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Wednesday, June 3

Dead Letter: Part 3 – When the Man Comes Around

Hammer and Archive entered Full Wilderness’ lobby just fifteen minutes after Jim-Bean and Guppy. They asked to see Robert Jatik.

They were taken into Jatik's inner office, a large room with only narrow windows high up the wall. With the cool grays, buffs, and blacks of the furnishings, and only the sky visible, Jatik's office became a cave or a fort, perhaps a kiva perched on a canyon wall. The resulting privacy was partly welcome, partly intimidating as the morning light glinted away from Jatik’s silver hair and cast his halo into the surrounding air.

Robert Jatik was white-haired, blue-eyed, with a full trim beard and the deep tan and facial lines of an outdoorsman. He was about sixty, an intelligent-looking man. In keeping with his outdoorsman image he wore a wool plaid shirt open at the neck, along with well-cut dark linen trousers and expensive Italian shoes.

“We’re with the Counter-Intelligence Field Agency,” said Hammer, flashing his badge imperiously. “We’d like to speak with you about an urgent matter.”

“Gentlemen, please sit.” Jatik pointed at the two seats in front of his desk, then sat behind it. “What can I do for you?”

“We believe that a known terrorist is on your premises.”

“Oh my,” said Jatik, bushy eyebrows rising in concern. “Not one of my staff, certainly!”

Hammer shook his head. “Not unless you hire eco-terrorists.” He tossed a picture onto Jatik’s desk. “This is Jimmy Baxter. We’ve been monitoring him for weeks and believe he came here with an accomplice to try to convince the Ecotopian editors to print his anti-government screed.”

“Well we can’t have that,” said Jatik. “You believe he’s here, now?”

Hammer nodded.

Jatik buzzed his secretary. “Get Fiona on the line. It’s urgent.” [MORE]

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posted by Mike Tresca at 6:24 AM


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