Page 120 of Nearly Roadkill
Scratch:Uh huh.
Ms. Budge:And if I don’t bring you in, someone a lot nastier is going to.
Ms. Budge:That’s a fact.
Scratch:They’re gonna “bring you in” too.
Ms. Budge:Huh?
Scratch:If it’s bigger than us, then you’re a flunky.
There is another pause at Budge’s end.
Scratch:::softly:: You don’t even believe in what “the law” is doing this time, do you?
Ms. Budge:I believe in justice. You broke the law with those codes. You’re breaking the law by evading arrest, and you broke the law by refusing to Register.
Scratch:You chickened out, bub. I was never told, to my face, that I was wanted. I never evaded anything. So why bother, dear?
Ms. Budge:Why bother with what?
Scratch:Don’t you think the Reg process is just a wee bit inadequate? Considering that you are currently trapped in a female identity?!
Ms. Budge:I told you to cut that out. Of course it’s flawed. But if the laws fall apart, there’s going to be a lot of people hurting a lot of others.
Scratch:Oh, don’t give me that law crap. I can tell you have a bigger brain than that.
Ms. Budge:Gee, thanks.
Scratch:Well, that’s a pretty big flaw, getting your identity “wrong.” You know when they check your office accounts they’ll report your female profile? And send you the “appropriate” mail?
Ms. Budge:I know. You should *see* the ads I’m getting.
Scratch:::sweetly:: I bet.
Ms. Budge:Tell me this. Since you don’t like that neighbor of yours. Why don’t you just shoot him? Fuck the law, right?
Scratch:Jesus fucking christ! How much of my mail do you read?
Ms. Budge:All of it… dear.
Scratch:You fucker.
Ms. Budge:I don’t like it, but it’s going to get worse if you don’t cooperate.
Scratch:You motherfucker pervert, reading other people’s mail…
Ms. Budge:Grow up, Scratch, you’re in the big sandbox now. It’s the only way to find you.
Splattered, Budge thinks to himself. That’s the word he’s heard about this kind of online chat.I’m splattered.
Scratch:Look, let’s cut the crap, OK?
Ms. Budge:Winc is going to crack faster than you, and he’ll bring you with him.
Scratch:You don’t know shit about Winc, it’s obvious.
Ms. Budge:I know more about Winc than you’d like to hear.
