“I need an aspirin,” said Coop. “I think they’re in the bedroom.”

“I’m done with beer. I’ll get us a couple of margaritas,” Giselle said.

“Great.”

Coop went into the bedroom and rooted around his duffel bag one-handed. Eventually, he came up with a bottle of aspirin. Which he realized he couldn’t open. He tried using his teeth and pushing on the cap with his thumb. It wouldn’t budge and his thumb slipped, skinning it all the way down. He set the bottle on top of the dresser.

“You might want to wait for your lady friend,” said Phil, back in his head.

“I don’t suppose you have any extra fingers lying around,” said Coop.

“I’ve got a great big one pointed at you right now. Can’t you see it?”

“That’s not in good taste. I’m an ill man.”

“I’m dead. I long to be an ill man.”

“You and Salzman. Always going on about being dead. Being alive isn’t always all it’s cracked up to be.”

“Say that when Giselle’s around,” said Phil. “I dare you.”

“You dare him what?” said Giselle, coming into the bedroom. She had a drink in each hand.

“He’s daring me to tell you to tell me I’m not stupid for trying to open the aspirin by myself,” said Coop, holding up his injured thumb.

Giselle leaned over and kissed it. “You twit,” she said. She popped the top of the aspirin bottle and handed Coop a couple of pills. He washed them down with some margarita.

“So, I just heard from Dr. Ladybug Head that Woolrich has your first assignment all picked out.”

“Shop talk, tonight?” said Phil.

“What’s the job?” said Coop.

“Apparently, Woolrich heard a rumor about a deed to the world floating around. He wants to get it before the Russians or Chinese do. Or the CIA. Or FBI. You get the idea.”

“Can you imagine?” said Phil. “The things you could do with that.”

“Just imagine,” said Coop.

“Okay. Shop talk is exactly the last thing I want to hear. You’re both boring. Bye,” Phil said and popped out of their heads.

“I wonder what a person would do with something like that?” said Coop.

Giselle looked around the room. “Maybe it’s time to get your own place.”

“Like a palace or something?”

“How about just an apartment?”

“As long as it has a huge TV and a huge bed.”

“You can put this on the mantel,” she said and handed him the Contego stone. He looked at her. She kissed him and they stayed that way for a while. Until Phil popped back into their heads.

“The tentacle twins are in the backyard playing Twister,” he said excitedly. “You’ve got to see this.”