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“Definitely a
“You’re just realizing that?”
“It’s not necessarily something to be happy about. It puts you in danger.”
“I’m not scared.”
“Then, Leo, you’re not as smart as you think you are.”
Chapter 45
Gravenholtz hated Miami. He had been waiting three days to meet Fong, the Chinese ambassador to Nuevo Florida, and still no word from Baby when it was going to happen.
Miami was hot and sticky, and everyone spoke too fast in this mixed-up language, part Spanish and part English, so that he couldn’t understand but every second or third word. Fuck ’em. He understood well enough that a redhead who burned, but didn’t tan, was at the low end of the totem pole. Even the white people were brown as coconuts, and they were the ones giving him the dirtiest looks. Hard to imagine it was once part of the US of A. Shows you what can happen if you let folks push you around. Meanwhile, Baby acted as if she were right at home, speaking the lingo as well as anyone, which was weird for a country girl born and raised in Dickson, Te
Three days ago, Royce had set the Chinese chopper down in the middle of the Everglades, right where Baby said to, and before the blades hardly slowed, all these Asian guys with guns stepped out of the palmettos.
Royce was about to open up with the Gatlings and blow these gooks to ground chuck when Baby patted his hand, said, Don’t worry, they’re Fong’s men. Deeks and Cu
The flight from the Colonel’s base camp had been a real ass-clencher. Royce kept the chopper at treetop level, the ground a blur as Deeks puked his guts out into his boot, while Royce and Cu
The chopper smelled like throw-up, and Royce’s and Cu
Baby stepped onto the saw grass, the back of her neck shiny with sweat, told Gravenholtz to bring the canister. He was about to tell her to stay put, wait until he checked things out, when she looked back at him with that fuck-me-please look and he grabbed the canister and hopped down, showing off his muscles.
Royce hesitated, his hands on the controls for the chopper’s machine guns, but by then the Asian guys had slung their guns and were dragging coolers of iced beer out of the weeds. Deeks and Cu
You go ahead, I’ll be right there, Baby said, letting Gravenholtz walk ahead of her.
Gravenholtz saw her out of the corner of his eye…saw her reach for something, and then she shot Royce and Deeks and Cu
Whoeee, she said, I’ve been wanting to get rid of those three since Alabama.
Gravenholtz stood there for a second, trying to decide what to do. Royce and Deeks and Cu
Nobody said a word on the ride into town, which was fine with him, because he was damn tired. And sore too where Rakkim had stuck him. Never been cut like that before, even by a Fedayeen blade. Enough to make most men doubt themselves, but Lester Gravenholtz wasn’t most men. He figured they were going to the Chinese embassy, but, nope, instead they drove up to a private entrance of the fanciest hotel Gravenholtz had ever seen. Fit-for-a-king swanky, and right on the beach. He didn’t like the change of plans, and really didn’t like the idea of him and Baby getting separate rooms, but he held his piece, said, sure, later will be greater, and gave her a wink.
He barely had time to check out the suite before there was a knock on the door, and these four doctors walked in as if they owned the joint. Indians or Arabs they were, ski
Once, he woke up and saw Baby looking down at him, same expression she had just before she blew away Royce and Deeks and Cu
A few hours ago he woke up feeling good. Supergood. Then Baby called, said get ready, because she had a surprise. He asked if they were finally going to the Chinese embassy, but she just laughed. Now here he was, walking with Baby down a marble hallway, barefoot, wearing these gauzy white pants and shirt, a fruity-ass outfit that made him almost glad Royce wasn’t here to see him.
Baby kissed him just before they came to an ornately carved door. “I’m glad I kept you,” she whispered.
Gravenholtz didn’t like the sound of that, not at all, but the doors swung open. Two men inside led them deeper into the room, young guys, dressed all in white like Gravenholtz.
Another set of doors opened and the two young guys stayed outside while Baby and Gravenholtz walked in. An older man turned away from a window overlooking the beach-they must have been forty or fifty stories up.
Baby bent down on one knee, which was the weirdest thing Gravenholtz had ever seen her do, weirder even than killing his three raiders. She tugged at Gravenholtz’s leg but he stayed standing.
“That’s all right, my dear,” said the geezer, smiling as he walked toward them. Spring in his step too, as if he was enjoying himself. “He’ll learn ma