14.
Early this evening

Dwayne left at 4:47 exactly.

Took a swing by the dungeon. No sign of Gus. Out in the parking lot, no sign of the
Honda with the satin pillowcase on the driver’s seat.

Used some tradecraft. Found something I wasn’t supposed to see.

Can’t say my hopes were dashed. Can’t say I was surprised at all.

*

Someone has to watch the watchers. Someone really good. Someone the watchers
will never suspect.

Someone that doesn’t need the drug to make him paranoid. Who has another trick
for never driving the same way twice, never leaving work at the same time, never
ordering the same item off the deli menu.

*

For the record, I never joined the service because I loved the game. Some do. They are
the athletes of betrayal. They don’t need patriotism or money or fame to do what they
do. They lie and cheat and betray for the love of the game itself.

It’s at least clean.

I was never like that. I wanted to protect my country. I wanted to keep Mom and Dad from
getting divorced. I wanted to make it up to Tina that I hated her for going to LA and then
she died. You can’t afford to hate the people you love, even for a moment, because they
can be taken from you.

What I’m saying is, I’m not like you. I’m just an amateur.

But I still like to win.

You should know that you are not the only person reading this. The first, but not the last.

15 -> past present

14.
Early this evening

Dwayne left at 4:47 exactly.

Took a swing by the dungeon. No sign of Gus. Out in the parking lot, no sign of the
Honda with the satin pillowcase on the driver’s seat.

Used some tradecraft. Found something I wasn’t supposed to see.

Can’t say my hopes were dashed. Can’t say I was surprised at all.

*

Someone has to watch the watchers. Someone really good. Someone the watchers
will never suspect.

Someone that doesn’t need the drug to make him paranoid. Who has another trick
for never driving the same way twice, never leaving work at the same time, never
ordering the same item off the deli menu.

*

For the record, I never joined the service because I loved the game. Some do. They are
the athletes of betrayal. They don’t need patriotism or money or fame to do what they
do. They lie and cheat and betray for the love of the game itself.

It’s at least clean.

I was never like that. I wanted to protect my country. I wanted to keep Mom and Dad from
getting divorced. I wanted to make it up to Tina that I hated her for going to LA and then
she died. You can’t afford to hate the people you love, even for a moment, because they
can be taken from you.

What I’m saying is, I’m not like you. I’m just an amateur.

But I still like to win.

You should know that you are not the only person reading this. The first, but not the last.

15 -> past present