Greywind

You assume the spying and smuggling are more modern contrivances.

Neither does the car.

Last one falls right after Business Unfinished.

I hate to break it to you, but it's not going to be an open casket.

It's a kind of magic.

Girlfriends The cab ride from the airport had been long. After the first half hour the driver had given up trying to engage Leah in conversation. Her mind kept getting pulled back into her memories and her gaze was out the rear door window. She did allow herself a small smile when the taxi turned down the fenced lane of Warren and Kate's farm. She looked forward to seeing Kate again. She had been a fool, played by Maxwell Spears. She missed her best friend. Worse, in her mind, she had missed her best friend's wedding. Hopefully Kate would forgive her. She should have at least told Kate where she was running off to. The taxi rolled to a stop. Leah cast a glance at the meter and counted out the fare with a generous tip included. Further depleting her meager remaining funds. She stepped out of the car, pulling a large sports bag behind her. She slung that over her shoulder and closed the cab door. It pulled around, leaving her standing alone staring at the farmhouse door. Leah sighed and headed for the house. “...And momma sent me over with a lasagna for you and Warren,” she heard through the screen door. “Knock, knock,” she called out and let herself in. Her bag slipped from her shoulder just inside the door. Kate lay on the couch and her attention shifted from Jennie to Leah. “Hey, Sparky!” Tears slipped from Kate's eyes and she smiled. Leah felt tears falling from her own eyes. She kicked off the heels she was wearing and dashed to Kate's side. Kate forced herself up and Leah's arms embraced her. She squeezed Leah hard. “Look at you!” Kate managed through the laughter the two women shared at being reunited. “Look at me?” Leah pulled away from Kate. “I haven't changed a bit. You, on the other hand,” Leah poked Kate in her very round belly. “Yeah,” Kate said, “I know. I got hungry and ate the Goodyear blimp. The doctor told me that it would take about nine months for it to pass.” Leah pulled Kate back into her embrace. “I've missed you.” “Hi, Leah,” Jennie said. Releasing Kate, Leah looked into the kitchen. “Jennie?” “Yeah,” the girl said. “I'm still me.” Leah eased Kate back to the cushions and stood up. “Let me look at you.” Jennie came out of the kitchen. “You've grown,” she said with a smile. “Well, yeah. It's been two years.” That brought Leah up short. Jennie smiled. She stepped to Leah and caught her in a hug. “You got your ears pierced,” Leah noted. “Yeah. Kate did it for me.” She turned her head from side to side. “I wanted to have more, but dad put his foot down. He said I could only have one in each for now.” Leah smiled. “Well, I guess I should keep my promise then. I realize that it's a little late.” She worked herself gently free from Jennie and fetched her bag. From a zippered pocket she pulled out a jewelry gift box and handed it to Jennie. Jennie lifted the lid from the box. Inside she found a set of emerald earrings. “Oh, wow! They're beautiful.” She hugged Leah tightly. “Thank you!” “So, Sparky, I suppose you want to do your 'end of travels' ritual?” Kate asked. Leah laughed. “What ritual?” “Shower. Change.” “Pfft. That's not a ritual.” Kate cocked her thumb at herself. “Best friend and roommate. Every time you traveled to a shoot, when you got back to the apartment, the first thing you did was got out of whatever you wore and took a shower. Don't tell me it wasn't a ritual.” “I just needed to make sure all the makeup, paint, or whatever else they wanted to use on me got washed off completely,” Leah said with a laugh. “Uh huh. You get dressed up to go flying.” “I just want to make sure I look good,” Leah said with a pout. “Oh, please,” Kate teased. “You always look good. Your room is where you left it. Clothes, too. Though you know, when the baby comes, that room will be the nursery.” “Then what? I sleep in the barn when I visit?” “I can arrange that, Sparky!” They all laughed. “Go on, Leah. Go start to unwind,” Kate told her. With a grateful smile, Leah gathered her bag and shoes, and headed up the stairs.

Rosanna's daddy had a car she loved to drive Stole the keys one night and took me for a ride Turned up the music just as loud as it could go Blew out the speakers in her daddy's radio She was shakin' (oh oh ooh oh) Snappin' her fingers (oh oh ooh oh) She was movin' round and round (oh oh ooh oh) That girl was shakin' (oh oh ooh oh) We started drinkin', wasn't thinkin' too straight She was doin' 80 and she slammed on the brakes Got so high we had to pull to the side We did some shakin til the middle of the night Shakin' (oh oh ooh oh) Snappin' her fingers (oh oh ooh oh) She was up and down and round and round Shakin' (oh oh ooh oh) Shakin' (oh oh ooh oh) (oh oh ooh oh) (Oh oh ooh oh) (oh oh ooh oh) I got a little nervous When she took her coat off She looked so pretty Ahh yeah I'm always talkin' baby, talkin' too much I love that little girl and I just can't get enough It takes a lonely night with nowhere to go Just call Rosanna, it's a hell of a show And she's shakin' (oh oh ooh oh) Snappin' her fingers (oh oh ooh oh) She'll be movin' round and round (oh oh ooh oh) Oh she's shakin' (oh oh ooh oh) Shakin' (oh oh ooh oh) Snappin' her fingers (oh oh ooh oh) She'll be movin' up and down (oh oh oo oh) Round and round and round (oh oh ooh oh) And shakin' (oh oh ooh oh) Sha sha sha sha sha she was shakin' Sha sha sha sha sha she was shakin' Sha sha sha sha sha she was shakin' Sha sha sha sha sha she was shakin'

Hot August night And the leaves hanging down And the grass on the ground smellin' sweet Move up the road to the outside of town And the sound of that good gospel beat Sits a ragged tent Where there ain't no trees And that gospel group tellin' you and me It's Love, Brother Love, say Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show Pack up the babies and grab the old ladies And ev'ryone goes, 'cause everyone knows Brother Love's show Room gets suddenly still And when you'd almost bet You could hear yourself sweat, he walks in Eyes black as coal And when he lifts his face Ev'ry ear in the place is on him Starting soft and slow Like a small earthquake And when he lets go, Half the valley shakes It's Love, Brother Love, say Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show Pack up the babies and grab the old ladies And ev'ryone goes, 'cause everyone knows Brother Love's show [sermon] Take my hand in yours, Walk with me this day In my heart I know, I will never stray Halle, halle, halle, halle Halle, halle, halle, halle It's Love, Brother Love, say Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show Pack up the babies And grab the old ladies and ev'ryone goes I say, Love, Brother Love, say Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show Pack up the babies And grab the old ladies and ev'ryone goes...

January 1, New Year's Day. A time for new beginnings and all that crap. A day for more false smiles than he cared to think about. Firework explosions lit the sky over the river. With the way his luck had been going lately the river would catch on fire. The two women center-most out on the balcony drew his attention. There was an empty buffer around them, space no one seemed willing to violate. Jason smiled. One of the few real smiles he had that day. Many of those here just thought it was a party. Maybe a New Year's Eve after-party. The truth of it was, it was a birthday party. A party for one of the two women. They were models that Jason had met during a weekend photography workshop. Leah had talked him into it. Her idea was for him to get some idea of what her work was like. Leah was one of the models scheduled for the workshop. Leah was the only model not to show. With a mental sigh, Jason resolved himself to another pass through the guests. His intention was to end up out on the balcony near Aurora, the young woman he hosted the party for, and perhaps manage to derive some pleasure from the day's events. Tossing back the last of his drink, ginger ale, he placed his empty glass on the tray of a passing waitress. Small talk and handshakes, platitudes and gratitudes were the waves and obstacles of his journey. Shannon Welles, a model of exotic beauty with dark hair, dark skin, piercing green eyes, and a good friend of Leah's, called his name. Shannon was another model at the workshop, and a regular caller wanting to know if Jason knew anything about Leah's disappearance. Jason nodded his head at her with another forced smile. When he looked past her the smile fell from his face. Shannon looked confused and turned around trying to see what Jason was looking at. Sitting in a quiet corner was a lovely blonde. Her hair was loose in soft curls. Her green eyes were cast down staring into a nearly empty wineglass held with both hands. The frown on Angelique's face was something Jason had never seen before.

Give it time...

Issue #50.

He blew his own brains out in a bathroom.

There's a fire starting in my heart Reaching a fever pitch, it's bringing me out the dark Finally I can see you crystal clear [Clean version:] Go 'head and sell me out and I'll lay your ship bare [Explicit version:] Go 'head and sell me out and I'll lay your shit bare See how I leave with every piece of you Don't underestimate the things that I will do There's a fire starting in my heart Reaching a fever pitch And it's bringing me out the dark The scars of your love remind me of us They keep me thinking that we almost had it all The scars of your love, they leave me breathless I can't help feeling We could have had it all (You're gonna wish you never had met me) Rolling in the deep (Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep) You had my heart inside of your hand (You're gonna wish you never had met me) And you played it, to the beat (Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep) Baby, I have no story to be told But I've heard one on you And I'm gonna make your head burn Think of me in the depths of your despair Make a home down there As mine sure won't be shared (You're gonna wish you never had met me) The scars of your love remind me of us (Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep) They keep me thinking that we almost had it all (You're gonna wish you never had met me) The scars of your love, they leave me breathless (Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep) I can't help feeling We could have had it all (You're gonna wish you never had met me) Rolling in the deep (Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep) You had my heart inside of your hand (You're gonna wish you never had met me) And you played it, to the beat (Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep) We could have had it all Rolling in the deep You had my heart inside of your hand But you played it, with a beating Throw your soul through every open door (woah) Count your blessings to find what you look for (woah) Turn my sorrow into treasured gold (woah) You'll pay me back in kind and reap just what you sow (woah) (You're gonna wish you never had met me) We could have had it all (Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep) We could have had it all (You're gonna wish you never had met me) It all, it all, it all (Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep) We could have had it all (You're gonna wish you never had met me) Rolling in the deep (Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep) You had my heart inside of your hand (You're gonna wish you never had met me) And you played it to the beat (Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep) We could have had it all (You're gonna wish you never had met me) Rolling in the deep (Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep) You had my heart inside of your hand (You're gonna wish you never had met me) But you played it You played it You played it You played it to the beat.

I can feel your heartbeat and you didn't even say a word I can feel your heartbeat and you didn't even say a word Oh, I know, pretty woman that your love can be heard You can feel my heartbeat, too I can tell you're feelin' me You can feel my heartbeat, too I can see you feelin' me Oh, I know, pretty woman that your love can be heard Oh... We paint the night, let it shine in the light of our love This is the night...yeah, this is the night of our love I'll treat you like a woman, love you like a woman Lord, I'll prove it baby, I'm a man of my word Love, love...can'tcha feel your heartbeat Love, love...I can feel your heartbeat Love, love...can'tcha feel your heartbeat, love! We paint the night, let it shine in the light of our love This is the night...yeah, this is the night of our love I'll treat you like a woman, love you like a woman Lord, I'll prove it baby, I'm a man of my word Love, love...can'tcha feel your heartbeat Love, love...I can feel your heartbeat Love, love...can'tcha feel my heartbeat Love, love...I can feel your heartbeat Love, love...can'tcha feel your heartbeat Love, love...I can feel your heartbeat Love, love...can'tcha feel it? Love, love...I can feel it! Love, love...gettin' stronger! Love, love...Oh, I can feel it! Love, love...I can feel it! Love, love...It's gettin' stronger... Love!

What's the time? Seems it's already morning I see the sky, it's so beautiful and blue The TV's on but the only thing showing Is a picture of you Oh, I get up and make myself some coffee I try to read a bit but the story's too thin I thank the Lord above, you're not here to see me In this shape I'm in Spending my time, watching the days go by Feeling so small, I stare at the wall Hoping that you think of me too I'm spending my time I try to call but I don't know what to tell you I leave a kiss on your answering machine Oh, help me please, is there someone who can make me Wake up from this dream? Spending my time, watching the days go by Feeling so small, I stare at the wall Hoping that you are missing me too I'm spending my time, watching the sun go down I fall asleep to the sound, of tears of the clown Prayer gone blind, I'm spending my time My friends keep telling me, "Hey, life will go on" Time will make sure I'll get over you This silly game of love you play, you win only to lose I'm spending my time, watching the days go by Feeling so small, I stare at the wall Hoping that you think of me too I'm spending my time, watching the sun go down I fall asleep to the sound, of tears of the clown Prayer gone blind, I'm spending my time I can't live without your love Good I am spending my time My time, my time Makes me big without you honey, honey

So long ago Certain place Certain time You touched my hand All the way All the way down to Emmiline But if our paths never cross Well you know I'm sorry but If I live to see the seven wonders I'll make a path to the Rainbow's end I'll never live to match the Beauty again The rainbown's end So it's hard to find Someone with that kind of intensity You touched my hand I played it cool And you reached out your Hand for me But if our paths never cross Well you know I'm sorry but If I live to see the seven wonders I'll make a path to the rainbow's end I'll never live to match the Beauty again To the rainbow's end So long ago It's a certain time It's a certain place You touched my hand And you smiled All the way back you held out your hand If I hope and if I pray Ooh it might work out someday If I live to see the seven wonders I'll make a path to the rainbow's end I'll never live to match the Beauty Again If I live to see the seven wonders I'll make a path to the rainbow's end I'll never live to match the Beauty again If I live to see the seven wonders I'll make a path to the rainbow's end I'll never live to match the Beauty again

Depends on you and your group's interests. Millennium City is science/futuristic. San Angelo is more modern urban. Vibora Bay has a lot of mystic elements.

Saturday night I was downtown Working for the FBI Sittin' in a nest of bad men Whiskey bottles piling high Bootlegging boozer on the west side Full of people who are doing wrong Just about to call up the DA man When I heard this woman sing a song A pair of 45's made me open my eyes My temperature started to rise She was a long cool woman in a black dress Just-a 5'9, beautiful, tall With just one look I was a bad mess 'Cause that long cool woman had it all I saw her heading to the table Like a tall walking big black cat When Charlie said I hope that you're able boy 'Cause I'm telling you she knows where it's at Then suddenly we heard the sirens And everybody started to run A-jumping out of doors and tables When I heard somebody shootin' a gun Well the DA was pumping my left hand And a-she was a-holding my right Well I told her don't get scared 'Cause you're gonna be spared I've gotta be forgivin' if I wanna spend my living With a long cool woman in a black dress Just a 5'9 beautiful tall Yeah, with just one look I was a bad mess 'Cause that long cool woman had it all Had it all Had it all

Wanna know what's a crime? Whoever defaced that work of art by painting it that color... ought to have his ass removed.

There's gotta be a hundred reasons why I don't blow you away. Right now I can't think of one.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1032137/

I used to be such a sweet, sweet thing 'Til they got a hold of me I opened doors for little old ladies I helped the blind to see I got no friends 'cause they read the papers They can't be seen with me And I'm gettin' shot down And I'm feeling mean No more Mister nice guy No more Mister clean No more Mister nice guy They say he's sick, he's obscene My dog bit me on the leg today My cat clawed my eye My mom's been thrown out of the society circle My dad's had to hide I went to church incognito And everybody rose, the reverend Smith He recognized me Punched me in the nose No more Mister nice guy No more Mister clean No more Mister nice guy They say he's sick, he's obscene

Every time I think that I'm the only one who's lonely Someone calls on me And every now and then I spend my time in rhyme and verse And curse those faults in me And then along comes Mary And does she want to give me kicks, and be my steady chick And give me pick of memories Or maybe rather gather tales of all the fails and tribulations No one ever sees When we met I was sure out to lunch Now my empty cup tastes as sweet as the punch When vague desire is the fire in the eyes of chicks Whose sickness is the games they play And when the masquerade is played and neighbor folks make jokes As who is most to blame today And then along comes Mary And does she want to set them free, and let them see reality From where she got her name And will they struggle much when told that such a tender touch as hers Will make them not the same When we met I was sure out to lunch Now my empty cup tastes as sweet as the punch And when the morning of the warning's passed, the gassed And flaccid kids are flung across the stars The psychodramas and the traumas gone The songs are left unsung and hung upon the scars And then along comes Mary And does she want to see the stains, the dead remains of all the pains She left the night before Or will their waking eyes reflect the lies, and make them Realize their urgent cry for sight no more When we met I was sure out to lunch Now my empty cup tastes as sweet as the punch

I don't think you'd know where to put food at, if you didn't flap your mouth so much. Yes I think you're stupid.

I saw you walk down the street with somebody new It's funny, people I meet they talk about me and you But who's to blame for our being apart, or is it me or is it you And whoever say that you're still in my heart 'Cause now really the best I can do, is say So Long, it's sad to say but you're only foolin' yourself So long, I'm glad you're happy that way But you're only foolin' yourself You're foolin' yourself It's funny I couldn't see, the change you went through All the new friends that you'd meet And the places they took you to And all you could say, you would say, "They're just friends" And you'd laugh in my face 'cause you knew And I'd never know where you'd been late at night So now really the best I can do, is say So Long, it's sad to say but you're only foolin' yourself So long, I'm glad you're happy that way But you're only foolin' yourself You're foolin' yourself So now you walk down the street with somebody new It's funny, people I meet, they don't talk about me and you no more But who was to blame for our being' apart Was it me or was it you And who would've said, that you were in my heart 'Cause now really the best I can do is say So Long, it's sad to say but you're only foolin' yourself So long, I'm glad you're happy that way But you're only foolin' yourself You're foolin' yourself