“Well we are the bad guys. It’s just we are against the guys who are also the bad guys.”

“Yeah that’s true.”

“Do you have everything you need?”

“I am working out the kinks I am plotting I—”

“You aren’t ready yet.”

“Are you?”

“Charlie says some of the locks are isolated from the main system. She thinks we will need to get a security guy with an eyeball who is alive and hold his face to a scanner for the biometrics.”

“Is that what you think?”

“I think that is the most straightforward way. The system does not confirm with voice or heartbeat so he can be unconscious just so long as he is alive.”

“Taser?”

“Medication of course Tasers can be unpredictable.”

“So can medication.”

“Tcha.”

“I guess.”

“You’re not happy.”

“I have forebodings Doc I feel there is something I don’t see.”

“You will see it. That is what you do.”

“I guess.”

“You see universes of crime.”

“Aw shucks.”

“Call Friday and tell him the Riccardi woman is fine. It will make him happy plus you like him.”

“…I guess that I do.”

“Call him. It is nice for boys to be friends.”

“I don’t know about friends exactly—”

“Price. It is okay to have friends.”

“Yeah I suppose.”

—

VoIP outgoing—

“Hey Friday.”

“Mr. Price?”

“Yeah it me.”

“You do not sound well.”

“I have something in my throat.”

“Oh do you wish to cough? It is important. Many people from countries where coughing is considered embarrassing die every year because they leave meals to cough in the corridor or the bathroom and they die by choking.”

“They what now?”

“Jes. It is awful.”

“…Yeah it is about one of the most worst things I’ve ever heard.”

“That cannot possibly be true.”

“…No I guess not.”

“…”

“…”

“Are you injured?”

“No no I’m fine. Mostly fine I have a hole in me. Two holes actually that are not natural to my basic you know humanity there is one in my leg and one in my neck.”

“That…does not sound fine.”

“I just wanted you to know that—I mean yeah there was some stuff—but the programmer lady she is fine too.”

“O God will she recover?”

“Jesus Friday no she is fine—she is FINE—like she is fine like perfectly okay. Embarrassed now and a little guilty and she will be really really pissed off when she figures it out but—fine. No injuries and all what you said. No lasting trauma.”

“…That is actually very good of you to tell me.”

“Yeah man I’m just a guy trying to get along I keep saying.”

“Thank you, then.”

“You’re welcome man.”

“That is—all?”

“Yeah man that’s all. I mean hug everyone for me.”

“…I will.”

“You don’t have to if it’s weird. It’s weird isn’t it?”

“Jes. Very.”