Chapter 104: Swamp Water and Tv

It is almost impossible for me to sleep in the bed with someone else. If I have had a lot to drink, and find myself sexually beat down, I can manage a few hours. That being the case, I was not at all surprised to find myself instantly awake, when Martin left the bed in the middle of the night.

I played dead to see what he would do. The first thing he did was try to toss the apartment. No doubt looking for information. In his business information is power. That much I had learned about the black bag boys over the years. The had to have a constant stream of information or they went mad. It was like their drug of choice.

"That would go much easier with coffee. Give me a minute to pee and I'll make some. I might even be able to tell you where to look to save you some time." I didn't move a muscle when I said it. I might as well still be asleep as far as anyone looking would think.

"You aren't spy grade material, but you are damn good for what you are," Martin said.

"All that just because I will do a threesome with you and your new girlfriend?" I asked. "Or is it because I offered you coffee while you toss my place."

"It is because you are a world class trouble shooter. Whether it is calling the cops at the right time, or shooting a Russian in the face, you know what is the most efficient thing to do." Martin said it as I slipped from the bed.

I expected that I would wake Kate, when I went to rummage through the stack of cardboard boxes for a long tee shirt to slip into. I was using the boxes in place of a dresser at that moment. Kate was obviously much better at sleeping in strange beds, than I was having strangers sleep in mine. I didn't shower before I put the coffee on, but I did brush my teeth. I had really bad breath and a terrible taste in my mouth. I even took time to run a brush through my thin stringy hair. Without a butt load of moose, it just lay like paint on my scalp.

"So did you find anything interesting?" I asked when I returned from the shower.

"I found that you own this place outright and that you don't need money. I even know a couple of things you don't?"

"Oh and what might that be?" I asked

"I know where your friend Mosby is." he said.

"That, my friend, is information of no value whatsoever." I replied.

"But, I also know what she is going to be up to next." Martin was smug, thinking I would care no doubt.

"Not interested," I replied.

"Are you sure, it involves you," he said with a huge grin.

"If it involves me hon, I will find out eventually." I said.

"Why wait?" he asked.

"Oh alright, what does the little nymph have in store for me next?" I asked.

"She is part of the group trying to sell their little show to a cable TV network." he said.

"That is going to be a problem, since i am not about to sign on for that," I replied.

"Swamp Thing, as you call it, would like for you to do the show," he said.

"What makes you think I care what Swamp Thing wants?" I asked.

"Come on Max, your life is like about people and situations like us. You go along being an average citizen for a couple of months, then you find shit to get into." he demanded

"Come on that's crap," I said "I'm one of those people to whom things just happen."

"Max, listen to me and try to be objective, okay?" he asked. We were sitting at the old registration desk drinking coffee as he tried to give me, his take on me.

"Sure, but let me see how you explain the kid trying to hold up the convenience store. How was that me looking for trouble?" I asked.

"Sure, first of all you had a pistol. I know it wasn't for that exact occasion, and I know that it's legal, but nobody else in this town would have strapped on a pistol to go out for pizza. You were more than just in the right place at the right time. You were prepared for something like that because you wanted it to happen."

"What crap," I said, but there was something in what he said.

"Even with the pistol, you could have just let it happen. Then gone home to your pizza or whatever it was. But no, not you, you have to take the thug down." Martin explained.

"I explained that to the cops," I replied.

"And they knew it was bullshit as well. The after action bullshit, to justify the action." Martin actually laughed quietly. "You aren't talking to the plumber on the grand jury here Maxine."

"Everything you do that gets you into trouble, you could have walked away from and still had a nice life. No sweetie you need your terror fix, just like the rest of us."

"Even if that is true, what's in the TV show for Swamp Thing?" I asked.

"The same as for Marty, the bike peddler, positive exposure. The kinds of people we want to work for might not watch Maxine the super hero, but their wives and girlfriends might."

"Okay, I think it is bullshit, but even so, why should I do it?" I asked.

"You wanted the option to turn down jobs. The ones you thought weren't worthy of your ideals, well this is it. The kinds of jobs you want to do, are the kinds that will clean up the company's image. It's a true win/win. We give you the chance to run around playing a real life Charlie's angel, In exchange you say good things about us, plus you get paid twice for it. What more could an out of work operative want?" he asked laughing.

"I will think about it, if they come calling." I replied.

"Try to see it honestly, not through your rose colored glasses," Martin suggested. He stood to leave, since those appeared to be his final words on the subject. "One more thing, you helped turn Kate because it was a rush pure and simple. You don't really need more of a reason that that."

He turned to the door and I was glad to see him go. He was hitting a little too close to home. "I'll call," was his parting shot.