Soon I was on the plane headed to Australia. The last few days had been interesting, to say the least. I wonder if this is what Tex goes through all the time. Interesting or not, I wouldn't want to pursue a career in it.
I looked through the files. Most of it was top secret information connecting a majority of recent crimes to the Australian Resistance that hadn't been available to the press yet. I just flipped through most of it, because I really didn't need the reminder about how dangerous the organization was. Toward the back were the more interesting files, including a profile of Tex and Chance. Neither picture was very good, it looked as though they had been taken from a surveillance camera. Their pictures came with loaded information about nearly everything the government could keep track of--driver's license records, social security numbers, blood type, education records, and the like. Apparently Tex legally changed his name to "Tex." I wondered what name he was born with, so I looked through the files for a birth certificate. No luck. The government had a record of all his overdue books to the library but didn't have his birth certificate. Gotta love those government officials.
At the very back of the file were detailed instructions to me. I was to put on the clothes provided in the suitcase that were described as "typical punk attire," and immediately take bus number 18 to a bar known as the Koala Kooler. Sometime between 7:15 and 9:15 a man known as Drill would arrive. Surveillance-type pictures of him were also provided so I would know how to recognize him. Drill was the leader of the gang expected to meet tonight to discuss their final plans. He had specific taste in women, which I was instructed to match. If everything went well I would accompany Drill to the meeting place. This way, I would be able to identify Tex, Chance, and Dalton and figure out a way to get them out safely. Their job was to destroy the base, mine was to get them out alive.
Drill enjoyed the company of blonds, particularly those with diamond-studded nose rings and dog chains around their necks. Red was his favorite color, so the clothes provided included deep red leather pants with lipstick to match. If I kept my mouth shut, looked his way a few times, the FBI claimed it would be enough to attract his attention. From there, all I had to do was play along and giggle on cue.
How I hate female stereotypes. Sigh. The things I do for my guy.
Feeling adequately prepared for what was to come, I shut my eyes and tried to sleep for the remainder of the flight.
(Go to 21.)