Ax’s comment was dismissive. It was not
flattery.
“I figured we’re fifty grand richer, what the
hell, let’s go on a shopping spree.”
“So now what, you’re being evasive? I need
some fresh air. I need to think.” Ax started to walk toward the
door.
“No, don’t go.”
“I won’t be long. I need to concentrate, and
I can’t think in this smelly apartment with you sitting there with
your sunglasses on like some kind of eccentric recluse.”
“I have to show you something before you
leave.” I took off the new sunglasses.
Ax was unnerved and unfocused. “What? What do
you want to show me?” I pointed to my left eye. He leaned over and
examined it. Then he backed away a little to compare it to the
right. “Now I understand why you’re wearing the dark glasses.”
“Did this ever happen to you before?”
“No, I don’t think so.”
“But you’re not sure?”
“Not one hundred percent. I don’t vex over
the eyes like you do. I get them as close as I can without losing
my mind. But you, you’re a fanatic. You have to copy the iris like
it’s the blueprint for a microchip.”
“Who knew I would have trouble changing back.
Like I said, I don’t think it ever happened before.”
“There’s so much we don’t understand about
this. It’s not as if there’s a textbook we can read. You and I,
we’re one of a kind. I mean we talk about this all the time—we
worry that one day, one of us will change and not be able to change
back. You even joke about it. You told me just this afternoon about
the weirdoes you saw in Toontown, and how it frightens you that one
day you’ll get stuck in a body like that. I mean we have to
consider the possibility, and now with this . . .” Ax was getting
worked up, which was very uncommon for my Zen brother. “We’ll have
to think long and hard before we copy anyone again. I mean we might
get stuck like that forever.”
“Now you’re the one who’s getting
paranoid.”
“We can’t treat this like a game anymore, not
after this. We’re getting older. As we age, our bodies lose
flexibility. We lose resiliency. Maybe this is the end of the line.
Maybe we’re too old.”
“Well, if this is the end of the line, I’m
going out as Scarlett Johansson. That girl has the looks, the
money, and the body guys die for.”
“You don’t have enough body mass to copy her
exquisite rear end.”
“I’ll put on a few. Nothing’s
impossible.”
“What about me?”
I suggest you take a run at Zac Efron.”
“Too pretty. I’m more of a Taylor Lautner
kind of guy.”
“Solid choice. It has nothing to with his
ability to become a wolf, does it? You’re not jealous, are
you?”
“I can’t believe we’re laughing about
this.”
“What do you want me to do? I look like a
circus sideshow attraction.”
“Maybe you just need a little help.”
“What do you mean?”
“A little Chinese medicine, something to help
the body relax.”
“I don’t like to take anything, you know
that.”
“Now, we’ve talked about this.”
“Let me sleep on it. Maybe all I need is a
good night’s rest.”
“Maybe. I’m still going out for a walk. I
still need to think about the money and where it came from.”
“Do you want company?
“Sure, okay, what do I ever do without
you?”
“Pee.”
“That’s about the only boundary you
respect.”
“Let’s face it, brother of mine: we’re
close.”
Ten: Dirty Work
Shawn Riley was not a lucky man. There
was the whole soccer thing gone bad, the steroid abuse, the heroin
addiction, expulsion from school, falling in with the wrong element
in order to feed the monkey on his back, and so on and so forth. He
was like the Antichrist; storm clouds would gather on the sunniest
day as soon as he stepped outside. Open freeways would grind to a
halt the moment he put his key in the ignition. It had taken him
two and half hours for a one-hour ride out to Shinnecock Bay and
the section of the cove he knew was
flattery.
“I figured we’re fifty grand richer, what the
hell, let’s go on a shopping spree.”
“So now what, you’re being evasive? I need
some fresh air. I need to think.” Ax started to walk toward the
door.
“No, don’t go.”
“I won’t be long. I need to concentrate, and
I can’t think in this smelly apartment with you sitting there with
your sunglasses on like some kind of eccentric recluse.”
“I have to show you something before you
leave.” I took off the new sunglasses.
Ax was unnerved and unfocused. “What? What do
you want to show me?” I pointed to my left eye. He leaned over and
examined it. Then he backed away a little to compare it to the
right. “Now I understand why you’re wearing the dark glasses.”
“Did this ever happen to you before?”
“No, I don’t think so.”
“But you’re not sure?”
“Not one hundred percent. I don’t vex over
the eyes like you do. I get them as close as I can without losing
my mind. But you, you’re a fanatic. You have to copy the iris like
it’s the blueprint for a microchip.”
“Who knew I would have trouble changing back.
Like I said, I don’t think it ever happened before.”
“There’s so much we don’t understand about
this. It’s not as if there’s a textbook we can read. You and I,
we’re one of a kind. I mean we talk about this all the time—we
worry that one day, one of us will change and not be able to change
back. You even joke about it. You told me just this afternoon about
the weirdoes you saw in Toontown, and how it frightens you that one
day you’ll get stuck in a body like that. I mean we have to
consider the possibility, and now with this . . .” Ax was getting
worked up, which was very uncommon for my Zen brother. “We’ll have
to think long and hard before we copy anyone again. I mean we might
get stuck like that forever.”
“Now you’re the one who’s getting
paranoid.”
“We can’t treat this like a game anymore, not
after this. We’re getting older. As we age, our bodies lose
flexibility. We lose resiliency. Maybe this is the end of the line.
Maybe we’re too old.”
“Well, if this is the end of the line, I’m
going out as Scarlett Johansson. That girl has the looks, the
money, and the body guys die for.”
“You don’t have enough body mass to copy her
exquisite rear end.”
“I’ll put on a few. Nothing’s
impossible.”
“What about me?”
I suggest you take a run at Zac Efron.”
“Too pretty. I’m more of a Taylor Lautner
kind of guy.”
“Solid choice. It has nothing to with his
ability to become a wolf, does it? You’re not jealous, are
you?”
“I can’t believe we’re laughing about
this.”
“What do you want me to do? I look like a
circus sideshow attraction.”
“Maybe you just need a little help.”
“What do you mean?”
“A little Chinese medicine, something to help
the body relax.”
“I don’t like to take anything, you know
that.”
“Now, we’ve talked about this.”
“Let me sleep on it. Maybe all I need is a
good night’s rest.”
“Maybe. I’m still going out for a walk. I
still need to think about the money and where it came from.”
“Do you want company?
“Sure, okay, what do I ever do without
you?”
“Pee.”
“That’s about the only boundary you
respect.”
“Let’s face it, brother of mine: we’re
close.”
Ten: Dirty Work
Shawn Riley was not a lucky man. There
was the whole soccer thing gone bad, the steroid abuse, the heroin
addiction, expulsion from school, falling in with the wrong element
in order to feed the monkey on his back, and so on and so forth. He
was like the Antichrist; storm clouds would gather on the sunniest
day as soon as he stepped outside. Open freeways would grind to a
halt the moment he put his key in the ignition. It had taken him
two and half hours for a one-hour ride out to Shinnecock Bay and
the section of the cove he knew was
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