The Contractor - Part 3a - by nova

I ended up going out for something to eat.  "Man can't live on beer"  I told myself but I sure have tried.  There was a deli in the next building that made a decent priced bacon an egg bagel and with a large cup of iced coffee I was set for the day.  Next to beer I found grease to be an important part of a balanced diet.  I knew that would need to change someday but someday was a long way off.  Today it tasted just right and it helped settle my stomach.  I also got to flirt with the Mongolian girl who ran the register.  I had learned from her that there was big difference between the two.  You sure couldn't tell it from the way they looked.  It must be a like the Catholic/Protestant thing  I would have asked her but her English wasn't that good and I can't say I cared that much.  She was a little plump, but convenient, and I was working on getting her to come by and see me after work.  So far she didn't seem real interested.  No problem.

I picked up some more beer and headed back to the apartment after I was done with my bagel.  I was feeling antsy, I wished he would hurry up and call.  To kill time I popped a beer and started doing some research on OWS because I had to be missing something.  I knew a little bit about them from reading online, what I had picked up hanging around, and what I put together for my get myself laid scripts.  I couldn't figure out why the FBI was so interested in them. From what I had seen so far they were a cross between what I imagined what a Christian fundamentalist group who believed in finding God by camping and a bunch of winos with tents would look an act like if they all occupied the same piece of land.   Not really threatening, somewhat unsanitary, and totally dedicated to their beliefs.

I was surprised by what I found.  The FBI was very interested in OWS. I still had no clue why.  Probably because it was their job to be snoopy.  I also found a story about some computer guy who was hacking them and forwarding what he found to the FBI cyber security  unit and NYPD.  What a jerk, and he, supposedly, wasn't getting paid.  He had to be fishing for a job or contract.  Well, sorry, but I was getting paid which didn't make me a snitch.  It made it my job.  At least that's what I told myself.  The comments were pretty damn ugly below the story.  Oh yeah, I was going to have to work on my story as soon as I got started. 

Special Agent Johnson didn't call me. He didn't call the next day either.  By day three I wondering if he forgot about me or even worse, found some asshole who would do it for free.   I was even starting to wonder if I could salvage my old job. I thought about calling the temp agency and telling them I had a seizure but I didn't think they would buy it.  The only thing else that might have a chance was me claiming someone had impersonated me just so I would lose the job.  Another nonstarter.

That's when he called.  I was on my third beer of the morning so I was still sober an coherent thank god.  

I didn't recognize the number so I answered with a straight "Hello."

"So how are you Dakota?"

My brain went "Yippee!" but I can be a pretty cold customer when I want to be so I replied, "Fine." Then grudgingly, "And you?"

He ignored it. Instead I heard, "You ready to go to work?"

"Hell yeah! What took you so long? I've..."

"Save it.  I see you have been doing research. That's good. It shows initiative and I like initiative."

That was a slap upside the head. How the hell did he know? Shit.  What porn had I been watching? I was still running videos through my head when he chuckled, and continued with, "It's all good Dakota."  I swear I could hear him wink after he said that too.  

"Meet me at your favorite deli tomorrow at 09:00." He hung up.  I started at my phone for awhile before I set it down and went in search of another beer.