Part 27 (2/2)

”You're that guy?” the kid said. He peered closer. ”s.h.i.+t, you are.”

”Keep it all,” Perry said. His mouth wasn't so smart. Knowing who mugged you wasn't good for your health.

”s.h.i.+t,” the kid said. The gun wavered. Wavered.

”Come *on*,” one of his buddies said. ”Come on, man!”

”I'll be there in a minute,” the kid said, his voice flat.

Perry knew he was a dead man.

”I'm really sorry,” the kid said, once his friends were out of range.

”Me too,” said Perry.

”You won't tell my brother?”

Perry froze. Time dilated. He realized that his fists were clenched so tight that his knuckles hurt. He realized that he had a zit on the back of his neck that was rubbing against his collar. He realized that the kid had a paperback book stuck in the waistband of his bangbanger shorts, which was unusual. It was a fantasy novel. A Conan novel. Wow.

Time snapped back.

”I won't tell your brother,” he said. Then he surprised himself, ”But you've got to give me back the credit-cards and leave the car at the market in the morning.”

The kid nodded. Then he seemed to realize he was holding a gun on Perry. He lowered it. ”Yeah, that's fair,” he said. ”Can't use the f.u.c.king cards these days anyway.”

”Yeah,” Perry said. ”Well, there's some cash there anyway.” He realized he had five hundred bucks in a roll in a hidden pocket in his shorts.

”You get home OK?”

”I'll thumb a ride,” Perry said.

”I can call you a taxi,” the kid said. ”It's not safe to hang around here.”

”That's really nice of you,” Perry said. ”Thanks.”

The kid took out a little phone and prodded it for a minute. ”On the way,” he said. ”The guns aren't loaded.”

”Oh, well,” Perry said. ”Good to know.”

An awkward silence spread between them. ”Look, I'm really sorry,” the kid said. ”We don't really do this. It's our first night. My brother would really kill me.”

”I won't tell him,” Perry said. His heart was beating again, not thundering or keeping ominously still. ”But you know, this isn't smart. You're going to stick someone up who has bullets and he's gonna shoot you.”

”We'll get ammo,” the kid said.

”And shoot him? That's only a little better, you know.”

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