The unexpected, live voice paralyzed his tongue. He coughed it to life. “Glory be,” he said in a singsongy voice. “I got through. Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket. Hold on.” He pushed the speaker button and put the phone down on the passenger seat. “Who is this?” Jason cleared his throat, and his mind. “It’s me, big brother. How you doing?” “Shitty. The landlord said I better give him some money or he’ll throw me out.” “Again?” “I don’t need you to get on me right now, okay? I’m really close to getting into a Chinese weapons manufacturer’s computer. At least I think that’s what they do. Can you read Chinese?” Jason shielded his eyes and mouthed a curse. “One of these times you’re going to get caught. You know that, don’t you?” “I’m going to throw in some pop-up jokes. Something about Russians. They should get a laugh out of it. If they can read English.” Coughing. “They won’t be able to trace it back to me.” “That’s what you said last year.”
