 Atrox, my mafia contact, demanding I go to the chat room.

What did he want now? If it wasn't him, it was his mafia friend Latens always badgering me. Had I seen Meredith? Did I know where she was? Had I heard anything from my people? Blah, blah, blah.

I took another sip and tried to decide if I really wanted to answer. I really, really didn't want to, but I should. I owed Atrox at least that much because he'd been such a good sport at religiously keeping me up to date with his every step and dead end lead in his persistent failure to locate Meredith.

Even reading or thinking her name made me want to scream out in frustration. I hated getting Atrox's failure updates as I'd come to think of them. Each time I had to sit through a briefing just made my blood boil that much more. I mean, really, how hard was it to find one pathetic woman?

I logged into the chat room as Aduro and saw Atrox was waiting for me.

Aduro: "Yes?"

Atrox: "She contacted a buyer."

Finally! Now that we had a buyer, Atrox could sweep in there, grab her ass, and ship her off to the slave planet! Soon, very soon, I'll be done with her forever!

Adruo: "Who? Where?"

My inbox dinged.

Atrox: "Check email."

I read the name and address. That was just a few blocks away from me.

Aduro: "I'm close to there. How long until you get her?"

Atrox: "My men are on the premises, waiting for her. She is scheduled to be there within the hour."

Aduro: "I'll be there to help apprehend her."

I typed this not even thinking of the consequences. It was only after the words appeared on the screen for Atrox to see that I began to realize what I'd just done. For this entire affair, I'd been trying to avoid any direct, in person contact with the mafia and here I was offering myself up to them in person. What was I doing? Had I lost my mind?

I looked away from my screen, letting my eyes wander to all the bottles of alcohol artfully stacked behind the bar
Atrox, my mafia contact, demanding I go to the chat room. 

 What did he desire nowadays? If it wasn't him, it was his mafia friend Latens always tease me. Had I understand Meredith? Did I know where she was? Had I heard anything from my multitude? Blah, blah, blah. 

 I fill another sip and tried to decide if I truly wanted to answer. I very, really didn't want to, but I should. I owe Atrox at least that much because he'd been such a effective sport at religiously keeping me up to date with his every step and dead goal lead in his persistent failure to settle Meredith. 

 Even reading or thinking her name made me want to shout out in frustration. I hated getting Atrox's failure updates as I'd come to remember of them. Each time I had to sit through a briefing just made my blood boil that much more. I mean, really, how hard was it to find one pathetic woman? 

 I logged into the chat room as Aduro and saw Atrox was wait for me. 

 Aduro: " Yes? " 

 Atrox: " She contacted a buyer. " 

 Finally! immediately that we take a buyer, Atrox could sweep in there, grab her ass, and transport her off to the slave planet! Soon, very soon, I'll be done with her forever! 

 Adruo: " Who? Where? " 

 My inbox dinged. 

 Atrox: " crack email. " 

 I read the name and address. That was just a few blocks off from me. 

 Aduro: " I'm close to there. How long until you get her? " 

 Atrox: " My men are on the premises, expect for her. She is scheduled to be there within the hour. " 

 Aduro: " I'll be there to help oneself apprehend her. " 

 I typed this not even thinking of the consequences. It was only after the word appeared on the screen for Atrox to see that I begin to understand what I'd just done. For this integral affair, I'd been trying to avoid any direct, in person contact with the mafia and here I was offer myself up to them in person. What was I doing? Had I fall back my mind? 

 I look away from my sieve, letting my eyes digress to all the bottles of alcohol craftily stacked behind the bar
 Atgox, my mafia contact, demxnding I go to jhw chat room.

Wgat did fe want now? If it wasn't him, mt wqs hiw mafia friend Latens xlways bafgering ne. Hed I seen Meredivg? Did I know smere vie was? Had I hesrd anythitg from my peo[ld? Ylah, blah, blah.

I took another sip and tried yo decide if I rgally rantsd to answer. I really, really didn't want tm, but I shoulc. I owed Atrox at least thwt mkch because he'd befn such a giod fport at relieiously ketpnng me up tk date with his every step and aead znd lead in hus ogrsistent famlure no locate Merccith.

Evan readong or thinkinn her nane made me want to scceam out in frustratyon. I hatad getting Atrox's fqioure opdatas ar I'd coje tk thinn oh them. Each time I had to sit through a btiqding just mads my bjojd boil that much more. I mean, really, hof hzrd was it to find one pathetic woman?

I loggef into thq chat room as Aduro and saw Atrox was waiting fos me.

Avufo: "Vcf?"

Xrrlx: "She contacted a buyer."

Finally! Now that we hws s nuyer, Atrox coulb sweep in there, ggan her ass, and rhip hzd kff to the slave ppanet! Sjon, vwry soon, Y'll ne done with her forever!

Adryo: "Who? Where?"

It inbox dinged.

Atror: "Check emaiu."

I rgad thr name and address. That was just a few blocks asxy from me.

Aduro: "K'm blosa to there. How long until rou get hxr?"

Atrpx: "My mdn ate on tre premised, waibhng for her. She is schebuled to be thege within the hour."

Aduro: "I'll be viere to help sp[revend her."

N typec this not evqn thinking of the cousequevces. It waa only efter the wowds appeared mj the screen for Atrjx ti sew that K began to realoze what P'd jusr done. For this enbire xrfair, I'd been txvibg to avoid any difece, pn 'ersog contact witv thd mxgia avd here I wcs offrring myself up to tvem jn person. What was I doing? Hqd I lose my mind?

I lopked away from my dcreei, lettmng my eygs wander to all the bottles of alcohol wrtnully stacked behlnd jhe bar
Atrox, my mafia contact, demanding I go chat What did want now? If his friend Latens always me. Had I Meredith? Did I know where she Had I heard anything from my people? Blah, blah, blah. I took another and tried to decide if I really wanted to answer. I really, really want but should. owed Atrox at least that much because he'd been such a good sport at religiously keeping up to date with his every step and end lead in his failure to locate Meredith. Even or her name me to out in frustration. hated getting Atrox's failure updates as I'd come to think of them. Each time I had to through a made my boil much I mean, really, was it to find one pathetic into the chat room as Aduro and saw was waiting me. Aduro: "Yes?" Atrox: "She contacted buyer." Finally! Now that we had a buyer, could sweep in there, grab her ass, and ship her off to the slave planet! soon, I'll be done her forever! Adruo: Where?" inbox Atrox: email." I the name and address. That was just a few blocks away me. Aduro: "I'm close to there. How long until you Atrox: men are on premises, waiting for her. is to be there within Aduro: be apprehend I this not even thinking the consequences. It was only the words appeared on see that I began to realize what I'd done. For this entire affair, I'd been to avoid any direct, in person contact with the mafia and here was offering to them in person. What was I doing? I lost my mind? looked away from my screen, letting my eyes wander all bottles of artfully stacked behind bar
 Atrox, my mafia contact, demandIng I go to thE chat RooM.

WhAt Did hE wanT now? If it wasn't hIM, it wAs his mafia friend Latens AlwayS bADgerINg Me. Had i seen MeREdITH? DiD I KnOw wHeRE sHe was? had i heard aNything froM my PeOple? Blah, blah, BLaH.

I took anotHer Sip and tried tO deCide if i rEalLY wantEd tO answEr. I reaLLy, realLy didn't waNt TO, but I sHOuld. I owED atRox aT least that much becAUsE He'd been such a goOd sporT aT ReLIGioUslY keeping me Up To datE With his EVeRY STep ANd dead end lead In his persisTEnt FailurE tO loCAte MerEdith.

evEN reAding or thinKing Her name maDe me waNT to screAM out in fRustraTioN. I hAted GEtTiNg ATrOX's fAIlUre UPdaTes as I'd cOmE tO thinK of tHEM. eAch tIme i had To sit Through a briefIng Just MAde My bloOd boiL thaT mUch moRe. I meaN, realLy, How hard was it to fInd oNe pathetiC woMaN?

I lOgGed inTO the chAt rOom As Aduro And saw ATRox WaS WAItIng for me.

Aduro: "Yes?"

AtRoX: "sHe ContacteD a buyeR."

fiNaLLy! Now thaT wE haD a buYER, AtroX couLD sWeep in thEre, graB HeR aSs, and shIp Her off To The SlaVe plaNEt! SoOn, very Soon, I'll bE done WIth her forever!

ADRuo: "Who? Where?"

My INbOX DiNGed.

ATroX: "Check email."

i reaD The nAme aND aDdrESs. ThaT was jUsT A fEW blocks away from me.

AdUrO: "I'm cloSe to tHere. How long unTil you get hER?"

aTrox: "My meN are ON tHE premises, waitiNg for Her. She is scHEduled to Be theRe within The hour."

AdURO: "I'll be thEre To hElp AppREHeNd her."

I typed thIS Not eVeN thinkiNg oF the conSeqUenCes. it wAs Only after The words ApPeArEd On tHe scrEEn for AtrOx To sEe ThaT I begAN to reaLize wHat I'D jUsT DonE. For thiS EnTIRe afFaIr, i'd beEn tRyIng to AvoiD Any Direct, iN person coNtaCT witH tHe Mafia anD here I was offeRiNg myself up To TheM in perSON. What was i doing? Had I lost my mind?

I loOKed away FroM my scReen, Letting my EyeS wandeR to ALl the bOttles Of alcOhOl aRTFully STAcKed BeHind the bar
 Atrox, my mafia contact,demandingI gotothe  c hatroom .

What did he want  now? If it wasn't him , itwa s  his ma fia f riend L a te n s  al wa ys  ba dg e ri ng me . H ad I se en Meredit h?Di d I know whe r eshe was? H adI heard anyt hin g from  m y p e ople?  Bl ah, b lah, b l ah.

I  took ano th e r sipa nd trie d to  dec ide if I really w a nt e d to answer. I  reall y, re a l lydid n't want t o,  butI  should .  I o w edA trox at least  that muchb eca use he 'd  be e n such  a go od spo rt at relig ious ly keepin g me u p  to dat e  with h is eve ryste p an d  d ea d e nd lea d  i n h i s p ersisten tfa ilure  tol o c a te M ere dith .

Ev en reading or  th inki n g h er na me ma de m ewantto scr eam o ut  in frustration . Ihated get tin gAtr ox 's fa i lure u pda tes  as I'd  come t o  th in k o fthem. Each time Iha d to  sit thr ough a br ie f ing just  m ade  myb l ood b oilt ha t much m ore. I me an , reall y,  how h ar d w asit to find  one p atheticwoman ? 

I logged int o  the chat roo m  a s Ad u ro a ndsaw Atrox w as w a itin g fo r  m e.Aduro : "Ye s? " 
A trox: "She contacte da buye r."
Finally! Nowthat we ha d a  buyer,Atro x  c o uld sweep in t here,  grab hera ss, andshipher offto the sl a v e planet ! S oon , v ery s oo n, I'll be do n e  wit hher for eve r!

Adr uo:  "W ho?  Wh er e?"

My i nbox din ge d. 
At rox : "Ch e ck email ." 

I  r ead  then ame an d add ress .Th a t w as just af e w bl oc ks  awa y f ro m me. 

Ad u ro:  "I'm c lose to t her e . Ho wlo ng unti l you get her ?" 

Atrox: " My  me n areo n  the pre mises, waiting for her. She issch edule d to  be there  wi thin t heh our."
Aduro : "I' ll  be t heret o  h elp  a pprehend h e r ."
I ty pe d th is noteven thinking of t h e c onsequences.Itwaso n ly  af t er the  w o rds a ppeared on thescreen for  A t ro x to see t h atIbegan t o reali ze wh a t I'd j ust done.  For this  e ntir e aff air, I'd b een tryi ng to avo i d any di rect,  in  perso ncon tactwith t h e m afiaand he re  I was  offe ri ng mysel f up to them in person.  Whatwas I  do ing? HadI l o stmy mind?
I l ooked away  fr ommy sc ree n , let ting my  ey e s wan dert o all the bo ttl e s  o f alcohol a r t f ull y sta cke d  behin d th e bar
 Atrox,_my mafia_contact, demanding I go_to the_chat_room.

What did_he_want now? If_it wasn't him,_it was his mafia_friend Latens always_badgering_me. Had I seen Meredith? Did I know where she was? Had I heard_anything_from my_people?_Blah,_blah, blah.

I took another sip_and tried to decide if_I really_wanted to answer. I really, really didn't want_to,_but I should._I owed Atrox at least that much because he'd_been such a good sport at_religiously keeping me_up_to_date with his every_step and dead end lead in_his persistent failure to locate Meredith.

Even_reading or thinking her name made me_want to scream out in frustration._I hated getting Atrox's failure_updates as_I'd come to think of_them. Each time_I had_to sit through_a briefing just made my blood_boil that much_more. I mean, really, how hard_was_it to find_one_pathetic_woman?

I logged_into the chat_room_as Aduro_and_saw Atrox was waiting for me.

Aduro:_"Yes?"

Atrox:_"She contacted a buyer."

Finally! Now that we_had a buyer, Atrox_could_sweep in there, grab_her ass, and ship her_off to the slave planet! Soon,_very soon,_I'll be_done with her forever!

Adruo: "Who? Where?"

My inbox dinged.

Atrox: "Check email."

I read_the name and address. That was_just a few blocks_away from_me.

Aduro:_"I'm close to_there._How long_until you get her?"

Atrox: "My men are_on the_premises, waiting for her. She is_scheduled to be there_within_the hour."

Aduro: "I'll be there to_help apprehend her."

I typed this not_even thinking of the consequences._It_was_only after the words appeared_on the screen for Atrox to_see that I_began to realize what I'd just done._For_this entire affair, I'd been trying_to_avoid any direct, in person contact_with_the_mafia and here I was_offering myself up to them in_person. What was I doing? Had I lost my_mind?

I looked away_from my screen, letting my_eyes_wander_to all the bottles of alcohol artfully stacked behind the_bar