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103b0 65 61 74 2e 20 20 57 68 61 74 27 73 20 6e 65 78 eat. What's nex
103c0 74 3f 22 0a 0a 22 44 6f 20 79 6f 75 20 68 61 76 t?".."Do you hav
103d0 65 20 79 6f 75 72 20 63 6f 6d 70 75 74 65 72 20 e your computer
103e0 73 65 74 20 75 70 20 74 6f 20 70 72 6f 74 65 63 set up to protec
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10410 6e 6f 6e 79 6d 69 7a 69 6e 67 20 72 6f 75 74 69 nonymizing routi
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10430 68 20 2e 20 2e 20 2e 20 6e 6f 2c 20 6e 6f 74 20 h . . . no, not
10440 72 65 61 6c 6c 79 2e 20 20 49 27 6d 20 6e 6f 74 really. I'm not
10450 20 72 65 61 6c 6c 79 20 73 75 72 65 20 68 6f 77 really sure how
10460 2e 22 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 77 20 69 73 20 61 20 67 6f .".."Now is a go
10470 6f 64 20 74 69 6d 65 20 74 6f 20 6c 65 61 72 6e od time to learn
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104b0 20 49 74 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 62 65 20 65 61 It should be ea
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10b30 73 65 74 74 6c 65 20 64 6f 77 6e 2c 20 79 6f 75 settle down, you
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10bb0 61 79 2e 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 ay." She looked
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10e80 2e 20 20 42 79 20 74 61 6b 69 6e 67 20 73 74 65 . By taking ste
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10eb0 20 62 6f 74 68 20 70 72 69 76 61 63 79 20 61 6e both privacy an
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10f70 0a 0a 22 4f 68 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 66 20 49 20 68 .."Oh.".."If I h
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10ff0 22 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 2c 20 74 68 61 74 20 77 6f 72 ".."No, that wor
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11010 6b 73 2e 22 0a 0a 22 47 6f 6f 64 2e 20 20 57 65 ks.".."Good. We
11020 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 73 74 61 72 74 20 62 79 should start by
11030 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 69 6e 67 20 61 74 20 63 72 79 70 looking at cryp
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11050 73 2e 22 0a 0a 54 77 6f 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 68 6f s."..Two more ho
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11100 20 20 53 68 65 20 73 65 74 20 75 70 20 61 20 77 She set up a w
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111b0 20 69 6e 66 6f 72 6d 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 73 61 66 information saf
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112d0 20 73 75 72 65 20 73 68 65 20 77 61 73 20 6e 6f sure she was no
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113a0 20 6f 6e 63 65 20 73 68 65 20 68 61 64 20 74 68 once she had th
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11400 64 6f 6c 6c 61 72 73 20 61 6e 79 77 68 65 72 65 dollars anywhere
11410 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 49 6e 6c 61 6e 64 20 45 in the Inland E
11420 6d 70 69 72 65 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 73 65 6e 74 mpire. She sent
11430 20 61 20 6d 65 73 73 61 67 65 20 76 69 61 20 65 a message via e
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11470 62 75 79 69 6e 67 20 61 20 73 6d 61 6c 6c 20 61 buying a small a
11480 6d 6f 75 6e 74 20 6f 66 20 53 74 61 74 65 72 2c mount of Stater,
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114a0 72 65 73 70 6f 6e 73 65 20 61 6c 6d 6f 73 74 20 response almost
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114e0 70 6c 61 63 65 20 69 6e 20 61 20 70 6f 6c 69 63 place in a polic
114f0 65 20 73 74 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 70 61 72 6b 69 6e e station parkin
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11510 65 64 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 6d 65 73 73 61 67 ed at the messag
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11550 63 65 20 73 74 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 61 20 67 6f 6f ce station a goo
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11570 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 20 73 61 69 64 20 22 ioritizer said "
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12870 63 61 72 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 74 75 67 67 65 64 20 car, and tugged
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128d0 74 20 73 74 65 70 70 65 64 20 6f 6e 65 20 66 6f t stepped one fo
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12d30 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 20 66 65 6d 61 6c 65 2e 0a 0a 48 look female...H
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12d60 72 69 76 65 72 20 67 61 76 65 20 68 65 72 20 61 river gave her a
12d70 6e 20 61 70 70 72 61 69 73 69 6e 67 20 6c 6f 6f n appraising loo
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12dc0 20 77 61 79 20 68 65 72 20 63 61 72 67 6f 20 70 way her cargo p
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12e20 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 73 70 61 72 74 61 6e 2c 20 61 6c 6d 6f 73 74 20 spartan, almost
12e60 66 6f 72 6d 61 6c 2d 63 75 74 2c 20 62 6c 61 63 formal-cut, blac
12e70 6b 20 63 6f 6c 6c 61 72 6c 65 73 73 20 73 68 69 k collarless shi
12e80 72 74 2e 0a 0a 22 41 72 65 6e 27 74 20 79 6f 75 rt..."Aren't you
12e90 20 6b 69 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 79 6f 75 6e 67 20 66 kind of young f
12ea0 6f 72 20 74 68 69 73 20 73 6f 72 74 20 6f 66 20 or this sort of
12eb0 74 68 69 6e 67 3f 22 20 73 68 65 20 62 6c 75 72 thing?" she blur
12ec0 74 65 64 20 6f 75 74 2e 0a 0a 48 65 20 6a 65 72 ted out...He jer
12ed0 6b 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 66 6f 63 75 73 20 6f 66 ked the focus of
12ee0 20 68 69 73 20 61 71 75 61 20 65 79 65 73 2c 20 his aqua eyes,
12ef0 72 65 66 6c 65 63 74 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 6c reflecting the l
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12f10 2c 20 61 77 61 79 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 20 , away from the
12f20 76 69 63 69 6e 69 74 79 20 6f 66 20 68 65 72 20 vicinity of her
12f30 6d 69 64 73 65 63 74 69 6f 6e 20 61 6e 64 20 6d midsection and m
12f40 65 74 20 68 65 72 20 65 79 65 73 2e 20 20 22 48 et her eyes. "H
12f50 65 79 2c 20 6c 61 64 79 2c 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 ey, lady, don't
12f60 74 68 69 6e 6b 20 49 27 6d 20 6e 65 77 20 74 6f think I'm new to
12f70 20 74 68 69 73 2e 20 20 49 27 6d 20 61 72 6d 65 this. I'm arme
12f80 64 2c 20 73 6f 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 6a 65 72 6b d, so don't jerk
12f90 20 6d 65 20 61 72 6f 75 6e 64 2e 22 0a 0a 53 68 me around."..Sh
12fa0 65 20 68 65 73 69 74 61 74 65 64 2c 20 74 68 65 e hesitated, the
12fb0 6e 20 73 61 69 64 20 22 4e 6f 2c 20 6e 6f 74 20 n said "No, not
12fc0 61 20 70 72 6f 62 6c 65 6d 2e 20 20 59 6f 75 20 a problem. You
12fd0 6a 75 73 74 2c 20 75 68 68 2c 20 73 75 72 70 72 just, uhh, surpr
12fe0 69 73 65 64 20 6d 65 2e 20 20 53 6f 72 72 79 2e ised me. Sorry.
12ff0 22 0a 0a 22 57 68 61 74 65 76 65 72 2c 22 20 68 ".."Whatever," h
13000 65 20 73 61 69 64 2c 20 69 6e 20 61 20 73 6f 66 e said, in a sof
13010 74 2c 20 63 6c 65 61 72 20 76 6f 69 63 65 20 74 t, clear voice t
13020 68 61 74 20 61 6c 6d 6f 73 74 20 6d 61 64 65 20 hat almost made
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13040 72 65 63 6f 67 6e 69 7a 65 20 74 68 65 20 73 6f recognize the so
13050 75 72 20 6e 6f 74 65 20 69 6e 20 69 74 2e 20 20 ur note in it.
13060 22 48 65 72 65 2c 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 20 61 74 20 74 "Here, look at t
13070 68 69 73 2c 22 20 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2c 20 61 his," he said, a
13080 6e 64 20 68 65 6c 64 20 75 70 20 61 20 64 65 76 nd held up a dev
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130a0 68 69 73 20 70 61 6c 6d 2e 20 20 41 20 67 6c 6f his palm. A glo
130b0 77 69 6e 67 20 64 69 73 70 6c 61 79 20 6f 6e 20 wing display on
130c0 69 74 2c 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 6c 65 it, about the le
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130e0 74 68 75 6d 62 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 72 65 65 20 thumb and three
130f0 74 69 6d 65 73 20 74 68 65 20 74 68 69 63 6b 6e times the thickn
13100 65 73 73 2c 20 73 68 6f 77 65 64 20 61 6e 20 65 ess, showed an e
13110 69 67 68 74 79 2d 73 65 76 65 6e 20 53 74 61 74 ighty-seven Stat
13120 65 72 20 74 72 61 6e 73 61 63 74 69 6f 6e 20 72 er transaction r
13130 65 61 64 79 20 66 6f 72 20 68 69 6d 20 74 6f 20 eady for him to
13140 63 6f 6e 66 69 72 6d 2e 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 6e 6f confirm...She no
13150 64 64 65 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 61 69 64 20 22 dded, and said "
13160 47 6f 20 61 68 65 61 64 20 61 6e 64 20 73 65 6e Go ahead and sen
13170 64 20 69 74 20 74 6f 20 74 68 69 73 20 65 73 63 d it to this esc
13180 72 6f 77 2e 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 70 75 6c 6c 65 row." She pulle
13190 64 20 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 64 6f 67 2d 65 61 d out the dog-ea
131a0 72 65 64 20 70 61 67 65 20 6f 66 20 68 65 72 20 red page of her
131b0 6e 6f 74 65 62 6f 6f 6b 20 77 69 74 68 6f 75 74 notebook without
131c0 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 69 6e 67 20 61 74 20 69 74 2c 20 looking at it,
131d0 61 6e 64 20 68 61 6e 64 65 64 20 69 74 20 74 6f and handed it to
131e0 20 74 68 65 20 62 6f 79 2e 20 20 48 65 20 65 6e the boy. He en
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13200 20 6e 75 6d 62 65 72 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 68 69 73 number into his
13210 20 64 65 76 69 63 65 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 75 6d device and thum
13220 62 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 63 6f 6e 66 69 72 6d 61 bed the confirma
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13240 6c 61 74 65 72 2c 20 73 68 65 20 68 65 61 72 64 later, she heard
13250 20 74 68 65 20 65 73 63 72 6f 77 20 61 6c 65 72 the escrow aler
13260 74 20 74 68 72 6f 75 67 68 20 68 65 72 20 70 68 t through her ph
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13280 0a 22 44 6f 6e 65 22 2c 20 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 ."Done", he said
13290 2e 0a 0a 22 48 65 72 65 27 73 20 74 68 65 20 63 ..."Here's the c
132a0 61 73 68 2e 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 68 75 6e 67 20 ash." She hung
132b0 68 65 72 20 72 69 67 68 74 20 74 68 75 6d 62 20 her right thumb
132c0 6f 6e 20 68 65 72 20 66 72 6f 6e 74 20 70 6f 63 on her front poc
132d0 6b 65 74 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 72 65 61 63 68 65 ket, then reache
132e0 64 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 63 61 72 20 77 d into the car w
132f0 69 74 68 20 68 65 72 20 6c 65 66 74 20 68 61 6e ith her left han
13300 64 20 74 6f 20 70 75 6c 6c 20 6f 75 74 20 74 68 d to pull out th
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13320 65 64 20 69 74 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 62 6f 79 ed it to the boy
13330 2e 0a 0a 48 65 20 74 6f 6f 6b 20 69 74 2c 20 6b ...He took it, k
13340 65 65 70 69 6e 67 20 68 69 73 20 65 79 65 73 20 eeping his eyes
13350 6f 6e 20 68 65 72 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 74 65 70 on her, and step
13360 70 65 64 20 62 61 63 6b 2e 20 20 48 65 20 74 6f ped back. He to
13370 73 73 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 62 61 67 20 69 6e 74 ssed the bag int
13380 6f 20 74 68 65 20 63 61 72 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 o the car, then
13390 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 68 65 61 72 64 20 73 6f 6d 65 Alley heard some
133a0 20 72 75 73 74 6c 69 6e 67 20 73 6f 75 6e 64 73 rustling sounds
133b0 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 20 62 61 67 2e 20 20 from the bag.
133c0 41 66 74 65 72 20 61 20 66 65 77 20 6d 6f 6d 65 After a few mome
133d0 6e 74 73 2c 20 73 68 65 20 72 65 61 6c 69 7a 65 nts, she realize
133e0 64 20 77 68 6f 65 76 65 72 20 77 61 73 20 73 69 d whoever was si
133f0 74 74 69 6e 67 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 70 61 73 tting in the pas
13400 73 65 6e 67 65 72 20 73 65 61 74 20 68 61 64 20 senger seat had
13410 73 74 61 72 74 65 64 20 63 6f 75 6e 74 69 6e 67 started counting
13420 2e 20 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 65 . Alley and the
13430 20 62 6f 79 20 73 74 6f 6f 64 20 74 68 65 72 65 boy stood there
13440 2c 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 69 6e 67 20 61 74 20 65 61 63 , looking at eac
13450 68 20 6f 74 68 65 72 2c 20 61 73 20 74 68 65 79 h other, as they
13460 20 77 61 69 74 65 64 2e 20 20 41 20 67 69 72 6c waited. A girl
13470 27 73 20 76 6f 69 63 65 20 2d 2d 20 75 6e 6c 65 's voice -- unle
13480 73 73 20 69 74 20 77 61 73 20 61 6e 20 65 76 65 ss it was an eve
13490 6e 20 79 6f 75 6e 67 65 72 20 62 6f 79 20 2d 2d n younger boy --
134a0 20 73 61 69 64 20 22 49 74 27 73 20 61 6c 6c 20 said "It's all
134b0 68 65 72 65 2e 22 0a 0a 54 68 65 20 62 6f 79 20 here."..The boy
134c0 74 61 70 70 65 64 20 68 69 73 20 64 65 76 69 63 tapped his devic
134d0 65 20 77 69 74 68 20 68 69 73 20 74 68 75 6d 62 e with his thumb
134e0 20 6f 6e 63 65 20 6d 6f 72 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 once more, and
134f0 73 61 69 64 20 22 41 72 65 20 77 65 20 64 6f 6e said "Are we don
13500 65 3f 22 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 74 20 79 65 74 2c 22 20 e?".."Not yet,"
13510 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 4a 75 73 74 she said. "Just
13520 20 77 61 69 74 2e 22 20 20 45 76 65 72 79 6f 6e wait." Everyon
13530 65 20 77 61 69 74 65 64 2e 20 20 41 20 66 65 77 e waited. A few
13540 20 73 65 63 6f 6e 64 73 20 6c 61 74 65 72 2c 20 seconds later,
13550 61 6e 6f 74 68 65 72 20 61 6c 65 72 74 20 63 68 another alert ch
13560 69 6d 65 64 20 69 6e 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 27 73 20 imed in Alley's
13570 65 61 72 2e 20 20 22 4f 6b 61 79 2c 20 77 65 27 ear. "Okay, we'
13580 72 65 20 64 6f 6e 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 47 6f 6f 64 re done.".."Good
13590 2c 22 20 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 ," he said, and
135a0 73 61 74 20 62 61 63 6b 20 69 6e 20 68 69 73 20 sat back in his
135b0 63 61 72 20 77 69 74 68 20 73 75 72 70 72 69 73 car with surpris
135c0 69 6e 67 20 71 75 69 63 6b 6e 65 73 73 2e 0a 0a ing quickness...
135d0 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 61 74 20 64 6f 77 6e 20 61 Alley sat down a
135e0 6e 64 20 68 75 72 72 69 65 64 6c 79 20 70 75 6c nd hurriedly pul
135f0 6c 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 64 6f 6f 72 20 73 68 75 led her door shu
13600 74 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 63 72 6f 73 73 6f 76 65 t. The crossove
13610 72 20 62 61 63 6b 65 64 20 6f 75 74 20 61 6e 64 r backed out and
13620 20 71 75 69 63 6b 6c 79 20 64 72 6f 76 65 20 61 quickly drove a
13630 77 61 79 2c 20 77 68 69 6c 65 20 73 68 65 20 77 way, while she w
13640 61 73 20 73 74 69 6c 6c 20 62 75 63 6b 6c 69 6e as still bucklin
13650 67 20 68 65 72 20 73 65 61 74 62 65 6c 74 2e 20 g her seatbelt.
13660 20 53 6f 6f 6e 20 73 68 65 2c 20 74 6f 6f 2c 20 Soon she, too,
13670 77 61 73 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 72 6f 61 64 2e was on the road.
13680 0a 0a 22 49 74 20 69 73 20 74 6f 6f 20 65 61 72 .."It is too ear
13690 6c 79 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 73 75 72 65 20 74 68 ly to be sure th
136a0 61 74 20 77 65 6e 74 20 77 65 6c 6c 2c 22 20 74 at went well," t
136b0 68 65 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 20 73 he prioritizer s
136c0 61 69 64 2e 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 68 2e 20 20 49 20 aid..."Yeah. I
136d0 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 63 68 65 63 6b 20 6d 79 20 should check my
136e0 53 74 61 74 65 72 20 62 61 6c 61 6e 63 65 2e 22 Stater balance."
136f0 20 20 53 68 65 20 70 75 6c 6c 65 64 20 6f 76 65 She pulled ove
13700 72 2c 20 73 65 74 20 61 73 69 64 65 20 68 65 72 r, set aside her
13710 20 67 6c 61 73 73 65 73 20 73 6f 20 74 68 65 79 glasses so they
13720 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 6e 27 74 20 72 65 63 6f 72 64 wouldn't record
13730 20 77 68 61 74 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 77 2c 20 70 what she saw, p
13740 69 63 6b 65 64 20 75 70 20 68 65 72 20 70 68 6f icked up her pho
13750 6e 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 61 ne, and looked a
13760 74 20 74 68 65 20 6f 70 65 6e 20 6c 65 64 67 65 t the open ledge
13770 72 20 76 69 65 77 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 6e 6f 77 r view. She now
13780 20 68 61 64 20 61 20 53 74 61 74 65 72 20 62 61 had a Stater ba
13790 6c 61 6e 63 65 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 73 74 61 72 lance. She star
137a0 65 64 20 61 74 20 69 74 20 66 6f 72 20 61 20 77 ed at it for a w
137b0 68 69 6c 65 2e 0a 0a 22 49 73 20 65 76 65 72 79 hile..."Is every
137c0 74 68 69 6e 67 20 63 6f 72 72 65 63 74 3f 22 20 thing correct?"
137d0 74 68 65 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 20 the prioritizer
137e0 61 73 6b 65 64 2e 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 6e 6f 64 64 asked...She nodd
137f0 65 64 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 72 65 61 6c 69 7a 65 ed, then realize
13800 64 20 69 74 20 70 72 6f 62 61 62 6c 79 20 63 6f d it probably co
13810 75 6c 64 6e 27 74 20 74 65 6c 6c 20 73 68 65 20 uldn't tell she
13820 6e 6f 64 64 65 64 20 77 68 65 6e 20 73 68 65 20 nodded when she
13830 77 61 73 6e 27 74 20 77 65 61 72 69 6e 67 20 74 wasn't wearing t
13840 68 65 20 67 6c 61 73 73 65 73 2e 20 20 22 59 65 he glasses. "Ye
13850 61 68 2c 20 69 74 27 73 20 61 6c 6c 20 74 68 65 ah, it's all the
13860 72 65 2e 20 20 49 73 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 61 6e re. Is there an
13870 79 20 77 61 79 20 74 68 69 73 20 63 61 6e 20 73 y way this can s
13880 6f 6d 65 68 6f 77 20 67 65 74 20 72 65 76 65 72 omehow get rever
13890 73 65 64 20 6e 6f 77 3f 22 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 2c 22 sed now?".."No,"
138a0 20 74 68 65 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 the prioritizer
138b0 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 49 66 20 69 74 20 73 said. "If it s
138c0 68 6f 77 73 20 69 6e 20 79 6f 75 72 20 62 61 6c hows in your bal
138d0 61 6e 63 65 2c 20 74 68 61 74 20 73 68 6f 75 6c ance, that shoul
138e0 64 20 6d 65 61 6e 20 74 68 65 20 74 72 61 6e 73 d mean the trans
138f0 61 63 74 69 6f 6e 20 63 72 6f 73 73 65 64 20 74 action crossed t
13900 68 65 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 20 6f 66 20 6e 6f 20 72 he point of no r
13910 65 74 75 72 6e 2c 20 61 63 63 6f 72 64 69 6e 67 eturn, according
13920 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 53 74 61 74 65 72 20 64 to the Stater d
13930 6f 63 75 6d 65 6e 74 73 20 79 6f 75 20 73 68 6f ocuments you sho
13940 77 65 64 20 74 6f 20 6d 65 20 74 68 72 6f 75 67 wed to me throug
13950 68 20 79 6f 75 72 20 67 6c 61 73 73 65 73 2e 22 h your glasses."
13960 0a 0a 22 4f 6b 61 79 2e 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 6c .."Okay." She l
13970 6f 63 6b 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 70 68 6f 6e 65 2c ocked her phone,
13980 20 74 6f 73 73 65 64 20 69 74 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 tossed it on th
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139a0 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 74 61 72 74 65 64 20 64 72 , and started dr
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139d0 64 20 77 65 61 72 20 74 68 65 20 67 6c 61 73 73 d wear the glass
139e0 65 73 20 61 67 61 69 6e 2e 22 0a 0a 22 4f 68 2c es again.".."Oh,
139f0 20 72 69 67 68 74 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 right," she sai
13a00 64 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 70 69 63 6b 65 64 20 74 d. She picked t
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13a50 2e 20 20 22 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 74 68 65 20 . "I guess the
13a60 6e 65 78 74 20 73 74 65 70 20 69 73 20 74 6f 20 next step is to
13a70 62 75 79 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20 77 69 buy something wi
13a80 74 68 20 53 74 61 74 65 72 20 73 6f 20 77 65 20 th Stater so we
13a90 63 61 6e 20 73 65 6c 6c 20 69 74 2e 20 20 52 69 can sell it. Ri
13aa0 67 68 74 3f 22 0a 0a 22 59 65 73 2e 20 20 59 6f ght?".."Yes. Yo
13ab0 75 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 73 65 6e 64 20 61 20 u should send a
13ac0 6d 65 73 73 61 67 65 20 74 6f 20 61 20 62 75 79 message to a buy
13ad0 65 72 20 74 6f 6e 69 67 68 74 2c 20 74 68 65 6e er tonight, then
13ae0 20 62 75 79 20 74 68 65 20 69 74 65 6d 20 77 68 buy the item wh
13af0 65 6e 20 79 6f 75 20 67 65 74 20 63 6f 6e 66 69 en you get confi
13b00 72 6d 61 74 69 6f 6e 2e 20 20 55 73 65 20 61 6e rmation. Use an
13b10 20 65 73 63 72 6f 77 20 68 6f 6c 64 20 74 6f 20 escrow hold to
13b20 72 65 73 65 72 76 65 20 74 68 65 20 70 75 72 63 reserve the purc
13b30 68 61 73 65 2c 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 63 hase, with the c
13b40 61 6e 63 65 6c 6c 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 66 65 65 20 ancellation fee
13b50 70 6c 65 64 67 65 64 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 65 pledged to the e
13b60 73 63 72 6f 77 20 73 65 72 76 69 63 65 2e 22 0a scrow service.".
13b70 0a 22 59 65 61 68 2c 20 67 6f 74 20 69 74 2c 22 ."Yeah, got it,"
13b80 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 49 20 68 she said. "I h
13b90 6f 70 65 20 74 68 69 73 20 61 6c 6c 20 77 6f 72 ope this all wor
13ba0 6b 73 20 6f 75 74 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 74 20 73 68 ks out.".."It sh
13bb0 6f 75 6c 64 2e 22 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 64 72 6f 76 ould."..She drov
13bc0 65 20 68 6f 6d 65 20 69 6e 20 73 69 6c 65 6e 63 e home in silenc
13bd0 65 2c 20 6f 63 63 61 73 69 6f 6e 61 6c 6c 79 20 e, occasionally
13be0 6c 6f 6f 6b 69 6e 67 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 65 looking at the e
13bf0 6d 70 74 79 20 73 70 61 63 65 20 69 6e 20 66 72 mpty space in fr
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13c10 6e 67 65 72 20 73 65 61 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 75 nger seat that u
13c20 73 65 64 20 74 6f 20 68 6f 6c 64 20 61 20 62 61 sed to hold a ba
13c30 67 20 66 75 6c 6c 20 6f 66 20 63 61 73 68 2e 0a g full of cash..
13c40 0a 57 68 65 6e 20 73 68 65 20 67 6f 74 20 68 6f .When she got ho
13c50 6d 65 2c 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 74 20 69 6e 20 66 me, she sat in f
13c60 72 6f 6e 74 20 6f 66 20 68 65 72 20 6c 61 70 74 ront of her lapt
13c70 6f 70 2c 20 73 65 74 20 61 73 69 64 65 20 68 65 op, set aside he
13c80 72 20 67 6c 61 73 73 65 73 20 61 67 61 69 6e 2c r glasses again,
13c90 20 61 6e 64 20 63 68 65 63 6b 65 64 20 68 65 72 and checked her
13ca0 20 53 74 61 74 65 72 20 61 63 63 6f 75 6e 74 2e Stater account.
13cb0 20 20 45 76 65 72 79 74 68 69 6e 67 20 77 61 73 Everything was
13cc0 20 77 68 65 72 65 20 69 74 20 77 61 73 20 73 75 where it was su
13cd0 70 70 6f 73 65 64 20 74 6f 20 62 65 2c 20 61 73 pposed to be, as
13ce0 20 66 61 72 20 61 73 20 73 68 65 20 63 6f 75 6c far as she coul
13cf0 64 20 74 65 6c 6c 2e 20 20 41 66 74 65 72 20 63 d tell. After c
13d00 6c 6f 73 69 6e 67 20 74 68 61 74 20 77 69 6e 64 losing that wind
13d10 6f 77 2c 20 73 68 65 20 64 6f 6e 6e 65 64 20 68 ow, she donned h
13d20 65 72 20 67 6c 61 73 73 65 73 20 61 67 61 69 6e er glasses again
13d30 20 61 6e 64 20 73 74 61 72 74 65 64 20 6c 6f 6f and started loo
13d40 6b 69 6e 67 20 66 6f 72 20 6c 61 72 67 65 20 64 king for large d
13d50 69 66 66 65 72 65 6e 63 65 73 20 69 6e 20 70 72 ifferences in pr
13d60 69 63 65 20 66 6f 72 20 69 74 65 6d 73 20 61 76 ice for items av
13d70 61 69 6c 61 62 6c 65 20 69 6e 20 62 6f 74 68 20 ailable in both
13d80 6c 6f 63 61 6c 20 70 73 65 75 64 6f 6e 79 6d 6f local pseudonymo
13d90 75 73 20 63 6c 61 73 73 69 66 69 65 64 73 20 61 us classifieds a
13da0 6e 64 20 4f 70 65 6e 4d 61 72 72 61 6b 65 73 68 nd OpenMarrakesh
13db0 2c 20 77 68 69 63 68 20 77 61 73 20 6f 6e 65 20 , which was one
13dc0 6f 66 20 68 61 6c 66 20 61 20 64 6f 7a 65 6e 20 of half a dozen
13dd0 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 77 6f 72 6c 64 73 20 73 75 of the worlds su
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13df0 6f 6e 20 6d 65 65 74 69 6e 67 73 20 69 6e 20 74 on meetings in t
13e00 68 65 20 65 78 74 65 6e 64 65 64 20 4f 70 65 6e he extended Open
13e10 42 61 7a 61 61 72 20 6f 6e 6c 69 6e 65 20 6d 61 Bazaar online ma
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13e30 53 68 65 20 66 6f 75 6e 64 20 61 6e 20 69 6d 70 She found an imp
13e40 72 6f 62 61 62 6c 65 20 6f 70 70 6f 72 74 75 6e robable opportun
13e50 69 74 79 2c 20 6f 6e 65 20 74 68 61 74 20 64 69 ity, one that di
13e60 64 20 6e 6f 74 20 65 78 69 73 74 20 74 68 65 20 d not exist the
13e70 6c 61 73 74 20 74 69 6d 65 20 73 68 65 20 63 68 last time she ch
13e80 65 63 6b 65 64 20 61 20 66 65 77 20 68 6f 75 72 ecked a few hour
13e90 73 20 62 65 66 6f 72 65 2e 20 20 53 6f 6d 65 6f s before. Someo
13ea0 6e 65 20 6f 6e 20 4f 70 65 6e 4d 61 72 72 61 6b ne on OpenMarrak
13eb0 65 73 68 20 77 61 73 20 73 65 6c 6c 69 6e 67 20 esh was selling
13ec0 70 72 69 6e 74 65 64 20 70 6f 6c 79 6d 65 72 20 printed polymer
13ed0 66 72 61 6d 65 73 20 66 6f 72 20 61 20 73 70 65 frames for a spe
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13ef0 20 68 61 6e 64 67 75 6e 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 6f handgun, and so
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13f10 69 66 69 65 64 20 61 64 20 73 69 74 65 20 77 61 ified ad site wa
13f20 6e 74 65 64 20 74 6f 20 62 75 79 20 65 69 67 68 nted to buy eigh
13f30 74 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 6d 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 t of them. The
13f40 66 72 61 6d 65 73 20 6f 6e 20 4f 70 65 6e 4d 61 frames on OpenMa
13f50 72 72 61 6b 65 73 68 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 63 6f rrakesh would co
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13f70 74 61 74 65 72 20 73 68 65 20 68 61 64 2c 20 62 tater she had, b
13f80 75 74 20 69 74 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 6c 69 6b ut it looked lik
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13fa0 6a 75 73 74 20 75 6e 64 65 72 20 74 77 69 63 65 just under twice
13fb0 20 61 73 20 6d 75 63 68 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 as much for the
13fc0 20 66 72 61 6d 65 73 20 70 61 69 64 20 62 61 63 frames paid bac
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13fe0 68 65 20 63 68 65 63 6b 65 64 20 6d 65 6e 74 61 he checked menta
13ff0 6c 6c 79 20 73 75 62 74 72 61 63 74 65 64 20 77 lly subtracted w
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14020 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 6e 6f 74 69 63 65 64 20 73 68 , and noticed sh
14030 65 20 68 61 64 20 65 6e 6f 75 67 68 20 74 6f 20 e had enough to
14040 62 75 79 20 61 20 6d 75 6c 74 69 70 6c 65 2d 63 buy a multiple-c
14050 72 79 70 74 6f 63 75 72 72 65 6e 63 79 20 74 72 ryptocurrency tr
14060 61 64 65 72 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 74 68 65 20 62 6f ader like the bo
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14080 69 74 68 20 77 68 61 74 20 77 61 73 20 6c 65 66 ith what was lef
14090 74 2e 0a 0a 22 53 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 49 20 6d 61 t..."Should I ma
140a0 6b 65 20 74 68 69 73 20 64 65 61 6c 3f 22 20 73 ke this deal?" s
140b0 68 65 20 61 73 6b 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 61 69 72 he asked the air
140c0 2e 0a 0a 54 68 65 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a ...The prioritiz
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140e0 68 69 73 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 73 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 61 his looks like a
140f0 20 76 65 72 79 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 64 65 61 6c 2c very good deal,
14100 20 74 68 65 20 62 65 73 74 20 79 6f 75 20 68 61 the best you ha
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14120 68 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 h," she said. "
14130 46 69 6e 65 2e 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 64 69 64 20 Fine." She did
14140 61 20 6c 69 74 74 6c 65 20 72 65 73 65 61 72 63 a little researc
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14160 6e 79 20 66 75 72 74 68 65 72 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 ny further, and
14170 66 6f 75 6e 64 20 6f 75 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 found out that t
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141a0 73 65 6c 6c 20 77 65 72 65 20 6e 6f 74 20 65 76 sell were not ev
141b0 65 6e 20 63 6f 6e 73 69 64 65 72 65 64 20 73 69 en considered si
141c0 67 6e 69 66 69 63 61 6e 74 20 66 6f 72 20 66 69 gnificant for fi
141d0 72 65 61 72 6d 73 20 72 65 67 75 6c 61 74 69 6f rearms regulatio
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141f0 6f 6e 67 20 61 73 20 74 68 65 79 20 64 69 64 20 ong as they did
14200 6e 6f 74 20 69 6e 63 6c 75 64 65 20 74 68 69 6e not include thin
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14220 69 6e 73 2c 20 68 61 6d 6d 65 72 73 2c 20 73 74 ins, hammers, st
14230 72 69 6b 65 72 73 2c 20 62 61 72 72 65 6c 73 2c rikers, barrels,
14240 20 6f 72 20 63 68 61 6d 62 65 72 73 2e 20 20 44 or chambers. D
14250 6f 75 62 6c 65 2d 63 68 65 63 6b 69 6e 67 20 73 ouble-checking s
14260 68 6f 77 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 6e 6f 6e 65 20 6f howed her none o
14270 66 20 74 68 61 74 20 77 61 73 20 69 6e 63 6c 75 f that was inclu
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14290 73 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 73 65 6e 74 20 61 20 72 s. She sent a r
142a0 65 70 6c 79 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 63 6c 61 73 eply to the clas
142b0 73 69 66 69 65 64 20 61 64 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 sified ad, then
142c0 67 6f 74 20 72 65 61 64 79 20 66 6f 72 20 62 65 got ready for be
142d0 64 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 68 61 64 20 6e 6f 20 72 d. She had no r
142e0 65 70 6c 79 20 79 65 74 20 77 68 65 6e 20 73 68 eply yet when sh
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14300 68 65 20 74 75 72 6e 65 64 20 69 6e 2e 0a 0a 54 he turned in...T
14310 68 65 20 6e 65 78 74 20 6d 6f 72 6e 69 6e 67 2c he next morning,
14320 20 73 68 65 20 63 68 65 63 6b 65 64 20 66 6f 72 she checked for
14330 20 61 20 72 65 73 70 6f 6e 73 65 20 62 65 66 6f a response befo
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14360 6e 64 20 61 20 73 75 67 67 65 73 74 69 6f 6e 20 nd a suggestion
14370 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 79 20 6d 65 65 74 20 69 that they meet i
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143a0 69 6e 20 53 61 6e 20 42 65 72 6e 61 72 64 69 6e in San Bernardin
143b0 6f 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 63 68 65 63 6b 65 64 20 o. She checked
143c0 74 68 65 20 6c 6f 63 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 6f 6e 20 the location on
143d0 61 20 73 74 72 65 65 74 20 6d 61 70 20 61 6e 64 a street map and
143e0 20 6e 6f 74 69 63 65 64 20 69 74 20 77 61 73 6e noticed it wasn
143f0 27 74 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 6d 6f 73 74 20 6e 't in the most n
14400 6f 74 6f 72 69 6f 75 73 6c 79 20 62 61 64 20 70 otoriously bad p
14410 61 72 74 20 6f 66 20 74 6f 77 6e 2c 20 6a 75 73 art of town, jus
14420 74 20 73 6f 75 74 68 20 6f 66 20 49 2d 31 30 2c t south of I-10,
14430 20 77 68 65 72 65 20 69 74 20 73 65 65 6d 65 64 where it seemed
14440 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 63 75 73 74 6f 6d 61 72 79 to be customary
14450 20 66 6f 72 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 74 6f 20 73 for people to s
14460 65 74 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 61 70 61 72 74 6d 65 et their apartme
14470 6e 74 73 20 6f 6e 20 66 69 72 65 20 77 68 65 6e nts on fire when
14480 20 74 68 65 79 20 6d 6f 76 65 64 20 6f 75 74 2e they moved out.
14490 0a 0a 47 6f 6f 64 20 65 6e 6f 75 67 68 2e 20 20 ..Good enough.
144a0 53 68 65 20 6c 69 6b 65 64 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 She liked that t
144b0 68 65 20 62 75 79 65 72 20 73 61 69 64 20 68 65 he buyer said he
144c0 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 73 68 6f 77 20 75 70 20 6f would show up o
144d0 6e 20 66 6f 6f 74 20 77 69 74 68 20 61 6e 20 75 n foot with an u
144e0 6d 62 72 65 6c 6c 61 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 68 65 mbrella, and she
144f0 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 64 6f 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 should do somet
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14510 68 65 72 20 61 70 70 65 61 72 61 6e 63 65 20 66 her appearance f
14520 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 20 73 65 63 75 72 69 74 79 rom the security
14530 20 63 61 6d 65 72 61 73 20 6e 65 61 72 20 74 68 cameras near th
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14550 73 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 73 75 70 65 72 6d 61 s of the superma
14560 72 6b 65 74 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 77 61 73 6e 27 rket. She wasn'
14570 74 20 73 75 72 65 20 73 68 65 20 6c 69 6b 65 64 t sure she liked
14580 20 74 68 65 20 69 64 65 61 20 6f 66 20 62 75 79 the idea of buy
14590 69 6e 67 20 61 6e 64 20 73 65 6c 6c 69 6e 67 20 ing and selling
145a0 67 75 6e 20 70 61 72 74 73 2c 20 62 75 74 20 65 gun parts, but e
145b0 76 65 72 79 74 68 69 6e 67 20 73 65 65 6d 65 64 verything seemed
145c0 20 6c 65 67 61 6c 2c 20 65 76 65 6e 20 69 66 20 legal, even if
145d0 74 68 65 20 77 68 6f 6c 65 20 74 68 69 6e 67 20 the whole thing
145e0 66 65 6c 74 20 61 20 6c 69 74 74 6c 65 20 63 6c felt a little cl
145f0 6f 61 6b 2d 61 6e 64 2d 64 61 67 67 65 72 2e 0a oak-and-dagger..
14600 0a 52 61 74 68 65 72 20 74 68 61 6e 20 72 65 70 .Rather than rep
14610 6c 79 2c 20 73 68 65 20 73 65 74 20 75 70 20 61 ly, she set up a
14620 20 70 75 72 63 68 61 73 65 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 purchase for th
14630 65 20 66 72 61 6d 65 73 20 74 68 72 6f 75 67 68 e frames through
14640 20 4f 70 65 6e 4d 61 72 72 61 6b 65 73 68 2e 20 OpenMarrakesh.
14650 20 53 68 65 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 63 6f 6e 66 69 She would confi
14660 72 6d 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 62 75 79 65 rm with the buye
14670 72 20 6c 61 74 65 72 2e 20 20 49 74 20 67 61 76 r later. It gav
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14690 74 68 72 65 65 20 74 69 6d 65 73 20 66 6f 72 20 three times for
146a0 61 6e 20 69 6e 2d 70 65 72 73 6f 6e 20 74 72 61 an in-person tra
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146c0 6f 20 6c 6f 63 61 74 69 6f 6e 73 20 66 6f 72 20 o locations for
146d0 74 68 65 20 74 72 61 64 65 2e 20 20 4f 6e 65 20 the trade. One
146e0 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 74 69 6d 65 73 20 77 61 73 of the times was
146f0 20 68 6f 75 72 73 20 62 65 66 6f 72 65 20 74 68 hours before th
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14710 6f 20 6d 65 65 74 2c 20 73 6f 20 73 68 65 20 63 o meet, so she c
14720 68 6f 73 65 20 74 68 61 74 2e 20 20 4f 6e 65 20 hose that. One
14730 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 6c 6f 63 61 74 69 6f 6e 73 of the locations
14740 20 77 61 73 20 74 68 65 20 73 61 6d 65 20 70 6f was the same po
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14760 6d 20 74 68 65 20 6e 69 67 68 74 20 62 65 66 6f m the night befo
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14780 20 61 20 62 69 74 20 6e 65 72 76 6f 75 73 20 61 a bit nervous a
14790 62 6f 75 74 20 67 6f 69 6e 67 20 62 61 63 6b 20 bout going back
147a0 74 68 65 72 65 20 66 6f 72 20 61 6e 6f 74 68 65 there for anothe
147b0 72 20 73 6b 65 74 63 68 79 20 63 61 72 2d 74 6f r sketchy car-to
147c0 2d 63 61 72 20 64 65 61 6c 2c 20 73 6f 20 73 68 -car deal, so sh
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147f0 61 72 74 68 65 72 20 61 77 61 79 2c 20 69 6e 20 arther away, in
14800 4e 6f 72 63 6f 2e 20 20 49 74 20 77 61 73 20 61 Norco. It was a
14810 20 64 65 61 64 2d 65 6e 64 20 67 72 61 76 65 6c dead-end gravel
14820 20 72 6f 61 64 20 74 6f 20 6e 6f 77 68 65 72 65 road to nowhere
14830 2c 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 69 , only about thi
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14860 20 61 20 6d 61 6a 6f 72 20 72 6f 61 64 2e 20 20 a major road.
14870 54 68 65 20 6c 69 74 74 6c 65 20 67 72 61 76 65 The little grave
14880 6c 20 72 6f 61 64 20 61 70 70 65 6e 64 69 78 20 l road appendix
14890 65 6e 64 65 64 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 62 61 63 ended at the bac
148a0 6b 20 66 65 6e 63 65 20 6f 66 20 61 20 6e 65 61 k fence of a nea
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148c0 74 79 2e 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 72 65 61 6c 69 7a 65 ty...She realize
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148e0 20 74 68 65 20 6e 65 77 73 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 the news about
148f0 73 6f 6d 65 6f 6e 65 20 69 6e 20 4e 6f 72 63 6f someone in Norco
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14920 20 61 20 66 65 77 20 79 65 61 72 73 20 62 61 63 a few years bac
14930 6b 2c 20 77 68 69 63 68 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 68 k, which would h
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14960 70 72 6f 76 69 64 65 20 74 68 65 20 63 6f 75 6e provide the coun
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149a0 68 65 20 6e 65 76 65 72 20 6e 6f 74 69 63 65 64 he never noticed
149b0 20 68 6f 77 20 69 74 20 65 6e 64 65 64 2c 20 62 how it ended, b
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149e0 74 68 65 20 61 6e 73 77 65 72 2e 0a 0a 4f 70 65 the answer...Ope
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14a60 20 74 6f 20 72 65 6c 65 61 73 65 20 74 68 65 20 to release the
14a70 66 75 6e 64 73 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 73 65 6c funds to the sel
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14aa0 61 6e 64 20 73 74 61 72 74 65 64 20 67 65 74 74 and started gett
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14ac0 0a 0a 57 68 65 6e 20 73 68 65 20 77 61 73 20 72 ..When she was r
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14ae0 64 20 73 68 65 20 68 61 64 20 65 6e 6f 75 67 68 d she had enough
14af0 20 74 69 6d 65 20 74 6f 20 73 61 74 69 73 66 79 time to satisfy
14b00 20 68 65 72 20 63 75 72 69 6f 73 69 74 79 2e 20 her curiosity.
14b10 20 53 68 65 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 75 70 20 74 She looked up t
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14b30 6e 20 63 61 73 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 69 6e 20 61 n case, and in a
14b40 20 66 65 77 20 6d 69 6e 75 74 65 73 20 73 68 65 few minutes she
14b50 20 6c 65 61 72 6e 65 64 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 learned that th
14b60 65 20 63 6f 75 6e 74 79 20 6a 75 73 74 20 73 68 e county just sh
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14b80 74 20 64 6f 6d 61 69 6e 20 63 6c 61 69 6d 20 74 t domain claim t
14b90 6f 20 73 6f 6d 65 6f 6e 65 20 65 6c 73 65 27 73 o someone else's
14ba0 20 70 72 6f 70 65 72 74 79 2e 20 20 41 20 66 65 property. A fe
14bb0 77 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 6d 69 6e 75 74 65 73 20 6f w more minutes o
14bc0 66 20 73 65 61 72 63 68 69 6e 67 20 72 65 76 65 f searching reve
14bd0 61 6c 65 64 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 73 65 aled that the se
14be0 63 6f 6e 64 20 70 72 6f 70 65 72 74 79 20 6f 77 cond property ow
14bf0 6e 65 72 20 63 6f 75 6c 64 20 6e 6f 74 20 61 66 ner could not af
14c00 66 6f 72 64 20 61 20 6c 61 77 79 65 72 20 66 6f ford a lawyer fo
14c10 72 20 61 6e 20 65 78 74 65 6e 64 65 64 20 63 6f r an extended co
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14c30 65 6e 64 65 64 20 75 70 20 68 61 76 69 6e 67 20 ended up having
14c40 74 6f 20 61 63 63 65 70 74 20 74 68 65 20 63 6f to accept the co
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14c80 65 6e 74 73 27 20 68 6f 6d 65 2e 20 20 54 68 65 ents' home. The
14c90 20 73 65 63 6f 6e 64 20 70 72 6f 70 65 72 74 79 second property
14ca0 20 6f 77 6e 65 72 20 65 6e 64 65 64 20 75 70 20 owner ended up
14cb0 68 61 76 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 6d 6f 76 65 20 69 having to move i
14cc0 6e 74 6f 20 61 20 77 65 65 6b 6c 79 20 72 65 6e nto a weekly ren
14cd0 74 61 6c 20 6d 6f 74 65 6c 2e 0a 0a 54 68 61 74 tal motel...That
14ce0 20 77 61 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 74 68 65 20 68 61 70 was not the hap
14cf0 70 79 20 65 6e 64 69 6e 67 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 py ending Alley
14d00 77 61 6e 74 65 64 2e 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 68 65 61 wanted...She hea
14d10 64 65 64 20 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 64 6f 6f 72 ded out the door
14d20 2c 20 6d 65 6e 74 61 6c 6c 79 20 67 6e 61 77 69 , mentally gnawi
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14d40 69 63 65 20 6f 66 20 69 74 20 61 6c 6c 2e 0a 0a ice of it all...
14d50 2f 2a 20 72 65 77 72 69 74 65 20 74 68 65 20 61 /* rewrite the a
14d60 62 6f 76 65 20 74 6f 20 75 73 65 20 61 20 70 61 bove to use a pa
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14d80 20 6d 65 65 74 69 6e 67 2c 20 61 73 20 69 6e 64 meeting, as ind
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14da0 73 74 65 61 64 20 2a 2f 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 stead */..Alley
14db0 68 61 64 20 74 6f 20 63 68 65 63 6b 20 68 65 72 had to check her
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14de0 70 61 72 6b 20 62 65 6e 63 68 20 77 61 73 20 6e park bench was n
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14e00 64 65 64 20 75 70 20 73 6e 61 63 6b 20 73 74 61 ded up snack sta
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14e30 79 20 62 65 6e 63 68 20 77 69 74 68 20 73 6f 6d y bench with som
14e40 65 6f 6e 65 20 73 69 74 74 69 6e 67 20 6f 6e 20 eone sitting on
14e50 69 74 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 67 6c 61 6e 63 65 64 it. She glanced
14e60 20 62 61 63 6b 20 74 6f 77 61 72 64 20 68 65 72 back toward her
14e70 20 63 61 72 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 74 69 6e 79 car in the tiny
14e80 20 70 61 72 6b 69 6e 67 20 6c 6f 74 2c 20 6f 6e parking lot, on
14e90 65 20 6f 66 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 74 77 6f 20 63 61 e of only two ca
14ea0 72 73 20 74 68 65 72 65 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 6f rs there. The o
14eb0 74 68 65 72 20 77 61 73 20 61 20 62 6c 61 63 6b ther was a black
14ec0 20 6c 61 74 65 20 6d 6f 64 65 6c 20 41 75 64 69 late model Audi
14ed0 20 77 69 74 68 20 61 20 70 65 72 73 6f 6e 20 69 with a person i
14ee0 6e 20 74 68 65 20 66 72 6f 6e 74 20 73 65 61 74 n the front seat
14ef0 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 77 69 6e 64 6f 77 73 20 77 . The windows w
14f00 65 72 65 20 73 6f 20 64 61 72 6b 6c 79 20 74 69 ere so darkly ti
14f10 6e 74 65 64 20 73 68 65 20 73 75 73 70 65 63 74 nted she suspect
14f20 65 64 20 74 68 65 79 20 77 65 72 65 20 69 6c 6c ed they were ill
14f30 65 67 61 6c 2c 20 73 6f 20 73 68 65 20 68 61 64 egal, so she had
14f40 20 6e 6f 20 69 64 65 61 20 77 68 6f 20 77 61 73 no idea who was
14f50 20 73 69 74 74 69 6e 67 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 sitting in the
14f60 64 72 69 76 65 72 27 73 20 73 65 61 74 2e 0a 0a driver's seat...
14f70 41 73 20 73 68 65 20 61 70 70 72 6f 61 63 68 65 As she approache
14f80 64 20 74 68 65 20 62 65 6e 63 68 2c 20 73 68 65 d the bench, she
14f90 20 73 61 77 20 74 68 61 74 20 61 20 70 61 6c 65 saw that a pale
14fa0 20 79 6f 75 6e 67 20 72 65 64 20 68 61 69 72 65 young red haire
14fb0 64 20 77 6f 6d 61 6e 20 73 61 74 20 74 68 65 72 d woman sat ther
14fc0 65 20 69 6e 20 61 20 74 69 67 68 74 20 67 72 65 e in a tight gre
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14fe0 20 73 68 6f 72 74 73 2c 20 68 65 61 76 79 20 62 shorts, heavy b
14ff0 6c 61 63 6b 20 62 6f 6f 74 73 2c 20 61 20 62 6c lack boots, a bl
15000 61 63 6b 20 6d 61 73 6b 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 62 6c ack mask, and bl
15010 61 63 6b 20 67 6c 6f 76 65 73 2e 20 20 53 6f 6d ack gloves. Som
15020 65 20 6b 69 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 63 68 65 61 70 20 e kind of cheap
15030 73 79 6e 74 68 65 74 69 63 20 64 72 61 77 73 74 synthetic drawst
15040 72 69 6e 67 20 62 61 67 20 72 65 73 74 65 64 20 ring bag rested
15050 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 62 65 6e 63 68 20 62 65 73 on the bench bes
15060 69 64 65 20 68 65 72 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 68 65 ide her, and she
15070 20 68 61 64 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20 6c had something l
15080 69 6b 65 20 61 20 74 61 63 74 69 63 61 6c 20 70 ike a tactical p
15090 75 72 73 65 20 6f 6e 20 68 65 72 20 6f 74 68 65 urse on her othe
150a0 72 20 73 69 64 65 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 77 61 73 r side. She was
150b0 6e 27 74 20 77 68 61 74 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 65 n't what Alley e
150c0 78 70 65 63 74 65 64 20 69 6e 20 61 6e 20 61 6e xpected in an an
150d0 6f 6e 79 6d 6f 75 73 20 67 75 6e 20 70 61 72 74 onymous gun part
150e0 73 20 74 72 61 64 65 2e 0a 0a 54 68 65 20 72 65 s trade...The re
150f0 64 68 65 61 64 20 77 61 74 63 68 65 64 20 73 74 dhead watched st
15100 65 61 64 69 6c 79 20 61 73 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 eadily as Alley
15110 61 70 70 72 6f 61 63 68 65 64 2c 20 77 69 74 68 approached, with
15120 20 77 68 61 74 20 74 75 72 6e 65 64 20 6f 75 74 what turned out
15130 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 76 69 76 69 64 20 67 72 65 to be vivid gre
15140 65 6e 20 65 79 65 73 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 6c 61 en eyes. The la
15150 63 6b 20 6f 66 20 66 72 65 63 6b 6c 65 73 20 6d ck of freckles m
15160 69 67 68 74 20 6d 65 61 6e 20 73 68 65 20 77 61 ight mean she wa
15170 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 61 20 6e 61 74 75 72 61 6c 20 s not a natural
15180 72 65 64 68 65 61 64 2c 20 62 75 74 20 69 74 20 redhead, but it
15190 61 6c 73 6f 20 6d 69 67 68 74 20 6a 75 73 74 20 also might just
151a0 6d 65 61 6e 20 73 68 65 20 67 6f 74 20 74 68 65 mean she got the
151b0 6d 20 72 65 6d 6f 76 65 64 2e 0a 0a 54 68 65 20 m removed...The
151c0 77 6f 6d 61 6e 20 61 73 6b 65 64 20 22 41 72 65 woman asked "Are
151d0 20 79 6f 75 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 69 6e 67 20 66 6f 72 you looking for
151e0 20 73 6f 6d 65 6f 6e 65 3f 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 someone?"..Alle
151f0 79 20 73 74 6f 70 70 65 64 2c 20 61 20 63 6f 75 y stopped, a cou
15200 70 6c 65 20 6d 65 74 65 72 73 20 61 77 61 79 2e ple meters away.
15210 20 20 22 59 65 61 68 2c 20 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 "Yeah, I guess
15220 20 73 6f 2e 20 20 49 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 so. Is that th
15230 65 2c 20 75 68 20 2e 20 2e 20 2e 22 20 73 68 65 e, uh . . ." she
15240 20 74 72 61 69 6c 65 64 20 6f 66 66 2c 20 61 6e trailed off, an
15250 64 20 67 65 73 74 75 72 65 64 20 61 74 20 74 68 d gestured at th
15260 65 20 64 72 61 77 73 74 72 69 6e 67 20 62 61 67 e drawstring bag
15270 2e 0a 0a 22 50 72 69 6e 74 65 64 20 66 72 61 6d ..."Printed fram
15280 65 73 3f 22 20 74 68 65 20 72 65 64 68 65 61 64 es?" the redhead
15290 20 61 73 6b 65 64 2e 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 6e asked...Alley n
152a0 6f 64 64 65 64 2e 0a 0a 54 68 65 20 72 65 64 68 odded...The redh
152b0 65 61 64 20 70 75 6c 6c 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 6d ead pulled her m
152c0 61 73 6b 20 64 6f 77 6e 20 61 6e 64 20 65 78 70 ask down and exp
152d0 6f 73 65 64 20 62 72 69 6c 6c 69 61 6e 74 20 77 osed brilliant w
152e0 68 69 74 65 20 74 65 65 74 68 20 77 69 74 68 20 hite teeth with
152f0 61 20 62 72 6f 61 64 20 73 6d 69 6c 65 2e 20 20 a broad smile.
15300 22 59 65 61 68 2c 20 79 6f 75 20 66 6f 75 6e 64 "Yeah, you found
15310 20 77 68 61 74 20 79 6f 75 20 77 61 6e 74 2e 20 what you want.
15320 20 49 27 6d 20 43 61 72 6d 65 6e 2e 22 20 20 53 I'm Carmen." S
15330 68 65 20 73 74 6f 6f 64 20 61 6e 64 20 6f 66 66 he stood and off
15340 65 72 65 64 20 6f 6e 65 20 67 6c 6f 76 65 64 20 ered one gloved
15350 68 61 6e 64 2e 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 61 63 63 hand...Alley acc
15360 65 70 74 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 71 75 69 63 6b 20 epted the quick
15370 68 61 6e 64 73 68 61 6b 65 2e 20 20 22 4d 61 6c handshake. "Mal
15380 6c 6f 72 79 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 6f 66 66 66 65 lory," she offfe
15390 72 65 64 2c 20 6f 6e 20 69 6d 70 75 6c 73 65 2e red, on impulse.
153a0 0a 0a 22 4c 65 74 20 6d 65 20 67 75 65 73 73 3a .."Let me guess:
153b0 20 49 27 6d 20 6e 6f 74 20 77 68 61 74 20 79 6f I'm not what yo
153c0 75 20 65 78 70 65 63 74 65 64 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 u expected.".."I
153d0 20 77 61 73 6e 27 74 20 73 75 72 65 20 77 68 61 wasn't sure wha
153e0 74 20 74 6f 20 65 78 70 65 63 74 2c 22 20 41 6c t to expect," Al
153f0 6c 65 79 20 61 64 6d 69 74 74 65 64 2c 20 22 62 ley admitted, "b
15400 75 74 20 79 65 61 68 2c 20 49 20 67 75 65 73 20 ut yeah, I gues
15410 79 6f 75 20 73 75 72 70 72 69 73 65 64 20 6d 65 you surprised me
15420 20 61 6e 79 77 61 79 2e 22 0a 0a 43 61 72 6d 65 anyway."..Carme
15430 6e 20 2d 2d 20 70 6f 73 73 69 62 6c 79 20 61 20 n -- possibly a
15440 70 73 65 75 64 6f 6e 79 2c 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 pseudony, Alley
15450 72 65 61 6c 69 7a 65 64 20 2d 2d 20 73 6d 69 6c realized -- smil
15460 65 64 20 61 67 61 69 6e 2e 20 20 22 54 68 61 74 ed again. "That
15470 20 70 61 72 74 20 6f 66 20 74 68 69 73 20 6a 6f part of this jo
15480 62 20 6e 65 76 65 72 20 67 65 74 73 20 6f 6c 64 b never gets old
15490 2e 20 20 41 6e 79 77 61 79 2c 20 49 20 77 61 6e . Anyway, I wan
154a0 74 20 74 6f 20 75 70 73 65 6c 6c 20 79 6f 75 2e t to upsell you.
154b0 20 20 48 6f 77 27 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 73 6f 75 How's that sou
154c0 6e 64 3f 22 0a 0a 22 55 70 73 65 6c 6c 3f 22 20 nd?".."Upsell?"
154d0 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 68 65 73 69 74 61 74 65 64 Alley hesitated
154e0 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 6e 6f 64 64 65 64 2e 20 20 , then nodded.
154f0 22 53 75 72 65 2c 20 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 2e 22 "Sure, I guess."
15500 0a 0a 22 43 6f 6f 6c 2e 20 20 53 6f 2c 20 77 65 .."Cool. So, we
15510 20 68 61 76 65 20 70 72 69 6e 74 65 64 20 63 6f have printed co
15520 6e 63 65 61 6c 6d 65 6e 74 20 68 6f 6c 73 74 65 ncealment holste
15530 72 73 2c 20 73 6e 61 70 20 6f 6e 20 61 63 63 65 rs, snap on acce
15540 73 73 6f 72 79 20 72 61 69 6c 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 ssory rails, and
15550 20 62 72 61 73 73 20 63 61 74 63 68 65 72 73 20 brass catchers
15560 66 6f 72 20 6d 6f 64 65 6c 73 20 63 6f 6d 70 61 for models compa
15570 74 69 62 6c 65 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 73 65 tible with these
15580 20 66 72 61 6d 65 73 2e 20 20 57 65 20 68 61 76 frames. We hav
15590 65 20 73 74 75 66 66 20 66 6f 72 20 6f 74 68 65 e stuff for othe
155a0 72 20 6d 6f 64 65 6c 73 2c 20 74 6f 6f 2c 20 73 r models, too, s
155b0 6f 20 6c 65 74 20 6d 65 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 77 68 o let me know wh
155c0 61 74 20 79 6f 75 27 64 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 74 6f at you'd like to
155d0 20 73 65 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 57 6f 77 2e 20 20 46 see.".."Wow. F
155e0 75 6c 6c 2d 73 65 72 76 69 63 65 2c 20 49 20 67 ull-service, I g
155f0 75 65 73 73 2e 22 0a 0a 22 54 6f 74 61 6c 6c 79 uess.".."Totally
15600 21 22 20 20 43 61 72 6d 65 6e 20 74 75 67 67 65 !" Carmen tugge
15610 64 20 68 65 72 20 73 68 69 72 74 20 64 6f 77 6e d her shirt down
15620 20 73 6c 69 67 68 74 6c 79 2c 20 6d 61 6b 69 6e slightly, makin
15630 67 20 69 74 20 61 20 6c 69 74 74 6c 65 20 6d 6f g it a little mo
15640 72 65 20 6f 62 76 69 6f 75 73 20 73 68 65 20 77 re obvious she w
15650 61 73 6e 27 74 20 77 65 61 72 69 6e 67 20 61 20 asn't wearing a
15660 62 72 61 2e 0a 0a 22 49 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 20 49 bra..."I think I
15670 27 6c 6c 20 6a 75 73 74 20 73 74 69 63 6b 20 77 'll just stick w
15680 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 6f 72 64 65 72 20 49 20 ith the order I
15690 70 6c 61 63 65 64 2c 20 66 6f 72 20 6e 6f 77 2e placed, for now.
156a0 20 20 49 27 6c 6c 20 6b 65 65 70 20 79 6f 75 20 I'll keep you
156b0 69 6e 20 6d 69 6e 64 20 69 66 20 49 20 6e 65 65 in mind if I nee
156c0 64 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20 65 6c 73 65 d something else
156d0 2c 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 2e 22 0a 0a 43 61 72 6d , though."..Carm
156e0 65 6e 20 73 68 72 75 67 67 65 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 en shrugged, and
156f0 20 74 68 65 20 77 61 79 20 73 68 65 20 73 6c 69 the way she sli
15700 67 68 74 6c 79 20 72 61 69 73 65 64 20 68 65 72 ghtly raised her
15710 20 61 72 6d 73 20 61 73 20 73 68 65 20 64 69 64 arms as she did
15720 20 69 74 20 6d 61 64 65 20 74 68 65 20 73 68 69 it made the shi
15730 72 74 20 74 69 67 68 74 65 6e 20 61 63 72 6f 73 rt tighten acros
15740 73 20 68 65 72 20 70 65 72 6b 79 20 62 72 65 61 s her perky brea
15750 73 74 73 2e 20 20 22 4f 6b 61 79 21 22 0a 0a 41 sts. "Okay!"..A
15760 6c 6c 65 79 20 74 6f 6f 6b 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 lley took in the
15770 20 64 69 73 70 6c 61 79 20 61 6e 64 20 73 6c 69 display and sli
15780 67 68 74 6c 79 20 6f 76 65 72 20 74 68 65 20 74 ghtly over the t
15790 6f 70 20 63 68 65 65 72 69 6e 65 73 73 2e 20 20 op cheeriness.
157a0 22 44 6f 65 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 2e 20 2e 20 2e "Does that . . .
157b0 20 6f 68 2c 20 6e 65 76 65 72 20 6d 69 6e 64 2e oh, never mind.
157c0 20 20 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 49 20 73 68 6f 75 I guess I shou
157d0 6c 64 20 6a 75 73 74 20 73 65 65 20 74 68 65 20 ld just see the
157e0 66 72 61 6d 65 73 2c 20 6e 6f 77 2e 22 0a 0a 43 frames, now."..C
157f0 61 72 6d 65 6e 20 6e 61 72 72 6f 77 65 64 20 68 armen narrowed h
15800 65 72 20 65 79 65 73 2c 20 61 6c 6d 6f 73 74 20 er eyes, almost
15810 62 75 74 20 6e 6f 74 20 71 75 69 74 65 20 73 75 but not quite su
15820 73 70 69 63 69 6f 75 73 6c 79 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 spiciously, and
15830 74 69 6c 74 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 68 65 61 64 2e tilted her head.
15840 20 20 22 4e 6f 2c 20 77 61 69 74 2e 20 20 57 68 "No, wait. Wh
15850 61 74 20 77 65 72 65 20 79 6f 75 20 67 6f 69 6e at were you goin
15860 67 20 74 6f 20 61 73 6b 3f 22 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 74 g to ask?".."Not
15870 68 69 6e 67 2c 22 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 61 69 hing," Alley sai
15880 64 2e 20 20 22 49 20 68 61 76 65 6e 27 74 20 62 d. "I haven't b
15890 65 65 6e 20 76 65 72 79 20 73 6f 63 69 61 62 6c een very sociabl
158a0 65 20 6c 61 74 65 6c 79 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 66 6f e lately, and fo
158b0 72 67 65 74 20 6d 79 20 6d 61 6e 6e 65 72 73 20 rget my manners
158c0 73 6f 6d 65 74 69 6d 65 73 2e 22 0a 0a 22 4f 6f sometimes.".."Oo
158d0 68 2c 20 69 6e 61 70 70 72 6f 70 72 69 61 74 65 h, inappropriate
158e0 20 71 75 65 73 74 69 6f 6e 73 2e 20 20 54 68 6f questions. Tho
158f0 73 65 20 61 72 65 20 6d 79 20 66 61 76 6f 72 69 se are my favori
15900 74 65 20 6b 69 6e 64 2e 20 20 59 6f 75 20 73 68 te kind. You sh
15910 6f 75 6c 64 20 74 6f 74 61 6c 6c 79 20 61 73 6b ould totally ask
15920 21 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 69 67 6e 65 64 !"..Alley signed
15930 2e 20 20 22 49 20 77 61 73 20 6a 75 73 74 20 77 . "I was just w
15940 6f 6e 64 65 72 69 6e 67 20 69 66 20 79 6f 75 27 ondering if you'
15950 72 65 20 6e 61 74 75 72 61 6c 6c 79 20 74 68 69 re naturally thi
15960 73 2c 20 75 68 2c 20 66 72 69 65 6e 64 6c 79 2c s, uh, friendly,
15970 20 6f 72 20 69 66 20 79 6f 75 27 72 65 20 6c 69 or if you're li
15980 6b 65 20 74 68 69 73 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 20 ke this because
15990 69 74 20 67 65 74 73 20 79 6f 75 20 61 20 6c 6f it gets you a lo
159a0 74 20 6f 66 20 75 70 73 65 6c 6c 73 2e 22 20 20 t of upsells."
159b0 43 61 72 6d 65 6e 20 6c 61 75 67 68 65 64 2c 20 Carmen laughed,
159c0 61 6e 64 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 66 6f 75 6e 64 20 and Alley found
159d0 69 74 20 69 6e 66 65 63 74 69 6f 75 73 2e 20 20 it infectious.
159e0 53 68 65 20 63 61 75 67 68 74 20 68 65 72 73 65 She caught herse
159f0 6c 66 20 73 6e 69 63 6b 65 72 69 6e 67 2c 20 74 lf snickering, t
15a00 6f 6f 2e 0a 0a 22 57 68 79 20 64 6f 20 49 20 74 oo..."Why do I t
15a10 68 69 6e 6b 20 79 6f 75 20 6d 65 61 6e 74 20 74 hink you meant t
15a20 6f 20 73 61 79 20 27 66 6c 69 72 74 79 27 20 69 o say 'flirty' i
15a30 6e 73 74 65 61 64 20 6f 66 20 27 66 72 69 65 6e nstead of 'frien
15a40 64 6c 79 27 3f 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 68 dly'?"..Alley sh
15a50 72 75 67 67 65 64 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 74 72 69 rugged. She tri
15a60 65 64 2c 20 77 69 74 68 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 6d 6f ed, with only mo
15a70 64 65 72 61 74 65 20 73 75 63 63 65 73 73 2c 20 derate success,
15a80 74 6f 20 73 75 70 70 72 65 73 73 20 68 65 72 20 to suppress her
15a90 73 6d 69 6c 65 2e 0a 0a 22 57 61 73 20 69 74 20 smile..."Was it
15aa0 74 68 61 74 20 6f 62 76 69 6f 75 73 3f 22 0a 0a that obvious?"..
15ab0 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 61 69 64 20 22 59 65 61 68 Alley said "Yeah
15ac0 2c 20 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 73 6f 2e 20 20 53 , I guess so. S
15ad0 6f 72 72 79 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 orry.".."I guess
15ae0 20 69 74 27 73 20 61 20 62 69 74 20 6f 66 20 65 it's a bit of e
15af0 76 65 72 79 74 68 69 6e 67 2e 20 20 49 27 6d 20 verything. I'm
15b00 75 73 75 61 6c 6c 79 20 70 72 65 74 74 79 20 63 usually pretty c
15b10 68 65 65 72 79 2c 20 62 75 74 20 43 6c 69 66 66 heery, but Cliff
15b20 20 2d 2d 20 68 65 27 73 20 74 68 65 20 67 75 79 -- he's the guy
15b30 20 49 20 77 6f 72 6b 20 77 69 74 68 20 2d 2d 20 I work with --
15b40 43 6c 69 66 66 20 61 6e 64 20 49 64 65 63 69 64 Cliff and Idecid
15b50 65 64 20 74 6f 20 74 72 79 20 74 68 69 73 20 6f ed to try this o
15b60 75 74 2e 20 20 57 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 6b 69 ut. With the ki
15b70 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 61 6d 62 69 74 69 6f 75 73 20 nd of ambitious
15b80 79 6f 75 6e 67 20 63 72 79 70 74 6f 74 72 61 64 young cryptotrad
15b90 65 72 20 67 75 79 73 20 77 65 20 75 73 75 61 6c er guys we usual
15ba0 6c 79 20 67 65 74 2c 20 74 68 65 20 75 70 73 65 ly get, the upse
15bb0 6c 6c 73 20 61 6e 64 20 72 65 70 65 61 74 20 62 lls and repeat b
15bc0 75 73 69 6e 65 73 73 20 77 65 20 67 65 74 20 67 usiness we get g
15bd0 6f 65 73 20 77 61 79 20 75 70 20 77 68 65 6e 20 oes way up when
15be0 49 27 6d 20 64 6f 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 74 72 I'm doing the tr
15bf0 61 64 65 73 2e 20 20 49 6e 20 74 77 6f 20 79 65 ades. In two ye
15c00 61 72 73 2c 20 77 65 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 68 61 64 ars, we only had
15c10 20 6f 6e 65 20 67 75 79 20 77 68 6f 20 64 65 63 one guy who dec
15c20 69 64 65 64 20 6d 65 20 62 65 69 6e 67 20 61 20 ided me being a
15c30 70 72 65 74 74 79 20 67 69 72 6c 20 6d 61 64 65 pretty girl made
15c40 20 6d 65 20 61 6e 20 65 61 73 79 20 74 61 72 67 me an easy targ
15c50 65 74 2c 20 74 6f 6f 2c 20 73 6f 20 69 74 27 73 et, too, so it's
15c60 20 70 72 65 74 74 79 20 73 61 66 65 2e 22 0a 0a pretty safe."..
15c70 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 66 72 6f 77 6e 65 64 2e 20 20 Alley frowned.
15c80 22 59 65 61 68 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 "Yeah," she said
15c90 2e 20 20 22 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 74 68 61 74 . "I guess that
15ca0 27 73 20 61 20 64 61 6e 67 65 72 2e 20 20 57 68 's a danger. Wh
15cb0 61 74 20 68 61 70 70 65 6e 65 64 3f 22 0a 0a 22 at happened?".."
15cc0 4f 68 2c 20 73 68 69 74 2c 22 20 43 61 72 6d 65 Oh, shit," Carme
15cd0 6e 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 59 6f 75 20 6d 75 n said. "You mu
15ce0 73 74 20 62 65 20 6e 65 77 20 61 74 20 74 68 69 st be new at thi
15cf0 73 2e 20 20 57 65 6c 6c 2c 20 49 20 70 75 6c 6c s. Well, I pull
15d00 65 64 20 6f 75 74 20 6d 79 20 62 61 74 6f 6e 20 ed out my baton
15d10 61 6e 64 20 43 6c 69 66 66 20 70 75 74 20 61 20 and Cliff put a
15d20 72 65 64 20 64 6f 74 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 67 red dot on the g
15d30 75 79 27 73 20 63 68 65 73 74 20 77 69 74 68 20 uy's chest with
15d40 74 68 65 20 6c 61 73 65 72 20 73 69 67 68 74 20 the laser sight
15d50 6f 6e 20 68 69 73 20 72 69 66 6c 65 2e 20 20 54 on his rifle. T
15d60 68 65 20 67 75 79 20 62 61 63 6b 65 64 20 64 6f he guy backed do
15d70 77 6e 20 69 6e 20 61 20 68 75 72 72 79 2e 20 20 wn in a hurry.
15d80 41 72 65 20 79 6f 75 20 63 61 72 72 79 69 6e 67 Are you carrying
15d90 20 70 72 6f 74 65 63 74 69 6f 6e 3f 22 0a 0a 41 protection?"..A
15da0 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 74 61 72 74 65 64 20 6f 70 65 lley started ope
15db0 6e 69 6e 67 20 68 65 72 20 6d 6f 75 74 68 20 74 ning her mouth t
15dc0 6f 20 72 65 70 6c 79 2c 20 62 75 74 20 43 61 72 o reply, but Car
15dd0 6d 65 6e 20 63 75 74 20 69 6e 20 61 67 61 69 6e men cut in again
15de0 2e 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 2c 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 74 65 ..."No, don't te
15df0 6c 6c 20 6d 65 20 77 68 61 74 20 79 6f 75 27 72 ll me what you'r
15e00 65 20 63 61 72 72 79 69 6e 67 2e 20 20 59 6f 75 e carrying. You
15e10 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 6e 27 74 20 67 65 74 20 69 shouldn't get i
15e20 6e 20 74 68 65 20 68 61 62 69 74 20 6f 66 20 74 n the habit of t
15e30 65 6c 6c 69 6e 67 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 73 74 elling people st
15e40 75 66 66 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 74 68 61 74 2e 20 20 uff like that.
15e50 47 65 74 20 79 6f 75 72 73 65 6c 66 20 74 68 72 Get yourself thr
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15e80 68 61 76 65 20 27 65 6d 2e 20 20 59 6f 75 20 6e have 'em. You n
15e90 65 65 64 20 70 65 70 70 65 72 20 73 70 72 61 79 eed pepper spray
15ea0 20 6f 72 20 61 20 73 6f 6e 69 63 20 72 65 70 65 or a sonic repe
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15ec0 69 6e 67 20 62 61 74 6f 6e 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 62 ing baton, and b
15ed0 61 63 6b 75 70 20 77 68 6f 20 6b 6e 6f 77 73 20 ackup who knows
15ee0 77 68 61 74 20 68 65 27 73 20 64 6f 69 6e 67 2c what he's doing,
15ef0 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 43 6c 69 66 66 2e 22 0a 0a 22 like Cliff.".."
15f00 55 68 2c 20 74 68 61 6e 6b 73 2c 22 20 41 6c 6c Uh, thanks," All
15f10 65 79 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 41 72 65 6e 27 ey said. "Aren'
15f20 74 20 74 68 6f 73 65 20 63 6f 6c 6c 61 70 73 69 t those collapsi
15f30 6e 67 20 62 61 74 6f 6e 73 20 69 6c 6c 65 67 61 ng batons illega
15f40 6c 3f 22 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 68 2c 20 43 61 6c 69 l?".."Yeah, Cali
15f50 66 6f 72 6e 69 61 20 73 75 63 6b 73 20 74 68 61 fornia sucks tha
15f60 74 20 77 61 79 2e 20 20 47 69 72 6c 73 20 61 72 t way. Girls ar
15f70 65 6e 27 74 20 61 6c 6c 6f 77 65 64 20 74 6f 20 en't allowed to
15f80 70 72 6f 74 65 63 74 20 74 68 65 6d 73 65 6c 76 protect themselv
15f90 65 73 2c 20 79 6f 75 20 6b 6e 6f 77 2e 22 20 20 es, you know."
15fa0 53 68 65 20 70 75 6c 6c 65 64 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 She pulled somet
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15fc0 69 7a 65 20 6f 66 20 61 20 77 68 69 74 65 62 6f ize of a whitebo
15fd0 61 72 64 20 6d 61 72 6b 65 72 20 6f 75 74 20 6f ard marker out o
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15ff0 74 2e 20 20 22 53 65 65 20 74 68 69 73 3f 20 20 t. "See this?
16000 54 68 69 73 20 69 73 20 61 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 62 This is a good b
16010 61 74 6f 6e 2e 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 6c 6f aton."..Alley lo
16020 6f 6b 65 64 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 62 6c 61 63 oked at the blac
16030 6b 20 61 6e 6f 64 69 7a 65 64 20 61 6c 75 6d 69 k anodized alumi
16040 6e 75 6d 20 63 79 6c 69 6e 64 65 72 20 77 68 65 num cylinder whe
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16090 65 20 6f 66 20 64 65 70 72 65 73 73 65 64 20 6f e of depressed o
160a0 76 61 6c 73 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 73 69 64 65 vals on the side
160b0 2e 0a 0a 22 50 75 73 68 20 74 68 65 73 65 20 74 ..."Push these t
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160d0 69 74 20 6f 75 74 2e 20 20 4a 75 73 74 20 70 75 it out. Just pu
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160f0 65 2c 20 68 65 72 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 70 75 73 e, here, and pus
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16160 6c 6c 65 79 20 6e 6f 64 64 65 64 2e 20 20 22 49 lley nodded. "I
16170 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 74 68 61 74 27 73 20 61 20 guess that's a
16180 67 6f 6f 64 20 64 65 73 69 67 6e 2c 20 74 68 65 good design, the
16190 6e 2e 22 0a 0a 22 54 6f 74 61 6c 6c 79 2e 20 20 n.".."Totally.
161a0 57 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 74 77 6f 20 72 65 6c With the two rel
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161c0 27 72 65 20 6e 6f 74 20 6c 69 6b 65 6c 79 20 74 're not likely t
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16200 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 69 73 20 74 79 70 65 20 , and this type
16210 69 73 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 73 6f 6c 69 64 20 61 6e is more solid an
16220 64 20 65 61 73 69 65 72 20 74 6f 20 72 65 74 72 d easier to retr
16230 61 63 74 20 74 68 61 6e 20 74 68 65 20 74 68 69 act than the thi
16240 6e 67 73 20 77 68 65 72 65 20 79 6f 75 20 6a 75 ngs where you ju
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16280 20 6e 65 65 64 20 6f 6e 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 need one of the
16290 73 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 69 74 27 73 20 65 61 73 se, and it's eas
162a0 79 20 74 6f 20 74 6f 73 73 20 69 74 20 73 6f 6d y to toss it som
162b0 65 77 68 65 72 65 20 62 65 66 6f 72 65 20 63 6f ewhere before co
162c0 70 73 20 67 65 74 20 74 6f 20 79 6f 75 20 69 66 ps get to you if
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162f0 20 77 69 74 68 20 61 20 63 6f 6e 63 65 61 6c 65 with a conceale
16300 64 20 77 65 61 70 6f 6e 2c 20 6f 72 20 69 66 20 d weapon, or if
16310 79 6f 75 20 63 75 74 20 61 20 6c 69 74 74 6c 65 you cut a little
16320 20 68 6f 6c 65 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 69 6e 73 hole in the ins
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16340 65 74 20 77 68 65 6e 20 79 6f 75 27 72 65 20 77 et when you're w
16350 65 61 72 69 6e 67 20 70 61 6e 74 73 20 79 6f 75 earing pants you
16360 20 63 61 6e 20 64 72 6f 70 20 69 74 20 64 6f 77 can drop it dow
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16380 20 61 6e 64 20 6d 61 79 62 65 20 73 74 65 70 20 and maybe step
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163a0 20 77 68 69 6c 65 20 67 65 74 74 69 6e 67 20 70 while getting p
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163c0 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 2e 20 20 54 68 65 72 65 omething. There
163d0 20 61 72 65 20 61 20 62 75 6e 63 68 20 6f 66 20 are a bunch of
163e0 77 61 79 73 20 74 6f 20 67 65 74 20 61 77 61 79 ways to get away
163f0 20 77 69 74 68 20 69 74 2e 0a 0a 22 48 65 72 65 with it..."Here
16400 2e 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 68 65 6c 64 20 69 74 20 ." She held it
16410 6f 75 74 20 74 6f 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 2c 20 77 68 out to Alley, wh
16420 6f 20 73 74 61 72 74 65 64 20 74 6f 20 72 65 61 o started to rea
16430 63 68 20 66 6f 72 20 69 74 2e 20 20 22 44 6f 6e ch for it. "Don
16440 27 74 20 74 72 79 20 6f 70 65 6e 69 6e 67 20 69 't try opening i
16450 74 20 68 65 72 65 2c 20 62 75 74 20 70 72 61 63 t here, but prac
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16470 68 6f 6d 65 2e 20 20 54 68 61 74 20 77 61 79 20 home. That way
16480 79 6f 75 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 68 61 76 65 20 74 you don't have t
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164b0 69 6e 67 20 6f 6e 65 2e 20 20 55 6e 6c 69 6b 65 ing one. Unlike
164c0 20 6f 75 72 20 70 69 73 74 6f 6c 20 66 72 61 6d our pistol fram
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164e0 20 77 69 74 68 20 6f 6e 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 with one of the
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16570 20 68 61 6e 64 20 68 61 6c 66 77 61 79 20 74 6f hand halfway to
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165b0 20 73 68 65 20 61 73 6b 65 64 2e 0a 0a 22 59 65 she asked..."Ye
165c0 61 68 2e 20 20 55 68 2c 20 6a 75 73 74 20 61 20 ah. Uh, just a
165d0 73 65 63 27 2c 22 20 43 61 72 6d 65 6e 20 73 61 sec'," Carmen sa
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16620 20 41 75 64 69 2e 20 20 22 59 65 73 2c 20 43 6c Audi. "Yes, Cl
16630 69 66 66 2c 20 49 27 6d 20 67 69 76 69 6e 67 20 iff, I'm giving
16640 68 65 72 20 74 68 65 20 66 75 63 6b 69 6e 67 20 her the fucking
16650 62 61 74 6f 6e 2e 20 20 49 27 6c 6c 20 6a 75 73 baton. I'll jus
16660 74 20 62 75 79 20 61 6e 6f 74 68 65 72 20 6f 6e t buy another on
16670 65 21 20 20 43 68 69 6c 6c 20 74 68 65 20 66 75 e! Chill the fu
16680 63 6b 20 6f 75 74 2e 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 ck out."..Alley
16690 6c 6f 77 65 72 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 68 61 6e 64 lowered her hand
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166c0 74 68 65 20 70 61 72 6b 65 64 20 73 65 64 61 6e the parked sedan
166d0 2e 0a 0a 43 61 72 6d 65 6e 20 67 72 61 62 62 65 ...Carmen grabbe
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166f0 61 6e 64 20 70 72 65 73 73 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 and pressed the
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16710 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 68 65 72 20 68 61 6e 64 2e 20 into her hand.
16720 20 22 44 6f 6e 27 74 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 20 61 74 20 "Don't look at
16730 69 74 2e 20 20 4a 75 73 74 20 70 75 74 20 69 74 it. Just put it
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16750 20 20 44 6f 6e 27 74 20 6d 61 6b 65 20 43 6c 69 Don't make Cli
16760 66 66 20 6e 65 72 76 6f 75 73 20 62 79 20 73 74 ff nervous by st
16770 61 6e 64 69 6e 67 20 68 65 72 65 20 77 69 74 68 anding here with
16780 20 61 20 77 65 61 70 6f 6e 20 69 6e 20 79 6f 75 a weapon in you
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167a0 69 74 27 73 20 6f 6e 65 20 49 20 67 61 76 65 20 it's one I gave
167b0 79 6f 75 2e 22 0a 0a 22 55 68 2c 20 79 65 61 68 you.".."Uh, yeah
167c0 2c 22 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 61 69 64 2c 20 61 ," Alley said, a
167d0 6e 64 20 74 75 63 6b 65 64 20 69 74 20 69 6e 74 nd tucked it int
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167f0 74 2e 20 20 22 54 68 61 6e 6b 73 2e 22 20 20 53 t. "Thanks." S
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16820 6d 65 6e 2c 20 77 68 65 72 65 20 74 68 65 20 70 men, where the p
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16840 69 20 63 6f 75 6c 64 20 73 65 65 20 74 68 65 6d i could see them
16850 20 61 73 20 77 65 6c 6c 2c 20 6a 75 73 74 20 74 as well, just t
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16870 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 69 6e 67 20 61 73 20 73 68 65 20 looking as she
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16890 59 65 61 68 2c 20 77 65 6c 6c 2c 20 75 73 20 67 Yeah, well, us g
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168b0 20 74 6f 67 65 74 68 65 72 2e 20 20 52 69 67 68 together. Righ
168c0 74 3f 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 6e 6f 64 64 65 t?"..Alley nodde
168d0 64 2e 0a 0a 22 47 6f 6f 64 2e 20 20 4c 65 74 27 d..."Good. Let'
168e0 73 20 66 69 6e 69 73 68 20 74 68 65 20 64 65 61 s finish the dea
168f0 6c 2e 20 20 54 68 65 6e 2c 20 67 65 74 20 69 6e l. Then, get in
16900 20 74 6f 75 63 68 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 74 69 6d 65 touch some time
16910 20 69 66 20 79 6f 75 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 20 79 6f if you think yo
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16940 77 6f 72 6b 2c 20 74 6f 6f 2e 20 20 57 65 27 72 work, too. We'r
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16960 6f 66 20 62 75 73 69 6e 65 73 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 of business, and
16970 20 63 6f 75 6c 64 20 75 73 65 20 74 68 65 20 68 could use the h
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169f0 0a 0a 22 49 27 6c 6c 20 6b 65 65 70 20 74 68 61 .."I'll keep tha
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16a50 2d 2d 0a 0a 41 74 20 68 6f 6d 65 2c 20 41 6c 6c --..At home, All
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16cd0 20 20 53 68 65 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 65 64 20 74 68 She pointed th
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16d80 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 70 72 65 73 73 65 64 20 6f .Alley pressed o
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16dc0 68 65 72 2e 20 20 41 20 64 75 6c 6c 20 73 6e 61 her. A dull sna
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16e90 20 6c 6f 6e 67 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 68 65 6c 64 long. She held
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18100 4a 75 73 74 20 6c 65 61 76 65 20 69 74 20 6f 6e Just leave it on
18110 20 74 68 65 20 67 72 6f 75 6e 64 2c 20 74 68 65 the ground, the
18120 6e 20 79 6f 75 20 63 61 6e 20 73 74 65 70 20 62 n you can step b
18130 61 63 6b 20 61 6e 64 20 63 6f 75 6e 74 20 77 68 ack and count wh
18140 61 74 27 73 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 65 6e 76 65 at's in the enve
18150 6c 6f 70 65 2e 22 0a 0a 41 73 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 lope."..As Alley
18160 20 64 69 64 20 61 73 20 68 65 20 73 75 67 67 65 did as he sugge
18170 73 74 65 64 2c 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 77 20 68 69 sted, she saw hi
18180 6d 20 63 72 6f 75 63 68 20 62 79 20 74 68 65 20 m crouch by the
18190 62 61 67 2e 20 20 57 69 74 68 20 6f 6e 65 20 68 bag. With one h
181a0 61 6e 64 2c 20 65 76 65 6e 20 67 6c 6f 76 65 64 and, even gloved
181b0 2c 20 68 65 20 64 65 66 74 6c 79 20 6c 6f 6f 73 , he deftly loos
181c0 65 6e 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 64 72 61 77 73 74 72 ened the drawstr
181d0 69 6e 67 2e 20 20 48 65 20 6b 65 70 74 20 68 69 ing. He kept hi
181e0 73 20 65 79 65 73 20 6f 6e 20 68 65 72 20 61 73 s eyes on her as
181f0 20 68 65 20 64 69 64 20 69 74 2c 20 6e 6f 74 20 he did it, not
18200 65 76 65 6e 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 69 6e 67 20 61 74 20 even looking at
18210 77 68 61 74 20 68 69 73 20 6c 65 66 74 20 68 61 what his left ha
18220 6e 64 20 77 61 73 20 64 6f 69 6e 67 2c 20 77 68 nd was doing, wh
18230 69 6c 65 20 74 68 65 20 72 69 67 68 74 20 73 74 ile the right st
18240 69 6c 6c 20 74 69 72 65 6c 65 73 73 6c 79 20 68 ill tirelessly h
18250 65 6c 64 20 74 68 65 20 75 6d 62 72 65 6c 6c 61 eld the umbrella
18260 20 6f 76 65 72 20 68 69 73 20 68 65 61 64 2e 20 over his head.
18270 20 4f 6e 63 65 20 68 65 20 68 61 64 20 74 68 65 Once he had the
18280 20 62 61 67 20 6f 70 65 6e 65 64 20 75 70 2c 20 bag opened up,
18290 68 65 20 67 6c 61 6e 63 65 64 20 64 6f 77 6e 20 he glanced down
182a0 74 6f 20 73 65 65 20 74 68 65 20 63 6f 6e 74 65 to see the conte
182b0 6e 74 73 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 71 75 69 63 6b 6c nts, then quickl
182c0 79 20 6a 65 72 6b 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 64 72 61 y jerked the dra
182d0 77 73 74 72 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 63 69 6e 63 68 wstring to cinch
182e0 20 69 74 20 63 6c 6f 73 65 64 2e 0a 0a 54 68 65 it closed...The
182f0 20 6d 61 6e 20 73 6c 6f 77 6c 79 20 73 74 6f 6f man slowly stoo
18300 64 20 61 6e 64 20 77 61 69 74 65 64 20 61 73 20 d and waited as
18310 73 68 65 20 66 69 6e 69 73 68 65 64 20 63 6f 75 she finished cou
18320 6e 74 69 6e 67 2e 0a 0a 41 66 74 65 72 20 73 68 nting...After sh
18330 65 20 63 6c 6f 73 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 65 6e 76 e closed the env
18340 65 6c 6f 70 65 20 6f 6e 63 65 20 6d 6f 72 65 2c elope once more,
18350 20 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 20 22 49 20 67 75 65 73 he said "I gues
18360 73 20 49 27 6d 20 74 72 75 73 74 69 6e 67 20 74 s I'm trusting t
18370 68 65 73 65 20 61 72 65 6e 27 74 20 67 6f 69 6e hese aren't goin
18380 67 20 74 6f 20 74 75 72 6e 20 6f 75 74 20 74 6f g to turn out to
18390 20 62 65 20 63 72 61 70 20 71 75 61 6c 69 74 79 be crap quality
183a0 2c 20 6a 75 73 74 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 79 6f 75 27 , just like you'
183b0 72 65 20 74 72 75 73 74 69 6e 67 20 74 68 6f 73 re trusting thos
183c0 65 20 62 69 6c 6c 73 20 61 72 65 6e 27 74 20 63 e bills aren't c
183d0 6f 75 6e 74 65 72 66 65 69 74 2e 22 0a 0a 41 6c ounterfeit."..Al
183e0 6c 65 79 20 68 65 73 69 74 61 74 65 64 2c 20 61 ley hesitated, a
183f0 6e 64 20 6e 6f 64 64 65 64 2e 0a 0a 22 49 66 20 nd nodded..."If
18400 74 68 65 72 65 27 73 20 61 20 70 72 6f 62 6c 65 there's a proble
18410 6d 2c 20 49 27 6c 6c 20 74 72 79 20 63 6f 6e 74 m, I'll try cont
18420 61 63 74 69 6e 67 20 79 6f 75 20 74 68 65 20 73 acting you the s
18430 61 6d 65 20 77 61 79 20 77 65 20 73 65 74 20 74 ame way we set t
18440 68 69 73 20 75 70 2e 20 20 59 65 61 68 3f 22 0a his up. Yeah?".
18450 0a 22 59 65 61 68 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 65 63 68 ."Yeah," she ech
18460 6f 65 64 2e 0a 0a 22 49 66 20 49 20 63 61 6e 27 oed..."If I can'
18470 74 20 66 69 6e 64 20 79 6f 75 20 74 68 61 74 20 t find you that
18480 77 61 79 2c 20 49 27 6c 6c 20 74 72 61 63 6b 20 way, I'll track
18490 79 6f 75 20 64 6f 77 6e 20 73 6f 20 77 65 20 63 you down so we c
184a0 61 6e 20 74 61 6c 6b 2e 22 0a 0a 41 66 74 65 72 an talk."..After
184b0 20 61 20 66 65 77 20 73 65 63 6f 6e 64 73 2c 20 a few seconds,
184c0 73 68 65 20 72 65 6d 65 6d 62 65 72 65 64 20 74 she remembered t
184d0 6f 20 62 72 65 61 74 68 65 2e 20 20 22 4e 6f 2c o breathe. "No,
184e0 20 79 6f 75 27 6c 6c 20 62 65 20 61 62 6c 65 20 you'll be able
184f0 74 6f 20 67 65 74 20 69 6e 20 74 6f 75 63 68 20 to get in touch
18500 74 68 65 20 73 61 6d 65 20 77 61 79 20 77 65 20 the same way we
18510 73 65 74 20 74 68 69 73 20 75 70 2e 20 20 54 68 set this up. Th
18520 61 74 27 6c 6c 20 62 65 20 66 69 6e 65 2e 22 0a at'll be fine.".
18530 0a 22 47 6f 6f 64 2e 20 20 59 6f 75 20 63 61 6e ."Good. You can
18540 20 66 69 6e 64 20 6d 65 20 74 68 65 20 73 61 6d find me the sam
18550 65 20 77 61 79 20 69 66 20 79 6f 75 20 6e 65 65 e way if you nee
18560 64 20 74 6f 20 73 65 74 74 6c 65 20 61 20 70 72 d to settle a pr
18570 6f 62 6c 65 6d 20 77 69 74 68 20 77 68 61 74 20 oblem with what
18580 49 20 67 61 76 65 20 79 6f 75 2e 22 0a 0a 53 68 I gave you."..Sh
18590 65 20 6e 6f 64 64 65 64 2e 0a 0a 22 47 6f 6f 64 e nodded..."Good
185a0 20 64 6f 69 6e 67 20 62 75 73 69 6e 65 73 73 20 doing business
185b0 77 69 74 68 20 79 6f 75 2c 22 20 68 65 20 73 61 with you," he sa
185c0 69 64 2e 20 20 22 59 6f 75 20 63 61 6e 20 67 6f id. "You can go
185d0 20 66 69 72 73 74 2c 20 69 66 20 79 6f 75 20 77 first, if you w
185e0 61 6e 74 2e 22 0a 0a 22 53 75 72 65 2c 22 20 73 ant.".."Sure," s
185f0 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 48 61 76 65 20 he said. "Have
18600 61 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 64 61 79 2e 22 0a 0a 48 65 a good day."..He
18610 20 6e 6f 64 64 65 64 2e 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 62 61 nodded...She ba
18620 63 6b 65 64 20 61 77 61 79 20 61 20 63 6f 75 70 cked away a coup
18630 6c 65 20 73 74 65 70 73 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 74 le steps, then t
18640 75 72 6e 65 64 20 61 6e 64 20 63 6f 6e 74 69 6e urned and contin
18650 75 65 64 20 75 6e 74 69 6c 20 73 68 65 20 67 6f ued until she go
18660 74 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 63 6f 72 6e 65 72 2e t to the corner.
18670 20 20 53 68 65 20 67 6c 61 6e 63 65 64 20 62 61 She glanced ba
18680 63 6b 20 74 77 69 63 65 20 61 6c 6f 6e 67 20 74 ck twice along t
18690 68 65 20 77 61 79 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 6f 6e 63 he way, then onc
186a0 65 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 6a 75 73 74 20 62 65 66 6f e more just befo
186b0 72 65 20 67 6f 69 6e 67 20 61 72 6f 75 6e 64 20 re going around
186c0 74 68 65 20 63 6f 72 6e 65 72 20 6f 66 20 74 68 the corner of th
186d0 65 20 62 75 69 6c 64 69 6e 67 2e 0a 0a 49 6e 20 e building...In
186e0 68 65 72 20 63 61 72 20 6f 6e 63 65 20 6d 6f 72 her car once mor
186f0 65 2c 20 73 68 65 20 73 74 61 72 74 65 64 20 69 e, she started i
18700 74 20 75 70 20 61 6e 64 20 64 72 6f 76 65 20 61 t up and drove a
18710 69 6d 6c 65 73 73 6c 79 20 61 72 6f 75 6e 64 20 imlessly around
18720 66 6f 72 20 68 61 6c 66 20 61 6e 20 68 6f 75 72 for half an hour
18730 20 75 6e 74 69 6c 20 68 65 72 20 68 61 6e 64 73 until her hands
18740 20 73 74 6f 70 70 65 64 20 73 68 61 6b 69 6e 67 stopped shaking
18750 20 61 6e 64 20 68 65 72 20 63 6c 65 6e 63 68 65 and her clenche
18760 64 20 6a 61 77 20 72 65 6c 61 78 65 64 2c 20 74 d jaw relaxed, t
18770 68 65 6e 20 68 65 61 64 65 64 20 68 6f 6d 65 2e hen headed home.
18780 0a 0a 22 57 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 66 75 63 6b .."What the fuck
18790 20 61 6d 20 49 20 61 63 74 75 61 6c 6c 79 20 64 am I actually d
187a0 6f 69 6e 67 3f 22 20 73 68 65 20 61 73 6b 65 64 oing?" she asked
187b0 20 68 65 72 73 65 6c 66 2e 0a 0a 2d 2d 2d 0a 0a herself...---..
187c0 53 69 74 74 69 6e 67 20 6f 6e 20 68 65 72 20 63 Sitting on her c
187d0 6f 75 63 68 20 61 67 61 69 6e 2c 20 41 6c 6c 65 ouch again, Alle
187e0 79 20 73 61 69 64 20 22 49 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 y said "I don't
187f0 66 65 65 6c 20 73 61 66 65 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 feel safe with t
18800 68 65 20 6b 69 6e 64 73 20 6f 66 20 64 65 61 6c he kinds of deal
18810 73 20 49 20 6d 61 64 65 20 74 6f 64 61 79 2e 22 s I made today."
18820 0a 0a 54 68 65 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 ..The prioritize
18830 72 20 73 61 69 64 20 22 59 6f 75 20 64 69 64 20 r said "You did
18840 6e 6f 74 20 73 70 65 63 69 66 79 20 61 20 76 65 not specify a ve
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18860 63 65 20 66 6f 72 20 73 61 66 65 74 79 2e 20 20 ce for safety.
18870 45 73 74 69 6d 61 74 69 6f 6e 73 20 69 6e 64 69 Estimations indi
18880 63 61 74 65 20 74 68 65 20 63 68 61 6e 63 65 20 cate the chance
18890 6f 66 20 70 6f 6f 72 20 73 61 66 65 74 79 20 6f of poor safety o
188a0 75 74 63 6f 6d 65 73 20 69 73 20 76 65 72 79 20 utcomes is very
188b0 6c 6f 77 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 73 65 20 74 72 low for these tr
188c0 61 6e 73 61 63 74 69 6f 6e 73 2c 20 74 68 6f 75 ansactions, thou
188d0 67 68 20 73 65 76 65 72 69 74 79 20 6d 61 79 20 gh severity may
188e0 62 65 20 68 69 67 68 20 66 6f 72 20 70 6f 6f 72 be high for poor
188f0 20 6f 75 74 63 6f 6d 65 73 2e 0a 0a 22 49 20 77 outcomes..."I w
18900 69 6c 6c 20 72 65 63 6f 6e 73 69 64 65 72 20 73 ill reconsider s
18910 74 72 61 74 65 67 79 20 66 6f 72 20 66 75 74 75 trategy for futu
18920 72 65 20 61 63 74 69 76 69 74 69 65 73 20 77 69 re activities wi
18930 74 68 20 61 20 68 69 67 68 20 70 72 65 66 65 72 th a high prefer
18940 65 6e 63 65 20 66 6f 72 20 6c 6f 77 20 73 65 76 ence for low sev
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18960 73 61 66 65 74 79 20 6f 75 74 63 6f 6d 65 73 20 safety outcomes
18970 72 61 74 68 65 72 20 74 68 61 6e 20 61 63 63 65 rather than acce
18980 70 74 69 6e 67 20 68 69 67 68 65 72 20 73 65 76 pting higher sev
18990 65 72 69 74 79 20 72 69 73 6b 2e 22 0a 0a 22 54 erity risk.".."T
189a0 68 61 6e 6b 73 2e 22 0a 0a 22 59 6f 75 20 61 72 hanks.".."You ar
189b0 65 20 77 65 6c 63 6f 6d 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 57 68 e welcome.".."Wh
189c0 61 74 27 73 20 6e 65 78 74 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 3f at's next, then?
189d0 22 0a 0a 54 68 65 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a "..The prioritiz
189e0 65 72 20 73 61 69 64 20 22 49 20 61 6d 20 72 65 er said "I am re
189f0 63 6f 6e 73 69 64 65 72 69 6e 67 20 6f 70 74 69 considering opti
18a00 6f 6e 73 2c 20 69 6e 20 6c 69 67 68 74 20 6f 66 ons, in light of
18a10 20 6e 65 77 20 72 69 73 6b 20 61 73 73 65 73 73 new risk assess
18a20 6d 65 6e 74 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 61 74 ment prioritizat
18a30 69 6f 6e 2e 20 20 54 68 69 73 20 6d 61 79 20 74 ion. This may t
18a40 61 6b 65 20 61 20 66 65 77 20 6d 69 6e 75 74 65 ake a few minute
18a50 73 2e 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 s."..Alley looke
18a60 64 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 65 6e 76 65 6c 6f 70 d at the envelop
18a70 65 20 6f 66 20 63 61 73 68 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 e of cash, then
18a80 70 75 6c 6c 65 64 20 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 62 pulled out the b
18a90 69 6c 6c 73 20 61 6e 64 20 63 6f 75 6e 74 65 64 ills and counted
18aa0 20 74 68 65 6d 20 61 67 61 69 6e 2e 20 20 54 68 them again. Th
18ab0 65 79 20 61 64 64 65 64 20 75 70 20 61 73 20 73 ey added up as s
18ac0 68 65 20 65 78 70 65 63 74 65 64 2c 20 62 75 74 he expected, but
18ad0 20 74 68 65 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 the prioritizer
18ae0 20 73 61 69 64 20 22 50 6c 65 61 73 65 20 63 6f said "Please co
18af0 75 6e 74 20 74 68 65 6d 20 61 67 61 69 6e 2e 22 unt them again."
18b00 0a 0a 22 57 68 61 74 3f 20 20 57 68 79 3f 22 0a .."What? Why?".
18b10 0a 22 57 68 69 6c 65 20 79 6f 75 20 63 6f 75 6e ."While you coun
18b20 74 65 64 2c 20 2f 2a 20 69 74 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 ted, /* it looke
18b30 64 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 61 74 20 6c 65 61 73 74 20 d like at least
18b40 2a 2f 20 6f 6e 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 6d 20 61 */ one of them a
18b50 70 70 65 61 72 65 64 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 74 68 ppeared to be th
18b60 69 63 6b 65 72 20 74 68 61 6e 20 73 74 61 6e 64 icker than stand
18b70 61 72 64 20 55 6e 69 74 65 64 20 53 74 61 74 65 ard United State
18b80 73 20 66 65 64 65 72 61 6c 20 72 65 73 65 72 76 s federal reserv
18b90 65 20 6e 6f 74 65 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 61 6c 73 e notes, and als
18ba0 6f 20 61 70 70 65 61 72 65 64 20 74 6f 20 62 65 o appeared to be
18bb0 20 76 65 72 79 20 6e 65 77 2e 20 20 50 65 72 68 very new. Perh
18bc0 61 70 73 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 73 aps some of thes
18bd0 65 20 6e 6f 74 65 73 20 69 73 20 61 20 63 6f 75 e notes is a cou
18be0 6e 74 65 72 66 65 69 74 2e 20 20 50 6c 65 61 73 nterfeit. Pleas
18bf0 65 20 63 6f 75 6e 74 20 61 67 61 69 6e 20 77 68 e count again wh
18c00 69 6c 65 20 49 20 77 61 74 63 68 2e 22 0a 0a 41 ile I watch."..A
18c10 6c 6c 65 79 20 66 72 6f 77 6e 65 64 20 61 74 20 lley frowned at
18c20 74 68 65 20 73 74 61 63 6b 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 the stack, and s
18c30 74 61 72 74 65 64 20 63 6f 75 6e 74 69 6e 67 20 tarted counting
18c40 61 67 61 69 6e 2e 20 20 54 6f 77 61 72 64 20 74 again. Toward t
18c50 68 65 20 65 6e 64 2c 20 73 68 65 20 68 65 73 69 he end, she hesi
18c60 74 61 74 65 64 20 6f 6e 20 6f 6e 65 20 6f 66 20 tated on one of
18c70 74 68 65 20 66 65 77 20 6e 65 77 2d 6c 6f 6f 6b the few new-look
18c80 69 6e 67 20 62 69 6c 6c 73 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 ing bills in the
18c90 20 73 74 61 63 6b 2c 20 77 69 74 68 20 61 20 66 stack, with a f
18ca0 65 65 6c 69 6e 67 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 73 6f 6d 65 eeling like some
18cb0 74 68 69 6e 67 20 77 61 73 20 77 72 6f 6e 67 2e thing was wrong.
18cc0 0a 0a 22 54 68 61 74 20 69 73 20 74 68 65 20 6e .."That is the n
18cd0 6f 74 65 20 77 68 6f 73 65 20 74 68 69 63 6b 6e ote whose thickn
18ce0 65 73 73 20 61 70 70 65 61 72 73 20 74 6f 20 62 ess appears to b
18cf0 65 20 69 6e 63 6f 72 72 65 63 74 2e 22 0a 0a 41 e incorrect."..A
18d00 6c 6c 65 79 20 70 75 6c 6c 65 64 20 69 74 20 6f lley pulled it o
18d10 75 74 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 73 74 61 63 6b 20 ut of the stack
18d20 61 6e 64 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 63 6c 6f 73 65 and looked close
18d30 72 2e 20 20 49 74 20 66 65 6c 74 20 73 74 69 66 r. It felt stif
18d40 66 65 72 20 74 68 61 6e 20 6d 6f 73 74 20 62 69 fer than most bi
18d50 6c 6c 73 2c 20 62 75 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 63 6f lls, but that co
18d60 75 6c 64 20 6a 75 73 74 20 62 65 20 64 75 65 20 uld just be due
18d70 74 6f 20 69 74 20 62 65 69 6e 67 20 6e 65 77 2e to it being new.
18d80 20 20 53 68 65 20 72 75 62 62 65 64 20 69 74 20 She rubbed it
18d90 74 6f 20 67 65 74 20 61 20 66 65 65 6c 20 66 6f to get a feel fo
18da0 72 20 69 74 73 20 73 75 72 66 61 63 65 2c 20 61 r its surface, a
18db0 6e 64 20 69 74 20 73 65 70 61 72 61 74 65 64 20 nd it separated
18dc0 69 6e 74 6f 20 74 77 6f 20 62 69 6c 6c 73 2e 20 into two bills.
18dd0 20 22 4f 68 2c 20 73 68 69 74 2c 22 20 73 68 65 "Oh, shit," she
18de0 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 54 68 61 74 20 73 63 said. "That sc
18df0 61 72 79 20 77 61 72 20 76 65 74 65 72 61 6e 20 ary war veteran
18e00 67 75 79 20 61 63 63 69 64 65 6e 74 61 6c 6c 79 guy accidentally
18e10 20 67 61 76 65 20 6d 65 20 61 6e 20 65 78 74 72 gave me an extr
18e20 61 20 68 75 6e 64 72 65 64 2e 20 20 46 75 63 6b a hundred. Fuck
18e30 2e 20 20 57 68 61 74 20 69 66 20 69 74 20 77 61 . What if it wa
18e40 73 6e 27 74 20 61 6e 20 61 63 63 69 64 65 6e 74 sn't an accident
18e50 3f 20 20 4d 61 79 62 65 20 69 74 27 73 20 61 20 ? Maybe it's a
18e60 74 65 73 74 2e 22 0a 0a 22 54 68 61 74 20 73 65 test.".."That se
18e70 65 6d 73 20 65 78 74 72 65 6d 65 6c 79 20 75 6e ems extremely un
18e80 6c 69 6b 65 6c 79 2c 22 20 74 68 65 20 70 72 69 likely," the pri
18e90 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 20 73 61 69 64 2e 0a 0a oritizer said...
18ea0 22 59 65 61 68 2e 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 73 69 67 "Yeah." She sig
18eb0 68 65 64 2e 20 20 22 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 79 hed. "I guess y
18ec0 6f 75 27 72 65 20 72 69 67 68 74 2c 20 61 63 74 ou're right, act
18ed0 75 61 6c 6c 79 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 20 68 61 76 65 ually.".."I have
18ee0 20 61 20 70 6c 61 6e 20 6f 66 20 61 63 74 69 6f a plan of actio
18ef0 6e 20 74 6f 20 70 72 6f 70 6f 73 65 20 66 6f 72 n to propose for
18f00 20 74 6f 6d 6f 72 72 6f 77 2e 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c tomorrow."..All
18f10 65 79 20 73 74 61 72 74 65 64 20 74 6f 20 6e 6f ey started to no
18f20 64 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 61 d, then looked a
18f30 74 20 74 68 65 20 65 78 74 72 61 20 68 75 6e 64 t the extra hund
18f40 72 65 64 20 69 6e 20 68 65 72 20 68 61 6e 64 2e red in her hand.
18f50 20 20 22 57 61 69 74 2e 20 20 49 20 73 68 6f 75 "Wait. I shou
18f60 6c 64 20 67 69 76 65 20 74 68 69 73 20 62 69 6c ld give this bil
18f70 6c 20 62 61 63 6b 20 74 6f 20 74 68 61 74 20 67 l back to that g
18f80 75 79 2e 22 0a 0a 22 46 6f 72 20 61 20 68 69 67 uy.".."For a hig
18f90 68 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 79 20 61 76 65 72 73 h priority avers
18fa0 69 6f 6e 20 74 6f 20 68 69 67 68 20 73 65 76 65 ion to high seve
18fb0 72 69 74 79 20 72 69 73 6b 73 2c 20 74 68 69 73 rity risks, this
18fc0 20 69 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 61 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 63 is not a good c
18fd0 68 6f 69 63 65 2e 20 20 59 6f 75 20 73 68 6f 75 hoice. You shou
18fe0 6c 64 20 61 76 6f 69 64 20 6d 65 65 74 69 6e 67 ld avoid meeting
18ff0 20 77 69 74 68 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 77 69 74 with people wit
19000 68 20 61 20 68 69 67 68 20 70 6f 74 65 6e 74 69 h a high potenti
19010 61 6c 20 66 6f 72 20 76 69 6f 6c 65 6e 63 65 2e al for violence.
19020 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 6c 61 75 67 68 65 64 "..Alley laughed
19030 20 71 75 69 65 74 6c 79 2e 20 20 22 59 65 61 68 quietly. "Yeah
19040 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2c 20 22 79 6f ," she said, "yo
19050 75 27 72 65 20 72 69 67 68 74 2e 20 20 49 20 67 u're right. I g
19060 6f 74 20 74 68 72 6f 75 67 68 20 6f 6e 65 20 6d ot through one m
19070 65 65 74 69 6e 67 20 77 69 74 68 6f 75 74 20 74 eeting without t
19080 72 6f 75 62 6c 65 20 77 69 74 68 20 68 69 6d 20 rouble with him
19090 61 6c 72 65 61 64 79 2e 20 20 53 68 6f 75 6c 64 already. Should
190a0 20 49 20 63 6f 75 6e 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 61 73 I count that as
190b0 20 6d 79 20 6c 75 63 6b 79 20 62 72 65 61 6b 2c my lucky break,
190c0 20 61 6e 64 20 66 6f 72 67 65 74 20 61 62 6f 75 and forget abou
190d0 74 20 68 69 6d 2c 20 6f 72 20 74 61 6b 65 20 69 t him, or take i
190e0 74 20 61 73 20 65 76 69 64 65 6e 63 65 20 74 68 t as evidence th
190f0 61 74 20 49 20 6d 69 67 68 74 20 6e 6f 74 20 62 at I might not b
19100 65 20 69 6e 20 61 6e 79 20 64 61 6e 67 65 72 20 e in any danger
19110 69 66 20 49 20 6d 65 65 74 20 68 69 6d 20 61 67 if I meet him ag
19120 61 69 6e 20 74 6f 20 67 69 76 65 20 62 61 63 6b ain to give back
19130 20 68 69 73 20 6d 69 73 70 6c 61 63 65 64 20 6d his misplaced m
19140 6f 6e 65 79 3f 0a 0a 22 49 74 20 64 6f 65 73 6e oney?.."It doesn
19150 27 74 20 66 65 65 6c 20 72 69 67 68 74 2c 20 6a 't feel right, j
19160 75 73 74 20 6b 65 65 70 69 6e 67 20 68 69 73 20 ust keeping his
19170 6d 6f 6e 65 79 2c 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 2e 22 0a money, though.".
19180 0a 22 57 68 79 20 64 6f 20 79 6f 75 20 66 65 65 ."Why do you fee
19190 6c 20 74 68 61 74 20 77 61 79 3f 22 20 74 68 65 l that way?" the
191a0 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 20 61 73 6b prioritizer ask
191b0 65 64 2e 0a 0a 22 49 74 27 73 20 64 69 73 68 6f ed..."It's disho
191c0 6e 65 73 74 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e nest," she said.
191d0 0a 0a 22 59 6f 75 20 64 69 64 20 6e 6f 74 20 6c .."You did not l
191e0 69 65 20 74 6f 20 68 69 6d 2e 22 0a 0a 22 54 72 ie to him.".."Tr
191f0 75 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 44 69 64 20 79 6f 75 20 72 ue.".."Did you r
19200 65 61 6c 69 7a 65 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 6d 69 67 ealize there mig
19210 68 74 20 62 65 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 6d 6f 6e 65 79 ht be more money
19220 20 74 68 61 6e 20 68 65 20 69 6e 74 65 6e 64 65 than he intende
19230 64 20 74 6f 20 67 69 76 65 20 79 6f 75 20 77 68 d to give you wh
19240 65 6e 20 79 6f 75 20 63 6f 75 6e 74 65 64 20 74 en you counted t
19250 68 65 20 66 69 72 73 74 20 74 69 6d 65 3f 22 0a he first time?".
19260 0a 22 4e 6f 2e 22 0a 0a 22 48 6f 77 20 69 73 20 ."No.".."How is
19270 74 68 61 74 20 64 69 73 68 6f 6e 65 73 74 3f 22 that dishonest?"
19280 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 27 73 20 6c 69 70 73 20 74 ..Alley's lips t
19290 69 67 68 74 65 6e 65 64 20 66 6f 72 20 61 20 6d ightened for a m
192a0 6f 6d 65 6e 74 2e 20 20 22 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 oment. "I guess
192b0 20 64 69 73 68 6f 6e 65 73 74 20 69 73 6e 27 74 dishonest isn't
192c0 20 74 68 65 20 72 69 67 68 74 20 77 6f 72 64 2c the right word,
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1e030 49 43 4b 20 4f 4e 45 3a 0a 0a 49 6e 20 74 68 65 ICK ONE:..In the
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1e080 20 6c 65 73 73 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 61 20 68 61 72 less like a har
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1e300 20 22 41 68 20 2e 20 2e 20 2e 20 79 65 61 68 2c "Ah . . . yeah,
1e310 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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1e3a0 57 69 74 68 6f 75 74 20 61 6e 6f 74 68 65 72 20 Without another
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1e440 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 6c 65 61 6e 65 64 20 66 6f . She leaned fo
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1e470 73 69 6c 69 63 6f 6e 65 20 74 72 61 79 2c 20 74 silicone tray, t
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1e520 6d 61 74 68 65 6d 61 74 69 63 73 20 2e 20 2e 20 mathematics . .
1e530 2e 0a 0a 22 53 65 6c 66 2d 74 61 75 67 68 74 2e ..."Self-taught.
1e540 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 74 61 72 74 65 64 "..Alley started
1e550 2c 20 68 65 72 20 68 65 61 72 74 20 6c 75 72 63 , her heart lurc
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1e580 53 68 65 20 74 75 72 6e 65 64 20 74 6f 20 73 65 She turned to se
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1e5c0 6f 66 20 43 6f 6b 65 2e 20 20 22 48 65 72 65 2c of Coke. "Here,
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1e5f0 61 6e 20 74 6f 20 73 74 61 72 74 6c 65 20 79 6f an to startle yo
1e600 75 2e 22 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 6e 6f 64 64 65 64 20 u."..She nodded
1e610 68 65 72 20 74 68 61 6e 6b 73 20 61 6e 64 20 74 her thanks and t
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1e630 20 68 65 20 63 61 72 72 69 65 64 20 61 6e 6f 74 he carried anot
1e640 68 65 72 20 63 61 6e 20 77 69 74 68 20 68 69 6d her can with him
1e650 2c 20 68 65 20 6d 6f 76 65 64 20 74 6f 20 74 68 , he moved to th
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1e680 6c 79 20 69 6e 61 75 64 69 62 6c 65 20 67 72 75 ly inaudible gru
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1e6c0 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 61 72 6d 63 68 61 69 72 2e on the armchair.
1e6d0 0a 0a 22 4d 79 20 6e 61 6d 65 20 69 73 20 47 65 .."My name is Ge
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1e6f0 61 6e 64 20 6f 70 65 6e 65 64 20 68 69 73 20 63 and opened his c
1e700 61 6e 2e 0a 0a 22 49 27 6d 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 2e an..."I'm Alley.
1e710 22 0a 0a 48 65 20 73 77 69 67 67 65 64 20 66 72 "..He swigged fr
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1e740 65 65 74 20 79 6f 75 2e 22 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 68 eet you.".."Yeah
1e750 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 53 68 ," she said. Sh
1e760 65 20 6f 70 65 6e 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 63 61 6e e opened her can
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1e810 74 2c 20 62 75 74 20 68 65 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 6c t, but he only l
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1e830 20 63 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 74 61 70 65 20 6f 6e cut the tape on
1e840 20 74 68 65 20 62 6f 78 2e 0a 0a 22 55 68 20 2e the box..."Uh .
1e850 20 2e 20 2e 20 49 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 6e 65 65 64 . . I don'tneed
1e860 20 74 6f 20 73 65 65 20 77 68 61 74 65 76 65 72 to see whatever
1e870 27 73 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 72 65 2e 22 0a 0a 48 's in there."..H
1e880 65 20 73 74 6f 70 70 65 64 20 6d 6f 76 69 6e 67 e stopped moving
1e890 20 61 6e 64 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 61 74 20 68 and looked at h
1e8a0 65 72 2e 20 20 48 65 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 62 er. He looked b
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1e8e0 20 20 41 66 74 65 72 20 61 20 6d 6f 6d 65 6e 74 After a moment
1e8f0 20 6d 6f 72 65 2c 20 68 69 73 20 62 72 6f 77 20 more, his brow
1e900 73 6d 6f 6f 74 68 65 64 2c 61 6e 64 20 68 65 20 smoothed,and he
1e910 73 6d 69 6c 65 64 2c 20 74 68 65 20 6c 69 6e 65 smiled, the line
1e920 73 20 61 72 6f 75 6e 64 20 68 69 73 20 6d 6f 75 s around his mou
1e930 74 68 20 61 6e 64 20 65 79 65 73 20 64 65 65 70 th and eyes deep
1e940 65 6e 69 6e 67 2e 20 20 22 4f 68 2c 20 49 20 67 ening. "Oh, I g
1e950 65 74 20 69 74 2e 20 20 48 61 68 21 20 20 4f 6c et it. Hah! Ol
1e960 27 20 44 61 76 65 20 6d 75 73 74 27 76 65 20 6d ' Dave must've m
1e970 61 64 65 20 71 75 69 74 65 20 61 6e 20 69 6d 70 ade quite an imp
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1e990 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 61 ..Alley looked a
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1e9d0 73 63 61 72 65 64 20 6e 6f 77 2e 0a 0a 22 4c 6f scared now..."Lo
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1ea20 62 75 74 20 68 65 20 6a 75 73 74 20 75 73 65 73 but he just uses
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1ea50 61 6e 64 20 68 65 27 73 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 61 and he's about a
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1eb10 72 65 6e 27 74 20 67 75 6e 20 70 61 72 74 73 2c ren't gun parts,
1eb20 20 65 69 74 68 65 72 2e 20 20 54 68 65 79 27 72 either. They'r
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1eb60 20 66 6f 72 20 61 20 6c 69 74 74 6c 65 20 67 69 for a little gi
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1ebe0 52 65 61 6c 6c 79 3f 22 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 68 2e Really?".."Yeah.
1ebf0 20 20 4f 6e 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 67 75 79 One of the guy
1ec00 73 20 67 65 74 74 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 67 75 s getting the gu
1ec10 6e 73 20 49 20 70 75 74 20 74 6f 67 65 74 68 65 ns I put togethe
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1ecc0 20 5b 20 53 4f 4d 45 54 48 49 4e 47 20 5d 20 73 [ SOMETHING ] s
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1ece0 20 53 68 65 27 73 20 6f 75 74 67 72 6f 77 69 6e She's outgrowin
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1ed00 20 66 6f 72 20 68 65 72 20 61 20 79 65 61 72 20 for her a year
1ed10 61 67 6f 2c 20 61 6c 72 65 61 64 79 2e 22 0a 0a ago, already."..
1ed20 22 4f 68 2e 20 20 52 69 67 68 74 2e 20 20 54 68 "Oh. Right. Th
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1ed40 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 67 75 6e 73 2e 22 about the guns."
1ed50 0a 0a 48 65 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 61 74 20 68 ..He looked at h
1ed60 65 72 2c 20 73 69 64 65 6c 6f 6e 67 2e 20 20 22 er, sidelong. "
1ed70 57 68 61 74 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65 6d 3f What about them?
1ed80 22 20 68 65 20 61 73 6b 65 64 2e 0a 0a 22 55 68 " he asked..."Uh
1ed90 2c 20 61 66 74 65 72 20 49 20 67 6f 74 20 68 6f , after I got ho
1eda0 6d 65 2c 20 49 20 72 65 61 6c 69 7a 65 64 20 79 me, I realized y
1edb0 6f 75 20 67 61 76 65 20 6d 65 20 74 6f 6f 20 6d ou gave me too m
1edc0 75 63 68 20 6d 6f 6e 65 79 2e 22 0a 0a 22 57 68 uch money.".."Wh
1edd0 61 74 20 64 6f 20 79 6f 75 20 6d 65 61 6e 3f 20 at do you mean?
1ede0 20 49 20 70 61 69 64 20 77 68 61 74 20 77 65 20 I paid what we
1edf0 61 67 72 65 65 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 65 20 agreed, and the
1ee00 66 72 61 6d 65 73 20 77 65 72 65 20 61 6c 6c 20 frames were all
1ee10 67 6f 6f 64 2e 22 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 73 68 6f 6f good."..She shoo
1ee20 6b 20 68 65 72 20 68 65 61 64 2e 20 20 22 54 68 k her head. "Th
1ee30 65 72 65 20 77 65 72 65 20 74 77 6f 20 62 72 61 ere were two bra
1ee40 6e 64 20 6e 65 77 20 68 75 6e 64 72 65 64 73 20 nd new hundreds
1ee50 73 74 75 63 6b 20 74 6f 67 65 74 68 65 72 2e 20 stuck together.
1ee60 20 49 20 67 6f 74 20 61 6e 20 65 78 74 72 61 20 I got an extra
1ee70 68 75 6e 64 72 65 64 20 64 6f 6c 6c 61 72 73 20 hundred dollars
1ee80 62 79 20 61 63 63 69 64 65 6e 74 2e 22 0a 0a 48 by accident."..H
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1eea0 0a 0a 22 49 2c 20 75 68 2c 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 .."I, uh, don't
1eeb0 68 61 76 65 20 69 74 20 77 69 74 68 20 6d 65 2c have it with me,
1eec0 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 4d 61 " she said. "Ma
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1eee0 61 63 6b 20 74 6f 6d 6f 72 72 6f 77 20 77 69 74 ack tomorrow wit
1eef0 68 20 69 74 2e 22 0a 0a 47 65 6f 72 67 65 20 6c h it."..George l
1ef00 61 75 67 68 65 64 2e 20 20 49 74 20 77 61 73 20 aughed. It was
1ef10 61 20 77 61 72 6d 2c 20 73 75 72 70 72 69 73 65 a warm, surprise
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1ef60 20 68 65 72 73 65 6c 66 2e 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 2c 20 herself..."No,
1ef70 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 64 6f 20 74 68 61 74 2c 22 20 don't do that,"
1ef80 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2c 20 61 20 68 69 6e 74 20 he said, a hint
1ef90 6f 66 20 63 68 75 63 6b 6c 65 20 73 74 69 6c 6c of chuckle still
1efa0 20 69 6e 20 68 69 73 20 76 6f 69 63 65 2e 20 20 in his voice.
1efb0 22 59 27 6b 6e 6f 77 20 77 68 61 74 3f 20 20 49 "Y'know what? I
1efc0 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 79 6f 75 2c 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 like you, Alley
1efd0 2e 20 20 49 20 65 76 65 6e 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 74 . I even like t
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1eff0 20 64 65 73 63 72 69 62 65 73 20 77 68 65 72 65 describes where
1f000 20 77 65 20 66 69 72 73 74 20 6d 65 74 2e 22 0a we first met.".
1f010 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 6d 69 6c 65 64 2e 20 20 .Alley smiled.
1f020 22 54 68 61 6e 6b 73 2e 20 20 57 68 61 74 20 61 "Thanks. What a
1f030 62 6f 75 74 20 79 6f 75 72 20 68 75 6e 64 72 65 bout your hundre
1f040 64 20 64 6f 6c 6c 61 72 73 2c 20 74 68 6f 75 67 d dollars, thoug
1f050 68 3f 22 0a 0a 22 4b 65 65 70 20 69 74 2e 20 20 h?".."Keep it.
1f060 49 27 6c 6c 20 73 75 72 69 76 65 20 77 69 74 68 I'll surive with
1f070 6f 75 74 20 69 74 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 49 20 64 6f out it, and I do
1f080 6e 27 74 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 20 79 6f 75 27 64 20 n't think you'd
1f090 64 72 69 76 65 20 61 6c 6c 20 74 68 65 20 77 61 drive all the wa
1f0a0 79 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 50 65 72 72 69 73 20 74 6f y from Perris to
1f0b0 20 48 75 6e 74 69 6e 67 20 42 65 61 63 68 20 61 Hunting Beach a
1f0c0 74 20 67 69 67 20 63 6f 75 72 69 65 72 20 72 61 t gig courier ra
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1f100 22 20 20 48 65 20 77 69 6e 6b 65 64 20 61 74 20 " He winked at
1f110 68 65 72 2e 20 20 22 59 6f 75 27 72 65 20 67 6f her. "You're go
1f120 6f 64 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 2c 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 od people, Alley
1f130 2e 22 0a 0a 22 55 68 20 2e 20 2e 20 2e 20 74 68 .".."Uh . . . th
1f140 61 6e 6b 20 79 6f 75 2e 20 20 4d 61 79 62 65 20 ank you. Maybe
1f150 79 6f 75 20 61 72 65 2c 20 74 6f 6f 2e 22 0a 0a you are, too."..
1f160 22 59 65 61 68 2c 20 6d 61 79 62 65 2e 20 20 49 "Yeah, maybe. I
1f170 20 68 6f 70 65 20 73 6f 2e 22 20 20 48 65 20 74 hope so." He t
1f180 75 72 6e 65 64 20 62 61 63 6b 20 74 6f 20 74 68 urned back to th
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1f1a0 65 64 20 63 75 74 74 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 74 ed cutting the t
1f1b0 61 70 65 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 65 64 67 65 73 ape at the edges
1f1c0 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 66 6c 69 70 70 65 64 20 74 , then flipped t
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1f1f0 20 63 61 72 65 66 75 6c 6c 79 20 6c 69 66 74 65 carefully lifte
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1f210 20 62 75 6e 64 6c 65 73 20 6f 66 20 6d 65 74 61 bundles of meta
1f220 6c 20 70 61 72 74 73 2c 20 6c 65 61 76 69 6e 67 l parts, leaving
1f230 20 70 61 63 6b 69 6e 67 20 70 61 70 65 72 20 62 packing paper b
1f240 65 68 69 6e 64 2e 0a 0a 41 73 20 68 65 20 73 65 ehind...As he se
1f250 74 20 65 61 63 68 20 62 75 6e 64 6c 65 20 6f 6e t each bundle on
1f260 20 74 68 65 20 73 69 6c 69 63 6f 6e 65 20 74 72 the silicone tr
1f270 61 79 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 6f ay, and looked o
1f280 76 65 72 20 65 76 65 72 79 74 68 69 6e 67 20 73 ver everything s
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1f2a0 61 74 20 61 6e 64 20 73 69 70 70 65 64 20 68 65 at and sipped he
1f2b0 72 20 43 6f 6b 65 2c 20 75 6e 77 69 6c 6c 69 6e r Coke, unwillin
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1f2e0 73 20 73 65 65 6d 65 64 20 70 72 65 63 69 73 65 s seemed precise
1f2f0 6c 79 20 64 72 61 77 6e 20 74 6f 20 70 61 72 74 ly drawn to part
1f300 69 63 75 6c 61 72 20 73 70 6f 74 73 20 6f 6e 20 icular spots on
1f310 76 61 72 69 6f 75 73 20 70 61 72 74 73 2c 20 61 various parts, a
1f320 73 20 69 66 20 6d 75 73 63 6c 65 20 6d 65 6d 6f s if muscle memo
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1f340 66 74 6c 79 20 77 68 65 72 65 20 74 68 65 79 20 ftly where they
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1f360 61 20 70 65 72 66 6f 72 6d 61 6e 63 65 20 73 6f a performance so
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1f380 69 6b 65 20 6d 65 64 69 74 61 74 69 76 65 20 70 ike meditative p
1f390 73 79 63 68 6f 6d 65 74 72 79 2e 0a 0a 48 65 20 sychometry...He
1f3a0 73 70 6c 69 74 20 61 20 63 6f 75 70 6c 65 20 6f split a couple o
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1f3c0 20 6c 61 72 67 65 72 20 70 61 72 74 73 2c 20 61 larger parts, a
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1f3f0 20 48 65 20 73 65 74 20 74 68 65 6d 20 61 73 69 He set them asi
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1f410 73 6c 69 67 68 74 6c 79 20 73 70 6c 61 79 65 64 slightly splayed
1f420 20 6f 75 74 20 62 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 70 61 72 out but the par
1f430 74 73 20 73 74 69 6c 6c 20 61 64 68 65 72 69 6e ts still adherin
1f440 67 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 74 61 70 65 2e 20 20 g to the tape.
1f450 46 69 6e 61 6c 6c 79 2c 20 68 65 20 73 74 6f 70 Finally, he stop
1f460 70 65 64 2e 0a 0a 22 49 27 76 65 20 6b 65 70 74 ped..."I've kept
1f470 20 79 6f 75 20 6c 6f 6e 67 20 65 6e 6f 75 67 68 you long enough
1f480 2e 22 20 20 48 65 20 6c 69 66 74 65 64 20 74 68 ." He lifted th
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1f4a0 64 20 6f 75 74 20 61 6e 20 65 6e 76 65 6c 6f 70 d out an envelop
1f4b0 65 2e 20 20 22 48 65 72 65 2e 20 20 54 61 6b 65 e. "Here. Take
1f4c0 20 74 68 69 73 20 62 61 63 6b 20 74 6f 20 44 61 this back to Da
1f4d0 76 65 2c 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 73 65 63 6f ve, for the seco
1f4e0 6e 64 20 64 65 6c 69 76 65 72 79 2e 22 20 20 48 nd delivery." H
1f4f0 65 20 68 65 6c 64 20 69 74 20 6f 75 74 20 74 6f e held it out to
1f500 20 68 65 72 2e 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 6e 6f 64 64 65 her...She nodde
1f510 64 2e 20 20 22 53 75 72 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 41 72 d. "Sure.".."Ar
1f520 65 20 79 6f 75 20 73 61 76 69 6e 67 20 75 70 20 e you saving up
1f530 66 6f 72 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 2c 20 6f for something, o
1f540 72 20 67 6f 69 6e 67 20 62 61 63 6b 20 74 6f 20 r going back to
1f550 73 63 68 6f 6f 6c 3f 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 school?"..Alley
1f560 68 65 73 69 74 61 74 65 64 20 61 20 6d 6f 6d 65 hesitated a mome
1f570 6e 74 2e 20 20 22 57 68 79 3f 22 0a 0a 48 65 20 nt. "Why?"..He
1f580 73 68 72 75 67 67 65 64 2e 20 20 22 43 75 72 69 shrugged. "Curi
1f590 6f 75 73 2e 22 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 74 20 65 78 61 63 ous.".."Not exac
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1f5b0 20 74 6f 20 64 69 67 20 6d 79 73 65 6c 66 20 6f to dig myself o
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1f5d0 22 44 65 62 74 73 3f 22 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 73 68 "Debts?"..She sh
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1f5f0 49 20 68 61 64 20 61 20 73 74 72 61 6e 67 65 20 I had a strange
1f600 63 61 72 65 65 72 20 70 61 74 68 2c 20 61 6e 64 career path, and
1f610 20 69 74 27 73 20 64 79 69 6e 67 2e 20 20 49 20 it's dying. I
1f620 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 72 65 61 6c 6c 79 20 68 61 76 don't really hav
1f630 65 20 74 68 65 20 77 6f 72 6b 20 65 78 70 65 72 e the work exper
1f640 69 65 6e 63 65 20 74 6f 20 70 69 63 6b 20 61 20 ience to pick a
1f650 6e 65 77 20 64 69 72 65 63 74 69 6f 6e 2c 20 73 new direction, s
1f660 6f 20 49 27 6d 20 6a 75 73 74 20 77 6f 72 6b 69 o I'm just worki
1f670 6e 67 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 61 74 2e 22 0a 0a 22 41 ng on that.".."A
1f680 68 2e 20 20 52 65 69 6e 76 65 6e 74 69 6e 67 20 h. Reinventing
1f690 79 6f 75 72 73 65 6c 66 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 77 yourself. The w
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1f6b0 66 61 73 74 20 69 74 27 73 20 68 61 72 64 20 74 fast it's hard t
1f6c0 6f 20 6b 65 65 70 20 75 70 2e 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c o keep up."..All
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1f6e0 73 74 6f 70 70 65 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 68 6f stopped, and sho
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1f700 6e 2e 20 20 22 49 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 6b 6e 6f n. "I don't kno
1f710 77 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 79 73 2e 20 20 22 w," she says. "
1f720 41 20 6c 6f 74 20 6f 66 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 A lot of people
1f730 73 65 65 6d 20 74 6f 20 68 61 76 65 20 6e 6f 20 seem to have no
1f740 70 72 6f 62 6c 65 6d 2e 20 20 54 68 65 79 20 6a problem. They j
1f750 75 73 74 20 67 6f 20 74 6f 20 73 63 68 6f 6f 6c ust go to school
1f760 2c 20 67 65 74 20 61 20 70 69 65 63 65 20 6f 66 , get a piece of
1f770 20 70 61 70 65 72 2c 20 61 70 70 6c 79 20 66 6f paper, apply fo
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1f7b0 20 74 68 61 74 20 77 61 79 2c 22 20 47 65 6f 72 that way," Geor
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1f7d0 73 74 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 6d 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 st of them don't
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1f7f0 22 0a 0a 22 57 68 61 74 20 64 6f 20 79 6f 75 20 ".."What do you
1f800 6d 65 61 6e 3f 22 0a 0a 22 4d 6f 72 65 20 61 6e mean?".."More an
1f810 64 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 61 72 d more people ar
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1f830 72 20 67 65 74 20 6c 61 69 64 20 6f 66 66 20 61 r get laid off a
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1f850 20 73 74 72 65 65 74 2e 20 20 4d 6f 73 74 20 6f street. Most o
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1f880 74 69 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 73 65 20 64 61 79 73 20 tion these days
1f890 74 6f 20 65 76 65 6e 20 63 6f 6e 63 65 69 76 65 to even conceive
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1f8b0 65 69 6e 76 65 6e 74 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 69 72 einventing their
1f8c0 20 70 61 74 68 73 2e 20 20 59 6f 75 20 6c 6f 6f paths. You loo
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1f8e0 75 74 20 6d 61 79 62 65 20 79 6f 75 27 72 65 20 ut maybe you're
1f8f0 6c 6f 6f 6b 69 6e 67 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 77 looking in the w
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1f910 20 20 48 65 20 6c 65 61 6e 65 64 20 66 6f 72 77 He leaned forw
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1f930 2c 20 72 65 73 74 65 64 20 68 69 73 20 66 6f 72 , rested his for
1f940 65 61 72 6d 73 20 6f 6e 20 68 69 73 20 74 68 69 earms on his thi
1f950 67 68 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 77 72 6f 6e 67 20 68 ghs, and wrong h
1f960 69 73 20 68 61 6e 64 73 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 68 65 is hands like he
1f970 20 6d 65 61 6e 74 20 74 6f 20 6d 61 73 73 61 67 meant to massag
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1f990 74 68 65 6d 2e 20 20 48 65 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 them. He looked
1f9a0 20 74 6f 77 61 72 64 20 61 20 62 6f 6f 6b 73 68 toward a booksh
1f9b0 65 6c 66 20 61 73 20 68 65 20 73 70 6f 6b 65 20 elf as he spoke
1f9c0 61 67 61 69 6e 2e 20 20 22 49 74 27 73 20 65 61 again. "It's ea
1f9d0 73 79 20 74 6f 20 73 65 65 20 77 68 61 74 20 6f sy to see what o
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1f9f0 64 6f 69 6e 67 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 20 doing and think
1fa00 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 79 20 68 61 76 65 20 69 that they have i
1fa10 74 20 74 6f 67 65 74 68 65 72 2c 20 74 68 61 74 t together, that
1fa20 20 74 68 65 79 20 68 61 76 65 20 61 20 70 61 74 they have a pat
1fa30 68 20 61 6e 64 20 73 65 63 75 72 69 74 79 20 61 h and security a
1fa40 6e 64 20 68 61 70 70 69 6e 65 73 73 2e 20 20 4d nd happiness. M
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1fa60 6f 20 65 61 63 68 20 6f 74 68 65 72 20 61 62 6f o each other abo
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1fe40 0a 22 4d 79 20 61 64 76 69 63 65 20 69 73 3a 20 ."My advice is:
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20060 0a 22 4c 6f 6f 6b 20 61 74 20 6d 65 2c 20 67 65 ."Look at me, ge
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20080 6f 70 68 69 63 61 6c 20 77 69 74 68 20 79 6f 75 ophical with you
20090 2e 20 20 49 66 20 77 68 61 74 20 49 27 6d 20 73 . If what I'm s
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20180 20 20 22 59 6f 75 20 67 69 76 65 20 62 65 74 74 "You give bett
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201b0 20 63 68 75 63 6b 6c 65 64 2e 20 20 22 49 20 68 chuckled. "I h
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20290 68 61 76 65 20 74 6f 20 68 75 6d 6f 72 20 6d 65 have to humor me
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202d0 20 79 6f 75 2c 20 62 75 74 20 6e 6f 77 20 49 20 you, but now I
202e0 6a 75 73 74 20 77 61 6e 74 20 74 6f 20 74 61 6c just want to tal
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20300 72 65 2e 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 re." She looked
20310 20 61 74 20 61 20 74 69 63 6b 69 6e 67 20 63 6c at a ticking cl
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20340 20 6e 6f 77 2c 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 2e 20 20 49 now, though. I
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20360 2e 22 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 68 2c 22 20 68 65 20 73 .".."Yeah," he s
20370 61 69 64 2c 20 22 67 6f 20 64 72 6f 70 20 6f 66 aid, "go drop of
20380 66 20 74 68 61 74 20 65 6e 76 65 6c 6f 70 65 2c f that envelope,
20390 20 74 68 65 6e 20 67 65 74 20 68 6f 6d 65 20 61 then get home a
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203b0 20 75 6e 64 65 72 65 73 74 69 6d 61 74 65 20 74 underestimate t
203c0 68 65 20 69 6d 70 6f 72 74 61 6e 63 65 20 6f 66 he importance of
203d0 20 61 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 6e 69 67 68 74 27 73 20 a good night's
203e0 72 65 73 74 2e 20 20 54 68 61 74 27 73 20 6f 6e rest. That's on
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20400 65 20 49 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 69 73 20 67 6f 6f 64 e I know is good
20410 2c 20 66 6f 72 20 61 6e 79 6f 6e 65 2e 22 0a 0a , for anyone."..
20420 22 54 68 61 6e 6b 73 2e 22 0a 0a 48 65 20 6e 6f "Thanks."..He no
20430 64 64 65 64 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 72 6f 73 65 20 dded, then rose
20440 61 6e 64 20 68 65 61 64 65 64 20 66 6f 72 20 74 and headed for t
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20470 61 70 70 72 6f 61 63 68 65 64 20 61 6e 64 20 6f approached and o
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204f0 20 22 42 65 20 63 61 72 65 66 75 6c 20 6f 75 74 "Be careful out
20500 20 74 68 65 72 65 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 77 6f 72 there. The wor
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20530 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 66 20 79 6f 75 20 77 61 6e 74 .".."If you want
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20580 70 61 74 68 20 69 6e 20 6c 69 66 65 2c 20 6c 6f path in life, lo
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205b0 65 61 73 2e 20 20 4f 74 68 65 72 77 69 73 65 2c eas. Otherwise,
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20600 61 67 61 69 6e 2e 20 20 22 48 6f 77 20 73 68 6f again. "How sho
20610 75 6c 64 20 49 20 67 65 74 20 69 6e 20 74 6f 75 uld I get in tou
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20630 20 61 74 20 68 69 6d 73 65 6c 66 2e 20 20 22 52 at himself. "R
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20650 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 70 61 72 74 2e 22 bout that part."
20660 20 20 48 65 20 70 75 6c 6c 65 64 20 6f 75 74 20 He pulled out
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206d0 69 74 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 61 77 20 74 68 61 74 it, and saw that
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20710 20 73 65 72 69 65 73 20 6f 66 20 6c 65 74 74 65 series of lette
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20730 0a 22 54 68 61 74 27 73 20 6d 79 20 70 75 62 6c ."That's my publ
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20760 66 20 79 6f 75 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 65 6e 63 72 f you don't encr
20770 79 70 74 20 74 68 65 20 6d 65 73 73 61 67 65 2c ypt the message,
20780 20 69 74 20 67 6f 65 73 20 73 74 72 61 69 67 68 it goes straigh
20790 74 20 74 6f 20 73 70 61 6d 2e 20 20 44 6f 20 79 t to spam. Do y
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207b0 73 65 20 65 6e 63 72 79 70 74 65 64 20 65 6d 61 se encrypted ema
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207d0 22 49 20 75 73 65 20 70 75 62 6b 65 79 20 65 6e "I use pubkey en
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20800 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 0a 0a 22 47 6f 6f she said..."Goo
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20820 61 6c 72 65 61 64 79 20 77 61 79 20 61 68 65 61 already way ahea
20830 64 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 70 61 63 6b 2e 20 20 d of the pack.
20840 47 6f 6f 64 20 6e 69 67 68 74 2c 20 6e 6f 77 2e Good night, now.
20850 22 0a 0a 22 47 6f 6f 64 20 6e 69 67 68 74 2c 22 ".."Good night,"
20860 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 20 77 69 74 68 20 61 she said with a
20870 20 73 6d 69 6c 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 68 65 61 64 smile, and head
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20890 53 68 65 20 67 6c 61 6e 63 65 64 20 62 61 63 6b She glanced back
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208b0 20 61 6e 64 20 73 61 77 20 68 69 6d 20 6b 65 65 and saw him kee
208c0 70 69 6e 67 20 77 61 74 63 68 2e 20 20 48 65 20 ping watch. He
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20a50 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 77 6f 72 72 69 65 64 20 61 74 ..She worried at
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20a90 20 6c 6f 73 74 20 74 72 61 63 6b 20 6f 66 20 74 lost track of t
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21e80 0a 0a 48 65 20 73 61 69 64 20 22 59 6f 75 20 68 ..He said "You h
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21f50 72 69 6e 67 20 61 6e 79 20 62 65 6c 6c 73 3f 22 ring any bells?"
21f60 20 68 65 20 61 73 6b 65 64 2e 0a 0a 22 4f 68 2e he asked..."Oh.
21f70 20 20 59 65 61 68 2e 20 20 57 68 79 20 64 69 64 Yeah. Why did
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22080 20 73 6d 61 6c 6c 20 70 72 69 6e 74 2e 20 20 49 small print. I
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220e0 20 68 65 20 73 75 64 64 65 6e 6c 79 20 61 73 6b he suddenly ask
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22110 77 68 65 6e 20 49 20 74 6f 6c 64 20 79 6f 75 20 when I told you
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22180 20 79 65 74 20 74 68 69 73 20 6d 6f 72 6e 69 6e yet this mornin
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22200 20 20 49 20 67 6f 74 20 6f 75 74 20 6f 66 20 62 I got out of b
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22220 62 61 72 65 6c 79 20 64 65 63 65 6e 74 20 74 6f barely decent to
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22260 75 6c 20 65 61 72 6c 79 20 62 69 72 64 73 20 74 ul early birds t
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22280 22 0a 0a 22 49 20 73 75 67 67 65 73 74 20 79 6f ".."I suggest yo
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222a0 73 61 67 65 73 2e 22 0a 0a 22 46 69 6e 65 2c 22 sages.".."Fine,"
222b0 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 49 Alley said. "I
222c0 27 6c 6c 20 62 65 20 72 69 67 68 74 20 62 61 63 'll be right bac
222d0 6b 2e 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 6d 61 6e 61 67 65 64 k." She managed
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22310 20 69 74 20 77 61 73 6e 27 74 20 67 65 6e 74 6c it wasn't gentl
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22420 20 61 6e 20 68 6f 75 72 20 65 61 72 6c 69 65 72 an hour earlier
22430 2e 20 20 49 74 20 74 6f 6c 64 20 68 65 72 20 74 . It told her t
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224a0 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 64 6f 6f ooked at the doo
224b0 72 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 6d 75 74 74 65 72 65 64 20 r, and muttered
224c0 22 2e 20 2e 20 2e 20 6d 65 6e 3f 22 20 20 53 68 ". . . men?" Sh
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22550 20 57 69 74 68 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 73 74 75 Without the stu
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226d0 72 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 6f 70 65 6e 65 64 20 69 74 r, and opened it
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22730 22 48 65 72 65 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 "Here," she said
22740 2e 20 20 53 68 65 20 70 75 6c 6c 65 64 20 6f 66 . She pulled of
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22780 74 68 65 6d 2c 20 74 68 65 20 6d 61 6e 2e 0a 0a them, the man...
22790 48 65 20 73 6d 69 72 6b 65 64 20 61 6e 64 20 68 He smirked and h
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229e0 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 61 73 6b 65 64 20 22 44 6f 20 , and asked "Do
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22b70 49 20 64 6f 20 6e 6f 74 20 68 61 76 65 20 74 68 I do not have th
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22c30 22 20 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 66 6c 69 70 70 65 64 " Alley flipped
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241a0 65 20 6d 61 69 6e 20 70 61 67 65 20 61 6e 64 20 e main page and
241b0 72 65 61 64 20 74 68 65 20 73 6c 6f 67 61 6e 20 read the slogan
241c0 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 74 6f 70 20 6f 75 74 20 6c at the top out l
241d0 6f 75 64 3a 0a 0a 22 54 68 65 20 65 6e 65 6d 79 oud:.."The enemy
241e0 20 6b 6e 6f 77 73 20 74 68 65 20 73 79 73 74 65 knows the syste
241f0 6d 2e 22 0a 0a 54 68 65 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 m."..The priorit
24200 69 7a 65 72 20 73 61 69 64 20 22 54 68 61 74 20 izer said "That
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24220 6e 6f 6e 27 73 20 6d 61 78 69 6d 2e 20 20 49 74 non's maxim. It
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24240 69 6e 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 6e 61 6d 65 20 4d in of the name M
24250 61 78 69 6d 4f 53 2e 22 0a 0a 22 54 68 61 74 27 aximOS.".."That'
24260 73 20 6b 69 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 61 6e 20 6f 6d 69 s kind of an omi
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24280 6c 65 79 20 6d 75 73 65 64 2e 0a 0a 22 49 74 20 ley mused..."It
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242a0 6f 66 20 4b 65 72 63 6b 68 6f 66 66 73 27 20 70 of Kerckhoffs' p
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242c0 61 73 73 65 72 74 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 61 20 63 asserts that a c
242d0 72 79 70 74 6f 73 79 73 74 65 6d 20 73 68 6f 75 ryptosystem shou
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24340 20 53 68 61 6e 6e 6f 6e 27 73 20 66 6f 72 6d 75 Shannon's formu
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24360 74 68 65 20 69 64 65 61 20 74 6f 20 69 6e 63 6c the idea to incl
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24390 72 65 20 41 75 67 75 73 74 65 20 4b 65 72 63 6b re Auguste Kerck
243a0 68 6f 66 66 73 27 20 66 6f 63 75 73 20 77 61 73 hoffs' focus was
243b0 20 73 70 65 63 69 66 69 63 20 74 6f 20 63 72 79 specific to cry
243c0 70 74 6f 67 72 61 70 68 79 2e 20 20 53 68 61 6e ptography. Shan
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24410 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 70 72 69 6e 63 69 70 6c 65 of the principle
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24440 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 68 2c 20 49 20 67 65 74 20 74 .."Yeah, I get t
24450 68 61 74 2c 22 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 73 61 69 64 hat," Alley said
24460 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 6e 6f 64 64 65 64 2e 20 20 22 , and nodded. "
24470 49 66 20 74 68 65 20 65 6e 65 6d 79 20 6b 6e 6f If the enemy kno
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244a0 75 72 65 20 6e 6f 6e 65 20 6f 66 20 69 74 73 20 ure none of its
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244d0 73 79 73 74 65 6d 20 64 65 73 69 67 6e 20 73 65 system design se
244e0 63 72 65 74 2e 0a 0a 22 59 6f 75 20 73 65 65 6d cret..."You seem
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24500 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 69 73 20 73 74 75 66 66 2e bout this stuff.
24510 22 0a 0a 22 49 20 73 65 61 72 63 68 65 64 20 69 ".."I searched i
24520 6e 66 6f 72 6d 61 74 6f 69 6e 20 73 65 63 75 72 nformatoin secur
24530 69 74 79 20 63 61 64 65 6d 69 63 20 70 61 70 65 ity cademic pape
24540 72 73 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 55 43 49 20 6e 65 rs on the UCI ne
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24560 72 61 73 65 64 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 6f 6e 65 20 6f rased from one o
24570 66 20 74 68 65 6d 2e 22 0a 0a 22 54 68 61 74 20 f them.".."That
24580 73 65 65 6d 73 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 69 74 20 77 6f seems like it wo
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24600 73 61 79 2e 20 20 49 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 70 say. I should p
24610 72 6f 62 61 62 6c 79 20 6c 65 61 6e 20 6f 6e 20 robably lean on
24620 74 68 61 74 20 6d 6f 72 65 2e 20 20 49 20 64 6f that more. I do
24630 6e 27 74 20 73 75 70 70 6f 73 65 20 74 68 65 72 n't suppose ther
24640 65 27 73 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 72 e's more in ther
24650 65 20 74 68 61 74 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 62 65 20 e that would be
24660 75 73 65 66 75 6c 20 66 6f 72 20 6d 65 20 74 72 useful for me tr
24670 79 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 63 68 61 6e 67 65 20 6d ying to change m
24680 79 20 63 61 72 65 65 72 20 63 6f 75 72 73 65 2e y career course.
24690 20 20 49 73 20 74 68 65 72 65 3f 22 0a 0a 22 54 Is there?".."T
246a0 68 61 74 20 64 6f 65 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 73 65 65 hat does not see
246b0 6d 20 6c 69 6b 65 6c 79 2c 22 20 74 68 65 20 70 m likely," the p
246c0 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 20 73 61 69 64 2e rioritizer said.
246d0 20 20 22 41 70 61 72 74 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 62 61 "Apart from ba
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246f0 73 74 75 64 69 65 73 20 6f 66 20 66 69 65 6c 64 studies of field
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24710 61 6e 64 20 68 6f 77 20 74 68 65 79 20 63 68 61 and how they cha
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24740 2c 20 74 68 65 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 77 65 6c 6c 20 , the only well
24750 73 74 75 64 69 65 64 20 61 72 65 61 73 20 49 20 studied areas I
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24780 74 6f 20 79 6f 75 72 20 73 69 74 75 61 74 69 6f to your situatio
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247a0 63 6b 20 6d 61 72 6b 65 74 20 61 63 74 69 76 69 ck market activi
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247d0 20 69 6e 20 62 6c 61 74 61 6e 74 6c 79 20 69 6c in blatantly il
247e0 6c 65 67 61 6c 20 61 63 74 69 76 69 74 79 20 66 legal activity f
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24810 20 70 72 65 63 6c 75 64 65 20 6d 61 6b 69 6e 67 preclude making
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24830 74 68 61 74 20 69 6e 66 6f 72 6d 61 74 69 6f 6e that information
24840 2e 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 63 68 75 63 6b 6c ."..Alley chuckl
24850 65 64 20 64 72 69 6c 79 2e 20 20 22 47 72 65 61 ed drily. "Grea
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24890 20 69 76 6f 72 79 20 74 6f 77 65 72 20 69 73 20 ivory tower is
248a0 61 62 6f 75 74 20 62 65 63 6f 6d 69 6e 67 20 61 about becoming a
248b0 20 63 61 72 65 65 72 20 63 72 69 6d 69 6e 61 6c career criminal
248c0 2c 20 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 2e 20 20 49 27 6d 20 , I guess. I'm
248d0 6e 6f 74 20 73 75 72 65 20 77 68 65 74 68 65 72 not sure whether
248e0 20 74 68 61 74 20 73 61 79 73 20 77 6f 72 73 65 that says worse
248f0 20 74 68 69 6e 67 73 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 75 6e things about un
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24910 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 6c 61 77 2e 22 0a 0a 22 out the law.".."
24920 4d 6f 73 74 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 70 61 70 65 Most of the pape
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24940 75 62 6a 65 63 74 73 20 61 72 65 20 63 6f 75 6c ubjects are coul
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249f0 6f 20 6c 69 65 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 6c o lie with the l
24a00 61 77 2e 22 0a 0a 22 57 61 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 aw.".."Was that
24a10 74 68 65 20 6b 69 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 74 68 69 6e the kind of thin
24a20 67 20 79 6f 75 20 75 73 65 64 20 74 6f 20 61 64 g you used to ad
24a30 76 69 73 65 20 6d 65 20 74 6f 20 6d 61 6b 65 20 vise me to make
24a40 74 68 6f 73 65 20 73 6b 65 74 63 68 79 20 64 65 those sketchy de
24a50 61 6c 73 20 61 20 63 6f 75 70 6c 65 20 64 61 79 als a couple day
24a60 73 20 61 67 6f 3f 22 0a 0a 22 53 75 63 68 20 70 s ago?".."Such p
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24b00 70 75 72 70 6f 73 65 2c 20 65 73 70 65 63 69 61 purpose, especia
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24b90 64 69 6e 61 6c 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d 20 69 73 20 dinal system is
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24c60 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 66 69 72 73 74 20 70 6c 61 in the first pla
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24ce0 2e 22 0a 0a 22 57 68 61 74 20 69 66 20 49 20 76 .".."What if I v
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24d10 61 73 6b 65 64 2e 0a 0a 22 54 68 61 74 20 73 65 asked..."That se
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24d60 20 45 76 65 6e 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 6f 6e 65 20 73 Even from one s
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24de0 66 6f 72 20 61 6e 79 20 74 77 6f 20 69 74 65 6d for any two item
24df0 73 2e 20 20 49 6e 20 61 64 64 69 74 69 6f 6e 2c s. In addition,
24e00 20 6e 6f 20 74 77 6f 20 70 72 6f 64 75 63 74 73 no two products
24e10 20 61 72 65 20 74 72 75 6c 79 20 69 64 65 6e 74 are truly ident
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24e30 20 73 68 6f 70 70 65 72 20 6d 61 79 20 6e 6f 74 shopper may not
24e40 20 68 61 76 65 20 65 6e 6f 75 67 68 20 69 6e 66 have enough inf
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24e60 20 77 68 69 63 68 20 74 68 61 74 20 70 65 72 73 which that pers
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24e80 69 66 20 66 75 6c 6c 79 20 69 6e 66 6f 72 6d 65 if fully informe
24e90 64 2e 22 0a 0a 2f 2a 20 22 44 6f 6e 27 74 20 49 d."../* "Don't I
24ea0 20 73 74 69 6c 6c 20 68 61 76 65 20 74 6f 20 70 still have to p
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24ee0 74 20 6a 75 73 74 20 67 65 74 20 62 6f 74 68 2c t just get both,
24ef0 20 6f 72 20 69 66 20 68 61 76 69 6e 67 20 74 77 or if having tw
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24f10 74 65 3f 22 20 2a 2f 0a 0a 22 57 68 61 74 20 61 te?" */.."What a
24f20 62 6f 75 74 20 77 68 65 6e 20 49 20 6a 75 73 74 bout when I just
24f30 20 63 61 6e 27 74 20 64 65 63 69 64 65 20 62 65 can't decide be
24f40 74 77 65 65 6e 20 74 77 6f 20 6f 70 74 69 6f 6e tween two option
24f50 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 49 20 63 61 6e 27 74 20 67 s, and I can't g
24f60 65 74 20 62 6f 74 68 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 6d 3f et both of them?
24f70 20 20 49 73 6e 27 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 70 72 6f Isn't that pro
24f80 6f 66 20 6f 66 20 62 65 69 6e 67 20 61 62 6c 65 of of being able
24f90 20 74 6f 20 76 61 6c 75 65 20 74 77 6f 20 74 68 to value two th
24fa0 69 6e 67 73 20 65 71 75 61 6c 6c 79 3f 22 0a 0a ings equally?"..
24fb0 22 49 66 20 79 6f 75 20 63 61 6e 6e 6f 74 20 63 "If you cannot c
24fc0 68 6f 6f 73 65 20 62 65 74 77 65 65 6e 20 74 68 hoose between th
24fd0 65 6d 20 62 61 73 65 64 20 6f 6e 20 79 6f 75 72 em based on your
24fe0 20 6f 77 6e 20 6b 6e 6f 77 6c 65 64 67 65 20 61 own knowledge a
24ff0 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 70 72 6f 64 75 63 74 bout the product
25000 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 65 79 20 61 72 65 20 s, and they are
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25020 71 75 69 76 61 6c 65 6e 74 73 20 72 61 74 68 65 quivalents rathe
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25060 2c 20 79 6f 75 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 6c 69 6b 65 6c , you will likel
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250a0 20 74 68 65 20 64 69 66 66 65 72 65 6e 63 65 20 the difference
250b0 69 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 77 6f 72 74 68 20 65 66 66 is not worth eff
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250d0 20 20 49 6e 20 74 68 65 20 6c 61 74 74 65 72 20 In the latter
250e0 63 61 73 65 2c 20 79 6f 75 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 case, you would
250f0 6c 69 6b 65 6c 79 20 63 68 6f 6f 73 65 20 74 68 likely choose th
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25120 20 6d 6f 6d 65 6e 74 2c 20 74 68 65 20 65 61 73 moment, the eas
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25140 54 68 75 73 2c 20 6f 6e 65 20 62 65 63 6f 6d 65 Thus, one become
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25160 69 74 79 20 74 68 61 6e 20 74 68 65 20 6f 74 68 ity than the oth
25170 65 72 2c 20 6e 6f 74 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 20 er, not because
25180 6f 66 20 61 20 71 75 61 6c 69 74 79 20 70 61 72 of a quality par
25190 74 69 63 75 6c 61 72 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 74 ticular to the t
251a0 68 69 6e 67 2c 20 62 75 74 20 61 20 71 75 61 6c hing, but a qual
251b0 69 74 79 20 6f 66 20 79 6f 75 72 20 63 69 72 63 ity of your circ
251c0 75 6d 73 74 61 6e 63 65 73 2e 20 20 49 74 20 72 umstances. It r
251d0 65 63 65 69 76 65 73 20 61 20 67 72 65 61 74 65 eceives a greate
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251f0 70 6f 73 69 74 69 6f 6e 20 62 61 73 65 64 20 6f position based o
25200 6e 20 6d 6f 6d 65 6e 74 61 72 79 20 63 6f 6e 76 n momentary conv
25210 65 6e 69 65 6e 63 65 2e 20 20 49 6e 20 73 68 6f enience. In sho
25220 72 74 2c 20 63 6f 6e 76 65 6e 69 65 6e 63 65 20 rt, convenience
25230 61 6e 64 20 65 6c 69 6d 69 6e 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 and elimination
25240 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 73 74 72 65 65 73 20 6f 66 of the strees of
25250 20 64 65 63 69 73 69 6f 6e 20 70 61 72 61 6c 79 decision paraly
25260 73 69 73 20 62 65 63 6f 6d 65 73 20 74 68 65 20 sis becomes the
25270 64 65 63 69 64 69 6e 67 20 66 61 63 74 6f 72 20 deciding factor
25280 61 73 20 61 20 76 61 6c 75 65 20 67 72 65 61 74 as a value great
25290 65 72 20 74 68 61 6e 20 74 68 65 20 64 69 66 66 er than the diff
252a0 65 72 65 6e 63 65 20 62 65 74 77 65 65 6e 20 64 erence between d
252b0 69 73 63 65 72 6e 69 62 6c 65 20 70 72 6f 64 75 iscernible produ
252c0 63 74 20 76 61 6c 75 65 73 2e 22 0a 0a 22 57 68 ct values.".."Wh
252d0 61 74 20 69 66 20 49 20 70 75 74 20 6f 66 66 20 at if I put off
252e0 62 75 79 69 6e 67 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 buying something
252f0 20 49 20 77 61 6e 74 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 74 6f 20 I want more to
25300 67 65 74 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20 49 20 get something I
25310 77 61 6e 74 20 6c 65 73 73 2c 20 74 6f 20 67 65 want less, to ge
25320 74 20 74 68 65 20 73 65 63 6f 6e 64 20 74 68 69 t the second thi
25330 6e 67 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 71 75 69 63 6b 6c 79 3f ng more quickly?
25340 22 0a 0a 22 54 68 69 73 20 69 73 20 61 6e 6f 74 ".."This is anot
25350 68 65 72 20 63 61 73 65 20 6f 66 20 61 20 74 68 her case of a th
25360 69 72 64 20 76 61 6c 75 65 20 63 6f 6d 69 6e 67 ird value coming
25370 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 70 6c 61 79 2c 20 73 75 63 68 into play, such
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26de0 22 59 6f 75 27 72 65 20 62 65 67 69 6e 6e 69 6e "You're beginnin
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26e00 44 61 6c 74 6f 6e 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 20 64 6f 20 Dalton.".."I do
26e10 6e 6f 74 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 77 68 61 74 20 74 68 not know what th
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26e40 0a 0a 22 49 27 6c 6c 20 74 65 6c 6c 20 79 6f 75 .."I'll tell you
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26e60 22 0a 0a 48 65 72 20 6d 69 6e 64 20 72 61 63 65 "..Her mind race
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26ec0 20 53 68 65 20 68 61 64 20 74 6f 20 73 61 63 72 She had to sacr
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26ee0 0a 0a 22 44 61 6d 6e 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 .."Damn," she sa
26ef0 69 64 2e 20 20 22 49 20 68 61 76 65 20 74 6f 20 id. "I have to
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26f50 61 77 61 79 2e 20 20 49 27 6d 20 6a 75 73 74 20 away. I'm just
26f60 67 6f 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 68 61 76 65 20 74 6f going to have to
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26f80 20 74 6f 20 70 61 79 20 72 65 6e 74 20 67 6f 6f to pay rent goo
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26fb0 68 65 72 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 61 73 73 20 65 her in the ass e
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26fd0 0a 54 68 65 20 70 72 69 6f 72 69 74 69 7a 65 72 .The prioritizer
26fe0 20 73 61 69 64 20 22 49 20 62 65 6c 69 65 76 65 said "I believe
26ff0 20 74 68 61 74 20 69 73 20 61 20 6d 69 73 74 61 that is a mista
27000 6b 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 57 68 61 74 3f 22 20 20 41 ke.".."What?" A
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27020 61 6c 6d 6f 73 74 20 65 78 70 65 63 74 69 6e 67 almost expecting
27030 20 74 6f 20 73 65 65 20 73 6f 6d 65 6f 6e 65 20 to see someone
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27080 22 0a 0a 22 43 4f 49 4e 20 43 6f 72 70 20 77 69 ".."COIN Corp wi
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271b0 6f 74 68 65 72 73 2e 20 20 54 6f 20 61 76 6f 69 others. To avoi
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27200 20 74 6f 20 74 68 69 73 20 63 61 73 65 2e 22 0a to this case.".
27210 0a 22 48 6f 77 20 74 68 65 20 68 65 6c 6c 20 64 ."How the hell d
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27230 68 65 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 64 6f 77 6e 20 61 he looked down a
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27270 53 68 65 20 73 61 77 20 74 68 61 74 20 73 68 65 She saw that she
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27340 20 69 74 2e 0a 0a 22 50 72 6f 76 69 64 65 20 74 it..."Provide t
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273b0 73 73 20 69 6e 20 61 20 73 68 6f 72 74 20 70 65 ss in a short pe
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27420 20 43 4f 49 4e 20 43 6f 72 70 27 73 20 76 69 63 COIN Corp's vic
27430 74 69 6d 73 2e 20 20 49 74 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 61 tims. It will a
27440 6c 73 6f 20 67 69 76 65 20 79 6f 75 20 61 63 63 lso give you acc
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27460 20 79 6f 75 20 63 61 6e 20 75 73 65 20 74 6f 20 you can use to
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27480 20 74 68 65 20 73 69 74 75 61 74 69 6f 6e 2c 20 the situation,
27490 72 61 74 68 65 72 20 74 68 61 6e 20 73 69 6d 70 rather than simp
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274b0 6c 65 64 20 62 79 20 69 74 2e 22 0a 0a 22 59 6f led by it.".."Yo
274c0 75 20 6d 65 61 6e 20 49 20 63 61 6e 20 6d 61 6b u mean I can mak
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274e0 20 65 78 61 63 74 6c 79 20 77 68 61 74 20 74 68 exactly what th
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27500 20 73 74 75 64 79 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 73 61 study at the sa
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27530 74 6f 20 6d 61 6b 65 20 6d 79 73 65 6c 66 20 2e to make myself .
27540 20 2e 20 2e 20 77 65 6c 6c 2c 20 61 20 70 6c 61 . . well, a pla
27550 79 65 72 2c 20 69 6e 73 74 65 61 64 20 6f 66 20 yer, instead of
27560 61 20 70 61 77 6e 2e 22 0a 0a 22 59 65 73 2c 20 a pawn.".."Yes,
27570 63 68 65 73 73 20 69 73 20 61 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 chess is a good
27580 6d 65 74 61 70 68 6f 72 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 69 metaphor for thi
27590 73 2e 20 20 59 6f 75 20 6d 75 73 74 20 68 61 76 s. You must hav
275a0 65 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 70 6c 61 79 69 6e 67 20 70 e some playing p
275b0 69 65 63 65 73 20 6f 66 20 79 6f 75 72 20 6f 77 ieces of your ow
275c0 6e 20 74 6f 20 70 6c 61 79 20 74 68 65 20 67 61 n to play the ga
275d0 6d 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 47 72 65 61 74 2c 22 20 73 me.".."Great," s
275e0 68 65 20 73 61 64 2c 20 68 65 72 20 64 72 79 20 he sad, her dry
275f0 74 6f 6e 65 20 73 75 67 67 65 73 74 69 6e 67 20 tone suggesting
27600 6e 6f 74 68 69 6e 67 20 67 72 65 61 74 20 61 62 nothing great ab
27610 6f 75 74 20 69 74 20 61 74 20 61 6c 6c 2e 20 20 out it at all.
27620 22 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 79 6f 75 20 64 6f 6e "I guess you don
27630 27 74 20 65 76 65 6e 20 68 61 76 65 20 61 6e 79 't even have any
27640 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 69 64 65 61 73 20 61 62 6f 75 good ideas abou
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27660 74 68 69 73 20 63 6f 6d 70 6c 65 74 65 6c 79 2c this completely,
27670 20 6f 6e 63 65 20 49 20 67 65 74 20 74 6f 20 74 once I get to t
27680 68 61 74 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 2c 20 74 68 6f 75 67 hat point, thoug
27690 68 2e 22 0a 0a 22 41 74 20 74 68 69 73 20 74 69 h.".."At this ti
276a0 6d 65 2c 20 6d 79 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 73 75 67 67 me, my only sugg
276b0 65 73 74 69 6f 6e 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 6c estion for the l
276c0 6f 6e 67 20 74 65 72 6d 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 62 ong term would b
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276f0 74 68 65 20 63 6f 6d 70 61 6e 79 20 74 6f 20 72 the company to r
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27710 65 20 6f 66 20 69 74 73 20 61 67 65 6e 74 73 2e e of its agents.
27720 20 20 49 20 61 6d 20 6e 6f 74 20 63 6f 6e 66 69 I am not confi
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27740 62 65 20 6d 61 64 65 20 63 6f 6e 73 69 73 74 65 be made consiste
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27770 22 0a 0a 22 54 68 69 73 20 69 73 20 2e 20 2e 20 ".."This is . .
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2a1d0 22 49 74 27 73 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 2c 20 66 72 6f "It's Alley, fro
2a1e0 6d 20 6c 61 73 74 20 6e 69 67 68 74 2e 22 0a 0a m last night."..
2a1f0 22 4f 68 21 20 20 48 69 2e 20 20 49 74 27 73 20 "Oh! Hi. It's
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2a250 22 59 65 61 68 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 "Yeah," she said
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2a520 68 69 73 20 65 76 65 6e 69 6e 67 2e 22 0a 0a 22 his evening.".."
2a530 59 65 61 68 2c 20 74 6f 6e 69 67 68 74 27 73 20 Yeah, tonight's
2a540 67 6f 6f 64 2e 22 0a 0a 22 44 6f 20 79 6f 75 20 good.".."Do you
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2acc0 20 41 6c 6c 65 79 3f 22 0a 0a 22 4d 6f 73 74 6c Alley?".."Mostl
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2ace0 67 75 65 73 73 2c 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 62 69 6f 67 guess, like biog
2acf0 72 61 70 68 69 65 73 2c 20 68 69 73 74 6f 72 69 raphies, histori
2ad00 63 61 6c 20 62 6f 6f 6b 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 74 cal books, and t
2ad10 68 69 6e 67 73 20 77 68 65 72 65 20 61 20 6a 6f hings where a jo
2ad20 75 72 6e 61 6c 69 73 74 20 67 65 74 73 20 6f 62 urnalist gets ob
2ad30 73 65 73 73 65 64 20 77 69 74 68 20 73 6f 6d 65 sessed with some
2ad40 20 6d 75 6e 64 61 6e 65 20 62 75 74 20 6f 62 73 mundane but obs
2ad50 63 75 72 65 20 73 75 62 6a 65 63 74 20 66 6f 72 cure subject for
2ad60 20 61 20 79 65 61 72 20 6f 72 20 74 77 6f 20 61 a year or two a
2ad70 6e 64 20 77 72 69 74 65 73 20 61 20 6c 6f 6e 67 nd writes a long
2ad80 20 62 6f 6f 6b 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 61 6c 6c 20 book about all
2ad90 74 68 65 20 77 65 69 72 64 20 73 74 75 66 66 20 the weird stuff
2ada0 6d 6f 73 74 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 77 6f 75 6c most people woul
2adb0 64 20 6e 65 76 65 72 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 61 62 6f d never know abo
2adc0 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 73 75 62 6a 65 63 74 20 6f ut the subject o
2add0 74 68 65 72 77 69 73 65 2e 22 0a 0a 22 48 6d 6d therwise.".."Hmm
2ade0 2e 20 20 54 68 61 74 27 73 20 69 6e 74 65 72 65 . That's intere
2adf0 73 74 69 6e 67 2e 20 20 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 sting. I guess
2ae00 79 6f 75 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 66 you don't like f
2ae10 69 63 74 69 6f 6e 20 61 73 20 6d 75 63 68 2c 20 iction as much,
2ae20 74 68 65 6e 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 then.".."I like
2ae30 74 6f 20 72 65 61 64 20 66 69 63 74 69 6f 6e 2c to read fiction,
2ae40 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 69 6d 65 73 2e 20 20 49 20 6a sometimes. I j
2ae50 75 73 74 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 75 73 75 61 6c 6c ust don't usuall
2ae60 79 20 73 65 65 20 61 20 6e 6f 76 65 6c 20 61 6e y see a novel an
2ae70 64 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 20 74 68 61 74 20 49 20 68 d think that I h
2ae80 61 76 65 20 74 6f 20 72 65 61 64 20 69 74 2e 20 ave to read it.
2ae90 20 57 68 65 6e 20 73 6f 6d 65 6f 6e 65 20 49 20 When someone I
2aea0 6b 6e 6f 77 20 72 65 63 6f 6d 6d 65 6e 64 73 20 know recommends
2aeb0 73 6f 6d 65 20 6e 6f 76 65 6c 2c 20 49 27 6c 6c some novel, I'll
2aec0 20 70 72 6f 62 61 62 6c 79 20 72 65 61 64 20 69 probably read i
2aed0 74 2c 20 75 6e 6c 65 73 73 20 49 27 76 65 20 61 t, unless I've a
2aee0 6c 72 65 61 64 79 20 62 65 65 6e 20 62 75 72 6e lready been burn
2aef0 65 64 20 62 79 20 74 68 61 74 20 70 65 72 73 6f ed by that perso
2af00 6e 27 73 20 62 61 64 20 74 61 73 74 65 20 69 6e n's bad taste in
2af10 20 6c 69 74 65 72 61 74 75 72 65 20 72 65 63 6f literature reco
2af20 6d 6d 65 6e 64 61 74 69 6f 6e 73 20 62 65 66 6f mmendations befo
2af30 72 65 2e 22 0a 0a 47 65 6f 72 67 65 20 63 68 75 re."..George chu
2af40 63 6b 6c 65 64 20 61 74 20 74 68 61 74 2e 20 20 ckled at that.
2af50 22 49 27 76 65 20 67 6f 74 74 65 6e 20 73 6f 6d "I've gotten som
2af60 65 20 72 65 61 6c 20 73 74 69 6e 6b 65 72 73 20 e real stinkers
2af70 72 65 63 6f 6d 6d 65 6e 64 65 64 20 74 6f 20 6d recommended to m
2af80 65 2c 20 62 65 66 6f 72 65 2c 20 74 6f 6f 2e 20 e, before, too.
2af90 20 49 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 77 68 61 74 20 79 6f 75 I know what you
2afa0 20 6d 65 61 6e 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 61 74 mean about that
2afb0 2e 22 0a 0a 41 6c 6c 65 79 20 67 61 76 65 20 68 ."..Alley gave h
2afc0 69 6d 20 61 6e 20 61 6e 73 77 65 72 69 6e 67 20 im an answering
2afd0 73 6d 69 6c 65 2e 20 20 22 41 6e 79 77 61 79 2c smile. "Anyway,
2afe0 20 79 6f 75 20 73 68 65 6c 76 65 73 20 74 65 6c you shelves tel
2aff0 6c 20 6d 65 20 79 6f 75 20 72 65 61 64 20 61 20 l me you read a
2b000 6c 6f 74 20 6f 66 20 6e 6f 6e 66 69 63 74 69 6f lot of nonfictio
2b010 6e 2c 20 74 6f 6f 2e 22 0a 0a 48 65 20 67 6c 61 n, too."..He gla
2b020 6e 63 65 64 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 74 65 78 74 nced at the text
2b030 73 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 73 68 65 6c 76 65 73 s on the shelves
2b040 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 62 6f 6f 6b 20 63 61 73 of the book cas
2b050 65 73 2e 20 20 22 59 65 61 68 2c 22 20 68 65 20 es. "Yeah," he
2b060 73 61 69 64 2c 20 22 49 27 6d 20 61 6c 77 61 79 said, "I'm alway
2b070 73 20 72 65 61 64 69 6e 67 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 s reading someth
2b080 69 6e 67 2e 20 20 49 20 74 72 79 20 74 6f 20 67 ing. I try to g
2b090 65 74 20 74 68 72 6f 75 67 68 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 et through more
2b0a0 74 68 61 6e 20 74 77 6f 20 65 64 75 63 61 74 69 than two educati
2b0b0 6f 6e 61 6c 20 62 6f 6f 6b 73 20 6f 66 20 73 6f onal books of so
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2b0f0 72 2c 20 62 75 74 20 49 20 6d 61 6b 65 20 75 70 r, but I make up
2b100 20 66 6f 72 20 69 74 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 79 for it on the y
2b110 65 61 72 73 20 77 69 74 68 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 6f ears with only o
2b120 6e 65 2c 20 6f 72 20 6e 6f 6e 65 2e 20 20 49 20 ne, or none. I
2b130 70 72 6f 62 61 62 6c 79 20 61 76 65 72 61 67 65 probably average
2b140 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 6f 6e 65 20 6e 6f 76 65 6c about one novel
2b150 20 70 65 72 20 77 65 65 2c 20 74 6f 6f 2c 20 73 per wee, too, s
2b160 6f 20 70 72 6f 62 61 62 6c 79 20 74 68 65 20 6f o probably the o
2b170 70 70 6f 73 69 74 65 20 6f 66 20 68 6f 77 20 79 pposite of how y
2b180 6f 75 20 72 65 61 64 2e 22 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 74 20 ou read.".."Not
2b190 71 75 69 74 65 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 quite," she said
2b1a0 2e 20 20 22 49 20 70 72 6f 62 61 62 6c 79 20 72 . "I probably r
2b1b0 65 61 64 20 61 20 63 6f 75 70 6c 65 20 6e 6f 76 ead a couple nov
2b1c0 65 6c 73 20 61 20 79 65 61 72 2c 20 62 75 74 20 els a year, but
2b1d0 6f 6e 6c 79 20 73 69 78 20 6f 72 20 65 69 67 68 only six or eigh
2b1e0 74 20 6e 6f 6e 66 69 63 74 69 6f 6e 20 62 6f 6f t nonfiction boo
2b1f0 6b 73 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 73 61 6d 65 20 79 ks in the same y
2b200 65 61 72 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 74 20 73 6f 75 6e 64 ear.".."It sound
2b210 73 20 74 6f 20 6d 65 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 79 6f 75 s to me like you
2b220 20 77 69 73 68 20 79 6f 75 20 72 65 61 64 20 6d wish you read m
2b230 6f 72 65 2c 22 20 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 0a 0a ore," he said...
2b240 22 59 65 61 68 2c 20 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 49 "Yeah, I guess I
2b250 20 64 6f 2e 22 0a 0a 22 4f 6e 65 20 6f 66 20 74 do.".."One of t
2b260 68 65 20 73 65 63 72 65 74 73 20 6f 66 20 6d 79 he secrets of my
2b270 20 72 65 61 64 69 6e 67 20 73 75 63 63 65 73 73 reading success
2b280 20 69 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 49 20 6c 69 6d 69 74 is that I limit
2b290 20 74 68 65 20 74 69 6d 65 20 49 20 73 70 65 6e the time I spen
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2b2b0 70 75 74 65 72 20 73 63 72 65 65 6e 2e 20 20 54 puter screen. T
2b2c0 68 65 72 65 20 61 72 65 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 here are people
2b2d0 77 68 6f 20 72 65 61 64 20 61 20 77 68 6f 6c 65 who read a whole
2b2e0 20 6c 6f 74 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 74 68 61 6e 20 49 lot more than I
2b2f0 20 64 6f 2c 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 2e 22 0a 0a 53 do, though."..S
2b300 68 65 20 6e 6f 64 64 65 64 2e 20 20 22 49 20 6b he nodded. "I k
2b310 6e 6f 77 2e 20 20 4d 79 20 75 6e 63 6c 65 20 75 now. My uncle u
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2b330 74 20 66 6f 75 72 20 6f 72 20 66 69 76 65 20 74 t four or five t
2b340 69 6d 65 73 20 61 73 20 6d 75 63 68 20 61 73 20 imes as much as
2b350 79 6f 75 2e 20 20 4d 79 20 65 78 20 70 72 6f 62 you. My ex prob
2b360 61 62 6c 79 20 72 65 61 64 73 20 61 62 6f 75 74 ably reads about
2b370 20 61 73 20 6d 75 63 68 20 61 73 20 79 6f 75 2c as much as you,
2b380 20 62 75 74 20 68 65 20 68 61 73 20 61 20 66 72 but he has a fr
2b390 69 65 6e 64 20 77 68 6f 20 72 65 61 64 73 20 61 iend who reads a
2b3a0 20 6c 6f 74 20 6d 6f 72 65 2c 20 74 6f 6f 2e 22 lot more, too."
2b3b0 0a 0a 22 59 6f 75 72 20 65 78 3f 20 20 41 72 65 .."Your ex? Are
2b3c0 20 79 6f 75 20 64 69 76 6f 72 63 65 64 3f 22 0a you divorced?".
2b3d0 0a 22 4f 68 2c 20 75 68 2c 20 6e 6f 2e 20 20 48 ."Oh, uh, no. H
2b3e0 65 20 77 61 73 20 6d 79 20 66 69 61 6e 63 c3 a9 e was my fianc..
2b3f0 2e 20 20 57 65 20 62 72 6f 6b 65 20 69 74 20 6f . We broke it o
2b400 66 66 20 61 20 63 6f 75 70 6c 65 20 79 65 61 72 ff a couple year
2b410 73 20 61 67 6f 2e 22 0a 0a 22 54 68 61 74 27 73 s ago.".."That's
2b420 20 74 6f 6f 20 62 61 64 2e 20 20 44 6f 20 79 6f too bad. Do yo
2b430 75 20 77 61 6e 74 20 74 6f 20 74 61 6c 6b 20 61 u want to talk a
2b440 62 6f 75 74 20 77 68 79 3f 22 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 bout why?"..She
2b450 73 68 69 66 74 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 70 6f 73 69 shifted her posi
2b460 74 69 6f 6e 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 63 68 61 69 tion in the chai
2b470 72 2e 20 20 22 57 65 6c 6c 20 2e 20 2e 20 2e 20 r. "Well . . .
2b480 6d 61 79 62 65 20 6e 6f 74 2e 20 20 54 68 65 72 maybe not. Ther
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2b4a0 61 6c 20 73 74 75 66 66 20 69 6e 76 6f 6c 76 65 al stuff involve
2b4b0 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 49 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 72 d, and I don't r
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2b4e0 20 6f 66 20 61 72 67 75 6d 65 6e 74 20 6f 76 65 of argument ove
2b4f0 72 20 74 68 65 20 70 6f 6c 69 74 69 63 73 20 6f r the politics o
2b500 66 20 69 74 2e 22 0a 0a 22 48 6d 6d 2e 20 20 54 f it.".."Hmm. T
2b510 68 61 74 20 73 6f 75 6e 64 73 20 6f 6d 69 6e 6f hat sounds omino
2b520 75 73 2e 20 20 57 61 73 20 68 65 20 61 20 70 6f us. Was he a po
2b530 6c 69 74 69 63 69 61 6e 3f 22 0a 0a 22 4e 6f 2e litician?".."No.
2b540 20 2e 20 2e 20 2e 22 20 20 53 68 65 20 6c 6f 6f . . ." She loo
2b550 6b 65 64 20 61 77 61 79 2e 0a 0a 22 53 6f 72 72 ked away..."Sorr
2b560 79 2e 20 20 49 27 6d 20 6a 75 73 74 20 63 75 72 y. I'm just cur
2b570 69 6f 75 73 2e 20 20 49 27 6c 6c 20 64 72 6f 70 ious. I'll drop
2b580 20 69 74 2e 22 0a 0a 22 54 68 61 6e 6b 73 2c 22 it.".."Thanks,"
2b590 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 49 20 67 she said. "I g
2b5a0 75 65 73 73 2e 22 0a 0a 22 57 68 79 20 64 69 64 uess.".."Why did
2b5b0 20 79 6f 75 72 20 75 6e 63 6c 65 20 73 74 6f 70 your uncle stop
2b5c0 20 72 65 61 64 69 6e 67 20 73 6f 20 6d 75 63 68 reading so much
2b5d0 3f 22 0a 0a 22 48 75 68 3f 22 0a 0a 22 59 6f 75 ?".."Huh?".."You
2b5e0 20 73 61 69 64 20 68 65 20 75 73 65 64 20 74 6f said he used to
2b5f0 20 72 65 61 64 20 68 75 6e 64 72 65 64 73 20 6f read hundreds o
2b600 66 20 62 6f 6f 6b 73 20 61 20 79 65 61 72 2e 20 f books a year.
2b610 20 57 68 79 20 64 69 64 20 79 6f 75 20 73 61 79 Why did you say
2b620 20 27 75 73 65 64 20 74 6f 27 3f 22 0a 0a 22 4f 'used to'?".."O
2b630 68 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 69 67 68 65 64 2e 20 h," she sighed.
2b640 20 22 48 65 20 64 69 65 64 2c 20 79 65 61 72 73 "He died, years
2b650 20 61 67 6f 2e 22 0a 0a 22 49 27 6d 20 73 6f 72 ago.".."I'm sor
2b660 72 79 20 74 6f 20 68 65 61 72 20 69 74 2e 22 0a ry to hear it.".
2b670 0a 22 59 65 61 68 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 ."Yeah," she sai
2b680 64 2e 20 20 22 48 65 20 64 65 63 69 64 65 64 20 d. "He decided
2b690 74 6f 20 67 6f 20 6f 66 66 20 67 72 69 64 20 69 to go off grid i
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2b730 6f 66 20 46 42 49 20 72 61 69 64 73 20 6f 6e 20 of FBI raids on
2b740 27 6d 69 6c 69 74 69 61 73 27 20 75 70 20 74 68 'militias' up th
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2b760 6d 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 6f 73 65 20 67 75 79 73 me of those guys
2b770 2c 20 62 75 74 20 68 65 20 77 61 73 6e 27 74 20 , but he wasn't
2b780 69 6e 20 61 6e 79 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 in any of their
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2b7c0 2e 0a 0a 22 49 74 20 77 61 73 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 ..."It was like
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2b920 73 20 77 68 65 72 65 20 6d 6f 73 74 20 70 65 6f s where most peo
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2b940 0a 0a 47 65 6f 72 67 65 20 73 63 6f 77 6c 65 64 ..George scowled
2b950 20 61 73 20 73 68 65 20 74 6f 6c 64 20 68 65 72 as she told her
2b960 20 75 6e 63 6c 65 27 73 20 73 74 6f 72 79 2c 20 uncle's story,
2b970 61 6e 64 20 69 74 20 72 65 6d 69 6e 64 65 64 20 and it reminded
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2b9c0 68 69 73 20 68 65 61 64 20 6f 6e 20 61 20 73 75 his head on a su
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2ba00 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 49 64 61 68 6f 20 6d 69 6c in the Idaho mil
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2ba50 20 6a 75 73 74 20 77 61 6e 74 65 64 20 6e 6f 74 just wanted not
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2ba80 22 0a 0a 22 57 65 20 74 72 69 65 64 20 74 6f 20 ".."We tried to
2ba90 66 69 6c 65 20 61 20 77 72 6f 6e 67 66 75 6c 20 file a wrongful
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2bab0 67 6f 74 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 68 69 73 20 41 6d 73 got into his Ams
2bac0 74 65 72 64 61 6d 20 56 50 53 20 2d 2d 20 77 65 terdam VPS -- we
2bad0 6c 6c 2c 20 44 61 64 20 64 69 64 2c 20 61 6e 79 ll, Dad did, any
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2baf0 20 74 68 65 20 76 69 64 65 6f 20 62 61 63 6b 75 the video backu
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2bb30 61 6e 64 20 69 74 20 73 68 6f 77 65 64 20 74 68 and it showed th
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2bb70 69 66 79 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 6d 73 65 6c 76 65 ifying themselve
2bb80 73 2e 22 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 68 3f 20 20 57 68 61 s.".."Yeah? Wha
2bb90 74 20 68 61 70 70 65 6e 65 64 20 77 69 74 68 20 t happened with
2bba0 74 68 61 74 20 6c 61 77 73 75 69 74 3f 22 0a 0a that lawsuit?"..
2bbb0 22 49 74 20 64 69 64 6e 27 74 20 68 61 70 70 65 "It didn't happe
2bbc0 6e 2e 20 20 57 68 69 6c 65 20 77 65 20 77 65 72 n. While we wer
2bbd0 65 20 61 74 20 6f 75 72 20 6c 61 77 79 65 72 27 e at our lawyer'
2bbe0 73 20 6f 66 66 69 63 65 2c 20 74 68 65 20 46 42 s office, the FB
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2bc10 74 6f 20 44 61 64 27 73 20 70 6c 61 63 65 2c 20 to Dad's place,
2bc20 61 6e 64 20 74 6f 6f 6b 20 65 76 65 72 79 74 68 and took everyth
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2bca0 62 72 6f 74 68 65 72 2c 20 62 75 74 20 74 68 65 brother, but the
2bcb0 20 72 65 73 75 6c 74 20 77 61 73 20 6a 75 73 74 result was just
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2bd30 74 68 65 79 20 74 6f 6f 6b 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 44 they took from D
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2bd50 61 6e 64 20 62 79 20 74 68 65 20 74 69 6d 65 20 and by the time
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2bd80 67 61 69 6e 2c 20 73 6f 20 77 65 20 63 6f 75 6c gain, so we coul
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2bdb0 73 68 75 74 20 64 6f 77 6e 20 74 68 65 20 56 50 shut down the VP
2bdc0 53 20 61 6e 64 20 70 72 65 73 73 75 72 65 64 20 S and pressured
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2c080 0a 0a 22 4f 68 2c 20 73 68 69 74 2c 22 20 73 68 .."Oh, shit," sh
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2c200 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 68 2c 20 68 65 20 69 73 2e 20 .."Yeah, he is.
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2c2b0 47 65 6f 72 67 65 20 73 61 69 64 2e 20 20 22 49 George said. "I
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2c310 0a 0a 22 49 27 6c 6c 20 6a 75 73 74 20 62 65 20 .."I'll just be
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2c520 2e 22 0a 0a 53 68 65 20 68 65 73 69 74 61 74 65 ."..She hesitate
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2c550 67 75 65 73 73 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 73 61 69 64 guess," she said
2c560 2e 0a 0a 48 65 20 6e 6f 64 64 65 64 2e 20 20 22 ...He nodded. "
2c570 49 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 74 20 68 65 20 77 61 73 I thought he was
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2cf70 20 61 20 64 61 72 6b 2c 20 73 74 6f 72 6d 79 20 a dark, stormy
2cf80 6c 6f 6f 6b 2e 20 20 22 54 68 61 74 27 73 20 74 look. "That's t
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2cfa0 72 72 79 20 74 68 61 74 20 68 61 70 70 65 6e 65 rry that happene
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2cfe0 49 20 64 6f 3f 20 20 49 20 6a 75 73 74 20 64 65 I do? I just de
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2d190 20 63 6f 6e 6e 65 63 74 69 6f 6e 20 74 6f 20 44 connection to D
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2d210 22 0a 0a 22 49 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 77 68 79 20 ".."Is that why
2d220 79 6f 75 20 63 61 6c 6c 65 64 20 6d 65 20 74 6f you called me to
2d230 64 61 79 3f 22 20 68 65 20 61 73 6b 65 64 2e 0a day?" he asked..
2d240 0a 22 57 68 61 74 3f 22 0a 0a 22 59 6f 75 20 73 ."What?".."You s
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2d290 6f 70 70 6f 72 74 75 6e 69 74 79 20 74 6f 20 77 opportunity to w
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2d2e0 53 48 3b 20 49 20 74 61 6b 65 20 70 65 6f 70 6c SH; I take peopl
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2d300 20 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 79 6f 75 27 64 20 77 I guess you'd w
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2d340 20 6f 70 70 6f 72 74 75 6e 69 74 79 20 74 6f 20 opportunity to
2d350 77 6f 72 6b 20 77 69 74 68 20 6d 65 2c 20 74 68 work with me, th
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2d370 68 65 20 70 61 75 73 65 64 20 61 20 6d 6f 6d 65 he paused a mome
2d380 6e 74 2e 20 20 22 57 65 6c 6c 20 2e 20 2e 20 2e nt. "Well . . .
2d390 20 6d 61 79 62 65 3f 20 20 49 20 77 61 73 6e 27 maybe? I wasn'
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2d3d0 20 69 64 65 61 2c 20 49 20 67 75 65 73 73 2e 20 idea, I guess.
2d3e0 20 59 6f 75 20 64 69 64 20 6f 66 66 65 72 20 74 You did offer t
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2d400 73 6f 6d 65 20 6e 65 77 20 73 6b 69 6c 6c 73 20 some new skills
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2d470 20 6b 69 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 62 75 73 69 6e 65 73 kind of busines
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2d4a0 72 61 6d 65 73 20 74 6f 20 79 6f 75 2e 22 0a 0a rames to you."..
2d4b0 48 65 20 63 68 75 63 6b 6c 65 64 2e 20 20 22 4f He chuckled. "O
2d4c0 68 2c 20 74 68 61 74 2e 20 20 59 65 61 68 2c 20 h, that. Yeah,
2d4d0 77 65 6c 6c 2c 20 49 20 63 61 6e 20 73 65 65 20 well, I can see
2d4e0 77 68 79 2e 22 20 20 48 69 73 20 73 6d 69 6c 65 why." His smile
2d4f0 20 66 61 64 65 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 68 65 20 faded, and she
2d500 73 61 77 20 61 20 6e 65 77 2c 20 73 65 72 69 6f saw a new, serio
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2d520 6d 2e 20 20 22 54 65 6c 6c 20 6d 65 20 73 6f 6d m. "Tell me som
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2d540 20 61 6e 73 77 65 72 2c 20 70 6c 65 61 73 65 2e answer, please.
2d550 20 20 41 20 63 6f 75 70 6c 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 A couple of th
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2d570 20 49 66 20 79 6f 75 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 77 61 If you don't wa
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2d590 27 73 20 66 69 6e 65 2c 20 62 75 74 20 74 68 65 's fine, but the
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2d5d0 64 6f 69 6e 67 2e 22 0a 0a 22 4f 6b 61 79 2c 22 doing.".."Okay,"
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2d760 48 6d 6d 2e 20 20 43 61 6e 20 77 65 20 65 78 70 Hmm. Can we exp
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2d870 3f 22 0a 0a 22 49 74 20 64 65 70 65 6e 64 73 2c ?".."It depends,
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2d890 2e 22 20 20 48 65 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 74 20 61 ." He thought a
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2da40 0a 22 4f 6b 61 79 2c 20 49 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 74 ."Okay, I know t
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2dd70 64 2e 0a 0a 22 53 6f 6d 65 20 6b 69 6e 64 20 6f d..."Some kind o
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2dea0 57 68 65 6e 20 79 6f 75 20 73 61 79 20 27 6d 65 When you say 'me
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2dec0 2e 22 0a 0a 22 59 65 61 68 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 .".."Yeah," she
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305a0 20 74 6f 20 67 69 76 65 20 74 68 69 73 20 69 6d to give this im
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30650 0a .