Say The Words

The Russians walk a fine line between being deadly and funny and think we are stupid. - Thomas Allston

Serial Fiction
Trouble And Money - Michael Lee

Tijuana, Mexico - The Agapov Organization Call Center

I was listening to Raylene, who had recently improved her delivery and was turning into the room's top earner, when Anatoly approached me and said, "Meester Manolo, we meet at streeeeeeep club after work and drink Margaritaaaaa." He took a half step back to laugh at his performance, and Raylene hit her mute button and started laughing.

I looked Anatoly in the eye and saw nothing but mirth. "Si, I meet Meester Anatoly after work at Streeeep Club".

I did some quick calculations. If they were going to put me on the two pieces of lead weight gain program, they would not be so public about arranging a meeting. This felt celebratory. The Russians have never really given a fuck about people's feelings about diversity etc. They will make fun of the local populace, eat great food, drink their booze all day, and conduct business in a Michael Scott way.

They think Western ways and attitudes toward Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are funny and nonsensical.

The Russians walk a fine line between being deadly and funny and think we are stupid.

This meeting could be just after work, fun, or about me getting a promotion and going to Barcelona.

​Would the airlines allow me to fly to Barcelona with a sombrero on?


​New England Regional Headquarters - FBI - Chelsea, Massachusetts

Wallace Q. Hughes just received a situation report from Thomas Allston in San Diego who was working undercover in the Agapov Organization in Tijuana. 

Wally was banging his rubber band ball off the far wall of his office.  He was the only one burning the midnight oil, so nobody could high-five him about this news or yell at him for bouncing a ball on the wall.

Allston just received a promotion, a pay raise, and an invitation to a conference in Barcelona, where the heads of every Agapov branch will attend.

This was some of the finest immersion work Wally had ever witnessed.

Something was gnawing at him, though.  This was now an international thing though it concerned crime against America.

​Career men like Wally stay safe by covering their asses and their pensions.

Tomorrow, he will talk to his boss about possibly alerting the C.I.A. and asking for a favor from them.

He would let the next one up in command make that decision.


TXT ALLSTON: Hey Evie! Thinking of you and Tango.

Eve and Tango were lying on the bed, and Eve received a text message from Allston. She did not feel like answering it. She had so many questions for Allston, and she didn't want to hit him with them by text.

Earlier in the week, he asked her if she felt like going to California for a weekend.

She would not put sweet Tango in a kennel, so she asked him to come home instead.

That got silence.

​If Eve were going to sit home alone all the time while Allston worked, she wanted to be married. She wanted that glue.

She needed to speak with Allston soon.

TEXT ALLSTON: Hey Evie, are you awake?

Eve reached over and turned off the light to go to bed.