8:41 a.m.

Nosegay sat on the mayor's couch, slumped over, a listless expression on her face. The television was on, and as she indiscriminately flicked through the channels she let out a sigh. At least things were starting to get interesting, she thought. Still though, it was so mind-numbingly boring, sitting in the mayor's cold, solumn mansion.

"Ugh!" she threw the remote down in disgust. There was nothing on, and she didn't feel like sitting there anyway.

"Fuck this, I'm going out," she said defiantly, arranging her hair in an ornate mirror hanging over the mantle. Satisfied with her appearence, she turned to leave. Nook and the mayor were coming in from the kitchen, both out of breath and muddy from their journey.

Shit, she thought, sinking back onto the couch.

.

Nook sat down next to Nosegay, who looked horrified, "I wonder who's going to be next? Probably me. I've got a wife and kids!" tears were welling in his eyes, and Nosegay threw a pleading look to Tortimer, who eased himself into the recliner and said, "Mink's dead, all right. Head gone, just like Sven. This isn't good. Stop blubbering, Nook! Let me think."

Nook blew his nose on his apron and sniffed, "I can't deal with this shit, I want out."

Tortimer shook his head, "Don't start, Nook. You knew what you were getting into, you knew the risks involved."

"Yeah, jail! Five to six years in a minimum security prison with conjugal visits, that's what! Not...not this. They killed Sven, and Mink, they kidnapped your own granddaughter, mayor!"

Tortimer was ignoring him, staring out the window, lost in his thoughts. Seven months ago, his twelve year old granddaughter had mysteriously vanished from her bunk at her summer camp over in Calistan. Her parents had sued the camp, for neglact, but the mayor knew otherwise. It'd been Gulliver's doing.

Nosegay scratched her head, "Anyway, now that both Mink and Sven are dead I don't think Joan would come near Lemon again. She won't risk it."

"You're probably right," Nook said hopefully, "Which means Gulliver or whoever will just leave us alone, right mayor?"

Tortimer gave him a pitying look, "Nook, you are so naive. Why would they just 'leave us alone', as you put it? So we could rat them out to the police? They're not going to stop until they have all of our heads."

Nook screeched and buryed his head in his hands, wailing. Nosegay rolled her eyes, "Well, in that case they'll probably take me last. They won't want my videotape coming out before they have a chance to take you two down."

Nook let out another deafening moan. Tortimer glared at her, "Yeah, this precious videotape you keep mentioning. We've yet to see a copy."

She smiled at him, "I bet you'd love to see it, huh? Too bad. You'll see it when the cops do, asshole."

"Look," the mayor said, "Now is not the time for us to turn against each other. We need to present a strong, united front against our common enemy! We have to show them we're not going to take this laying down!"

"Oh, and what do you suggest we do, hmmm?" She said sarcastically, "Sven, our hitman, is dead. I'm a girl, Nook is a pussy and you're three hundred years old. They're going to pick us off one by one and there isn't a damn thing any of us can do about it."

"You seem remarkably casual about it, Nosegay."

She shrugged, "I might just have a few tricks up my sleeve, mayor."

Nook wiped his eyes and stood up, "Well, maybe you two can sit here and wait for them to cut off your heads, but not me. I'm getting the fuck out of here."

He made to leave, but Tortimer tripped him with his cane. Nook stumbled and lay sprawled on the floor, unmoving.

"Nook, you can go to Timbuktu and they'll still find you. Do what you want, just don't expect me to help you out."

"Some help you've been!" Nook spat, getting unsteadily to his feet and glaring down at the mayor, "Some big fat fucking help you were to Mink and Sven, you piece of stinking shit!"

He looked, for a moment, terrified at what he'd said. Then he bolted out of the room.

Nosegay began to laugh and, after a moment, the mayor joined her, "Good riddance to bad rubbish!"

Nosegay grinned, "Yeah. He isn't worth the corn in his shit."