 2e 22 0a 0a 22 4f 68 2c 22 bout it.".."Oh,"
2cac0 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 49 20 64 she said. "I d
2cad0 69 64 6e 27 74 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 61 62 6f 75 74 idn't know about
2cae0 20 74 68 61 74 20 2d 2d 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 68 that -- about h
2caf0 69 6d 20 73 61 79 69 6e 67 20 74 68 61 74 2e 22 im saying that."
2cb00 0a 0a 47 65 6f 72 67 65 20 73 68 72 75 67 67 65 ..George shrugge
2cb10 64 2e 20 20 22 49 74 20 77 61 73 20 74 68 65 20 d. "It was the
2cb20 73 74 61 6e 64 20 75 70 20 74 68 69 6e 67 20 74 stand up thing t
2cb30 6f 20 64 6f 2c 20 62 75 74 20 69 74 20 64 69 64 o do, but it did
2cb40 6e 27 74 20 6d 61 6b 65 20 68 69 73 20 63 68 61 n't make his cha
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2cb60 20 6f 6e 20 69 64 65 6f 6c 6f 67 79 20 61 6e 79 on ideology any
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2cb80 67 20 74 6f 20 6d 65 2c 20 73 6f 20 69 74 20 64 g to me, so it d
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2cba0 73 74 65 6e 69 6e 67 2e 22 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 68 stening.".."Yeah
2cbb0 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 49 ," she said. "I
2cbc0 20 67 65 74 20 74 68 61 74 2e 22 0a 0a 22 53 6f get that.".."So
2cbd0 20 2e 20 2e 20 2e 20 77 68 61 74 20 64 6f 20 79 . . . what do y
2cbe0 6f 75 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 3f 20 20 41 72 65 20 6d ou think? Are m
2cbf0 79 20 76 69 65 77 73 20 6f 6e 20 69 74 20 69 6e y views on it in
2cc00 74 6f 6c 65 72 61 62 6c 65 3f 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c tolerable?"..All
2cc10 65 79 20 73 6d 69 6c 65 64 2e 20 20 22 4e 6f 2c ey smiled. "No,
2cc20 20 6e 6f 74 20 61 74 20 61 6c 6c 2e 20 20 54 68 not at all. Th
2cc30 61 74 27 73 20 61 63 74 75 61 6c 6c 79 20 6b 69 at's actually ki
2cc40 6e 64 61 20 68 6f 77 20 49 20 66 65 6c 74 20 61 nda how I felt a
2cc50 62 6f 75 74 20 68 69 73 20 69 64 65 6f 6c 6f 67 bout his ideolog
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2cc70 69 6b 65 64 20 69 74 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 62 65 66 iked it more bef
2cc80 6f 72 65 20 74 68 65 20 63 68 61 6e 67 65 20 74 ore the change t
2cc90 68 61 6e 20 61 66 74 65 72 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 77 han after, and w
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2ccc0 48 65 20 73 74 69 6c 6c 20 68 61 64 20 70 72 69 He still had pri
2ccd0 6e 63 69 70 6c 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 74 69 6c nciple, and stil
2cce0 6c 20 77 61 73 6e 27 74 20 74 68 65 20 63 61 72 l wasn't the car
2ccf0 69 63 61 74 75 72 65 20 6f 66 20 61 6c 74 2d 72 icature of alt-r
2cd00 69 67 68 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 ight that people
2cd10 20 61 73 73 75 6d 65 64 2c 20 62 75 74 20 49 20 assumed, but I
2cd20 64 69 64 6e 27 74 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 68 69 73 20 didn't like his
2cd30 6e 65 77 20 70 6f 6c 69 74 69 63 73 20 61 74 20 new politics at
2cd40 61 6c 6c 2e 22 0a 0a 22 54 68 61 74 20 6d 75 73 all.".."That mus
2cd50 74 20 68 61 76 65 20 6d 61 64 65 20 69 74 20 64 t have made it d
2cd60 69 66 66 69 63 75 6c 74 20 74 6f 20 6c 69 76 65 ifficult to live
2cd70 20 77 69 74 68 20 68 69 6d 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 74 with him.".."It
2cd80 20 74 6f 6f 6b 20 69 74 73 20 74 6f 6c 6c 2e 20 took its toll.
2cd90 20 50 61 72 74 20 6f 66 20 69 74 2c 20 74 68 6f Part of it, tho
2cda0 75 67 68 2c 20 77 61 73 20 74 68 65 20 66 61 63 ugh, was the fac
2cdb0 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 69 74 20 61 66 66 65 63 74 t that it affect
2cdc0 65 64 20 6d 79 20 6c 69 66 65 20 69 6e 20 6f 74 ed my life in ot
2cdd0 68 65 72 20 77 61 79 73 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 6d her ways. The m
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2cdf0 20 49 20 6e 65 65 64 65 64 20 74 6f 20 67 65 74 I needed to get
2ce00 20 6f 75 74 20 77 61 73 20 61 66 74 65 72 20 73 out was after s
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2ce20 6c 79 20 73 74 61 72 74 65 64 20 73 63 72 65 61 ly started screa
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2ce50 67 20 6d 65 20 74 68 65 20 27 73 69 64 65 20 64 g me the 'side d
2ce60 69 73 68 27 20 61 6e 64 20 61 63 63 75 73 69 6e ish' and accusin
2ce70 67 20 6d 65 20 6f 66 20 62 65 69 6e 67 20 61 20 g me of being a
2ce80 72 61 63 69 73 74 20 61 6e 64 20 73 74 75 66 66 racist and stuff
2ce90 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 74 68 61 74 2c 20 74 68 65 6e like that, then
2cea0 20 61 63 74 75 61 6c 6c 79 20 73 74 61 72 74 65 actually starte
2ceb0 64 20 68 69 74 74 69 6e 67 20 6d 65 2e 20 20 49 d hitting me. I
2cec0 20 73 68 6f 76 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 62 61 63 6b shoved her back
2ced0 20 61 6e 64 20 72 61 6e 20 74 6f 20 6d 79 20 63 and ran to my c
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2cef0 64 20 63 61 6c 6c 65 64 20 69 6e 20 61 20 70 6f d called in a po
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2cf10 20 6f 66 20 63 6f 75 72 73 65 20 6e 6f 74 68 69 of course nothi
2cf20 6e 67 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 65 76 65 72 20 68 61 ng would ever ha
2cf30 70 70 65 6e 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 61 74 2e 20 ppen from that.
2cf40 20 49 20 6e 65 76 65 72 20 68 65 61 72 64 20 62 I never heard b
2cf50 61 63 6b 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 69 74 2e 22 0a 0a ack about it."..
2cf60 42 79 20 74 68 65 20 74 69 6d 65 20 73 68 65 20 By the time she
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2cfe0 0a 53 68 65 20 73 68 72 75 67 67 65 64 20 68 65 .She shrugged he
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2d260 6b 65 64 2e 0a 0a 22 57 68 61 74 3f 22 0a 0a 22 ked..."What?".."
2d270 59 6f 75 20 73 61 69 64 20 79 6f 75 20 77 61 6e You said you wan
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2d600 4f 6b 61 79 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2c Okay," she said,
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2d670 0a 0a 22 46 69 72 73 74 2c 20 49 20 77 61 6e 74 .."First, I want
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2d6d0 2e 22 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 68 2e 20 20 49 74 20 69 .".."Yeah. It i
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2d8b0 0a 0a 22 48 6d 6d 2e 22 20 20 48 65 20 74 68 6f .."Hmm." He tho
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2d9a0 0a 22 59 65 61 68 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 ."Yeah," she sai
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2e190 22 54 68 61 74 27 73 20 70 72 65 74 74 79 20 6d "That's pretty m
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2e440 68 61 6e 64 73 2e 0a 0a 22 49 27 6c 6c 20 74 65 hands..."I'll te
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2e6e0 0a 0a 22 59 6f 75 20 77 61 6e 74 20 74 6f 20 68 .."You want to h
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2e970 57 68 79 20 61 72 65 20 79 6f 75 20 6f 66 66 65 Why are you offe
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2f1a0 63 61 73 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 6f case, and some o
2f1b0 66 20 74 68 65 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 49 27 6d f the people I'm
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2f200 20 64 6f 20 6a 6f 62 73 20 77 68 65 72 65 20 74 do jobs where t
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2f230 20 68 6f 77 20 6d 75 63 68 20 73 6f 6d 65 6f 6e how much someon
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2f250 67 6f 6f 64 20 74 68 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 64 6f good thing to do
2f260 2e 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 66 72 6f 77 6e 65 ."..Alley frowne
2f270 64 2e 20 20 22 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 79 6f 75 d. "I guess you
2f280 20 70 72 6f 62 61 62 6c 79 20 61 72 65 6e 27 74 probably aren't
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2f370 20 74 68 69 73 20 6b 69 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 74 68 this kind of th
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2f390 79 6f 75 20 74 65 6c 6c 69 6e 67 20 6d 65 20 61 you telling me a
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2f3b0 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 70 75 74 20 79 6f 75 20 69 t that put you i
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2f400 66 20 49 20 68 61 76 65 20 74 6f 2e 20 20 49 20 f I have to. I
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2f600 74 68 65 20 55 53 20 49 6e 74 65 6c 6c 69 67 65 the US Intellige
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2f630 20 6d 61 6e 75 66 61 63 74 75 72 65 64 20 73 70 manufactured sp
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2f800 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 79 20 77 6f 6e 27 74 that they won't
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2f840 20 62 75 74 20 74 68 61 74 27 73 20 6a 75 73 74 but that's just
2f850 20 61 20 6d 61 74 74 65 72 20 6f 66 20 73 69 74 a matter of sit
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2f880 65 6e 64 69 6e 67 20 75 70 20 64 69 73 61 70 70 ending up disapp
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2f8a0 79 6f 75 20 6e 65 76 65 72 20 74 72 69 65 64 20 you never tried
2f8b0 74 6f 20 64 6f 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20 to do something
2f8c0 74 6f 20 70 72 6f 74 65 63 74 20 79 6f 75 72 73 to protect yours
2f8d0 65 6c 66 2e 22 0a 0a 22 53 68 69 74 2c 22 20 73 elf.".."Shit," s
2f8e0 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 57 68 61 74 20 he said. "What
2f8f0 61 62 6f 75 74 20 67 65 74 74 69 6e 67 20 72 65 about getting re
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2f910 77 61 69 74 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 73 65 65 20 68 waiting to see h
2f920 6f 77 20 74 68 69 6e 67 73 20 67 6f 3f 20 20 49 ow things go? I
2f930 20 6d 65 61 6e 2c 20 49 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 6e mean, I shouldn
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2f960 74 3f 22 0a 0a 22 49 74 27 73 20 61 20 72 69 73 t?".."It's a ris
2f970 6b 2e 20 20 54 68 61 74 27 73 20 61 6c 6c 20 74 k. That's all t
2f980 68 65 72 65 20 69 73 20 74 6f 20 69 74 2e 20 20 here is to it.
2f990 54 68 65 79 27 72 65 20 6e 6f 74 20 67 6f 69 6e They're not goin
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2fa00 20 6d 69 67 68 74 20 62 65 20 74 68 65 20 6f 6e might be the on
2fa10 6c 79 20 77 61 72 6e 69 6e 67 20 79 6f 75 20 67 ly warning you g
2fa20 65 74 2e 20 20 4d 61 79 62 65 20 79 6f 75 20 63 et. Maybe you c
2fa30 61 6e 20 70 75 6c 6c 20 69 74 20 6f 66 66 2c 20 an pull it off,
2fa40 74 68 6f 75 67 68 2e 0a 0a 22 4d 79 20 66 69 72 though..."My fir
2fa50 73 74 20 77 61 72 6e 69 6e 67 20 74 68 61 74 20 st warning that
2fa60 74 68 65 79 20 6d 69 67 68 74 20 63 6f 6d 65 20 they might come
2fa70 66 6f 72 20 6d 65 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 70 72 6f for me would pro
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2fa90 61 70 70 65 61 72 69 6e 67 2c 20 74 68 6f 75 67 appearing, thoug
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2fae0 27 72 65 20 6f 6e 20 6d 79 20 74 61 69 6c 2e 20 're on my tail.
2faf0 20 49 27 6c 6c 20 6d 61 6b 65 20 6d 79 73 65 6c I'll make mysel
2fb00 66 20 64 69 73 61 70 70 65 61 72 2c 20 69 6e 73 f disappear, ins
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2fb20 61 72 6f 75 6e 64 20 74 6f 20 73 65 65 20 69 66 around to see if
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2fb70 59 65 61 68 2e 20 20 54 68 61 74 27 73 20 61 20 Yeah. That's a
2fb80 6c 6f 74 20 74 6f 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 20 61 62 6f lot to think abo
2fb90 75 74 2e 20 20 49 27 6d 20 67 6f 69 6e 67 20 74 ut. I'm going t
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2fbb0 61 62 6f 75 74 20 69 74 2e 22 0a 0a 48 65 20 6e about it."..He n
2fbc0 6f 64 64 65 64 2e 20 20 22 59 6f 75 20 73 68 6f odded. "You sho
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2fbe0 20 68 61 72 64 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 69 74 2c 22 hard about it,"
2fbf0 20 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 53 74 61 79 he said. "Stay
2fc00 20 61 6c 65 72 74 2c 20 74 72 79 20 74 6f 20 61 alert, try to a
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2fc60 54 72 79 20 74 6f 20 6b 65 65 70 20 74 68 65 6d Try to keep them
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2fca0 73 74 20 79 6f 75 2e 0a 0a 22 4d 6f 73 74 6c 79 st you..."Mostly
2fcb0 2c 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 2c 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 20 , though, think
2fcc0 68 61 72 64 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 20 66 hard and think f
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2fcf0 20 69 74 2c 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 20 79 6f 75 it, because you
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2fd10 6d 75 63 68 20 74 69 6d 65 20 79 6f 75 20 68 61 much time you ha
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2fd30 64 65 63 69 73 69 6f 6e 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 61 73 decision, and as
2fd40 20 64 65 63 69 73 69 6f 6e 73 20 67 6f 20 74 68 decisions go th
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2fd60 20 49 74 20 6d 69 67 68 74 20 62 65 20 74 68 65 It might be the
2fd70 20 62 69 67 67 65 73 74 20 6f 66 20 79 6f 75 72 biggest of your
2fd80 20 6c 69 66 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 20 70 72 65 life.".."No pre
2fd90 73 73 75 72 65 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 ssure," she said
2fda0 2c 20 77 69 74 68 20 61 20 77 72 79 20 73 6d 69 , with a wry smi
2fdb0 6c 65 2e 0a 0a 22 59 6f 75 20 67 6f 74 20 69 74 le..."You got it
2fdc0 2e 22 20 20 48 65 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 61 74 ." He looked at
2fdd0 20 68 69 73 20 62 6f 6f 6b 20 63 61 73 65 73 2c his book cases,
2fde0 20 74 68 65 6e 20 73 74 6f 6f 64 20 61 6e 64 20 then stood and
2fdf0 77 61 6c 6b 65 64 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 6d 2e 20 walked to them.
2fe00 20 48 65 20 70 75 6c 6c 65 64 20 61 20 63 6f 75 He pulled a cou
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2fe40 68 61 69 72 20 77 68 65 72 65 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 hair where Alley
2fe50 20 73 61 74 20 61 6e 64 20 68 65 6c 64 20 74 68 sat and held th
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2fe70 22 48 65 72 65 2e 20 20 47 69 76 65 20 74 68 65 "Here. Give the
2fe80 73 65 20 61 20 72 65 61 64 2c 20 69 66 20 79 6f se a read, if yo
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2fea0 68 65 20 61 63 63 65 70 74 65 64 20 74 68 65 6d he accepted them
2feb0 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 61 74 20 , and looked at
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2fef0 6f 74 68 65 72 20 77 61 73 20 2a 55 6e 64 65 72 other was *Under
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2ff10 22 57 68 61 74 20 61 72 65 20 74 68 65 73 65 3f "What are these?
2ff20 22 0a 0a 57 68 65 6e 20 68 65 20 73 61 77 20 73 "..When he saw s
2ff30 68 65 20 77 61 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 68 61 6e 64 69 he was not handi
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2ff50 20 77 65 6e 74 20 62 61 63 6b 20 74 6f 20 68 69 went back to hi
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2ff70 64 6f 77 6e 2e 20 20 22 41 67 6f 72 69 73 6d 20 down. "Agorism
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2ffb0 20 54 68 65 20 69 64 65 61 6c 20 69 73 20 6c 69 The ideal is li
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30020 20 64 6f 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 73 61 6d 65 20 doing the same
30030 74 68 69 6e 67 2c 20 74 6f 20 63 68 61 6e 67 65 thing, to change
30040 20 74 68 65 20 77 6f 72 6c 64 20 66 6f 72 20 74 the world for t
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30080 20 74 68 65 20 61 67 6f 72 69 73 6d 20 62 6f 6f the agorism boo
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300b0 20 77 61 79 20 74 6f 20 73 74 61 72 76 65 20 74 way to starve t
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30100 6e 2c 20 62 61 73 69 63 61 6c 6c 79 20 74 75 72 n, basically tur
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30130 69 74 69 63 61 6c 20 72 65 76 6f 6c 75 74 69 6f itical revolutio
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30150 68 69 6e 6b 20 69 74 27 73 20 76 65 72 79 20 72 hink it's very r
30160 65 61 6c 69 73 74 69 63 20 74 6f 20 65 78 70 65 ealistic to expe
30170 63 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 6f 20 77 6f 72 6b 20 ct that to work
30180 74 68 65 20 77 61 79 20 68 65 20 68 6f 70 65 64 the way he hoped
30190 2e 20 20 49 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 20 69 74 20 68 61 . I think it ha
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301c0 20 63 6f 6d 6d 75 6e 69 74 69 65 73 20 74 68 61 communities tha
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301f0 20 63 68 6f 6f 73 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 6d 61 6b choosing to mak
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30230 73 20 70 6f 73 73 69 62 6c 65 2e 0a 0a 22 4f 70 s possible..."Op
30240 53 65 63 20 69 73 20 68 6f 77 20 74 6f 20 6b 65 Sec is how to ke
30250 65 70 20 79 6f 75 72 73 65 6c 66 20 6f 66 66 20 ep yourself off
30260 74 68 65 20 72 61 64 61 72 20 6f 66 20 70 65 6f the radar of peo
30270 70 6c 65 20 77 68 6f 20 61 72 65 20 6c 6f 6f 6b ple who are look
30280 69 6e 67 20 66 6f 72 20 79 6f 75 2c 20 77 68 65 ing for you, whe
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302a0 62 6f 75 74 20 79 6f 75 20 70 65 72 73 6f 6e 61 bout you persona
302b0 6c 6c 79 20 6f 72 20 6a 75 73 74 20 77 61 6e 74 lly or just want
302c0 20 73 6f 6d 65 6f 6e 65 20 77 68 6f 20 66 69 74 someone who fit
302d0 73 20 61 20 70 72 6f 66 69 6c 65 2c 20 68 69 64 s a profile, hid
302e0 69 6e 67 20 77 68 61 74 20 79 6f 75 20 64 6f 2c ing what you do,
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30330 6b 65 65 70 20 64 6f 69 6e 67 20 69 74 2e 20 20 keep doing it.
30340 54 68 61 74 20 62 6f 6f 6b 20 69 73 20 61 62 6f That book is abo
30350 75 74 20 4f 70 53 65 63 20 66 6f 72 20 70 65 6f ut OpSec for peo
30360 70 6c 65 20 77 68 6f 20 6c 69 76 65 20 62 65 6c ple who live bel
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304b0 2c 20 66 6f 72 20 72 65 61 73 6f 6e 73 20 6f 74 , for reasons ot
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304d0 6e 64 20 6d 75 72 64 65 72 2c 20 73 75 63 68 20 nd murder, such
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305a0 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 61 74 " She looked at
305b0 20 74 68 65 20 62 6f 6f 6b 73 20 61 67 61 69 6e the books again
305c0 2e 0a 0a 22 59 6f 75 20 63 61 6e 20 74 68 69 6e ..."You can thin
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30690 74 68 65 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 67 75 79 73 2e 22 0a the good guys.".
306a0 0a 22 41 72 65 20 79 6f 75 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 6b ."Are you some k
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306c0 3f 22 0a 0a 48 65 20 73 68 72 75 67 67 65 64 2e ?"..He shrugged.
306d0 20 20 22 4d 61 79 62 65 2e 20 20 56 6f 6c 75 6e "Maybe. Volun
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306f0 6c 69 6b 65 20 61 6e 20 61 6e 61 72 63 68 6f 2d like an anarcho-
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30730 20 74 65 6c 6c 69 6e 67 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 telling people
30740 74 6f 20 76 6f 74 65 20 52 65 70 75 62 6c 69 63 to vote Republic
30750 61 6e 2e 22 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 68 2c 22 20 73 68 an.".."Yeah," sh
30760 65 20 73 61 69 64 2c 20 22 74 68 61 74 27 73 20 e said, "that's
30770 74 68 65 20 66 65 65 6c 69 6e 67 20 49 20 77 61 the feeling I wa
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30790 65 74 2e 22 0a 0a 22 44 6f 65 73 20 74 68 61 74 et.".."Does that
307a0 20 62 6f 74 68 65 72 20 79 6f 75 3f 22 20 68 65 bother you?" he
307b0 20 61 73 6b 65 64 2e 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 2e 20 20 49 asked..."No. I
307c0 20 6c 69 6b 65 64 20 44 61 6c 74 6f 6e 20 6d 6f liked Dalton mo
307d0 72 65 20 69 6e 20 74 68 6f 73 65 20 64 61 79 73 re in those days
307e0 2e 20 20 48 65 6c 6c 2c 20 49 20 66 65 6c 6c 20 . Hell, I fell
307f0 69 6e 20 6c 6f 76 65 20 77 69 74 68 20 68 69 6d in love with him
30800 20 69 6e 20 74 68 6f 73 65 20 64 61 79 73 2e 22 in those days."
30810 0a 0a 22 59 6f 75 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 63 6f 6e .."You don't con
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30830 20 76 6f 6c 75 6e 74 61 72 79 69 73 74 2c 20 6f voluntaryist, o
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30850 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 74 something like t
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30870 20 79 6f 75 3f 22 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 2c 20 49 20 67 you?".."No, I g
30880 75 65 73 73 20 6e 6f 74 2e 22 0a 0a 22 57 68 61 uess not.".."Wha
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308c0 65 6c 66 20 61 20 6c 69 74 74 6c 65 20 77 69 74 elf a little wit
308d0 68 20 61 20 64 72 79 20 63 68 75 63 6b 6c 65 2e h a dry chuckle.
308e0 20 20 22 49 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 6b 6e 6f 77 2e "I don't know.
308f0 20 20 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 49 27 6d 20 72 61 I guess I'm ra
30900 62 69 64 6c 79 20 61 70 6f 6c 69 74 69 63 61 6c bidly apolitical
30910 2e 22 0a 0a 22 59 6f 75 20 6d 69 67 68 74 20 68 .".."You might h
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30950 74 68 69 6e 6b 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 2c 22 20 68 65 think, then," he
30960 20 73 61 69 64 2e 0a 0a 22 49 20 73 61 69 64 20 said..."I said
30970 61 70 6f 6c 69 74 69 63 61 6c 2c 20 6e 6f 74 20 apolitical, not
30980 61 6e 74 69 70 6f 6c 69 74 69 63 61 6c 2c 20 74 antipolitical, t
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309c0 61 79 2c 22 20 47 65 6f 72 67 65 20 73 61 69 64 ay," George said
309d0 2e 20 20 22 49 20 67 65 74 20 69 74 2e 20 20 57 . "I get it. W
309e0 69 6c 6c 20 79 6f 75 20 72 65 61 64 20 74 68 65 ill you read the
309f0 20 62 6f 6f 6b 73 3f 22 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 68 2c books?".."Yeah,
30a00 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2c 20 22 49 27 6c " she said, "I'l
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30a20 2e 20 20 49 27 6c 6c 20 67 65 74 20 74 68 65 6d . I'll get them
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30a70 27 6c 6c 20 67 65 74 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 6f 66 20 'll get more of
30a80 74 68 65 6d 2e 20 20 4a 75 73 74 20 70 61 73 73 them. Just pass
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30aa0 6f 6e 65 20 77 68 6f 20 6e 65 65 64 73 20 74 68 one who needs th
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30ac0 2c 20 69 66 20 79 6f 75 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 77 , if you don't w
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30ae0 2e 22 0a 0a 22 53 75 72 65 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 .".."Sure," she
30af0 73 61 69 64 2c 20 75 6e 63 65 72 74 61 69 6e 6c said, uncertainl
30b00 79 2e 0a 0a 22 48 61 76 65 20 79 6f 75 20 68 61 y..."Have you ha
30b10 64 20 64 69 6e 6e 65 72 3f 22 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 2c d dinner?".."No,
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30b50 6b 69 6e 67 20 49 27 6d 20 68 75 6e 67 72 79 2c king I'm hungry,
30b60 20 61 6e 64 20 79 6f 75 27 72 65 20 77 65 6c 63 and you're welc
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30b80 20 49 20 77 61 73 20 67 6f 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 I was going to
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30c20 62 65 66 6f 72 65 20 79 6f 75 20 67 6f 20 68 6f before you go ho
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30ca0 6b 73 2e 22 0a 0a 2f 2a 0a 0a 47 65 6f 72 67 65 ks."../*..George
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30d00 20 20 48 65 20 6b 6e 6f 77 73 20 74 68 69 73 20 He knows this
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30de0 0a 2a 2f 0a 0a 2f 2a 0a 0a 54 68 69 73 20 6d 69 .*/../*..This mi
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30e40 6f 72 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20 6c 69 6b or something lik
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30e90 68 61 64 20 67 69 76 65 6e 20 68 65 72 2e 20 20 had given her.
30ea0 53 68 65 20 77 72 69 6e 6b 6c 65 64 20 68 65 72 She wrinkled her
30eb0 20 6e 6f 73 65 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 6e 6f 20 nose at the no
30ec0 66 72 69 6c 6c 73 20 63 6f 76 65 72 2c 20 61 20 frills cover, a
30ed0 63 68 65 61 70 6c 79 20 6d 61 64 65 20 74 72 61 cheaply made tra
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30f00 20 62 6c 61 63 6b 20 62 6f 72 64 65 72 20 61 6e black border an
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30f50 6d 65 20 76 61 6e 69 74 79 20 70 72 65 73 73 20 me vanity press
30f60 74 68 69 6e 67 2c 20 77 68 65 72 65 20 6e 6f 62 thing, where nob
30f70 6f 64 79 20 68 61 64 20 65 76 65 6e 20 62 6f 74 ody had even bot
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30f90 64 65 73 69 67 6e 20 74 68 65 20 63 6f 76 65 72 design the cover
30fa0 20 61 74 20 61 6c 6c 2e 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 72 65 at all...She re
30fb0 61 64 20 74 68 65 20 66 75 6c 6c 20 63 6f 76 65 ad the full cove
30fc0 72 20 74 6f 20 68 65 72 73 65 6c 66 2e 0a 0a 22 r to herself..."
30fd0 41 6e 20 41 67 6f 72 69 73 74 20 50 72 69 6d 65 An Agorist Prime
30fe0 72 0a 0a 22 43 6f 75 6e 74 65 72 20 45 63 6f 6e r.."Counter Econ
30ff0 6f 6d 69 63 73 2c 20 54 6f 74 61 6c 20 46 72 65 omics, Total Fre
31000 65 64 6f 6d 2c 20 41 6e 64 20 59 6f 75 0a 0a 22 edom, And You.."
31010 53 61 6d 75 65 6c 20 45 64 77 61 72 64 20 4b 6f Samuel Edward Ko
31020 6e 6b 69 6e 20 49 49 49 22 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 66 nkin III"..She f
31030 6c 69 70 70 65 64 20 69 74 20 6f 76 65 72 2e 20 lipped it over.
31040 20 54 68 65 20 62 61 63 6b 20 77 61 73 20 62 6c The back was bl
31050 61 6e 6b 2e 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 6f 70 65 6e 65 64 ank...She opened
31060 20 69 74 20 61 6e 64 20 66 6c 69 70 70 65 64 20 it and flipped
31070 74 68 72 6f 75 67 68 20 74 68 65 20 66 69 72 73 through the firs
31080 74 20 66 65 77 20 70 61 67 65 73 2e 20 20 53 68 t few pages. Sh
31090 65 20 66 6f 75 6e 64 20 69 74 20 68 61 64 20 6e e found it had n
310a0 6f 20 74 61 62 6c 65 20 6f 66 20 63 6f 6e 74 65 o table of conte
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310c0 20 70 75 62 6c 69 73 68 69 6e 67 20 6f 72 20 63 publishing or c
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310e0 75 6d 6d 61 72 79 2c 20 64 65 64 69 63 61 74 69 ummary, dedicati
310f0 6f 6e 2c 20 6f 72 20 72 65 76 69 65 77 20 71 75 on, or review qu
31100 6f 74 65 73 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 66 69 72 73 74 otes. The first
31110 20 70 61 67 65 20 77 61 73 20 61 20 72 69 64 69 page was a ridi
31120 63 75 6c 6f 75 73 6c 79 20 73 68 6f 72 74 20 70 culously short p
31130 72 65 66 61 63 65 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 66 6f 6c reface. The fol
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31150 74 68 65 20 66 69 72 73 74 20 6f 66 20 74 77 6f the first of two
31160 20 70 61 67 65 73 20 6f 66 20 69 6e 74 72 6f 64 pages of introd
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31190 63 68 61 70 74 65 72 20 6f 6e 65 20 6f 66 20 74 chapter one of t
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311b0 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 6d 65 61 74 20 6f into the meat o
311c0 66 20 69 74 20 61 6c 72 65 61 64 79 2e 0a 0a 54 f it already...T
311d0 68 65 20 70 61 67 65 73 20 77 65 72 65 20 6e 75 he pages were nu
311e0 6d 62 65 72 65 64 2c 20 73 74 61 72 74 69 6e 67 mbered, starting
311f0 20 77 69 74 68 20 31 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 66 69 with 1. The fi
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31210 6e 20 6f 6e 20 61 20 70 61 67 65 20 6e 75 6d 62 n on a page numb
31220 65 72 65 64 20 34 2e 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 63 6c 6f ered 4...She clo
31230 73 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 62 6f 6f 6b 20 61 67 61 sed the book aga
31240 69 6e 20 61 6e 64 20 72 65 61 64 20 74 68 65 20 in and read the
31250 63 6f 76 65 72 20 6f 6e 63 65 20 6d 6f 72 65 2e cover once more.
31260 0a 0a 22 4d 61 79 62 65 20 53 61 6d 20 4b 6f 6e .."Maybe Sam Kon
31270 6b 69 6e 20 69 73 20 61 20 66 72 69 65 6e 64 20 kin is a friend
31280 6f 66 20 68 69 73 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 of his," she sai
31290 64 2c 20 6d 65 61 6e 69 6e 67 20 61 20 66 72 69 d, meaning a fri
312a0 65 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 47 65 6f 72 67 65 27 73 2e end of George's.
312b0 0a 0a 2f 2a 20 54 68 65 20 70 72 65 66 61 63 65 ../* The preface
312c0 20 70 61 67 65 20 77 61 73 20 6e 75 6d 62 65 72 page was number
312d0 65 64 20 31 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 6c 61 73 74 20 ed 1. The last
312e0 70 61 67 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 69 6e 64 65 page of the inde
312f0 78 20 2d 2d 20 6f 6e 63 65 20 73 68 65 20 6c 6f x -- once she lo
31300 6f 6b 65 64 20 2d 2d 20 77 61 73 20 35 30 2e 20 oked -- was 50.
31310 2a 2f 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 61 */..She looked a
31320 74 20 74 68 65 20 66 69 72 73 74 20 70 61 67 65 t the first page
31330 20 61 67 61 69 6e 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 65 20 again, and the
31340 6e 75 6d 62 65 72 20 6f 6e 65 2e 20 20 42 6f 6f number one. Boo
31350 6b 73 20 6e 65 76 65 72 20 73 74 61 72 74 65 64 ks never started
31360 20 77 69 74 68 20 61 20 70 61 67 65 20 6e 75 6d with a page num
31370 62 65 72 20 6f 66 20 6f 6e 65 2e 20 20 53 68 65 ber of one. She
31380 20 66 6c 69 70 70 65 64 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 flipped to the
31390 65 6e 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 61 77 20 74 68 61 end, and saw tha
313a0 74 20 74 68 65 20 6c 61 73 74 20 70 61 67 65 20 t the last page
313b0 73 68 6f 77 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 6e 75 6d 62 65 showed the numbe
313c0 72 20 35 30 2c 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 6c 61 73 r 50, on the las
313d0 74 20 70 61 67 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 62 6f t page of the bo
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313f0 6c 65 61 73 74 20 69 74 20 68 61 64 20 61 6e 20 least it had an
31400 69 6e 64 65 78 2c 20 62 75 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 index, but that
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31430 78 20 69 74 20 68 61 64 20 63 6f 75 6c 64 20 62 x it had could b
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33fe0 2e 0a 0a 22 49 20 72 65 61 6c 6c 79 20 66 65 65 ..."I really fee
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34040 22 50 72 6f 66 65 73 73 6f 72 20 47 6f 75 6c 65 "Professor Goule
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34080 0a 22 49 74 20 73 65 65 6d 73 20 70 72 6f 62 61 ."It seems proba
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340a0 61 70 70 79 20 74 6f 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 74 68 69 appy to know thi
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34140 49 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 70 72 6f 62 61 62 6c 79 20 I will probably
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341a0 65 64 2e 0a 0a 22 49 20 68 61 76 65 20 61 63 63 ed..."I have acc
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34220 74 61 74 65 73 20 49 6e 74 65 6c 6c 69 67 65 6e tates Intelligen
34230 63 65 20 43 6f 6d 6d 75 6e 69 74 79 20 61 6e 64 ce Community and
34240 20 44 65 70 61 72 74 6d 65 6e 74 20 4f 66 20 44 Department Of D
34250 65 66 65 6e 73 65 20 72 65 73 65 61 72 63 68 20 efense research
34260 70 72 6f 6a 65 63 74 20 69 6e 74 65 6e 64 65 64 project intended
34270 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 64 65 70 6c 6f 79 65 64 20 to be deployed
34280 77 69 74 68 20 66 69 65 6c 64 20 61 67 65 6e 74 with field agent
34290 73 20 75 6e 64 65 72 20 73 75 70 65 72 76 69 73 s under supervis
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342b0 20 69 66 20 74 68 65 20 73 74 75 64 79 27 73 20 if the study's
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342e0 70 72 6f 6d 69 73 69 6e 67 2e 22 0a 0a 22 4f 68 promising.".."Oh
342f0 2e 22 20 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 63 72 61 74 63 ." Alley scratc
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34310 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 49 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 I guess I should
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34470 20 73 69 6c 65 6e 63 65 2c 20 61 73 20 41 6c 6c silence, as All
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344e0 22 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 " Alley said. "
344f0 57 68 61 74 20 69 73 20 69 74 3f 22 0a 0a 22 2f What is it?".."/
34500 2a 20 48 61 76 65 20 79 6f 75 20 6d 61 64 65 20 * Have you made
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34520 20 2a 2f 20 57 65 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 64 69 */ We should di
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345a0 20 20 49 20 6d 61 79 20 62 65 20 61 62 6c 65 20 I may be able
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34690 6c 6c 65 79 20 6a 65 72 6b 65 64 20 75 70 72 69 lley jerked upri
346a0 67 68 74 2e 20 20 22 57 68 61 74 3f 22 0a 0a 22 ght. "What?".."
346b0 44 6f 20 79 6f 75 20 6e 65 65 64 20 6d 65 20 74 Do you need me t
346c0 6f 20 72 65 70 65 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 71 75 65 o repeat the que
346d0 73 74 69 6f 6e 3f 22 20 69 74 20 61 73 6b 65 64 stion?" it asked
346e0 20 70 6f 6c 69 74 65 6c 79 2e 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 2e politely..."No.
346f0 20 20 49 27 6d 20 6a 75 73 74 20 6e 6f 74 20 67 I'm just not g
34700 6f 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 72 75 6e 2e 20 20 57 68 oing to run. Wh
34710 79 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 49 20 72 75 6e 3f 22 0a y would I run?".
34720 0a 22 43 4f 49 4e 20 43 6f 72 70 20 61 70 70 65 ."COIN Corp appe
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34790 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 20 72 65 61 6c 6c 79 20 74 68 .".."I really th
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347e0 20 74 6f 20 6d 65 20 69 73 20 77 61 79 20 6f 76 to me is way ov
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34840 20 20 54 68 65 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 72 65 61 73 6f The only reaso
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34870 20 6a 75 73 74 20 62 65 65 6e 20 62 65 63 61 75 just been becau
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348a0 79 2e 20 20 54 68 65 79 20 6a 75 73 74 20 77 61 y. They just wa
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348c0 20 6e 65 65 64 20 66 6f 72 20 69 74 2e 20 20 52 need for it. R
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34900 20 75 6e 63 65 72 74 61 69 6e 20 61 74 20 74 68 uncertain at th
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34980 62 65 20 77 69 73 65 20 74 6f 20 69 67 6e 6f 72 be wise to ignor
34990 65 2e 20 20 41 72 65 20 79 6f 75 20 63 65 72 74 e. Are you cert
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349b0 69 73 68 20 74 6f 20 6d 61 6b 65 20 63 6c 65 61 ish to make clea
349c0 72 20 70 6c 61 6e 73 20 74 6f 20 72 65 6d 6f 76 r plans to remov
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349e0 70 6f 73 73 69 62 6c 65 20 73 74 61 74 69 6f 6e possible station
349f0 61 72 79 20 74 61 72 67 65 74 3f 22 0a 0a 22 59 ary target?".."Y
34a00 65 73 2c 20 49 27 6d 20 73 75 72 65 2e 20 20 49 es, I'm sure. I
34a10 74 27 73 20 72 69 64 69 63 75 6c 6f 75 73 2e 20 t's ridiculous.
34a20 20 49 74 27 6c 6c 20 6e 65 76 65 72 20 68 61 70 It'll never hap
34a30 70 65 6e 2e 22 0a 0a 2f 2a 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 pen."../*..Alley
34a40 20 6e 65 65 64 73 20 74 6f 20 64 6f 20 73 6f 6d needs to do som
34a50 65 20 74 68 69 6e 67 73 20 68 65 72 65 2e 20 20 e things here.
34a60 49 74 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 70 72 6f 62 61 62 6c 79 It will probably
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35ca0 0a 0a 2a 2f 0a 0a 2f 2a 0a 0a 20 20 20 20 4f 6e ..*/../*.. On
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36830 0a 0a 22 4a 75 73 74 20 61 73 6b 20 66 6f 72 20 .."Just ask for
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36a20 22 48 65 6c 6c 6f 2e 22 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 6e 65 "Hello."..She ne
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36b00 0a 0a 22 41 72 65 20 79 6f 75 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 69 .."Are you looki
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36b20 20 69 6e 20 77 68 61 74 20 73 68 65 20 62 65 67 in what she beg
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36ba0 2e 22 20 73 68 65 20 62 65 67 61 6e 2c 20 68 65 ." she began, he
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36c10 67 6c 65 72 2e 22 0a 0a 48 69 73 20 63 68 75 63 gler."..His chuc
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36cd0 22 0a 0a 22 59 6f 75 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 47 65 6f ".."You know Geo
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36cf0 6e 64 20 73 68 65 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 74 20 73 nd she thought s
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36d40 0a 22 4e 6f 74 20 66 6f 72 20 6c 6f 6e 67 2c 22 ."Not for long,"
36d50 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2c 20 22 62 75 74 20 she said, "but
36d60 79 65 61 68 2e 20 20 48 65 20 73 65 65 6d 73 20 yeah. He seems
36d70 6c 69 6b 65 20 61 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 67 75 79 2e like a good guy.
36d80 22 0a 0a 22 59 6f 75 20 6d 75 73 74 27 76 65 20 ".."You must've
36d90 6d 61 64 65 20 61 6e 20 69 6d 70 72 65 73 73 69 made an impressi
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36dc0 22 52 65 61 6c 6c 79 3f 22 0a 0a 48 65 20 6e 6f "Really?"..He no
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36e00 2e 22 0a 0a 22 4f 68 2c 20 72 69 67 68 74 2c 22 .".."Oh, right,"
36e10 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 48 65 72 20 she said. Her
36e20 68 61 6e 64 20 62 72 75 73 68 65 64 20 68 65 72 hand brushed her
36e30 20 62 61 63 6b 20 70 6f 63 6b 65 74 2c 20 74 68 back pocket, th
36e40 65 20 74 68 69 6e 20 63 79 6c 69 6e 64 72 69 63 e thin cylindric
36e50 61 6c 20 62 75 6c 67 65 20 6f 66 20 68 65 72 20 al bulge of her
36e60 62 61 74 6f 6e 20 63 72 65 61 74 69 6e 67 20 61 baton creating a
36e70 20 68 61 72 64 65 72 20 72 69 64 67 65 20 74 68 harder ridge th
36e80 61 74 20 68 65 72 20 6b 6e 75 63 6b 6c 65 73 20 at her knuckles
36e90 6b 6e 6f 63 6b 65 64 20 61 63 72 6f 73 73 2c 20 knocked across,
36ea0 62 75 74 20 73 68 65 20 68 65 61 64 65 64 20 69 but she headed i
36eb0 6e 73 69 64 65 2e 20 20 42 65 79 6f 6e 64 20 74 nside. Beyond t
36ec0 68 65 20 73 6d 61 6c 6c 20 6c 69 6e 6f 6c 65 75 he small linoleu
36ed0 6d 20 65 6e 74 72 79 77 61 79 20 61 20 6c 69 76 m entryway a liv
36ee0 69 6e 67 20 72 6f 6f 6d 20 77 69 74 68 20 70 61 ing room with pa
36ef0 74 74 65 72 6e 73 20 6f 66 20 73 74 61 69 6e 69 tterns of staini
36f00 6e 67 20 61 6e 64 20 66 61 64 69 6e 67 20 6f 76 ng and fading ov
36f10 65 72 6c 61 70 70 69 6e 67 20 73 6f 20 6d 75 63 erlapping so muc
36f20 68 20 69 74 20 77 61 73 20 64 69 66 66 69 63 75 h it was difficu
36f30 6c 74 20 74 6f 20 64 65 74 65 72 6d 69 6e 65 20 lt to determine
36f40 77 68 61 74 20 73 68 61 64 65 20 6f 66 20 62 72 what shade of br
36f50 6f 77 6e 20 77 61 73 20 6f 72 69 67 69 6e 61 6c own was original
36f60 20 6f 70 65 6e 65 64 20 75 70 2e 20 20 49 74 73 opened up. Its
36f70 20 77 6f 6f 64 20 70 61 6e 65 6c 20 77 61 6c 6c wood panel wall
36f80 73 20 77 65 72 65 20 77 61 72 70 65 64 20 77 69 s were warped wi
36f90 74 68 20 61 67 65 2e 20 20 54 68 65 72 65 20 77 th age. There w
36fa0 61 73 20 6e 6f 20 66 75 72 6e 69 74 75 72 65 20 as no furniture
36fb0 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 72 6f 6f 6d 2c 20 62 75 74 in the room, but
36fc0 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 77 65 72 65 20 72 65 63 74 there were rect
36fd0 61 6e 67 75 6c 61 72 20 73 70 6f 74 73 20 6f 6e angular spots on
36fe0 20 74 68 65 20 77 61 6c 6c 73 20 77 69 74 68 20 the walls with
36ff0 6e 61 69 6c 20 68 6f 6c 65 73 20 61 74 20 74 68 nail holes at th
37000 65 20 74 6f 70 20 74 68 61 74 20 77 65 72 65 20 e top that were
37010 61 20 6c 69 67 68 74 65 72 20 6f 66 66 20 77 68 a lighter off wh
37020 69 74 65 20 74 68 61 6e 20 74 68 65 20 72 65 73 ite than the res
37030 74 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 77 61 6c 6c 20 73 75 t of the wall su
37040 72 66 61 63 65 73 2e 20 20 46 72 6f 6d 20 77 68 rfaces. From wh
37050 65 72 65 20 73 68 65 20 6e 6f 77 20 73 74 6f 6f ere she now stoo
37060 64 2c 20 73 68 65 20 63 6f 75 6c 64 20 73 65 65 d, she could see
37070 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 64 69 6e 69 6e 67 into the dining
37080 20 72 6f 6f 6d 2c 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 20 74 68 room, though th
37090 65 20 73 6c 69 64 69 6e 67 20 67 6c 61 73 73 20 e sliding glass
370a0 64 6f 6f 72 73 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 62 61 63 doors in the bac
370b0 6b 20 73 65 65 6d 65 64 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 63 k seemed to be c
370c0 6f 76 65 72 65 64 20 77 69 74 68 20 66 6f 69 6c overed with foil
370d0 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 73 69 67 6e . The only sign
370e0 69 66 69 63 61 6e 74 20 6c 69 67 68 74 20 63 61 ificant light ca
370f0 6d 65 20 74 68 72 6f 75 67 68 20 74 68 65 20 6f me through the o
37100 70 65 6e 20 66 72 6f 6e 74 20 64 6f 6f 72 20 61 pen front door a
37110 6e 64 20 66 72 6f 6e 74 20 77 69 6e 64 6f 77 73 nd front windows
37120 20 77 69 74 68 20 62 6c 69 6e 64 73 20 61 6e 67 with blinds ang
37130 6c 65 64 20 75 70 77 61 72 64 20 73 6f 20 74 68 led upward so th
37140 61 74 20 6c 69 67 68 74 20 64 69 6d 6c 79 20 73 at light dimly s
37150 74 72 69 70 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 63 65 69 6c 69 triped the ceili
37160 6e 67 2e 0a 0a 53 6d 75 67 67 6c 65 72 20 66 6f ng...Smuggler fo
37170 6c 6c 6f 77 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 61 6e 64 20 63 llowed her and c
37180 6c 6f 73 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 64 6f 6f 72 20 62 losed the door b
37190 65 68 69 6e 64 20 74 68 65 6d 2e 20 20 22 59 6f ehind them. "Yo
371a0 75 20 6e 65 65 64 20 74 6f 20 67 65 74 20 69 6e u need to get in
371b0 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 68 6f 74 20 7a 6f 6e 65 20 to the hot zone
371c0 61 6e 64 20 77 61 6e 74 20 74 6f 20 61 76 6f 69 and want to avoi
371d0 64 20 6f 66 66 69 63 69 61 6c 20 61 74 74 65 6e d official atten
371e0 74 69 6f 6e 2e 22 20 20 48 65 20 64 69 64 20 73 tion." He did s
371f0 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20 77 69 74 68 20 68 69 omething with hi
37200 73 20 67 6c 6f 76 65 64 20 72 69 67 68 74 20 68 s gloved right h
37210 61 6e 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 6c 69 67 68 74 20 73 and, and light s
37220 70 69 6c 6c 65 64 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 4c 45 44 73 pilled from LEDs
37230 20 6f 6e 20 68 69 73 20 6b 6e 75 63 6b 6c 65 73 on his knuckles
37240 2e 20 20 48 65 20 6b 65 70 74 20 74 68 65 6d 20 . He kept them
37250 61 69 6d 65 64 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 63 61 72 aimed at the car
37260 70 65 74 65 64 20 66 6c 6f 6f 72 20 6e 65 61 72 peted floor near
37270 62 79 20 73 6f 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 79 20 by so that they
37280 63 72 65 61 74 65 64 20 62 72 69 67 68 74 20 73 created bright s
37290 70 6f 74 73 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 66 6c 6f 6f pots on the floo
372a0 72 20 62 75 74 20 61 20 73 65 63 6f 6e 64 61 72 r but a secondar
372b0 79 20 67 6c 6f 77 20 6d 61 64 65 20 69 74 20 70 y glow made it p
372c0 6f 73 73 69 62 6c 65 20 74 6f 20 6d 61 6b 65 20 ossible to make
372d0 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 65 64 67 65 73 20 6f 66 out the edges of
372e0 20 74 68 65 20 77 61 6c 6c 73 20 61 20 62 69 74 the walls a bit
372f0 20 62 65 74 74 65 72 2e 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 68 2c better..."Yeah,
37300 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 43 61 " she said. "Ca
37310 6e 20 79 6f 75 20 74 61 6b 65 20 6d 65 20 74 68 n you take me th
37320 72 6f 75 67 68 2c 20 73 6f 6d 65 68 6f 77 3f 20 rough, somehow?
37330 20 49 6e 20 61 6e 64 20 62 61 63 6b 2c 20 49 20 In and back, I
37340 6d 65 61 6e 2e 22 0a 0a 48 65 20 6e 6f 64 64 65 mean."..He nodde
37350 64 2e 20 20 22 59 65 73 2c 20 49 20 63 6f 75 6c d. "Yes, I coul
37360 64 2e 22 0a 0a 22 48 6f 77 20 6d 75 63 68 20 77 d.".."How much w
37370 6f 75 6c 64 20 49 20 6f 77 65 20 79 6f 75 20 66 ould I owe you f
37380 6f 72 20 69 74 3f 22 0a 0a 22 41 72 65 20 79 6f or it?".."Are yo
37390 75 20 6f 66 66 65 72 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 70 61 u offering to pa
373a0 79 20 6d 65 20 74 6f 20 74 61 6b 65 20 79 6f 75 y me to take you
373b0 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 6f 74 68 65 72 20 73 69 to the other si
373c0 64 65 3f 22 20 68 65 20 61 73 6b 65 64 2e 0a 0a de?" he asked...
373d0 53 68 65 20 6e 6f 64 64 65 64 2e 20 20 22 59 65 She nodded. "Ye
373e0 61 68 2c 20 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 73 6f 2e 20 ah, I guess so.
373f0 20 49 73 6e 27 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 68 6f 77 20 Isn't that how
37400 74 68 69 73 20 77 6f 72 6b 73 3f 22 0a 0a 22 4e this works?".."N
37410 6f 72 6d 61 6c 6c 79 2c 22 20 68 65 20 73 61 69 ormally," he sai
37420 64 2c 20 22 62 75 74 20 49 27 6d 20 6e 6f 74 20 d, "but I'm not
37430 74 61 6b 69 6e 67 20 79 6f 75 72 20 6d 6f 6e 65 taking your mone
37440 79 2e 22 0a 0a 22 57 68 79 20 77 6f 6e 27 74 20 y.".."Why won't
37450 79 6f 75 20 74 61 6b 65 20 6d 65 20 74 68 72 6f you take me thro
37460 75 67 68 3f 20 20 44 6f 20 79 6f 75 20 74 68 69 ugh? Do you thi
37470 6e 6b 20 49 27 6d 20 61 20 63 6f 70 20 6f 72 20 nk I'm a cop or
37480 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 74 something like t
37490 68 61 74 3f 22 0a 0a 41 66 74 65 72 20 61 20 6d hat?"..After a m
374a0 6f 6d 65 6e 74 27 73 20 68 65 73 69 74 61 74 69 oment's hesitati
374b0 6f 6e 2c 20 68 65 20 73 68 6f 6f 6b 20 68 69 73 on, he shook his
374c0 20 68 65 61 64 2e 20 20 22 49 20 64 69 64 6e 27 head. "I didn'
374d0 74 20 73 61 79 20 49 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 6e 27 74 t say I wouldn't
374e0 20 74 61 6b 65 20 79 6f 75 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 74 take you into t
374f0 68 65 20 7a 6f 6e 65 2e 20 20 49 20 6a 75 73 74 he zone. I just
37500 20 73 61 69 64 20 49 27 6d 20 6e 6f 74 20 74 61 said I'm not ta
37510 6b 69 6e 67 20 79 6f 75 72 20 6d 6f 6e 65 79 2e king your money.
37520 22 0a 0a 22 57 68 79 20 6e 6f 74 3f 22 20 73 68 ".."Why not?" sh
37530 65 20 61 73 6b 65 64 2c 20 68 65 72 20 65 79 65 e asked, her eye
37540 73 20 6e 61 72 72 6f 77 69 6e 67 2e 0a 0a 22 4c s narrowing..."L
37550 65 74 27 73 20 6a 75 73 74 20 73 61 79 2c 20 66 et's just say, f
37560 6f 72 20 6e 6f 77 2c 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 or now, that the
37570 20 66 69 72 73 74 20 68 69 74 27 73 20 66 72 65 first hit's fre
37580 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 54 68 61 74 20 73 65 65 6d 73 e.".."That seems
37590 20 73 74 72 61 6e 67 65 2c 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 74 strange, like t
375a0 68 65 72 65 27 73 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 here's something
375b0 20 61 64 64 69 63 74 69 76 65 20 61 62 6f 75 74 addictive about
375c0 20 67 65 74 74 69 6e 67 20 70 61 73 74 20 74 68 getting past th
375d0 65 20 62 61 72 72 69 63 61 64 65 73 2e 22 0a 0a e barricades."..
375e0 48 65 20 73 68 72 75 67 67 65 64 20 61 67 61 69 He shrugged agai
375f0 6e 2e 20 20 22 53 6f 6d 65 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 n. "Some people
37600 20 66 69 6e 64 20 74 68 65 20 68 6f 74 20 7a 6f find the hot zo
37610 6e 65 20 61 64 64 69 63 74 69 76 65 2c 20 74 6f ne addictive, to
37620 20 74 65 6c 6c 20 74 68 65 20 74 72 75 74 68 2e tell the truth.
37630 20 20 53 6f 6d 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 6d 20 66 Some of them f
37640 69 6e 64 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 77 61 79 20 74 6f ind their way to
37650 20 74 68 65 20 63 6f 6c 64 20 7a 6f 6e 65 2c 20 the cold zone,
37660 61 6e 64 20 74 68 61 74 27 73 20 6f 66 74 65 6e and that's often
37670 20 61 6e 20 65 76 65 6e 20 73 74 72 6f 6e 67 65 an even stronge
37680 72 20 61 64 64 69 63 74 69 6f 6e 2e 20 20 2f 2a r addiction. /*
37690 20 4d 61 79 62 65 20 49 27 6d 20 61 64 64 69 63 Maybe I'm addic
376a0 74 65 64 20 74 6f 20 62 6f 74 68 20 6f 66 20 74 ted to both of t
376b0 68 65 6d 2e 20 20 49 27 6d 20 6e 6f 74 20 73 75 hem. I'm not su
376c0 72 65 2e 20 2a 2f 20 22 0a 0a 22 57 68 61 74 27 re. */ ".."What'
376d0 73 20 61 20 63 6f 6c 64 20 7a 6f 6e 65 3f 22 0a s a cold zone?".
376e0 0a 22 4d 61 79 62 65 20 79 6f 75 27 6c 6c 20 66 ."Maybe you'll f
376f0 69 6e 64 20 6f 75 74 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 64 61 79 ind out some day
37700 2c 22 20 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 49 74 ," he said. "It
37710 27 73 20 61 6e 20 61 72 65 61 20 79 6f 75 20 63 's an area you c
37720 61 6e 27 74 20 72 65 61 63 68 20 77 69 74 68 6f an't reach witho
37730 75 74 20 67 6f 69 6e 67 20 74 68 72 6f 75 67 68 ut going through
37740 20 74 68 65 20 68 6f 74 20 7a 6f 6e 65 2c 20 6f the hot zone, o
37750 72 20 74 68 72 6f 75 67 68 20 74 68 65 20 63 6f r through the co
37760 72 70 6f 72 61 74 65 20 63 65 6e 74 65 72 20 6f rporate center o
37770 66 20 4c 41 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 70 6f 6c 69 63 f LA. The polic
37780 65 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 65 76 65 6e 20 67 6f 20 e don't even go
37790 69 6e 20 74 68 65 72 65 2e 20 20 4d 6f 73 74 20 in there. Most
377a0 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 77 6f 72 6c 64 20 64 6f 65 of the world doe
377b0 73 6e 27 74 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 69 74 20 65 78 69 sn't know it exi
377c0 73 74 73 2e 20 20 59 6f 75 20 64 65 66 69 6e 69 sts. You defini
377d0 74 65 6c 79 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 77 61 6e 74 20 tely don't want
377e0 74 6f 20 67 6f 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 74 6f 64 61 to go there toda
377f0 79 2c 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 2c 20 69 66 20 79 6f y, though, if yo
37800 75 27 76 65 20 6e 65 76 65 72 20 65 76 65 6e 20 u've never even
37810 68 65 61 72 64 20 6f 66 20 69 74 2e 22 0a 0a 53 heard of it."..S
37820 68 65 20 73 68 6f 6f 6b 20 68 65 72 20 68 65 61 he shook her hea
37830 64 2e 20 20 22 4e 6f 2c 20 69 74 20 64 6f 65 73 d. "No, it does
37840 6e 27 74 20 73 6f 75 6e 64 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 74 n't sound like t
37850 68 61 74 27 73 20 77 68 65 72 65 20 49 20 77 61 hat's where I wa
37860 6e 74 20 74 6f 20 62 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 57 68 65 nt to be.".."Whe
37870 72 65 20 64 6f 20 79 6f 75 20 77 61 6e 74 20 74 re do you want t
37880 6f 20 62 65 3f 22 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 73 68 72 75 o be?"..She shru
37890 67 67 65 64 2e 20 20 22 4d 61 79 62 65 20 43 6f gged. "Maybe Co
378a0 6c 6f 72 61 64 6f 20 6f 72 20 4e 65 77 20 48 61 lorado or New Ha
378b0 6d 70 73 68 69 72 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 41 72 65 20 mpshire.".."Are
378c0 79 6f 75 20 72 65 61 64 79 20 74 6f 20 67 6f 3f you ready to go?
378d0 22 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 70 61 74 74 65 64 20 68 65 "..She patted he
378e0 72 20 70 6f 63 6b 65 74 73 2c 20 63 68 65 63 6b r pockets, check
378f0 69 6e 67 20 77 68 61 74 20 73 68 65 20 68 61 64 ing what she had
37900 20 77 69 74 68 20 68 65 72 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 with her, then
37910 6e 6f 64 64 65 64 2e 20 20 22 59 65 61 68 2c 20 nodded. "Yeah,
37920 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 73 6f 2e 22 0a 0a 22 53 I guess so.".."S
37930 74 65 70 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 6d 79 20 70 61 6e 74 tep into my pant
37940 72 79 2c 20 73 61 69 64 20 74 68 65 20 73 70 69 ry, said the spi
37950 64 65 72 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 66 6c 79 2e 22 der to the fly."
37960 20 20 48 65 20 62 72 75 73 68 65 64 20 70 61 73 He brushed pas
37970 74 20 68 65 72 20 61 6e 64 20 68 65 61 64 65 64 t her and headed
37980 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 6b 69 74 63 68 65 into the kitche
37990 6e 2e 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 66 6f 6c 6c 6f 77 65 64 n...She followed
379a0 2c 20 68 65 72 20 73 74 65 70 73 20 74 65 6e 74 , her steps tent
379b0 61 74 69 76 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 ative, and looke
379c0 64 20 61 72 6f 75 6e 64 20 77 69 74 68 20 65 79 d around with ey
379d0 65 73 20 77 69 64 65 2c 20 74 72 79 69 6e 67 20 es wide, trying
379e0 74 6f 20 74 61 6b 65 20 69 6e 20 65 76 65 72 79 to take in every
379f0 20 64 65 74 61 69 6c 20 6f 66 20 74 68 69 73 20 detail of this
37a00 6f 6c 64 20 68 6f 75 73 65 2e 20 20 41 20 68 61 old house. A ha
37a10 6c 6c 77 61 79 20 64 69 73 61 70 70 65 61 72 65 llway disappeare
37a20 64 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 64 65 65 70 65 72 20 64 61 d into deeper da
37a30 72 6b 6e 65 73 73 20 74 6f 20 68 65 72 20 6c 65 rkness to her le
37a40 66 74 20 6a 75 73 74 20 62 65 66 6f 72 65 20 73 ft just before s
37a50 68 65 20 61 6e 67 6c 65 64 20 72 69 67 68 74 20 he angled right
37a60 69 6e 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 64 69 6e 69 6e 67 20 into the dining
37a70 72 6f 6f 6d 20 6e 65 61 72 20 74 68 65 20 62 61 room near the ba
37a80 63 6b 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 68 6f 75 73 65 2e ck of the house.
37a90 20 20 41 20 66 65 77 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 73 74 65 A few more ste
37aa0 70 73 20 6c 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 74 6f 20 77 68 ps led her to wh
37ab0 65 72 65 20 74 68 65 20 6b 69 74 63 68 65 6e 20 ere the kitchen
37ac0 6f 70 65 6e 65 64 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 6c 65 opened to the le
37ad0 66 74 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 77 20 ft, and she saw
37ae0 53 6d 75 67 67 6c 65 72 20 6f 70 65 6e 69 6e 67 Smuggler opening
37af0 20 61 20 70 61 6e 74 72 79 20 64 6f 6f 72 2c 20 a pantry door,
37b00 74 72 75 65 20 74 6f 20 68 69 73 20 77 6f 72 64 true to his word
37b10 2e 0a 0a 48 65 20 72 65 61 63 68 65 64 20 69 6e ...He reached in
37b20 20 61 6e 64 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 73 77 and with the sw
37b30 65 65 70 20 6f 66 20 68 69 73 20 67 6c 6f 76 65 eep of his glove
37b40 20 6c 69 67 68 74 73 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 77 20 lights she saw
37b50 73 68 65 6c 76 65 73 20 73 74 6f 63 6b 65 64 20 shelves stocked
37b60 77 69 74 68 20 61 6e 63 69 65 6e 74 20 64 72 79 with ancient dry
37b70 20 67 6f 6f 64 73 2e 20 20 41 20 63 6c 69 63 6b goods. A click
37b80 20 62 72 6f 75 67 68 74 20 75 70 20 61 20 66 6c brought up a fl
37b90 6f 6f 64 20 6f 66 20 62 72 69 67 68 74 65 72 20 ood of brighter
37ba0 6c 69 67 68 74 20 61 73 20 74 68 65 20 62 61 63 light as the bac
37bb0 6b 20 77 61 6c 6c 20 73 68 69 66 74 65 64 20 61 k wall shifted a
37bc0 77 61 79 2c 20 72 65 76 65 61 6c 69 6e 67 20 61 way, revealing a
37bd0 20 6e 61 72 72 6f 77 20 68 6f 6c 65 20 69 6e 20 narrow hole in
37be0 74 68 65 20 66 6c 6f 6f 72 20 62 65 61 6d 69 6e the floor beamin
37bf0 67 20 69 6c 6c 75 6d 69 6e 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 74 g illumination t
37c00 6f 77 61 72 64 20 74 68 65 20 63 65 69 6c 69 6e oward the ceilin
37c10 67 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 70 61 6e 74 72 79 2e g of the pantry.
37c20 20 20 22 41 66 74 65 72 20 79 6f 75 2c 22 20 68 "After you," h
37c30 65 20 73 61 69 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 74 65 70 e said, and step
37c40 70 65 64 20 6f 75 74 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 70 ped out of the p
37c50 61 6e 74 72 79 20 74 6f 20 67 69 76 65 20 68 65 antry to give he
37c60 72 20 72 6f 6f 6d 2e 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 6d 6f 76 r room...She mov
37c70 65 64 20 63 6c 6f 73 65 72 2c 20 73 74 65 70 73 ed closer, steps
37c80 20 77 61 72 79 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 6c 65 61 6e 65 wary, and leane
37c90 64 20 74 6f 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 20 64 6f 77 6e 20 74 d to look down t
37ca0 68 65 20 68 6f 6c 65 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 73 61 he hole. She sa
37cb0 77 20 61 20 73 74 65 65 6c 20 6c 61 64 64 65 72 w a steel ladder
37cc0 20 62 6f 6c 74 65 64 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 63 bolted to the c
37cd0 6f 6e 63 72 65 74 65 20 73 69 64 65 20 6f 66 20 oncrete side of
37ce0 74 68 65 20 72 65 63 74 61 6e 67 75 6c 61 72 20 the rectangular
37cf0 68 6f 6c 65 20 6c 65 61 64 69 6e 67 20 64 6f 77 hole leading dow
37d00 6e 77 61 72 64 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 6c 6f 6f 6b nward. She look
37d10 65 64 20 62 61 63 6b 20 61 74 20 53 6d 75 67 67 ed back at Smugg
37d20 6c 65 72 2c 20 77 68 6f 20 6e 6f 64 64 65 64 2c ler, who nodded,
37d30 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 20 73 68 65 20 64 69 64 20 though she did
37d40 6e 6f 74 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 77 68 61 74 20 74 68 not know what th
37d50 61 74 20 6d 65 61 6e 74 2e 20 20 41 6e 6f 74 68 at meant. Anoth
37d60 65 72 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 20 63 6f 6e 66 69 72 6d 65 er look confirme
37d70 64 20 74 69 20 77 61 73 6e 27 74 20 61 20 76 65 d ti wasn't a ve
37d80 72 79 20 64 65 65 70 20 68 6f 6c 65 2c 20 6d 61 ry deep hole, ma
37d90 79 62 65 20 74 65 6e 20 66 65 65 74 2c 20 61 6e ybe ten feet, an
37da0 64 20 69 74 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 6c 69 6b 65 d it looked like
37db0 20 61 66 74 65 72 20 61 20 63 6f 75 70 6c 65 20 after a couple
37dc0 6f 66 20 74 68 6f 73 65 20 66 65 65 74 20 6f 6e of those feet on
37dd0 65 20 73 69 64 65 20 6f 70 65 6e 65 64 20 75 70 e side opened up
37de0 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 61 20 6c 61 72 67 65 72 20 72 into a larger r
37df0 6f 6f 6d 2e 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 2f 2a 20 73 oom...Alley /* s
37e00 61 74 20 64 6f 77 6e 20 2a 2f 20 67 6f 74 20 64 at down */ got d
37e10 6f 77 6e 20 6f 6e 20 68 61 6e 64 73 20 61 6e 64 own on hands and
37e20 20 6b 6e 65 65 73 20 61 6e 64 20 63 61 72 65 66 knees and caref
37e30 75 6c 6c 79 20 62 61 63 6b 65 64 20 6f 76 65 72 ully backed over
37e40 20 74 68 65 20 65 64 67 65 20 6f 6e 74 6f 20 74 the edge onto t
37e50 68 65 20 6c 61 64 64 65 72 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 he ladder, then
37e60 63 6c 69 6d 62 65 64 20 64 6f 77 6e 2e 20 20 53 climbed down. S
37e70 68 65 20 6b 65 70 74 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 69 6e 67 20 he kept looking
37e80 64 6f 77 6e 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 72 69 73 69 down at the risi
37e90 6e 67 20 66 6c 6f 6f 72 2c 20 6f 76 65 72 20 68 ng floor, over h
37ea0 65 72 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 65 72 2c 20 61 6e 64 er shoulder, and
37eb0 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 77 20 74 68 61 74 20 69 74 she saw that it
37ec0 20 77 61 73 20 61 20 77 65 6c 6c 2d 6c 69 74 20 was a well-lit
37ed0 63 68 61 6d 62 65 72 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 61 73 chamber about as
37ee0 20 77 69 64 65 20 61 73 20 69 74 20 77 61 73 20 wide as it was
37ef0 74 61 6c 6c 2c 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 74 68 61 6e 20 tall, more than
37f00 65 6e 6f 75 67 68 20 66 6f 72 20 73 6f 6d 65 6f enough for someo
37f10 6e 65 20 76 65 72 79 20 74 61 6c 6c 20 74 6f 20 ne very tall to
37f20 6c 69 65 20 64 6f 77 6e 20 62 75 74 20 6e 6f 74 lie down but not
37f30 20 77 69 74 68 20 61 20 6c 6f 74 20 6f 66 20 72 with a lot of r
37f40 6f 6f 6d 20 6c 65 66 74 20 6f 76 65 72 2e 0a 0a oom left over...
37f50 53 68 65 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 75 70 20 74 6f She looked up to
37f60 20 73 65 65 20 53 6d 75 67 67 6c 65 72 20 6c 6f see Smuggler lo
37f70 6f 6b 69 6e 67 20 64 6f 77 6e 2c 20 74 68 65 6e oking down, then
37f80 20 68 65 20 72 6f 74 61 74 65 64 20 61 6e 64 20 he rotated and
37f90 6c 6f 77 65 72 65 64 20 61 20 66 6f 6f 74 20 74 lowered a foot t
37fa0 6f 20 74 68 65 20 6c 61 64 64 65 72 2e 20 20 53 o the ladder. S
37fb0 68 65 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 61 77 61 79 20 66 he looked away f
37fc0 72 6f 6d 20 68 69 6d 2c 20 68 6f 70 70 65 64 20 rom him, hopped
37fd0 74 68 65 20 6c 61 73 74 20 66 6f 6f 74 20 6f 72 the last foot or
37fe0 20 74 77 6f 20 64 6f 77 6e 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 two down