The operatives had burst forth from the closet they were hiding in, ran out the front door of the Van Buren residence and kept running until their lungs and legs couldn’t take it anymore, which turned out to be about three blocks. They had really let themselves go recently.
They came to a stop on a street corner and looked around to see if anyone was following them. No one was. They felt relieved yet a little disappointed that they weren’t considered worthy of being chased by a hot, gun-wielding woman, or at least someone with a knife or something. Their disappointment was compounded when it dawned on them that Doc, their getaway driver, was nowhere to be seen.
“I didn’t notice him outside the house,” Cal said. “I don’t see him anywhere, to be honest. Do you think maybe he went to get coffee or something?”
“No, I think Doc deserted us,” Cap replied.
“Huh,” Hack said, then he spit.
Doc had indeed deserted his crew. He had been sleeping peacefully inside the Honda Accord when gun shots woke him. Deciding that things had taken a violent turn for the worse, Doc started the car, hit the gas and was out of Arbor Woods by the time his former comrades stopped running. Neither Doc nor the Accord were ever seen again.
“Boys,” Cap said resignedly, “I don’t think this business is for us anymore.”
“But Cap, this is the only life we know.” There was a fearful, pleading tone in Cal’s voice. “What will we do? Where will we go?”
“Well, there is always the circus,” Cap said. “Hack here could be a human cannonball. With his degree in physics he should be able to figure out trajectory and propulsion issues so that he’s not injured.”
Hack nodded, said “Uh-huh,” then spit again.
“And you and I, Cal, well, we could always clean up after the animals. It’ll be dirty, smelly, and disgusting, but at least we’ll be in show business.”
“True,” Cal said.
“I suppose we should call Mr. Gorey and explain our situation, let him know we’re resigning,” Cap said. With an increasing sense of dread, he pulled a cell phone from his jacket pocket then number one on the speed dial. Lazarus answered after just one ring.
Cap described the events of the evening and apologized for failing him. He really was genuinely sorry that he and his men couldn’t accomplish their mission. It seemed as if old age was creeping up on them and they could no longer play with the big boys. The thought of not being able to do what they loved depressed him.
Cap then said that he and the boys were quitting to pursue other options. He listened to Lazarus for a moment, then ended the call. He looked at the two others as the color drained from his face.
“Mr. Gorey gave us some advice,” Cap told the two. “He told us we need to do something.”
“Oh, really? What does he think we should do?” Cal asked.
“Disappear.”
They came to a stop on a street corner and looked around to see if anyone was following them. No one was. They felt relieved yet a little disappointed that they weren’t considered worthy of being chased by a hot, gun-wielding woman, or at least someone with a knife or something. Their disappointment was compounded when it dawned on them that Doc, their getaway driver, was nowhere to be seen.
“I didn’t notice him outside the house,” Cal said. “I don’t see him anywhere, to be honest. Do you think maybe he went to get coffee or something?”
“No, I think Doc deserted us,” Cap replied.
“Huh,” Hack said, then he spit.
Doc had indeed deserted his crew. He had been sleeping peacefully inside the Honda Accord when gun shots woke him. Deciding that things had taken a violent turn for the worse, Doc started the car, hit the gas and was out of Arbor Woods by the time his former comrades stopped running. Neither Doc nor the Accord were ever seen again.
“Boys,” Cap said resignedly, “I don’t think this business is for us anymore.”
“But Cap, this is the only life we know.” There was a fearful, pleading tone in Cal’s voice. “What will we do? Where will we go?”
“Well, there is always the circus,” Cap said. “Hack here could be a human cannonball. With his degree in physics he should be able to figure out trajectory and propulsion issues so that he’s not injured.”
Hack nodded, said “Uh-huh,” then spit again.
“And you and I, Cal, well, we could always clean up after the animals. It’ll be dirty, smelly, and disgusting, but at least we’ll be in show business.”
“True,” Cal said.
“I suppose we should call Mr. Gorey and explain our situation, let him know we’re resigning,” Cap said. With an increasing sense of dread, he pulled a cell phone from his jacket pocket then number one on the speed dial. Lazarus answered after just one ring.
Cap described the events of the evening and apologized for failing him. He really was genuinely sorry that he and his men couldn’t accomplish their mission. It seemed as if old age was creeping up on them and they could no longer play with the big boys. The thought of not being able to do what they loved depressed him.
Cap then said that he and the boys were quitting to pursue other options. He listened to Lazarus for a moment, then ended the call. He looked at the two others as the color drained from his face.
“Mr. Gorey gave us some advice,” Cap told the two. “He told us we need to do something.”
“Oh, really? What does he think we should do?” Cal asked.
“Disappear.”
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