DC - Chapter 22

   Speedy and JG each took their own vehicles and followed Panic to the parking lot. They arrived shortly after 7:00, and Panic led them over to the girl's table. Merry took the next booth over in that unused section for her and Panic. She spent her breaks sitting next to him, across from him, and even sometimes for brief periods… in his lap.

   Merry tended to Panic's snacks, or he did it himself. Merry told them Panic was to go back in the kitchen and get them what they wanted. They had to stay at the booths. They shrugged at each other. All three of them ordered a small club sandwich and coffee then switched to whatever the girls brought them, or what Panic went and got.

   Both Speedy and JG had approved of their own personal card wavers, and had joked about it on the earlier trip back to and into the office. They smiled their way through the 20 questions from all the girls as Panic had described.

   During a brief break from being grilled, and Merry was off of break as well, Panic asked the guys if they were having enough fun. Both admitted that it was not a night out for BBQ at rib joint alpha, but… that it was closer, cheaper, and had its perks. Even without boarding their own flights, they readily admitted that being fawned over and spoiled by all the girls was fun. The possibility of an unscheduled flight was another obvious plus to keep it more interesting. JG liked his and was trying to keep his cool about it, and Speedy admitted he was "mildly curious" how his own would go.

   Speedy observed…

   "Panic. These girls have a pretty slick setup, if you hadn't noticed."

   "Well, I explained it to you like it was explained to me… this is their social time as well as sharing overtime."

   "Yeah. I know the spoon-fed version you got. I'm just saying, I think they have ulterior motives."

   "Well, I'm flying Merry airlines, so yeah… but isn't that more of an… interior motive, or what, maybe a posterior motive?"

   "Not just the obvious. To wit. The girls are scanning the busy place all day. Getting cards from guys they all talk about and point at. They take turns going over the guys, and they have their little security checks built into the system. But… I think it's a little more than that."

   "How so?"

   "Well, for one. You have to choose not to go out to the bar like a regular date. You have to want to give that up, to hang out here. By design."

   "Oh. You think the girls have designed this, to quit trying to pick guys up in the bars."

   "More than that, it's getting them the guys that don't go out to the bars. Not to mention… the bar crowd comes in all night. They all stop here before, during and after the bar trips. Place is open late. I'm thinking, the girls don't mind sober guys that like them, are now hanging out. One or more guys out here? Adds to the deterrent force of a bunch of girls dealing with drunks, and nothing more than a cook and a young busboy."

   JG cut in.

   "Notice something else. The girls aren't waiting for guys that like them to just happen to get nerve up and come over and talk to them. They're picking their guys. We just get a yes or no choice if we want to back out."

   Panic chuckled at them.

   "I like my setup. Do what you guys want."

   The cook or the busboy came and got Panic to help them with this or that small thing now and then. One of the only real "rules" seemed to be that only Panic was allowed in the back and out the back. The boys didn't question Panic's extra freedom as much as he had planned on.

   About a quarter to one in the morning, Merry took Panic by the hand, and said they were going to walk home, but he was having a last smoke break before setting off. They didn't see Panic again that night. JG ended up passing his background check, and was cajoled into giving up a photocopy of his drivers license. His girl wanted someone to walk and talk with. Speedy stayed to 2:00 am, and walked his to her car. He enjoyed a quick make out in the parking lot but nothing serious, and had a date for Sunday when his girl took a day off.

   Merry had Panic back at her tiny apartment minutes after 1:00 am this time around. When he went to get onto the bed, she dragged him by the hand and sat him down on the foot of the bed.

   "No… I can see I have to… manage your schedule a little, that's all you need."

   She sat on him facing him, kissing him with her arms around him. Got herself undressed and him as well within a few minutes. All but dragged him by the hand into the shower. What they started in the shower, they barely dried off at all and ended up back on the bed. Clean, wet, and very naked.

   When they were done, Merry lowered the TV a good bit, and Panic fell asleep being snuggled and kissed softly. He got woken up the next day exactly the same way. Merry sat him up and put a coffee mug into his hands, smiling.

   "Well, you sleep pretty good for a guy that drinks coffee twice before going to bed…"

   "Coffee for breakfast again? Geez."

   "Actually. It's my weekend schedule… I don't have to be at work for a while. I was wondering how you liked the idea of… pork for breakfast."

   Panic sipped his coffee and smiled.

   "Merry… the other white meat."

   She laughed as she went from sitting astride him to all but laying on him.

   In between heavy kissing, she managed to explain…

   "You're flying the morning run on Merry airlines…"

   She pointed the remote behind her back, and selected a show at almost random.

   "The in flight movie? Is fucking whatever…"

   "The in flight breakfast? Will be Merry Pork… raw…"

   "We are, however, expecting rather substantial pockets of bad turbulence… if it bothers you? Enjoy it or spank the pilot. Either one's good."

   She turned up the volume on the whatever show and had her morning coffee. Dragged him into the shower for more fun. Had him naked at the sink and had him brush his teeth with her. She laughed and made a show of her delicate toothpaste spits. Laughed as she showed him she had a weird thing about making out with him while they brushed their teeth. This took a little while and had them somewhat drip dried but not in any way dry. Clean, but not dry.

   More coffee afterwards. When Merry finally got walked to work, she got his cell number. Panic went home and got a change of clothes and met the guys at work.

   JG reported success, the wisecrack he made about watching a movie betrayed he already knew that bit of city dating etiquette. Panic had no idea when he went back and drove home from the parking lot, but his car was gone by the time Panic got his. Speedy reported a date set for Sunday.

   Other than checking in with the guys to see "where George was", as well as checking on George himself… Panic did little other than muck about, going in and out to get snacks. Sitting and thinking. When Speedy got him alone when they went past each other in the hallway, Panic smiled mysteriously and said that his plan was yet premature. Panic claimed that he would fill Speedy in later, when it was "fleshed out".

   Panic went back home and got a couple almost several hour nap that carried him close enough to "Merry time" that he got ready to go and walked around idly, buying a few things like a milkshake and a candy bar simply to kill time.

   When he finally arrived at Merry's steakhouse restaurant, he was greeted warmly and all but dragged by the hand to Merry's booth as before, next to the regular break booth. Merry always seemed to have a "new trick" and tonight's entertainment on top of the usual festivities, was her big bag of rock candy.

   Out of five flavors, they discussed it and had several of each, not even putting a dent in the bag. Two colors were Panic's picks. Merry favored two other different ones. The one they both favored? They had to save up all of that particular color each of them found, while digging and sorting for "their colors". Late that night, after cleanup was done and the customers were all but gone, they were left with naught but that last shared flavor color. A small pile of it, actually.

   It reminded Panic of her weird "toothpaste" game she liked for some odd reason. The related rock candy game, was that each of them put a piece of their shared favorite color in their own mouths. During extended slow kissing, they were to slyly exchange pieces of the rock candy, then back and forth until it was almost gone. They quickly got their shtick down until they could kiss fairly quickly, and had exchanged pieces without onlookers realizing anything but a semi-passionate kiss had been exchanged.

   There was some unexpected thrill that Panic had not expected, that would occur when Merry could dig with her tongue under his, find his "hidden" rock of sweet, and slowly drag it up against the underside of his tongue. Whereupon it tipped over to the tip then top of his own tongue. Where she had no problem wrangling it. She could reverse the procedure in total, and redeposit hers by pushing it down against the underside of his tongue.

   Her eye contact, and extra lascivious and showy licks of her chops afterwards were icing on the cake.

   Merry enjoyed playing it all sweet and nice for customers and whispering the dirtiest things in his ear, then laughing when she made him blush.

   "Oh, just imagine… what an education my tongue is getting out of this. The added strength… the extra… stamina. The precision I am developing with it. What purpose do you think we could find for this new ability, hm? I… just… can't… fathom… can you figure out what it's for? You just let me know when you get some ideas. Okay?"

   The last hour and a half of "work" involved mostly two things. Smoke breaks out back that curiously devolved into just him and Merry after everyone else as if on cue left them to themselves and went in early from their break. Merry had them take turns inhaling, holding it, then the other had to breathe in the hit, slowly and fully… then proof it by exhaling it. They repeated this thru an entire somewhat large hand-rolled cigarette.

   Other than a few "misfires" as Merry called them? It was more fun than Panic would have thought. A misfire in her lexicon was when one of them choked and coughed while their lips were sealed for the transfer. It was mostly Panic's beginner's fuck-ups that produced the first few, as expected, but… when Merry finally took way too big a hit and coughed like a turbo diesel while sealed up and Panic was trying to inhale… he finally understood the term.

   Merry was one of those girls that would sometimes "tee hee" and cover her mouth politely. A little dip of her hips and legs with it was all that she showed. Other times, she would open her mouth and guffaw and point and storm around, more like a drunken teenager at a party. It was not always as predictable as Panic might have liked.

   Her big misfire, produced the latter. She tried getting her breath in between peals of laughter…

   "It was like it shot out your ears… and your eyes, too!"

   The predictable munchies they encountered, were temporarily satiated by their sneaking around anywhere for a few minutes of the rock candy game. Merry made and took home more food than usual. Smiled at him and said she was "prepping".

   When she finally dragged him off and home to her motel apartment, the rock candy game quickly devolved into the naked rock candy game. From there, the rock candy game branched out to involve more body locations that just their mouths.

   Merry explained this had come from a woman's magazine article. The game was designed to get the couple over the "eh" phase of requesting odd licking spots, and after an extended game… kissing was supposed to have improved for both of them, and the side bonus was that each would surely find some odd body location they hadn't previously known they would enjoy having licked.

   It was to enhance both physical intimacy, through the obvious… and supposedly trained the couple to barter and compromise quickly and on instinct. With the agreements on which colors each "owned", and which color both liked and would be "shared".

   Panic's ended up being the back of his neck and the hollow of his neck. Merry would work a rock candy off of these locations from behind him, or seated around and on him from the front. Once in a while from one side or the other, seated next to him. For Merry's part? She picked ankles and the back of her knees. She kept requesting both. The small of her back, laying face down, was a close but not quite tie for second place that fell to number three.

   When the bag of candy was almost gone, she kissed him slowly to sleep. Promised him a surprise tomorrow. It had been as if he had closed his eyes for a second the night previously, during a slow and passionate kiss… and his eyes popped back open a second later during the same kiss, yet the sun was now up and he was well rested. When Panic was kissed awake, he lamented the now gone bag of rock candy.

   Merry smiled mischievously and walked over to a drawer, then dragged one of several cheap giant bags of rock candy out. Held it up pinching it in her fingers, imitating a little girl. Biting the other thumb, posing with one foot on top of the other, wiggling around and pouting on her thumb.

   The surprise, as it turned out, was that Merry had Sunday off entirely. That Panic wasn't going to leave all day, and all night, and wasn't allowed to leave until Monday. Hence the extra food.

   After a spirited game of rock candy that followed a short nap for Panic, Merry was surprised Panic started asking her a series of questions. He was obviously moving towards something. She smiled, and told him to just spit it out.

   "Look. After that last 'no holds barred' round of rock candy? What exactly are you so worried, that I won't do? Hm? We have… all day… all night… and then some."

   "Well. This is a little bit different. I wanna figure something weird out, for work."

   He was sitting on the edge of the bed, having just got done with completing several hard candies off of the small of her back. She was still laying face down, and after he licked the stickiness off of her, she sidled up and around him sitting there. Hugging his waist with her head mischievously in his lap. There was no more flavor aspect. Any color rock candy went anywhere now.

   "Well? I already about know you can't tell me what your project actually is. Everyone in town knows, or learns quickly… any feeb that shares the big important case? Is guaranteed to be lying. The ones that won't say anything, are the only ones actually working anything big."

   "What do you surmise?"

   "Well. It's the FBI. So whatever it is, it ain't parking tickets. People are being hurt no doubt. Hurt bad you said. Probably dying, but I don't really know. I also know, it involves more than one state. So, it's really big, whatever the fuck is going on."

   "How do you know that?"

   "Duh. We're in DC. You're from Pennsylvania. Speedy is from another state. It's big… fuck it, I probably don't even want to know even if I could. I know about enough scary retarded shit goes on in this screwed up city, like I need to know more to make me wonder about the human race. So… what are we going to do?"

   "How do you know its a we thing?"

   "Again? Duh… if it wasn't a we thing, you wouldn't be bringing it up now, would you?"

   "Yeah. Well… remember I sent you on your secret mission, to go steal raw meat? For fun?"

   She smiled, remembering the fun game.

   "Yeah…"

   "Well… I need to find a gay bar. A gay dance club, actually. We go there, hang out. I'm straight, so, I only 'fit in' if I have a girl with me."

   "Good god. This had better not be the time you tell me you swing both ways. I'm not having that sort of shit, colonel. I'm not a fag hag, either."

   "Uhm. Don't worry. I'm completely straight. What's a fag hag, by the way?"

   "Oh. A fag hag is slang for a girl that hangs out with all gay male friends. I don't care, but… I don't run around with them or anything."

   "Yeah. I don't know all the cool slang. Thanks. Anyways. I want to… in an orderly fashion, mind you… locate a gay dance club. Locate a certain 'dance drug' I need. Then… over a short time, I need to learn about it. Learn all about it. For research for this project. Become familiar with it."

   "I'm really not into the whole coke thing, hun. I'm way past my young girl ecstasy dance phase too."

   "Nothing like that, I assure you. It's… fuck it, I could tell you the name, you'd look at me like what the fuck? It used to once be a popular gay dance drug. Years before ecstasy replaced it and crossed over to the straight dance raves. All but forgotten now, but, my internet research assures me that if I'm willing to pay a much higher price for it? It takes looking, but, can be found. At gay dance clubs only."

   "What's my job?"

   "You're… just my date. A straight couple, at a gay bar isn't unheard of. Only way I can blend in. Alone? Straight? I stick out like a sore thumb. I'll handle the… looking. The buying. Your job? Look pretty, and just agree with me you want me to find it. You see, if they think it's for me and you to have sex on it? It's way easier for me to score it."

   "Anything else?"

   "Uh. Fuck it, bring a joint with you. We'll burn one in the alley with the locals there. Let em know we're… you know… 'cool' and all."

   "Do I have to dress like a hooker?"

   "No. You can wear a turtleneck sweater a Sunday school teacher would be proud of, if you want."

   "A guy, is taking me to a dance club, and he doesn't want me to dress like a hooker… now, that's a new one on me."

   "Hey, you can wear a miniskirt, six inch fuck me pumps, and no underwear if it'll make you feel better… but I doubt you're going to impress the gay guys much dear. You'll probably just attract too much attention from some bull dyke that starts eyeing you up…"

   "Oh. We're a regular couple. Normal."

   "Right. We're new in town. We're slightly nervous, looking to score our favorite party fuck drug. Imagine you're in a new town, and you're trying to figure out how to score a bag of weed. Same thing."

   "Are these people… dangerous?"

   "Not at all. Not in any way. These people have nothing to do with my project. I just need to score a big sample of it, to test it out. Easy. This is… more fun than the raw meat challenge. No risk. You in? I figure, a couple hours we'll be good. I flash an extra 50 around, I'm sure I can get a phone call made and some results. My internet research tells me? That ecstasy boy at a big gay dance club, can almost certainly obtain this older stuff for me. He just needs motivated by a few extra bucks."

   Panic had to talk Merry into letting him buy her something, because she had a thing about just wanting his free time, and refused to ask for anything and indeed to even take anything off of him. Once again, she was a completely different girl, operating on a completely different set of principles than anything he was even remotely used to, or had even heard of.

   "Look… its not even like I'm buying you anything. You always whip out a joint for me. I'm hanging out with fucking state police and feebs, I can't fucking score any to go in with you. Let me just give you enough for a sack and we can say we went dutch. Geez."

   "Well. Since you put it like that… okay. Just one thing…"

   "What?"

   "You… have to promise to fuck my weed dealer."

   "No way!"

   She sidled up to him. Pushed him back and got her knees and legs on either side of him, and started kissing him into the bed rather hard and insistently.

   He protested "no" between kisses.

   When she was done fucking him, she sat up. Looked down at him funny.

   "You know, for such a smart guy, like you seem to be? You can be kinda dense sometimes. It's okay. It's kind of cute."

   "What?"

   "Well? Congratulations… you just fucked my weed dealer…"

   "You mean… oh!"

   She laughed and pinched him playfully.

   "So. Quit worrying about it. Look, this is the city. I just score some with a long time friend. I only get it for the people at work that I know and trust. They get it for their friends, that's it. I'm not making a killing. It's just a few friends. Plus, its no risk. Its the city. I'd pay a fine. You can walk right past a cop blowing a joint, and most of them won't even say anything. They have murders and crack dealers to deal with every day. No one gives a shit."

   "Okay. So… I won't buy you a bag then."

   "Right… but I was thinking. I could probably just make a call to my regular? Tell him I have a special request. That I want filled quickly. That I'm willing to pop an extra… 50… 100 bucks for rush delivery? I don't know anyone else… but they do."

   "Hm. Rather than running around gay clubs, searching from scratch? You think it would be better to just place a call, wait for it, and stay here and fuck."

   "Pretty much… which seems easier? I already know which one will be quicker…"

   "Why?"

   "My connection? One of those that's always asking me if I want this, that, or the other. Brags he can get anything. Me? I only want some weed. Let him handle it. He's… for lack of a better word, a professional."

   "Okay. Try it your way."

   Merry took her cell phone, and placed a text. She got a text back 20 minutes later.

   "What's the shit called?"

   "The gays called it 'gabby'… it also goes by the name 'gamma' back in the day. See what you can do…"

   She rattled off a longer text. Got another back ten minutes later. She read it off to him…

   "Are you sure you want that shit? It's expensive now."

   She rolled her eyes at Panic… then went back to texting again. Reading as she typed…

   "Yes I am sure. Customer keeps bugging me for it. Their favorite fuck drug from the old days. They said the magic words. Name your price. So… whatever it costs, its cool. I'll give you a nice tip on top of it, if you deliver it."

   They waited and heard nothing right away. Merry laid face down, and put a few rock candies on the small of her back and pointed at them.

   Panic was almost done with the last of them, when she picked her phone up to read a text about a half hour later.

   "Okay. Couple hours. You at home?"

   She read her reply back to him out loud as well…

   "Yes. I'm home. Stop by whenever. Here all day and night."

   Another text came in that she once again read…

   "100 for a little one. 500 for a big one. Big one is about the size of a bottle of eye drops."

   She looked over her shoulder at Panic.

   "How much you want?"

   "I want more than I need. Get… two big bottles. A hundred dollar tip."

   "Well, he's a happy motherfucker. He's already making a profit and more, cause I said money's no object. I give him a hundred dollar tip, he'll be tickled pink…"

   "Good. I like happy people. They're easier to deal with."

   She typed a little more…

   "There. Told him we're good for two big ones. A bill for a tip if he delivers it when he swings past. He said a couple hours probably."

   "Gee. What do we do while we wait?"

   "Huh… back of my knees. Both of them…"

   Merry buried her face in the pillow, and made a soft humming noise, as she enjoyed the back of her knees getting licked to slowly dissolve a piece of the hard rock candy on each of them.

   As hard as it was, they just managed to amuse themselves for a couple of hours. They were in the middle of a small hand-rolled cigarette when the phone finally went off.

   "We're good. He's stopping by."

   "Should I be here?"

   "It's not like I'm scoring off a street corner blind. This is an old friend. I'm fine…"

   "So, I should get dressed and take a walk?"

   "If you're nervous meeting a biker? Then yeah, go take a walk. If it's not a big deal for you to meet a biker? You can stay. Does… your project… in any way, have anything to do with bikers?"

   "Not in the least…"

   "Then it's your call."

   Panic eyed her easily.

   "I'm not shy…"

   "Whatever. Let me do most of the talking. He might ask you a few questions. I'd suggest being polite."

   "What MC club?"

   "Do you care?"

   "Curiosity."

   "Pagans…"

   "Oh. Hell, I'm from Pennsylvania. Actually, growing up? It's the only outlaw club in PA. I actually knew a few of them. Through other people. I mean, I don't know them, I know a few names."

   Merry eyed him somewhat suspiciously…

   "You can tell him a few names? He'll like that. You can talk to these guys?"

   "Yeah, why not? There's always one or two in the bars in my home town and around the area. There's no avoiding them. I end up playing pool and throwing darts for money and drinks with them in the bars here and there. They're okay. I don't concern myself with their business. I'm polite."

   "I… didn't have you pegged to be… the type."

   "What type?"

   "You're not a cop. You went to college. Twice, I think you said. You used to be a computer programmer. You're quiet. Polite. Funny. I thought…"

   "Ha. I know what you mean. Look. When I was a young man, I went through… a phase. I can name two people I knew, that are doing life in prison. Both for murder. One? Was actually a close friend. I know a third one, he's in state prison more than he's ever out for. We're friends… I just don't hang out anymore."

   "You… used to be a…"

   "No. I didn't… do… the things my friends did, in general. I know tons of guys I don't hang out with anymore. Been years."

   Panic slowly had gotten dressed while talking. Strapped his gun rig on, and threw the extra T shirt over that. It clearly showed. He wasn't advertising, but, not hiding it in the least either.

   "You'll probably see me… act differently than you're used to. Don't read too much into it. I'm not like that anymore."

   "You just… you don't… act like any kind of… tough guy. I don't mean anything by that…"

   "Yeah. Like I said. It was… a phase. When I was younger. I was the… smart crazy quiet guy. That… tough guy thing you talk about?"

   "Yeah…"

   "Old timers used to call that 'wearing it'. You know, you walk around, you talk tough, you act tough? I never did wear it. Even when I could."

   "Why not?"

   "My dad was a quiet hard ass. Polite. Old school. Even the tough guys around town? Never messed with him. When I got older? I found out there were tons of stories about my dad. All from other people. My dad wouldn't even admit to any of them in our house. I had trouble believing half of what I found out about my dad. Quiet tough guys? Polite? Are actually scarier than loudmouths."

   Panic's voice had been leveling out. Down in tone and demeanor… and subsided into a quiet monotone. He turned around to eye Merry. She furrowed her brow back at him. Her silly fun boyfriend… had quickly turned into a quiet… something. With dead eyes. An expressionless face. A thousand yard stare that surprised and unsettled her.

   He turned back around. Continued talking…

   "This. Is my natural personality. My natural look. I didn't know growing up until I was a young man, that I was different. So… I slowly… learned to tell jokes. Be funny. Practiced it. One day? I woke up and realized… I had become this other personality. I can shut it off if I want to. Like now."

   "You, are acting… like some of the guys at… the clubhouse my ex used to take me to on weekends…"

   "Well. That's nice, isn't it. Glad you enjoy the… nostalgia, little one."

   Merry just threw on enough clothes to be presentable and waited quietly. Panic just sat there, with his back to her for the most part. Didn't move. Didn't talk. She felt he put out… some… kind of vibe that she couldn't put her finger on. Or, didn't want to put her finger on.

   Eventually, her phone tooted.

   "You going to handle your phone, little one."

   She answered him quietly.

   "Yeah…"

   What sounded like several very loud motorcycles ran up and down the street. You could hear them rattle windows as they separated and went around circling the surrounding blocks. Then, the roar grew again as they slowly came back from their clover-leafing, back together. Near. The engines gunned for a while, then went off one by one.

   Panic gave her a monotonic running description.

   "That, will be your connection. He has several friends with him. This… is because you made a weird order. I would guess. The reason you heard them circle several surrounding blocks? They were running a cloverleaf. Each one is checking a whole block, sweeping for anything suspicious. Any pigs. There were none, or, they wouldn't have stopped. We're live now. They'll probably case your place for a little bit. See what's kicking. When they're satisfied everything is kosher? Your connection will come up. We're good."

   "I always thought they were just showing off their bikes when they do that."

   "Nope. Called a cloverleaf sweep. Cops and military do it too. Pretty standard. It's also meant to intimidate."

   "Is it working?"

   "Ah. At least it's not amateur hour."

   "I'm wondering why you suddenly seem to know more about my old friends, than I do."

   "I just know stuff, little one. I know all kinds of stuff."

   "They're sure taking their sweet time to come up to the door."

   "Like I said. It was a weird request. They'll make their way up eventually."

   A few minutes of silence later, Merry's phone went off.

   "My buddy said he's coming up."

   "I have all day, little one."

   There was a soft knock at the door. Merry walked to it, and cracked the door, then opened it and walked back in. Stood by the bed, several feet away from Panic. Who simply sat there. Motionless and expressionless. Hands in his lap, elbows on his knees. Not erect, not hunched. At his ease.

   "Hi Buzzy!"

   "Hey, Merry. How you been?"

   "Usual. You?"

   "Eh. Good. Who's this?"

   "Buzzy, Panic. Panic, Buzzy."

   "Hello."

   "Hi."

   "Great… what is he. Friend? Customer? Old man?"

   "Right at the moment, Buzzy? Option D… all the above."

   "Okay. Just wondering why he's here. I'm assuming, you speak for him? It's on you."

   "Yep."

   "Why didn't he take a walk? It's a nice day out…"

   "Yeah. I suggested that. Then, he said he knew a few names. He's from Pennsylvania. Which got me curious. I figured, I made a weird call to you, I know that. Figured… you'd be happier getting to check him out, than wondering what was going on. Your call."

   "No. Hey friend?"

   "Panic."

   "Right. Panic. You from Pennsylvania, right?"

   "Yes."

   "Philly side? Or Pittsburgh side."

   "Mainly Pittsburgh side. Any… mutual acquaintances we might well have, would come from south of Pittsburgh."

   "Like… where exactly. Name some towns."

   "Belle Vernon. Fayette City. Charleroi. Grew up around there."

   "Fayette city… that's right by Canonsburg, right?"

   Panic looked up with his expressionless face and quiet, emotionless voice.

   "Actually, no. Canonsburg? That's, like, 50 or 60 miles away."

   "Oh, yeah. That's right. Good call."

   "Thanks. Buzz."

   "So, you know anyone? Like who."

   "Just a few names."

   "Like?"

   "Well… a guy called Lucifer? Actually ran a roofing crew back in the day when I was a teenager. Put my parent's roof on their house."

   "Roof turn out good?"

   "My dad said it was a 15 year roof. Dad always said, he was amazed he got almost 25 years out of it. He always raved about it."

   Buzzy had taken out a little pad and pen to scribble notes on. It was almost comical in some fashion, to see a guy that had to go 6'4" or 6'5", well over 250 solid pounds, all decked out in leather and denim, decked out in full colors. Scribbling in a little pad with his pen, like Merry did taking an order at the restaurant. Big hands swallowing up the pen and little pad.

   "Anyone else?"

   "Hm. I know of a guy called… Whizzer."

   "How do you know him?"

   "I grew up with Whizzer's youngest cousin. Lifelong friends, but haven't seen him in a couple years."

   "Cousin have a name?"

   "Billy."

   "Anyone else? Cause, three's a magic number and all that."

   "Ah. I was saving this one, didn't know if it was okay to use the name… Guy called Tray. Short for… Traynor."

   "Do you know who he is?"

   "He… used to be a chapter president, if my memory serves me correctly. Used to be."

   "How did you know him?"

   "Well, as kids? We both played soccer on the high school soccer team. Now, HE would have called me Fess. Short for Professor. Now… Tray went and disappeared. Army. Airborne. I went to the Air Force. When I got out of the Air Force? I… was a military contractor for a little while. I got sent down for a couple contracts down in Central America. I was surprised as shit to run across… Traynor. Amazed him too. Small world, you know."

   "So… you're saying, you were in the special forces with Tray… down in… central America?"

   "No. Tray was special forces. I was just a civilian contractor. I was on a different crew. Tray's crew? Handled the rough stuff. All former Airborne and stuff. I was on a scout unit. I was the computer radio guy for my crew."

   "You run with Tray after that? When you got back?"

   "No. I'm in no way affiliated. With anyone. I'm just a regular citizen. It was a kick to see him in bars, years later. Found out he was a chapter president. Hello and goodbye in the bars kind of thing. Played some pool, threw some darts. Nothing major."

   "You said you didn't know if you wanted to use his name. Why?"

   "Because. I read in the papers one day, that something happened to him. He was no longer a president then. I only know what I read in the papers."

   "You don't know what went on then."

   "I'm not in that world. That's none of my business."

   "But… yer old soccer… yer old Army buddy… he got hurt. You don't care about that?"

   "If you mean, do I feel badly that a friend got hurt? Yes. I was not happy to read what happened to him in the papers. However, I know nothing of what went on or why. I don't know a lot. I'm a citizen. I do know enough? I don't ask questions about what's nunya my business. That way, no one has to tell me to argo fuck myself."

   "So, why didn't you know whether or not to use his name? It's the best name you dropped. The others are all older guys."

   "Yeah. I have no way of knowing anything about what or why that went on. Wouldn't want to piss anyone off, if he wasn't liked anymore. But, if you're wanting to check me out? I figured, like him or not… it's verifiable."

   "Okay. I already know you're not a cop or anything. Me and Merry go back. Her ex old man was a close friend."

   "It's nice to have friends."

   "Yeah, it is. Thing is, I trust my new friends more, when they're not wearing a wire."

   "I don't play that silly shit."

   "Well… I got this little box here, you won't mind if I ask you both to turn off all your cell phones…"

   Merry turned off her cell phone. Panic asked her to get his off as well.

   Buzzy took out a little metal box. Pulled up a small rubber duck antenna. Held the button down and walked around the room, then near Panic.

   "You're good. Merry? I'll be back in a few minutes. I'm going to make a few phone calls. Hang loose. Panic? So far, it's been nice meeting you. Don't go anywhere. If you want to look outside, you can see my buddies are out there."

   "It's a free country. We don't have any beer to offer you one, but, we might as well burn one while we wait, right?"

   "Maybe. I'll be back… Merry… you speak for him, right?"

   "Yep."

   "Okay Panic. It would have been safer for you to just take a walk, but, you wanted to make everyone comfortable by dropping names and all, so… I assume you know what that means. If these names don't check out, right?"

   "Whatever. None of my business what you do or how you do it. I just knew you boys would be more… comfortable this way. Call your buddies or whoever."

   "Oh, Panic. Last thing… what's your real name?"

   "Shane… Panic is a new thing. Fess and Professor? Are old things."

   "You, uh, have any colors on you?"

   "I'm a citizen. Nothing affiliated."

   "But still… can I see them?"

   "Sure…"

   Panic stood and stared at him blankly. Pointed at his left armpit with his right index finger, and held up his hand to say 'its all right'… skinned off his outer T shirt, showing his rig. Dropped his rig off onto the bed behind him in a well practiced rhythm and skinned off his inner T shirt. Laced his fingers behind his head, and turned around so Buzzy could see he had a back full of tattoos, but nothing showing if he so much as wore a T shirt.

   "Panic. Merry. Give me a few minutes… I'll be right back. One way or the other."

   "Do your thing, man."

   Buzzy went back out the door and closed it fairly softly. He walked down the steps and was gone for almost twenty minutes.

   Merry didn't talk to Panic while they waited. He could hear she was rolling a joint. She lit it and passed it to him, they each passed it back and forth a few times, then she stubbed it out by pinching it after a little bit was gone.

   Eventually, there was another soft knock on the door. Merry cracked it, and opened the door all the way for Buzzy to walk in, followed by four friends in tow. All decked in colors, leather, the works. One was smaller than Panic, two were around his size. The other was a big guy, like Buzzy.

   "Well, Merry. Nice to know you still know how to pick decent friends. Mr. Panic? You check out fine. And by the way…"

   Panic still had his shirt off, and threw one T shirt back on after everyone saw he had a back full of tattoos that had just arrived.

   "Yes…?"

   "I just called Tray. He said you're cool. He was the first one I got a hold of. Whizzer texted me back Billy's cell. Called him at work and he answered. Billy was all concerned I was calling to check you out. Kinda freaked him out. I told him it was all right, no big deal."

   "I wasn't worried. We good to go?"

   "Yeah… Griz?"

   Buzzy held his hand out, and the biggest guy in the back in tow, put two bottles of name brand eye drops in his hand. Buzzy held them out.

   Panic took one. Opened it. Sniffed it. Nodded.

   "Good as I can tell without a gas chromatograph. Smells right. A grand even, right?"

   "Yep…"

   Buzzy held his hand out. Panic took out a roll of 50s and hundreds, and peeled off a grand cash. Counted it silently into his new acquaintance's hand. Then stopped and added two more 50s. Stopped. Smiled. Added a third.

   "Whats that?"

   "A tip. I appreciate the rush job. I appreciate the delivery."

   Buzzy handed Panic the other eye drops bottle and he took both and put them away.

   "Oh. The guy I scored off of?"

   "Yeah…?"

   "He said… and I assume this will mean something to you… his runs between 40 and 60 percent. This is about 55 right at the moment. He said its just sugar water cut, so, you don't have to worry it doesn't have any weird shit in it."

   "You guys wanna burn one now? Business, then pleasure. Our business is concluded."

   "Waste not? Want not. Merry?"

   "Yeah…?"

   "No sense wasting a trip and all. Griz?"

   Griz, the giant guy, tossed Merry a fair sized baggie.

   "Four zips. Like usual. You would of been calling me soon anyways. What the hell, you know?"

   "I got something for you, then…"

   "Hey, this was unscheduled, you don't have to have it now…"

   "No. I'm good…"

   Merry handed over a wad. Then she held up the joint they had only warmed up a little earlier. Buzzy handed it to Panic to light up and smoke first. Then everyone relaxed and passed it around until it was gone. Before it was out, Merry sent another one around, on account of the small crowd.

   She laughed and small talked with her old friends for a bit. When they were all done, Buzzy said they had other stuff to tend to.

   "How's Pound? He still doing okay?"

   "Nothing's changed, Merry. He's still in Oregon. Still running a tryout club for a small local outfit we have up there. You know he can't go by Pound anymore."

   "I know. At least he's doing okay, then. That's something."

   "Any of those cunts ever come in and bother you anymore?"

   "Buzzy? You always ask. And no, they never do. Thanks."

   "Panic. As far as I know you, you're okay. You ride?"

   "Oh. That's the only thing you guys would hate me for. I work on older rice burners. I don't ride anything American."

   "Shit… I was just getting to thinking, you might be all right."

   "Well? A man can't try to be perfect. Such a thing would piss Odin off."

    "Oh. well… take care."

   "You too. Buzz. Griz. The rest of you guys? Pleasure not meeting you. Ultimate respect, guys. Thanks."

   "Not a problem. You ever need anything else, just let Merry know. She has friends."

   "It is good to have friends."

   "It is."

   "Ride safe…"

   Then everyone shook hands, and Panic tapped his forehead and dipped his hand to the guys in the back. One smiled, and did it back.

   By the time the bikes were all fired up and had rattled all the windows up and down the street, then shook the ground as they roared off, Panic grabbed Merry's hand and pulled her closer to stand in front of him still seated on the bed.

   She just stood there and looked at him. Quizzically.

   "I don't know who you are, and what you did with my boyfriend… but… can I have my Panic back now, please?"

   Panic was still in whatever mode he had put himself in for their little deal.

   "What's the matter, little one. I thought you liked… tough guys."

   Merry tried to smile and failed. She still smiled, but it came through as an attempt at a smile, and not a genuine one. She practically whispered…

   "I… I don't like your eyes, like that. Please? Stop it."

   She tried to pull back from his hand. He tightened his grip and smiled coolly. Not enough to hurt her hand, but enough she wasn't going to get free easily.

   She went to playfully swat at him with her free hand. He simply caught her wrist gently and now held that one firmly as well.

   "Please, stop it… please…"

   As she pleaded with him softly, looking at him funny, furrowing her brow in confusion, he simply leaned back on the bed. Gently, but it dragged her all the same on top of him. She ended up on top of him, with her knees astride him, her wrists still firmly caught fast, yet loose enough she wouldn't get a fingerprint on her wrists.

   "I thought you liked… tough guys… what's the matter, little one?"

   Still eyeing her coolly with his empty face and too quiet demeanor, he spread her wrists out which put her face in his.

   "Please…"

   She bit her lower lip, nervously, as he kissed her. Gently. She closed her eyes… he released her wrists and wrapped his arms around her, drawing her close down to him, still straddling him.

   When she opened her eyes, she chuckled nervously and smiled. Panic was "back". He smiled in her face. That easy, friendly, almost silly smile that she knew and liked.

   She smiled now as well. She studied his face and eyes, and continued to smile more and more until it was her usual, full and genuine expressive array of faces she normally wore.

   "Can we… not do that, anymore?"

   "What?"

   She laughed, and playfully rapped his chest with her balled up fist.

   "Don't give me what… what the fuck was that little performance you just put through you?"

   "I told you I was going to act differently. What? I'm here, I'm your guy right now. Did you wanna be embarrassed, they think you're fucking some twat of a guy?"

   "I like you, because… you're, quiet, polite, funny, silly."

   "You liked your… Pound, didn't you?"

   "Pound didn't act like that. You… oh! And… what was that shit about Central America. You told me you were a computer programmer in the Air Force. You know I don't like to be lied to…"

   "Merry? I never lied to you, not once. I was a computer programmer in the Air Force. After I was out of the Air Force? Because of the computers, and my electronics and ham radio thing I was into… I got a job as a civilian working for a military contractor. All I did, was operate a radio. A computer radio, they needed a computer guy. A computer guy that was… capable… of keeping up with the crew."

   "What the hell did you guys do?"

   "We just went around and… looked. Documented stuff. Reported it in, that's all. When… we started getting chased around and shot at? Chased through the jungle? That's when they had to bring in another crew. The hard asses. The tough guys. Then, my crew followed that crew around."

   "So. Don't lie to me. What did you do then?"

   "We would get chased and shot at, we had to haul ass and hide and stay in front of them. It's not fun. Or, we were chasing them. Shooting at them, they're shooting back, yada yada. My job was to handle a computerized radio. Just communications. That's all. I swear… I just had to operate a radio with lead flying past my head, or with what was called a fucking 'zombie squad' chasing us. It's one thing to operate a computerized and encrypted radio, it's another thing entirely to do it while having lead flying past your head and you have to stay calm and keep doing it."

   "So, you're not some… killer."

   Panic laughed easily…

   "No, Merry. I was never really some killer. Radio boy."

   "Never, or never really. What's the difference there?"

   "Merry. Let's… okay, let me explain this better. In the late 90s, there was a great deal of violence in… Central America. Near and around the equator, is all that I'll say. That's close enough for the story. Anyways, America is not officially involved, not technically on either side, okay?"

   "Go on…"

   "All right. We can't send down… real military to keep an eye on stuff, see what's happening to our allies in the little villages. People are hearing stories, bad stories. Had to be checked out. If we send down the military? It could… create a fight we technically were staying out of."

   "Okay…"

   "So? You hire private contractors. Former service guys that got out, that have certain qualifications for certain jobs. My job was to be in shape to keep up with these guys, and good with the computer, the radio, and the electronics of it all. We… our job was just to observe and report. Document what had happened in certain areas and villages."

   "I'm following it… keep going…"

   "Okay, that was it. You gotta understand though… I had to 'keep up' with these guys. On and off the job. So yeah, they all rubbed off on me over the couple years I did that. The money was good. A young guy? In shape? A young man wants to… be a tough guy."

   "Well. You have no idea what was going on in those villages and those areas. You can't imagine it. Just… anything you can imagine the worst sort of monsters doing to helpless villagers? They were doing. We came through after it happened. Documented it. I… found out I could deal with it. Take it. Ignore it. I… didn't know that about myself, before that."

   "Go on…"

   "All right. So the first several months in theater? We sneak around the jungle. We document stuff after it was reported to have happened. Then… it's a game. We're not officially there, we're just private contractors sent in to sneak and document, but… they know we're around. They don't like it… they started ambushing us. Chasing us around, yada yada yada."

   "I guess I could see that…"

   "Okay. So… the contract got sick of that puppy shit after a while. That gets old, being chased out and shot at. We're not allowed to do anything but run and hide. So? They sent down a… well, what the fuck do you think they sent down to run around with us. A troop of girl scouts? No… they sent us a team of… you know what."

   "Go on…"

   "Well, that's how the first six months went. We're still doing our thing, documenting the village atrocities for the… whoever wanted files on it. But, now we had a crew of…"

   "Just say it…"

   "Former Airborne. Men with bad attitudes. So, now I'm around these guys for an extended period of time in theater. When we got ambushed? It was a different story. Go figure. So, this goes like this, for a while. Then? We ran into the assholes."

   "Assholes?"

   "Eh. They were called 'zombie squads'. Some tin star dictator thinks he's hot shit, simply because he knows America can't officially send the real whole military in? He gets brave and thinks he can scare us, bringing these assholes up from South America."

   "So, there's already… whoever, wiping out defenseless villages… then these guys are brought up as their backup… right?"

   "Yeah. So, go figure it went to hell after that, and you can guess what went on from there. Except now, my bad attitude crew, is taking it to these assholes. These zombie squads and shit, they're not as tough as they think they are. They're only tough when they're wiping out defenseless villagers. Killing women and children and old men that aren't armed and can't fight back. Bunch of pussies when they run into the real deal, just like any bully."

   "So, now you guys are chasing the zombie squads around? Jesus Christ almighty…"

   "No, Merry. Wrong guy. Jesus Christ wasn't down there. Not that I saw. The devil… he was down there. I would say, I saw the devil's work. But, see… now we're posting up near villages ahead of these assholes. Hitting them. We are protecting the villages, as best we can get intelligence on them. We were the good guys."

   "And… all you did, was operate a computer radio. Walk through after the fact."

   "Well. At first. But… you don't run with this crowd for a couple of years, and not… you know. You learn from these guys. How to fight. The right mindset to have. Tactics. Ways to trick the enemy. I mean, did I go out and sneak up and take out a sentry? No. Not my job… but, running with these guys for a couple years? They taught me to play games where I was learning how to do it."

   "Why would radio computer boy want to know any of that?"

   "What? I'm gonna run with these guys, I wanna measure up. Christ. I don't wanna feel like a pussy around Airborne. If I'm not one of the tough guys? I can at least become half a tough guy."

   "So… you're not a killer. Not really. Whatever that means…"

   "Well, when you're in a firefight, with assholes that wipe out defenseless villages? I already was used to keeping my shit together and remaining calm with bullets flying around me. Operating the radio. Couldn't lose my shit being chased through the jungle, chasing other people through the jungle… so, when people are shooting at you and yours? And the radio doesn't need worked at the moment? No one complains if one more guy fires back. What the hell."

   "How do you not lose your shit, being chased and shot at?"

   "Well, you get used to it, to be honest. Plus, I can't act like a twat, I don't want made fun of by the tough guys all around me, so…"

   "I don't believe this. You try to make it sound… so normal. When it's anything but normal. I mean, you sound like you're saying… oh well, I hung out with a bunch of guys that played basketball for a couple years. Go figure, they taught me to shoot a few hoops, do a few three pointers. No big deal."

   "Well? Really, that's a good analogy for it. You pick up around you, from being around it. It was only a couple years. Then, the last contract expired? I went back to… the real world. I had made good money doing that. I put it all away. I went to college twice."

   "So… you're not a killer, right?"

   Panic smiled easily and gently. Slowly and sweetly put each of his hands on her little round cheeks. Eased her face to be close to his, and whispered to her, looking her straight in her eyes gently…

   "No, Merry. I'm not really a killer. I… ran with them, though. I… learned everything I could from them, about how. I mean, I'm a guy. How can I not want to learn to fight for fun with these guys, when they're always training."

   "Why… did you get out of that world?"

   "Did I make it sound like fun? It wasn't really fun. I got used to it. But… when that last contract ended? I was offered my chance, to be… let's say 'entry level' hard ass. For the private contractors. I was starting to begin to measure up enough, that I was… becoming slowly accepted."

   "But, you didn't go for that. You chose to come home. Back to the real world. Why?"

   "I… don't know. If you knew, where I started out? We all started out at one time, just another scared little boy. You dream, you wish… man, when I grow up? I'm gonna be… whatever… some… boyhood hero, tough guy… fantasy. Then? Of course you'll never become it, but… you can try to get just some part of it? You don't realize it, slowly happening, day by day. One day you wake up, and… you're about there. You say to yourself, at least I did… when the fuck did this shit happen? I… just chucked it. Those guys? They… fuck it, they seemed like they enjoyed killing. It was fun, or, it was just a day at the office."

   "You thought, from the time you were a scared little boy, that was what you wanted, right?"

   Panic nodded. It was her turn to put her hands on his face gently. Drew her face close to his…

   "I thought so."

   "Then… you decided you didn't want it, right?"

   "Be careful what you wish for as a little boy."

   "So, you saw… men, we can barely call them men, but… men, that were complete monsters, right?"

   "Monsters. Good word, I saw men that were complete monsters, and what they can do. When they have helpless villagers that can't fight back, yeah, they're simply monsters. I saw the devil's work. With my own eyes."

   "And… you were with… for lack of a better word for it… good monsters. You have to send monsters, to fight monsters. The good monsters, had to be even more… monstrous. Right?"

   "Yeah."

   "Okay. You… got out of it all, right before you would have… become…"

   "Yeah."

   Merry sat on him, held his face down in her soft, tan hands and kissed him slowly and deeply, to punctuate every few words…

   "Its all right…"

   "You're a good man…"

   "You're funny…"

   "You're sweet…"

   "You're silly…"

   "You don't want to wear it…"

   "You don't have to…"

   "Its okay…"

   "Shh…"

   She kept kissing him, as deeply, and as slowly… but without whispering anymore. She simply got both of them slowly out of all their clothes. She put herself down onto him, but didn't start any turbulence. He stayed erect in her, but with no movement… it was like it would never end.

   She finally moved the tiniest bit, then went back to motionless. At the instant he threatened to begin to soften? Another slight flick of her hips, and it was back. After what seemed like the longest time, she just gave a few soft flicks of her hips and in a few seconds had him over the edge. She slowly pulled up and off it, and just eased back down and laid on him. Her head on his chest for a while.

   Neither of them was asleep, but neither of them fully awake.

   She asked him quietly after a while of laying on him in silence, listening to his heartbeat, it calmed her.

   "So, is all this… why you can't sleep right? And… if I gently hold you down and shush you, you can get the whole 8 or 10 hours, like you need?"

   "Actually? No. I'm… I'm not affected, really. I'm… one of them."

   "One of who?"

   "Them. There's… something like… 1 to 2 percent of the human population on the face of the earth. They… they aren't… they can see things, and even do things, and… it won't affect them. Not like it does normal people."

   "You're describing psychopaths… you're not a psychopath, Panic. You're a good man."

   "When, people hear the word psychopath, or sociopath? They… think about serial killers. They can do anything they want, and they just don't care. It doesn't keep them up at night if they do it."

   "Right. Evil people."

   "Merry… 1 to 2 percent of the population has that… gift, or curse. However you look at it. Very, very few of those that have it? Are serial killers. Many of them are good people. Heroes, even. They're… ambulance workers. Surgeons. Hard entry SWAT guys. Race car drivers."

   "Lots of those people can't sleep. Need to drink, take medication… lash out at friends and family because they think they can take it and they can't…"

   "Yeah. There's a few others, that they can do it. They don't lose any sleep over it. They can just learn to do it, ho hum, and move on. I… was supposed to slowly go to pieces, walking through those villages after the devil had gone through. Seeing the devil's work. I… got over it, pretty quickly. I was allowed to keep coming back after every piece of contract. No bad nightmares. No PTSD. Nothing."

   "That's… why the… that's why they warmed up to you? Started letting you 'play' with them? Learn to play games that taught you to do what they did?"

   "Yeah. They… knew what I was, and I didn't even know."

   "Then… why can't you sleep? Unless I hold you and shush you back to sleep every couple of hours…"

   "Because. Remember I saw the devil's work? I saw the devil's work here. In America. Not them, of course. It's a new, and improved devil. But, its still the devil's work. I'm onto him. You know how they say, the devil's first master stroke, was convincing everyone that he doesn't even exist?"

   "Yeah."

   "Well, I proved that this one is real. He exists. He's… hunting people. Hurting them. All across America, and no one even believes he's really doing it."

   "Okay. What did you do?"

   "I… got a friend, from online. In law enforcement. I showed it to him, see if I had done a good job on the… crossword puzzle. He looked at it, he's hunted the devil before himself. He saw it. He believed I was right. We teamed up."

   "Okay. Then… you two… got somewhere, I guess."

   "Yeah. We got somewhere. I found it, I kicked it up to the state police. That's my buddy. Speedy. Then we got further. Lot's further. So? Here we are. I kicked it up to Speedy. State policeman. Speedy's turn to kick it up to his buddy. Which is of course the FBI."

   "Okay. How is this why you can't sleep, if the devil's work doesn't keep you up at night."

   "I… do it to myself. I get all worked up. I push, and push, and keep on pushing. Do or die. I go all in. I put everything I have in me, into it, behind it. Completely. I hold nothing back. When I get… frazzled like that? I… do some good work. Thinking. Getting ideas. I get… a little nuts, but, in a good way…"

   "You're… driving yourself slowly, just a little bit, insane? Deliberately."

   "Pretty much. It works. It's… how we got this far."

   "Now its been going on too long. You're so overtired, you now can't sleep much. A couple hours at best, and you're up again. I get it. You're killing yourself. Slowly. You're… strung out, like a crackhead, like a meth head… just on driving yourself too hard, too far, too long. No drugs. No alcohol doing it… you're doing it to yourself."

   "Yeah."

   "You… gave up everything, to do this? Your job. Your woman. Your… life?"

   "Pretty much."

   "You said your woman. She fought with you over this. Called you selfish, for helping all these people, that you don't even know? For nothing back for you out of it, at all? You're just giving your life away, for however long, just to do this, because you can?"

   "I've seen the devil's work before. Now? How can I see it again, and do nothing. Say, oh it's someone elses problem. It's not in me. I can't. Ever since… Central America? I feel… making money, just to buy stuff and show it off, and demand everyone be proud of me for it? I just don't feel like that's much of an accomplishment."

   "Well, what is your idea of an accomplishment then. What do you want to do."

   "Oh. Until this shit? I don't want to do anything… I simply do them. I don't try it, I do it. I taught myself to write, to write music. To design things. Machining and electronics, so I can design more things I want to, and can make the things I design, to prove they work."

   "Do… you go without sleep to do those things?"

   "Yeah, some. A little bit, here and there. In patches. Not… to this degree I'm at now. I'm… standing on the edge of a cliff. Staring down into the abyss. I now can't get enough sleep, and, every day I get 1 to 3 hours only? Is a little bit further down into the hole, and I'm almost too far. The more I try to get backed out, and sleep a little more? The more dirt falls in on me, and it just gets worse. And I don't have it in me to quit, I can't. This is too important."

   "Panic. I didn't do anything amazing. I saw a sweet, nice, man. I liked him. He was overtired. What did I do? I just… let you sleep. When you, started pulling yourself around, babbling, going to wake yourself up? I just… hugged you gently, and shushed you like a little kid. You fall immediately right back to sleep. If I hold you, and simply shush you when you stir me like that? You can get all the sleep you want."

   "Yeah. I love it… it's, the greatest thing ever…"

   "Well, why can't your woman hug you and shush you back to sleep."

   "If I don't go to sleep when she thinks I should just fall asleep like a normal person? I get a lecture. I get 'well… I just think, a person should go to sleep at this time, and get up at this time.' She's one of those. Then, if I roll around? You stay on me and shush me back to sleep? She complains and bitches I disturbed her. I mean, I know she means well, but…"

   "Then, let me guess… she bitches you aren't using your degrees to do what she thinks you're supposed to do with them. You mentioned it once. Make more money, and spend it all on a better house and better car, and it never ends."

   "Bingo. I can't live my life, working to make someone else rich, off of my labor. I am not working 6 days a week, 8 to 12 hours a day… just to spend every dollar I make in payments on stuff I clearly don't need or even really want in the first place. Believe me, Merry… I fucking tried, to compromise on it, find some middle ground… for years, I honestly tried. Every compromise? Simply leads to the next one. Always one step closer… to, the exact place I don't want to be."

   "Stopping or catching this… devil. This is… just another of your, accomplishment hobbies, isn't it? You started doing this for kicks. To see if it could be done."

   "Yeah. Speedy too."

   "What's so great about me? I'm just some waitress."

   "No. At first? I admit, I noticed you because you were cute. But… I heard you say some things, that I believed you really meant? With passion. You want what you want. What really matters to you, not whatever impresses other girls. You called the feebs playing with you for what they were. You found, and freely admitted… that an outlaw biker, could be sweet and nice and honorable… more honor and truthfulness, than a feeb could muster. You looked me right in the face, and told me you didn't want me to buy you or give you anything, at all. All you wanted was my free time. To simply enjoy it. That… resonated with me. Deeper and quicker than I thought it would."

   "Panic? I can't lie to you… you don't need me, forever. Just in the last couple nights we slept together? The first night, you were stirring and I shushed you every hour or two. The second night? It was, like, three hours between shushes. Every night is getting better."

   "Do you have an… expiration date?"

   "What do you mean?"

   "I'm your new pet. How long do you play with your pet, before you go looking for a new one? Just tell me, I can take it."

   "Oh. I don't set an egg timer. I shit-can a guy when he fucks up royally."

   "Well, I mean, other women, they have some loose schedule in mind…"

   "I'm not other women, Panic. I do my own thing. I think I know what you mean. I hear a lot of the girls say, that they date a guy for this amount of time, then if he doesn't do this and that, they move onto the next one… no. I don't set an egg timer like that. I think that's fucking retarded."

   "Well, like the rock candy game? That's so much fun, by the way… you said you found it in a women's magazine, right?"

   "Yeah. It was one of those wacky 17 things that will drive your man wild things they have every month. I liked it. Tried it. We both seem to enjoy it. Cool."

   "Well… the same magazines… they give you pointers, on how to make me change and grow…"

   "Oh. That horseshit? No… the rock candy game, looked like sheer genius, why didn't I think of that. But… that shit? Christ Panic, as if women need more mind games to play on men, they have far too many they teach each other already…"

   "You… don't want to change and grow?"

   "Into what?"

   "I don't know… whatever the article the women like to read says that month, I guess. Always something different."

   "Panic. I'm happy right now. Right this second? I'm completely relaxed, and feel wonderful. For no real reason. Why would I want to change out of being happy? Into… something else."

   "See? That's one of the things you say, that sound so wonderful."

   "Glad you like it… you know, Panic. You mentioned if I had an egg timer on you? You're the one who has an egg timer, I think."

   "How?"

   "You know why I grabbed you the way I did? You seem like a genuine nice guy. You're from out of town, so go figure. When this… project is over? Your egg timer goes off."

   "Do you ever want to leave this city?"

   "Maybe. I don't know. How about you? Do… you want to live here? Like this? Move to the city?"

   "Maybe. I don't know."

   "Right. So? Like I said, I'm very relaxed, and very happy, right now. Can I change the subject?"

   "To what?"

   "Well, the devil you're after."

   "What about him?"

   "Well, now that the feebs have the ball in their court, why can't you just let them handle it from here on out. Isn't that what they're for? Isn't that what they're good at?"

   "Okay, when it was just me? I was able to suspect… then discover and prove, that the devil in fact existed. When I got Speedy in on it? He helped. With… things I have no experience at. He brought the other half to the table. We got so much further. My greatest fear?"

   "Yeah?"

   "Is that the feebs, are fucking this up. There's, in some ways, too many cooks in this soup now. The only thing that satisfies everyone, seems to be to fan out, stand back, and simply watch this season's… devil's work… happen, and document it. Then? I think, they plan on actually stopping and catching him, next season."

   Merry had been completely relaxed, sprawled naked over her man, also naked. Resting her cheek and head on his chest. Staring off, talking slowly. Sleepily relaxed.

   She bolted her head upright, and got her hands planted on either side of Panic's shoulders, her knees on either side of his hips. Suddenly and instantly, charged up and pissed.

   "What?!?! A fucking season? What the hell…"

   "Yeah. It's spread out. Over states. One here, two there, three over there. Like johnny fucking apple-seed. It comes in a long season…"

   "They honestly, want to just document it, now that you're onto it, this season… then catch him next season?"

   "That's what I'm starting to see."

   "Well… what can you do?"

   "That's the thing. We need their manpower and resources, some of their unique expertise, but… they're starting to… red tape this thing up. And, once the feebs have it? They play it their way. I'm trying like hell, to come up with something…"

   "Do, you have anything, resembling a plan?"

   "I have a few things coming to me. Maybe. I want to try some things out and see. I might hit pay dirt again."

   "Huh. I wish I could help…"

   "Merry, you already have helped me, and more than you know. This… magical ability you have, to relax me, and keep me asleep all night? It's… like you waved a magic wand. If you do nothing else, but this? You're more precious than gold to me."

   "Well, thanks."

   "Wanna play a game?"

   Merry smiled mischievously, and licked her lips in the most obscenely, overly dramatic way she thought possible…

   "Is it like the rock candy game?"

   "Um, we can do that next, but… this game? Would be a little more like… the steal the raw meat game."

   "Okay. How do I play it?"

   Panic sat up, and went in the bathroom, and got a number of drink cups and brought a tiny stack of them into the main room. Put them out on the counter-top of the chest of drawers nearest them. He had a gallon jug of water, and poured a little into each drink cup.

   "These? Are going to be the individual doses."

   "Of what?"

   Panic got one of the eyedrop bottles, and held it up.

   "Of this shit."

   "I don't want to take that shit, whatever the fuck it is…"

   "You aren't going to. I am. Don't worry… I've been reading about it, and studying it. For a while now. I'm going to put one drop, carefully, into each little cup with its little bit of water in it. One drop doses."

   "What's the game?"

   "Okay… hand me my cell, and turn it on…"

   She did.

   After it beeped itself to life and was ready, he went through the menus and changed his secret number to activate the phone.

   "There. I just set my secret code, which I never use normally. Four digits. I'm not going to tell you, what that code is. Okay?"

   "I have to guess it? You're going to give me clues? What."

   "Nope. I'm going to drink one drop, every fifteen minutes. For an hour, see how it gets to me. Every so often? You're going to try to sweetly cajole the code out of me. I'm betting, that sooner or later, once I figure out the right dosage? I should get a little… funny… and there will be a window, where you'll be able to ask me anything, and I'll simply tell you, and won't even remember I did."

   "Well, if you're sure about this…"

   "I am. It's a little above 50 percent, we'll repeat this again I'm sure, with two drops every glass, same way, every fifteen minutes over an hour. We'll get somewhere, won't take too long."

   "And, I just keep trying to figure out the best way to… weasel the code out of you?"

   "Yeah. Worst that could happen, is that I fall asleep for a little while. I'll wake back up in a little while if that happens. This stuff is fast acting, and fast passed back out. We're no ways near anything resembling a lethal dose, trust me."

   "People used to do this shit?"

   "Oh yeah. They would dance all night, taking one drop every so often. Whole place had a fucking ball. We're looking for a slightly higher dose, that will… kinda… have me dreamy but awake looking. I'm fairly sure you'll figure it out when you see it, from what I read. There will be a dosage and a window, where I'm seemingly wide awake, but, I should tell you or do, pretty much anything you want."

   "So, it used to be a… dance party drug?"

   "In its lowest doses, yes. Legal back then, for years."

   "Okay… what else is it used for?"

   "Um… people started upping the dosage slightly, until they found their happy point… then, it was also a happy fun fuck drug. Your partner? Once the partners learn it and practice it a little? Figure out just where to put their partner… who will do anything, the other partner suggests. Willingly. Happily. No questions. Then? Later on, you switch. It's the other partners turn to have the anything fun."

   "Okay, let me get this straight… the object of this game, is to get that screen code off of you, right? That will prove this works."

   "Yes."

   "You… trust me? Because, if you're trying not to give me that code, with everything you have in you… once I get that code, and write it down? I can then…"

   "Yeah. You can do, pretty much anything at all with me, I guess."

   "Aw… okay. I'll play this game…"

   Merry got her own cell phone, and found her stopwatch and alarm. She handed Panic the little bottle.

   "Put your drops in… get some more cups, we'll end up using them eventually… ha."

   Panic laid out several more, dollops of water in each. He carefully arranged his head, and the angle of room light just so, all for making sure that he could carefully ensure only one drop went into each cup. Then he carefully recapped it and put it away.

   "Gimme your phone code, Panic."

   "Nope. Never gonna happen."

   She handed him a drink cup… somewhat curtly ordered him…

   "Drink."

   He tossed it back. Smiled.

   When the alarm went off on her cell, she reset it and handed him the next drink cup.

   "Drink…"

   He tossed it back.

   "You feel anything?"

   "Ah. Maybe a little warm. Not hot, just a good slight warm feeling."

   She tried kissing him… whispering…

   "Give me your phone code, Panic… I gotta use your phone… please…"

   "Nope."

   She asked every couple minutes, nothing. Then the alarm went off again.

   "Drink!"

   He tossed it back.

   "Anything?"

   "Eh… something. I feel… I don't know. Can't explain it. Sorta… loose all over. Warm. It's a good feeling, not scary."

   She started kissing him more. Begging him for the phone code.

   "No…"

   She stared into his eyes while kissing him, however. He did have something… slightly dreamy about his eyes?

   She went back to her kissing and pleading for the phone code. Panic started moaning. That was something new, she thought. But, this time he said…

   "Hm. No… I can't. I'm not supposed to…"

   "Yeah, you are… I need your phone code, honey. It's such a little code, come on… you can do it…"

   "I just… no…"

   And this time he started giggling. He was clearly getting a little slap happy.

   She kept up her kissing and pleading and begging until the next alarm.

   She just picked up the next drink cup, and poured it into his mouth and kissed him as soon as he swallowed it, and just kept pleading and begging in between kisses.

   "But… why?"

   "Shh… why not. You're supposed to give me your phone code, honey… please, do what your supposed to honey, give me the phone code…

   "Hm. I am… I know. Sorry I forgot…"

   "Shh. Don't be sorry… be happy you gave me what I want, honey… lets both be happy you gave me my code to your phone. Make yourself happy… give me the code, so we can be happy together, honey… the phone code makes us both so happy…"

   "Of course… happy…"

   She stared into his eyes. He looked just like a person sleepwalking badly. Seemingly completely awake, but, babbling.

   "Of course, happy code… happy phone… we need to be happy, honey… the code makes us both so happy… make us both happy, by giving me that phone code honey…"

   "Happy? Is… 2… 4… 6… 8."