ALAN HAD called but she had left the phone in her room to grow some courage against Roger not calling;
7. A WITCH'S TRICK TO BUBBLE THE CAULDRON AS IT WERE
She woke late in the day on the roof, returned to her room and showered. Now it was too late to walk to the office without an escort, and so she decided Alan Marybella and Henny Newton would have to wait an extra day. Even as she said it her room became very ugly. Poisonous cold panic came to her from looking at the corners of the room.
She thought of how her father would have said corners of the room. Coroners of the rum.
She called Alan -- He answered on a ring -- Where have you been?
Under the weather.
Have you?
Directly under it.
It's still tonight. He said.
Quiet for a moment, and then he turtled out something sweet and unexpected: Would you like some turkey sandwiches? I can get them from up the hill if you'd like.
Turkey sandwiches, She repeated.
Yes, you dummkopf, turkey sandwiches.
You know what I want?
No.
I want the coroners of the rum, Alan. That's what I want.
What are you on about?
The coroners of the rum.
I'll have an escort to meet you at Nine.
A penny for Henny. Where will they escort me? Are the lights much brighter there?
Sure are. You can forget all your troubles.
Alan?
Yes?
My cares?
You can forget those too. Quite smoking dope. Go meet him.
She heard him laughing as he hung up the phone.
AT NINE tall men came up the stair. Knocked at her door. Every one of them a caucasian with dirty beard and bullet vest. They had stubbed forty-five caliber UMPs tied on, dirty little gumdrop shooters.
Good evening! She said. Texas is it?
You're Maggie, Mam?
You guys want a smoke?
No, Mam.
THREE HUMVEES on the street, and a dozen more men. The Lead Beard held her by the arm as they stepped out. The street was empty -- these boys had that effect. From high above the Heli-Kids hooted down to her. She waved as she climbed inside the truck.
The city, accessed southward, felt like entering a mineshaft, the further they went, the darker, the narrower. And the smell changed. Here was the heaping garbage stink, here they went into the cancerous belly. The Lead Beard sat with her in the back seat of the middle truck, This is gonna take time. We got to hit our camp, there we're gonna leave the trucks. Then ten of my men are gonna walk you east, then south, then east. The place is down down, where the streets are gone. Down in the cow pasture by the garbage dump. The tower's there, and that tower is him. We're gonna get you there, and hand you off. Read me?
Sure. She said.
We've walked it a million times.
I'm not worried.
No? Maybe you should be a bit.
You're 88s, right?
That's right.
My boyfriend told me you're the best he's seen of the PMCs. He would know. He's brave.
This last bit trailed off as she spoke it, sounding foolish to her.
Do you know Sgt. Kent with the 59 MPs?
I don't think so.
He went with you to get Saucy J -- I mean, rather, he escorted him out, or, whatever they did.
The Lead Beard had the brown wall-eyes of a fox. He rubbed her hands with his scratchy gloves.
That didn't happen. He said to her.
I know him, She said.
Shit. So do I. He looked embarrassed. He weren't with us.
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