Part 11 (2/2)

WILL YOU BUY ONE?

N

GOOD ARE YOU INTERESTED IN MONEY?

Finally, thought Sir George, the reason for my existence

Y

AN ACCOUNT HAS BEEN OPENED IN YOUR NAME AT THE BANK OF AMERICA, REDMOND BRANCH 3 BLOCKS FROM YOU THERE IS 25,000 IN IT EACH MONTH OF SUCCESSFUL WORK FOR ALEX WILL BE REWARDED WITH ANOTHER PAYMENT US TAXES ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY IS THAT A PROBLEM?

N

WILL YOU DISCUSS YOUR JOB OR ITS NATURE WITH ANYONE? ANYONE AT ALL?

N

EVEN UNDER FORCE?

Force, what the hell does that e

N

I HOPE SO, FOR YOUR SAKE GOOD LUCK SIR GEORGE YOU START MONDAY

<connection tere was a little confused, maybe a lot confused He was the proud owner of a remote control job, a cushy one as far as he could tell, but the tone of the conversation he just had with the co threatened? What was the difference between 'Services Terminated' and 'Terminated' anyway

Maybe he shouldn't ask Keep his ht, dis the possible unpleasant consequences of failure This is San Francisco, and I have a three days off in a new city Might as well find uide books I should start at Pier 39

Chapter 3

Tuesday, September 8, New York City

But they told h Sidneys pleaded into his side of the phone ”How did you find out?” At first, Scott thought the cartoon voice was a joke perpetrated by one of his friends, or h, coudn't possibly think crank a phone call was a twisted form of art No, it had to be real

”I'ive out our sources That's confidential But are you saying that you confirm the story?

That it is true?”

”Yes, no Well ,” the pleading slid into near sobbing ”If this gets out, I', my familyhow could you have found out? They promised!” The noise from the busy metro room at the New York City Times made it difficult to hear Sidneys

”Can I quote you, sir? Are you confir the story?” Scott pressed on for that last requisite piece of every journalistic puzzle confirmation of a story that stood to wreck havoc in portions of the financial coton It was a story with meat, but Scott Mason needed the confirmation to complete it

”I don't knowif I tell what I kno, thenhelpfulet a lawyer” The call fros and Loan on Madison Avenue had been devastating Hugh Sidneys was just doing what he was told to do Following orders

”Maybe, Hugh Maybe” Scott softened toward Sidneys, thinking the first nah? Is the story true?”

</connection>