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“Mr. Branson” responded Slim.
“Fuck” I cursed under my breath. “Someone from logistics was in on that HR meeting. This isn’t just one guy lining his pockets, it’s, at best, a tumor.”
“Not with your luck Old Timer” offered Slim. “I’ve heard the stories. I’m also not naive enough to believe we weren’t to be swept up too. Be interesting to see if we have that drop you asked for waiting or we just have someone waiting for us.”
“Oh, they will be waiting. Why do you think I had the payment left for them? Whoever is trying to keep this under the radar will offer that as their reward. Half a million in clean cash. Probably won’t even tell them who we are. Maybe they will.”
“At any rate” interrupted Slim, “since you haven’t looked at the assignment, we need to head south as well. Care to share with us why you wanted to head south?”
“No big secret. One of the many company policies I flagrantly violate is hanging onto some really good tools. I found a nice place to stash the best of them on the way here. The rest I left in the hotel room with Henry.”
Stretch got a shit eating grin at that point. In a totally gay voice he began “Ooooh lover. Sharing a room with Henry. You been holding out on us sugar.”
“You’ve never met Henry have you?” I asked. “None of you have, correct?” They all shook their heads no.
“He’s not a natural man” I offered. “Yes, I will hold out on you because I made a sacred vow to myself I would never speak of what I saw in the hotel room when I returned the other morning. The rumors about him cannot even begin to approach the truth. Putting it in perspective for you, they are like someone telling you Mt. Everest is a really big hill of dirt.”
“I really like you guys so I will share this with you in order to help you stay alive. Never eat anything in his presence. Never eat anything he prepared. Never eat anything which appears perfectly sealed but he could have come in contact with.”
They all looked at me like parents who came home to find their little boy screwing the baby sitter. “It’s free advice, feel free to ignore it” I responded to their stare.
“But you eat food he has prepared” challenged Giant.
“Because nobody gave me that advice up front” I answered. “Besides, you missed a really important detail. Listening to details is what keeps us alive.”
“What detail is that?” asked Giant in a genuine tone.
“I came from the south. Have to go back that way to collect some of my best tools. Henry has the rest. He was still south when I left to come here. If the job is south of here, he probably beat whoever they sent to the meet point. If you choose to eat anything he prepares, I wouldn’t eat meat. At least not until we can be absolutely certain nobody came for us prior to our arrival.”
“No way!” exclaimed Slim. “You trying to tell me he’s Jeffry Dahmer’s little cousin?”
“Nothing of the sort. At least I’ve seen no evidence of such. Then again I only eat fish if he’s involved in the preparation” I responded.
“The what?” asked Stretch.
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