“What do we need muscle for?” said Morty.

“Because I don’t necessarily trust Babylon a hundred percent. If things get peculiar, I’d like to know we have someone who can move heavy objects and people out of our way. Maybe Johnny Ringo?”

Morty frowned. “You’re batting zero today. He’s out of the business, too.”

“What, did he lift something and now he’s got a hernia?”

“Worse,” said Morty, gathering up the remains of his lunch and putting them back in the paper bag. “He got Jesus.”

“How did that happen?”

“He was carrying some copper pipes off a construction site downtown and got hit by lightning.”

“Lightning? When do we get lightning in L.A.?”

Morty pointed at Coop. “That’s the thing. It was a freak storm. Came out of nowhere. After he got hit, he talked about seeing angels and choirs and his dead aunt Ada.”

“Sounds more like he was high.”

“Oh yeah, he was also that at the time,” said Morty. “We probably don’t need him for that reason alone.”

“So who else do you know?”

Morty leaned back with his hands behind his head. “How about Tintin?”

“I don’t know him.”

“He’s from San Francisco. Put himself through community college doing a strongman act at Fisherman’s Wharf during the day and spotting curses for crooks at night. He’s our guy.”

“Why does someone who went to school want to do this kind of work?” said Coop.

Morty shrugged. “’Cause he’s a crook.”

“Fair enough.”

“Are we going to need any gear from Babylon?”

Coop took a piece of paper from his pocket. “Yeah. I made a list while you were gone. A lot of it’s the equipment I lost after the Bellicose Mansion job.”

Morty gave Coop a wounded look. “I’m so sorry about that.”

“Stop apologizing. It happened. It’s over.”

“Thanks.”

Coop handed Morty the list. “Don’t think this means you’re off the hook. I just don’t want to talk about it right now.”

“Right. Later.”

“Later. Right now, call Babylon.”

“Then you want to see a movie?”

“A movie?” said Coop.

“Yeah, a movie. You know. We’re in Hollywood. The entertainment capital of the planet,” said Morty. “I thought you might like to be entertained.”

Coop nodded. “Yeah. Okay. A movie. But nothing with subtitles,” he said. “If I want to read a book, I’ll stay home and read a book.”

“When’s the last time you read a book?”

“In prison. I read a lot of books. There wasn’t much else to do.”

Morty threw the remains of their lunch away. “I’m so sorry.”

“Stop it.”

ELEVEN