she said. “Looking for a date?”“I sure am,” he said. “You okay talking about price?”She gave him a quote on the respective costs of what she was willing to do, undercutting local prices by ten percent—she knew he’d like that. He said a half-and-half sounded good to him, and didn’t bother trying to haggle. She got in the car.When they pulled away from the curb, a brown Econoline van followed them. ***Jack: I was wondering something. Remote: What would you like to know? Jack: You use technology to monitor and direct your drones. You haven’t told me how you capture them in the first place. Remote: Well, timing is crucial, of course. Much like you, I spend a great deal of time preparing—selecting possible targets, narrowing down the choices, gathering intelligence. Everything has to be perfect before I proceed. Jack: And then what? You use a gun to control your target? Do you put the harness on yourself, or get them to do it? Remote: Using a gun is problematic when dealing with high explosives—even when the amount used is miniscule. I prefer to use chemical means to subjugate my target; it makes the entire process run much smoother. Jack: I do much the same. I prefer a general anesthetic like isoflurane—nonflammable, and easily obtainable as a veterinary supply. Remote: I tend to favor the intravenous approach—benzodiazepines are also not difficult to obtain, and produce a reliable level of sedation. Jack: True. But there’s always the problem of possible drug interactions when you go the injection route. I uncovered the fact that my current project has an allergy to opiates at the last moment. Remote: Interesting. How did you find that out? Jack: Medical alert bracelet. He was wearing it when I took him down—fortunately, it didn’t affect the operation. Remote: I commend you on your thoroughness. Jack: I don’t like surprises. *** “Uh. Uhhhhhhh. Where—where am I?”“Hello, Mr.
