Disclaimer: Don't own Automan—wish I did. Please don't sue. Besides ya' wouldn't get anything outta me right now, anyway. All of the disclaimer see Chapter 1.

Ch. 2--Setting Up The Hit

Jones knew what Tilson was referring to and said, "All right, already." He went to the phone and dialed a number he knew by heart. After several seconds he said into the receiver, "I want to speak to Shadow."

After several more long seconds, a male voice came on the line, "Speaking."

"Hey, Shadow. It's Jones."

"Jones? When did you get out?"

"Recently."

"How?"

"Let's just say the person responsible for my 'release' is in need of your services." Jones glanced to Tilson.

"This person does realize my services don't come cheap? I require a partial payment upfront as a sign of good faith."

"A partial payment?" Jones looked with some uncertainty to Tilson , who silently nodded.

"Just have him tell us where to wire it, and I'll handle any payment transfer problems," Tilson quietly told Jones. "Also, I'll need to meet with him to explain the special measures needed to take down of one of his targets."

"No problem," said Jones into the phone. "Just tell us where to wire it. He also wants a face-to-face meeting."

"I don't do face-to-face meetings," said Shadow over the phone.

"You'll want to. One of your 'tasks' will require special measures."

"Special measures?"

"You'll have to talk to him."

"All right. This is the only exception I'll make. Where are you now?"

"Long Beach."

"Long Beach..." Jones heard Shadow say more to himself. "Tell him to meet me at The Reef Restaurant. You do know where that is located, right?"

"The Reef Restaurant? Yeah, I know where it's located. He'll be there. What time?"

"2:00"

"How will he find you?"

"He won't. I'll find him. Have him wear a solid orange shirt and blue jeans."

Jones heard a click from the other end. Shadow had hung up, so Jones hung up as well. He turned to Tilson. "Okay, it's all set up. He wants to meet at The Reef Restaurant, 2:00. He said to wear a solid orange shirt and blue jeans. He'd find you."

Later that afternoon around two o'clock, Tilson sat waiting in a corner booth in a semi-casual restaurant with a unobstructed view of the front door. He felt slightly out of place. Most patrons wore business suits or slightly less formal attire. He was wearing a solid orange shirt that he had hurriedly bought at a nearby retail outlet and blue jeans per the instructions of the person he was meeting.

A young man with short, straight black hair wearing a navy dinner jacket over a navy shirt and pants walked through the front door. He stopped a few feet into the doorway of the restaurant apparently looking for someone. His ice blue eyes fixed on Tilson's position and he headed in that direction. When he reached the booth Tilson was sitting in, he asked, "You're the man Jones sent to me for services you needed rendered?"

"Yes. Are you the person known as 'Shadow'?"

"Yes." Having verified each other's identity, Shadow sat in the seat opposite Tilson. "Your name? I like to know the people I'm dealing with."

"Tilson."

"As in Ronald Tilson, who nearly brought LA to its knees?" asked Shadow impressed.

"Yes, until two meddlers, your targets, had ruined my plans," said Tilson, his voice reflecting his renewed anger and frustration at his failure.

"All right. I'll get to payment in a minute. The amount will depend on who the targets are and what exactly these 'special measures' are."

"Okay. One of your targets is a LA cop, Walter Nebicher. He's the LAPD's computer expert. The other is a hologram goes by the name 'Otto Mann'."

"A cop I can understand, but a hologram? Is this some kind of joke?" asked Shadow with disbelief. He felt his anger rising at the prospect of this whole meeting being a setup.

"No joke. I'm absolutely serious. I also know how he can even be eliminated."

"A hologram?" Shadow still found the prospect hard to believe. He leaned back in the booth for several seconds considering how this new information would affect his price and the job. He leaned forward again. "What do they look like?"

"Nebicher is in his late twenties, trim, wavy black hair, brown eyes, about 5'9" or 5'10". 'Otto Mann' looks to be in his twenties with straight blond hair parted to the right and blue eyes. He's tall, too, about 6'4" or 6'5"."

"Okay, what exactly are these special measures I'll need to terminate this 'Otto Mann'?"

"His entire body is made of electromagnetic energy. If you can obtain an electromagnetic scanner, you'll easily be able to track his movements. He has the ability to phase through walls, though, so you'll need to set up an electromagnetic energy field generator that can cover the area you plan on trapping him in to prevent his escaping."

"Okay, you've told me how to track his movements and trap him, but how do I eliminate him?" broke in Shadow.

"He can only be harmed by an electronic beam. Because his body is made of electromagnetic energy, electromagnetically charged bullets will also harm him. You'll need to obtain a fiberglass gun to fire them from, however."

Shadow leaned back in the seat deliberating where he might get all the special equipment he would need just to knock off this one target. Some of the equipment may be difficult to acquire right away. He factored into the final payment amount the time and resources he would need to expend getting the devices. He usually charged $25,000 a head,--more if the target was an official--but with the special hardware he'd need at least $13,000 more. He leaned forward in the seat again. "Some of the equipment may be difficult to obtain right away. When do you require their elimination?"

"I've waited this long. I can wait a little longer. As soon as you are able. Now about the payment amount?"

"I usually charge $25,000 a head, but I'll also need money to get hold of or have the special devices made. $63,000; half up front."

"That's not going to be a problem." Tilson knew of some banks that would be easy enough for him to hack into and initiate a wire transfer without leaving a trace. "Just tell me where you want it wired to."

Shadow reached into his inside jacket pocket and took out a pen. He grabbed a napkin from a napkin holder on the table and he wrote down a bank name, routing number, and account number. He slid the napkin to Tilson. "I expect the money to be in the account by 48 hours. No later or the deal's off."

"Agreed."

Shadow got up and left. Tilson waited a few minutes before he also left the restaurant. He walked back to the hotel he and Jones were staying at and went straight up to their room. Jones was sitting on a bed flipping through the channels on the television. Tilson walked up to him. "I need $75. I'm going to be using a computer at the Ambassador Hotel on the other side of town to wire Shadow the money."

Jones didn't say anything. He dug out the money from his pants pocket and handed it to Tilson. Tilson took the money and left the motel. Hailing a cab, Tilson headed for the Ambassador Hotel across town. 'Beware, Walter Nebicher, 'Otto Mann'. Your days are numbered,' he thought with spiteful delight as he got into the cab.