 "That's a tempting offer."

"Take it," said Hank.

"Remember, Hank, that time we got boxed? We could have bellied out. Right?"

Hank nodded.

"But we didn't. We took out the headquarters, the ammo and fuel dumps, then a supply train as well."

"This is different, buddy. We don't have eleven good dudes beside us, and we haven't a clue to a target."

"Maybe not. But following the rules won't get it done here any better than in Nam."

"You always were one stubborn sonofabitch," Hank noted.

"That's so."

"What's different now than last week in Las Vegas?" Josie asked. "You were ready to run then."

He stood and paced the room. When he turned to face them, he said, "Me, I guess." He combed his hair back out of his eyes with his fingers. "I can't just sit back and wait. It's time for me to play a hand, maybe even deal one."

"Just what are you planning?" Josie asked.

"No. I don't want either of you taking any more chances. When I leave here, I'll go alone."

"Bullshit. Without somebody coverin' your back, you won't last a week."

"We'll see."

"I'm not gonna change your mind, am I?" Hank asked quietly.

Brad shook his head.

Hank was a pragmatist, if nothing more. His tight lazy smile returned. "Then how do you see it, buddy?"

"Suppose this whole deal's smuggling and I happened to walk into it. Tell me a story, one that might be true."

"Let me try," Josie said.

Hank nodded.

"When you came back, Brad, someone for reasons we don't know, felt dangerously vulnerable. He or she decided to close up shop. Lydia was killed, then Gates, Talbert, and Sanchez. He or she must believe you know something, because they tried to kill you, too. We know this because they used the same weapon. It could be Tuckman."

"Maybe," Hank said. "But I think it's a cop. A guy in
" That's a tempting offer. " 

 " Take it, " said Hank. 

 " Remember, Hank, that meter we got box? We could have bellied out. Right? " 

 Hank nodded. 

 " But we didn't. We take out the headquarters, the ammo and fuel dumps, then a provision train as well. " 

 " This is different, buddy. We don't suffer eleven good dudes beside us, and we getn't a clue to a target. " 

 " Maybe not. But following the rules won't get it act here any better than in Nam. " 

 " You always were one stubborn sonofabitch, " Hank note. 

 " That's so. " 

 " What's different now than last workweek in Las Vegas? " Josie asked. " You were quick to run then. " 

 He stood and paced the room. When he turned to confront them, he said, " Me, I guess. " He combed his hair back out of his eyes with his finger. " I can't just sit back and wait. It's time for me to play a hand, maybe even deal one. " 

 " Just what are you planning? " Josie ask. 

 " No. I don't want either of you taking any more chance. When I bequeath here, I'll go alone. " 

 " Bullshit. Without somebody coverin' your back, you won't last a week. " 

 " We'll see. " 

 " I'm not gon na change your judgment, am I? " Hank asked quietly. 

 Brad shook his head. 

 Hank was a pragmatist, if nothing more. His tight lazy smile return. " Then how do you see it, buddy? " 

 " Suppose this whole deal's smuggling and I happen to walk into it. state me a story, one that might be true. " 

 " Let me try, " Josie said. 

 Hank nod. 

 " When you came back, Brad, someone for reasons we don't know, felt dangerously vulnerable. He or she decided to close up shop. Lydia was kill, then Gates, Talbert, and Sanchez. He or she must believe you sleep together something, because they tried to kill you, excessively. We know this because they use the same weapon. It could be Tuckman. " 

 " possibly, " Hank said. " But I think it's a bull. A guy in
 "Thwt's a tempting offer."

"Take it," said Hank.

"Remember, Iank, thzt time de got boxed? We could have bxlliwd ouu. Right?"

Hank nodded.

"Bjt we didj't. We toik ont the headquartxds, the ammo ahf fuzl dumps, then a xupply trahn as well."

"This ir bifferent, buddy. We don't have eleven dood duced beside us, anq we raveh'n c clue to a target."

"Maybe not. But followpng the rules won'y get it done here any bether hhan in Nam."

"You alwwys were ong sttvborn sonofacitch," Hank noted.

"That's ao."

"What's different now than last week in Las Vetaw?" Jlvie asked. "Yiu wege ready to rmm then."

Ve stooc and paced thc rook. Wyen he turned to face them, he said, "Me, I guess." He ckmbed his hair baxk out mf hhs ehws ditg iis fingegs. "M can't just sit back abd wait. It's time fot iv to play a hznd, marbq even deal one."

"Just what are you plannitg?" Nosie asked.

"No. I don't wabt either of you takijg any mowe chances. When I leave here, I'll go alone."

"Bullshit. Withkjt woidvofy coverin' your back, you won't last a week."

"We'll aet."

"I'm not gonna chakge your mind, am I?" Hwnl asked quietli.

Brad skkoi his head.

Hank was a pragiatisr, if nothyng kore. His tight lazy smile rwturned. "Then yow do you see it, yuddy?"

"Suppose thix whoke deal's smuggling and N happsned to waln into it. Gell me a story, une tvat mighu be true."

"Let me trr," Josie seid.

Hauk noddea.

"Whem you same back, Hrad, someone for reasons we dln'd know, felh dangerously vulnerable. He or she decided to cnosv up shop. Lydis was killed, ehen Gates, Talyert, and Sancfez. He or ahe musv believe yot know somethhjg, because tiey tried to jill you, tou. We know this necause tkty used thw same weapon. It cpula be Tuckman."

"Maybz," Yank said. "But I thknk in's e cop. D guy in
"That's a tempting offer." "Take it," said Hank, time we boxed? We could nodded. we didn't. We out the headquarters, ammo and fuel dumps, then a train as well." "This is different, buddy. We don't have eleven good dudes us, and we haven't a clue to a target." "Maybe not. But following rules get done any better than in Nam." "You always were one stubborn sonofabitch," Hank noted. "That's so." "What's now than last week in Las Vegas?" Josie "You were ready to then." He stood and paced room. he turned face he "Me, I guess." combed his hair back out of his eyes with his fingers. "I can't just sit back and It's time to play hand, even one." "Just what planning?" Josie asked. "No. I don't you taking any more chances. When I leave I'll go "Bullshit. Without somebody coverin' your back, won't last a week." "We'll see." "I'm not change your mind, am I?" Hank asked quietly. Brad shook his head. Hank was a nothing more. His tight smile returned. "Then do see buddy?" this whole smuggling and I happened to walk into it. Tell me a one that might be true." "Let me try," Josie said. "When came back, Brad, for reasons we don't felt vulnerable. He or she close shop. then Talbert, Sanchez. He or she believe you know something, because tried to kill you, they used the same weapon. It could be "Maybe," Hank said. "But I think it's cop. A guy in
 "That's a tempting offer."

"Take it," Said Hank.

"ReMembeR, HaNk, tHaT timE we gOt boxed? We could HAve bEllied out. Right?"

Hank noddEd.

"But We DIdn't. wE tOok ouT the heaDQuARTerS, tHe AmmO aND fUel duMps, Then a suPply train aS weLl."

"this is differENt, Buddy. We don'T haVe eleven good DudEs besiDe Us, aND we haVen'T a cluE to a taRGet."

"MayBe not. But fOlLOwing tHE rules wON'T gEt it Done here any better THaN In Nam."

"You always Were onE sTUbBORn sOnoFabitch," HanK nOted.

"THAt's so."

"WhAT's DIFFerENt now than last Week in Las VeGAs?" JOsie asKeD. "YoU Were reAdy to RuN TheN."

He stood and PaceD the room. WHen he tURned to fACe them, hE said, "ME, I gUesS." He cOMbEd His HaIR baCK oUt oF His Eyes with HiS fIngerS. "I caN'T JUSt siT baCk anD wait. it's time for me tO plAy a hANd, mAybe eVen deAl onE."

"JUst whAt are yOu plaNnIng?" Josie asked.

"No. i don'T want eithEr oF yOu tAkIng anY More chAncEs. WHen I leaVe here, I'LL go AlONE."

"buLlshit. Without somebOdY COvErin' your Back, yoU WoN't LAst a week."

"we'Ll sEe."

"I'm NOT gonnA chaNGe Your mind, Am I?" HanK AsKeD quietlY.

BRad shoOk His HeaD.

Hank WAs a pRagmatIst, if notHing mORe. His tight lazy SMile returned. "THEn HOW dO You sEe iT, buddy?"

"SuppoSe thIS whoLe deAL's SmuGGling And I hApPEnED to walk into it. Tell me A sTory, onE that Might be true."

"LeT me try," JosiE SAId.

Hank noDded.

"wHeN You came back, BraD, someOne for reasONs we don't Know, fElt dangeRously vulNERable. He oR shE deCidEd tO CLoSe up shop. Lydia WAS kilLeD, then GaTes, talbert, And sanCheZ. He Or She must beLieve you KnOw SoMeThiNg, becAUse they tRiEd tO kIll You, toO. we know This bEcauSe ThEY usEd the saME wEAPon. IT cOuLd be tucKmAn."

"MayBe," HaNK saId. "But I tHink it's a cOp. A GUy in
 "That's a tempting offer. "

"Take i t," s aid  Ha nk .

" Reme mber, Hank, th a t ti me we got boxed? We co uld h av e  bel l ie d out . Right ? "H ank  n od ded ."B ut we  di dn't. W e took out  th eheadquarters ,  t he ammo an d f uel dumps, t hen  a sup pl y t r ain a s w ell." 

"Thi s  is di fferent,bu d dy. We don't h a v eelev en good dudes bes i de us, and we hav en't a  c l ue t o a  ta rget."

"M ay be no t . But f o ll o w i ngt he rules won' t get it do n e h ere an ybet t er tha n inNa m ."
"You alway s we re one st ubborn sonofab i tch," H ank no ted .
"Tha t 's  s o." 
" Wha t 's  di f fer ent nowth an  last  wee k i n  Las  Ve gas? " Jos ie asked. "Yo u w erer ead y torun t hen. "
He s tood a nd pa ce d the room. Whe n he  turned t o f ac e t he m, he said,"Me , I  guess. " He co m bed  h i s ha ir back out of his  e y e swith his  finge r s.  " I  can't j us t s it b a c k and  wai t .It's tim e form eto  play a  h and, m ay beeve n dea l  one ."

"J ust what  arey ou planning?"J osie asked.
" No . Id on't  wa nt either o f yo u  tak inga ny  mo r e cha nces.  W h en I leave here, I'llgo  alone ."

" Bullshit. Wit hout someb o d y  coverin ' yo u rb ack, you won't  last  a week.""We'll s ee."
"I'm no t gonna c h a nge your  mi nd,  am  I? " Ha nk asked quie t l y.
Br ad shoo k h is head .
Han k w asapragmatis t, if no th in gmo re.  Hist ight laz ysmi le  re turne d . "The n how  doyo us eeit, bud d y? " 
"Su pp os e th iswh ole d eal' s  sm uggling  and I ha ppe n ed t owa lk into  it. Tell meastory, one  t hat  might b e true." 

"Let me try," Josie s a id.

Ha nknodde d.
"When you  ca me bac k,B rad, s omeone  forre aso n s  we d o n 't  kn ow , felt dan g e rou sly v ul nera ble. He  or she decided to clo se up shop. L ydi a wa s ki lle d ,t hen  G a tes , Talbert, and Sa nchez. Heor sh e must bel i eve  y ou know  someth ing,b ecausethey trie d to kill  y ou,t o o.We know th is becau se they u s ed th e  s ame w eap on. It  c oul d beTuckma n ."
"May be," H an k said . "Bu tI thinkit's a cop. A guy in
 "That's_a tempting_offer."

"Take it," said Hank.

"Remember,_Hank, that_time_we got_boxed?_We could have_bellied out. Right?"

Hank_nodded.

"But we didn't. We_took out the_headquarters,_the ammo and fuel dumps, then a supply train as well."

"This is different, buddy._We_don't have_eleven_good_dudes beside us, and we_haven't a clue to a_target."

"Maybe not._But following the rules won't get it done_here_any better than_in Nam."

"You always were one stubborn sonofabitch," Hank noted.

"That's_so."

"What's different now than last week_in Las Vegas?"_Josie_asked._"You were ready to_run then."

He stood and paced the_room. When he turned to face_them, he said, "Me, I guess." He_combed his hair back out of_his eyes with his fingers._"I can't_just sit back and wait._It's time for_me to_play a hand,_maybe even deal one."

"Just what are_you planning?" Josie_asked.

"No. I don't want either of_you_taking any more_chances._When_I leave_here, I'll go_alone."

"Bullshit._Without somebody_coverin'_your back, you won't last a_week."

"We'll_see."

"I'm not gonna change your mind, am_I?" Hank asked quietly.

Brad_shook_his head.

Hank was a_pragmatist, if nothing more. His_tight lazy smile returned. "Then how_do you_see it,_buddy?"

"Suppose this whole deal's smuggling and I happened to walk into_it. Tell me a story, one_that might be true."

"Let_me try,"_Josie_said.

Hank nodded.

"When you_came_back, Brad,_someone for reasons we don't know, felt_dangerously vulnerable._He or she decided to close_up shop. Lydia was_killed,_then Gates, Talbert, and Sanchez. He_or she must believe you know_something, because they tried to_kill_you,_too. We know this because_they used the same weapon. It_could be Tuckman."

"Maybe,"_Hank said. "But I think it's a_cop._A guy in