Page 158 of Nearly Roadkill

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His hands freeze on the keyboard. Beside him, Shelly is holding her breath. The message onscreen from his hacker says that they have roughly traced all parties to their physical locations. Wally Budge suddenly realizes he doesn’t know what to say.

Scratch:Cat got your tongue?

Winc:::leaning across the table toward the handsome officer, allowing cleavage to show:: Something distracting you, officer?

Ms. Budge:Why do you pull that shit with me?

Scratch:Maybe she’ll go for this: ::straightening my tie:: Can I buy you a drink, hon?

Winc:::leaning back, stroking my mustache, watching Scratch pick up the pretty girl cop::

Ms. Budge:Why do you have to play at being something else?

Winc:::blinking:: Why not?

Ms. Budge:Why not just be yourselves?

Winc:::gently:: Maybe this *is* ourselves. All of our selves. Maybe it’s fun.

Winc:Maybe that’s all there is to it, Occifer.

Ms. Budge:You said you’re innocent. So come in and let us help you.

Scratch:Will they give us room service? A parade?

Winc:::warily:: Who’s “us”? You and your little squirrels trying to trace us?

Wally’s hands fly back off the keyboard as though he’d received two hundred volts.

Shelly’s massaging his shoulders.

“Just keep them online, Wally. Hang in there.”

Ms. Budge:If you two could try to be serious for a moment—

Scratch:We’re dead serious, Ms. Budge.

Winc:Damned serious here, Mister. What about those squirrels?

Ms. Budge:What squirrels?

Scratch:Oh, don’t play dumb.

Ms. Budge:?

Private Message to Scratch

Toobe:Get the hell outta there!

Scratch:Why?

Winc:We know you’ve got hackers all over us. You lost four and you only have six left.

Scratch:Besides, if we were to come in, *you* wouldn’t be in charge anyway.

Ms. Budge:None of this would be necessary if you would just cooperate.

Scratch:You don’t sound very convincing.

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