"E-reader devices", naming

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by pshrynk

The clerk responded, "His code name is Slite. He's an operative based in Sweden."

"So what's he doing here in Mexico?" asked Hilda.

"He's on holiday, apparently."

so THAT's where he's been !!!!

...and he's working with hilda ??? hm. that's an unexpected twist !!!

(you're right patricia, i'm starting to feel worried !)

[pshrynk]

Harv sat in the train car and stared out the window. Since regular stops had been added to Adrian's Landing, it was much simpler to get into Panama City. He enjoyed that. What he did not enjoy was the grousing and grumbling coming from the vicinity of his feet.

"Why do I gotta always sit on the floor? This is speciesist, I tell you!"

"It's not my idea, Vivaldi. The Rail Company made the rules."

He pointed at a sign at the far end of the car that read:

All animals (Including dogs, cats, ducks, llamas, pandas (even the type with the funny hardware growing out of their ears), frogs, rats, strange South American rodents, xeno-biological mistakes from Australia, and especially squirrels) will be seated on the floor. And those damned Shiba Inu puppies will be in a crate in the baggage car until they are house trained!

Below it, someone had pancilled in: Of course, this does not, in any way apply to imaginary, invisible, violence prone gibbons, and we would like to politely ask Mr Adrian to refrain from flicking peanut shells at the conductors. Our health insurance premiums are sky-rocketing.

"Well, it doesn't say talking dogs."

"I think that the conductor made his position fairly clear the last time you tried that argument," said Harv.

"He could have at least let the train stop before he threw me off."

"I thought he was doing well to wait for it to slow down for the curve. Besides, what you said about his mother was not only wrong, but improbable."

"Lousy service, any way. They don't even have a radio."

"Look, I agreed to your proposal! Let's just let it go..."

"I just think I should have gotten a bonus time for doing it without actually touching the line."

"Well, I think you should have got nothing and like it for not doing anything at all, but I'm just happy to have ska banned for eternity."

Across the aisle from Harv, two socks sat in their seats and looked smug.

[zelda_pinwheel]

i just can't get enough of this lively banter between harv and vr. try to keep him from getting thrown out of the train this time.

[badgoodDeb]

And here I started reading, expecting that the floor-level conversation was coming from the socks!!

[pshrynk]

Harv stepped off the train in Panama City, Vivaldi grumbling behind him. THe socks jumped off and took off into the city to do whatver it was they did on Saturday nights. He turned toward the downtown, Rick's Cafe Americain, Panama City his destination.

"When the revolution comes, that Rail Company is going to find itself on permanent Walkies!"

"What?"

"Nothing! Nothing! It's a pleasant evening for walking, wouldn't you say? Taking a nice revolution around the city, and so on?"

"You know, I sometimes wonder..."

Harv's thoughts were interrupted mid ponder by the clipped British accent of Lieutentant Colonel Biggles. "Wallbanger, old chap! Good to see you! I was just heading down to Rick's and hoped I might see you there!"

"Oh, dear god!" muttered Vivaldi, "Here it comes..."

"Oo's a goo boy, den, Vivvie? Oo's a goo boy?"

"I guess that would be me. Could we get on with this? I could really use a beer right now."

"You know, Wallbanger, that is one intelligent dog you have there. Why it's almost like he can talk."

"Yeah, and it's almost like you can hear. Amazingly life-like for a petrified head, I must say."

"Shh!" said Harv. "Why was it you were looking for me, Colonel? Got something you need smuggled into Columbia? Or out?"

"Yes, ee's a goo boy, den! No, old chap, I've no need of your particular 'talents' in avoiding official notice this week. Let's walk. We can talk when we get to Rick's.

"Let's go, Vivvie! Let's go! Walkies!"

"Just for that, you're getting the first round!"

[badgoodDeb]

At least the Walkies aren't gosh-awful cold, in Panama City. Maybe me & mine will come join you on that walk. It's sposed to get even More Cold here real soon, this week.

[ShortNCuddlyAm]

Vivvie

[zelda_pinwheel]

"Yeah, and it's almost like you can hear. Amazingly life-like for a petrified head, I must say."

[pshrynk]

The taxi driver downshifted and floored it, swinging around the corner into the barrios. He weaved in and out of the foot traffic like a snake on metamucil. Sliding to a halt in front of a decrepit little cantina, he jumped out and ran inside.

"It's me, Juan!" he cried out.

"Juan who?" came the reply.

"How should I know your name? We were just introduced."

"Enter." As the cabbie walked by the bartender, he saw him put a sawed off shotgun away under the cash register. He went through the curtained doorway and into a darkened room. A shape lurked in the corner that he could not make out.

"Well?"

"Senor! The American has been secured."

"Was there any problem?"

"No. She was somewhat reluctant to cooperate, but we were able to be quite persuasive. She calmed down quickly when we introduced her to our little friend."

"Excellent! Have the barman pay you for your expenses on the way out."

The cabbie hastily exited the room. He had heard rumors about what happened to people who lingered there.

[zelda_pinwheel]

a mysterious shape in the corner !! i won't even dare speculate as to what that could be...

[badgoodDeb]

.... and which little friend was she introduced too??? The tension mounts.

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

.... and which little friend was she introduced too??? The tension mounts.

as tight as an unwound pocket watch .... or ...

as the foot exclaimed to the suspender ....

[pshrynk]

They walked into Rick's Cafe Americain, side by side. Rick, standing by the piano player, gave them the usual greeting, "I don't want trouble makers in my bar! You two get out! Hello, Colonel! Your usual table?"

"He always makes me feel so welcome," came the voice from near the floor. Vivaldi walked past the piano, hiked his leg briefly, and then settled down in his doggie bed at the back. He ordered a plate of bacon and a beer, putting it on Adrian's tab.

Harv and Biggles went to a small table in the back of the room. Ordering drinks and trying to get a tab started, then refused, they sat in an awkward silence.

"So, Lt Colonel, what was it you wanted to speak with me about?" HArv finally broke the silence.

"Erm... Well, the thing is... You see... It's a matter of some delicacy."

"Shouldn't you be seeing Dr Montsnmags about that? I hear that he has some... unique approaches to that sort of thing. For an extra ten bucks or so, he won't even tell your wife."

"Not that sort of delicacy!" Biggles looked, if possible, more embarrassed. "No, it's about Vera. Again."

Harv sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "What sort of problems has she fallen into, this time?"

"I'm not sure. You see, it has to do with her job..."

"You mean as a spy?"

"SHHH!" Several people seated around them turned to look at Biggles as he nearly fell off his chair. "Good, Lord, man! Have you not any ability to be subtle?"

"Pretty much no, actually. What's going on?"

"Well, I'm not supposed to be telling you this and her office claims that they have everything in hand. But without her there to ride herd on them, I can't really trust that they will not make a foul hash of the whole thing.

"You see, she's disappeared. Again. Erm."

"Any clues as to where, this time?"

"Well, there's the mercy, at least. We know exactly where she was headed. Mexico city."

A fight broke out in the back of the room where two sailors discovered that they had been insulting each other for the last five minutes. As the MPs would later find out, neither had actually said anything. Only Harv noticed the small grey dog jumping up to their table and drinking their beers in the confusion.

"Mexico City? Why on earth would she be going there other than to buy Talavera pottery?"

"It's that Miyatake woman."

A cold dread settled on Harv's heart.

[badgoodDeb]

Dum, da dum dum.....

Hope Vera brings home some nice pottery too. It's always useful to have something you can smash when you are mad. [rem to self: try that sometime]

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by pshrynk

A fight broke out in the back of the room where two sailors discovered that they had been insulting each other for the last five minutes. As the MPs would later find out, neither had actually said anything. Only Harv noticed the small grey dog jumping up to their table and drinking their beers in the confusion.

trust vr never to lose sight of the goal...

it sounds like harv is going to need the help of hugo and lefty to rescue vera again. where did they disappear to, by the way ?