Featured image by Bruno /Germany from Pixabay
The story about needing money for car repairs sells better if you arrive on foot” I responded.
Did you charge your burner Slim?” He nodded yes. “Good, call Pretty Little Thing. Don’t tell her where we are. Just tell her we are safe and there will be several days delay before we arrive at the next assignment, then hang up. Of course, that assumes she is still alive to answer.”
After that, we are calling a cab and going shopping” announced Giant. “At least I am. No way I’m wandering around in just what I could buy at Target. I found the high end clothes district.”
I would tell you to go to the middle end clothing district, but that would fall on deaf ears” I said into the air.
Why should I look blue collar?” asked Giant.
Because everyone at the company knows about your clothes fetish” answered Stretch.
You have to invent your own legend this time Giant. One which has none of your personal traits such as fine clothes and stopping for expensive or any other kind of coffee” I filled in. “It’s a logistics thing which means it is a survival thing. Find yourself a J.C. Penny or Marshal Fields and shop till ya drop. The company won’t look for you there. Grab some cash from the bag and enjoy the day. Might want to shave and shower first though. Stretch needs to get hiking after we enter each other’s numbers in our phones.”
I should go with Giant” Slim offered. “Make certain he only goes to those two stores.”
I can behave when I have to” said Giant a bit indignantly.
I wouldn’t mind some better clothes myself and I know Stretch’s sizes” answered Slim. “You can’t carry that many shopping bags down the street without attracting attention.”
You really think the company is looking for us here?” asked Giant. Likable guy, but not the sharpest tool in the shed.
Muggers” uttered Stretch. “Someone with a bunch of shopping bags is an easy hit and run and most of the goods will be untraceable when sold on Amazon or Craig’s List. You can’t go to the police. If there are witnesses or security cameras the police will be looking for you.”
If you fight them off and someone films it with their phone it will go viral and everyone will be looking at it, including the company” added Slim. “If I go with you the uneducated won’t consider you an easy mark and you won’t have to prove just how uneasy you can be.”
They were starting to learn. Low profile doesn’t mean hide out in a safe house until the heat blows over. It means blend in without taking stupid risks.
I walked over to pour the boiling water into the rinsed plastic pitcher then start another pot. “What about your iced tea thing?” asked Giant a bit defensively.
Did you see me stop in some high end tea shop? Am I ordering some double latte espresso thing? I’m boiling water in a kitchen, using disposable plastic container and hotel tea bags. That large plastic glass is a Target special and they sell millions of them per year. By the way, thank you for paying attention last night and booting the Linux Live disk instead of going through the first boot cycle. If anyone does find that machine, it will never have been used.”
Logistics gentlemen. I’ve done them my entire career, you’ve never had to. I know it is boring, like reading a text book, but staying alive and disappearing is easy if you know how to do it. Get cleaned up. Stretch needs to go get money and you two need to go shopping, then we need to be tourists. Is your art museum open this evening Giant? Sounds like something to do after supper. Tomorrow we can do the Maymont thing in the morning if it is open, then your Poe museum.”
What are you going to do?” asked Giant.
Laundry. Then I have some trunks with me so I thought I would try the pool this place is supposed to have. Maybe read a magazine and work on my tan. At least until you all return. While you are shopping, why don’t you pick up a couple of not too expensive garment bags? None of you have any luggage but now you will have clothes.”
A couple of laundry bags wouldn’t go amiss either” muttered Slim.
Now you’re catching on. A group of guys on a road trip would have this stuff. Blend in.”
Slim left Pretty Little Thing a voice message then turned his phone off. “If she leaves you a return message before supper another of us can call so she has that number” I stated.
If we take turns she will eventually have all our numbers” Slim responded, catching on. “No reason to lay all our cards on the table until we know what game we are playing. I’m starting to see how you lived so long even with your flaw.”
I just smiled and shook my head while pouring the last of the hot water into the plastic container. After putting in four teabags I put the lid on and opened the pour spout so it could cool, but not too quickly. “Lazy man tea” I said as Stretch returned. Must have been a really quick shower and change.
I need the directions and address” he said.
I believe Giant left it up on the computer, just hit the shift key” I answered. He reached for the small pad of paper and pen the hotel provided as it came up. “Tear a sheet off and write on the table” I said without thinking. They both looked at me.
They really do only teach combat skills in the school now, don’t they?” I asked in response to their quizzicle looks. “Most people press heavy enough with a pen to leave an impression in the pad. I high tech tool known as an ordinary number 2 pencil can then be side dragged lightly on the pad to reveal what was written. If anyone does manage to trace us to this room that will be the first thing they check.”
We’ll have to remember to take the pad when we check out” said Slim. “I always take the pad from any room I stay in. To make it look good I also take the extra soap and shampoo. To housekeeping it looks like another cheap hotel guest. Speaking of housekeeping…” I reached in my pocket and pulled out a $5 bill then put it in one of the hotel napkins and got the pen from Stretch who was now done with it. I printed the word housekeeping on the napkin and put it on the edge of the kitchen counter.
Always tip housekeeping, especially in a cheap hotel. This one isn’t cheap, but tip them the same. This isn’t a daily housekeeping kind of place, but, we need to tidy up a bit.”
Isn’t that what they are for?” Giant asked as he entered the common area.
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