It was enough food for two days he supposed. Calories. No nutrition really. But something to consume and not be 'starving' at least.

He didn't know what he was going to do. In fact he had never gotten a reply to the question: how long would he have to hide out...

"So hows this going to work?"

"You take this, and I leave you at the safe house. We got everything you need there, and again you just lay low. If I call you then you appear. Here." Big Joe Said. He handed Dave a phone and a bag of groceries.

"Don't call...

"Could I have another?" Dave asked. Coughing the last cigarette burned his throat, but he realized quick this  Big Joe guy was polite. He'd never say no, and would never kill a guy smoking a cigarette. He tried to hide his cough.

"You look more like you need water than another...

And he would have no idea. Because in a flash he was blacked out.

THUD.

He woke up later. Not sure what time it was. He could tell it was a basement. But the windows were completely blacked out. There was no way to sense whether it was day or night.

"You're awake,"...

The  Seaside Rest was an old school motel. They washed dishes by hand. Made home cooked meals. Gave guests cloth napkins; these would be washed and given to the next guest.

There was no continuous menu. The motel made what they did based on whatever ingredients they had and you either...

"What?"

"you heard me. Drop. The. Case."

"But--"

"God Dammit. I said drop the fucking case."

The Lieutenant turned around and stared out the window. The detective could see his superior's face reflected in the glass. The anger subsided from it. And a sigh came. Then he turned back around.

"How many weeks has it...

"Those places will really get ya."

"The ones with the flashing lights?"

"Yeah, the green lights. Means they record everything, will give it to the cops too. Some sort of city pledge."

"Damn, thats stupid. "

"Yeah, but its crazy it works."

They turned into the hotel.

"You go in first, I'll come in in ten...

Someday everyplace would have  security cameras . Not because there would be some concentrated government effort. The government was too inefficient for that. Businesses and homeowners would become self interested. Surveillance systems would become popular. Easy to install.

People would think back at times when homes and businesses weren't covered by...

He woke up to his door being pounded on.

"Open up its the police." 

Fuck James thought, he was just here, what was he going to tell them, Did Big Joe rat me out. Im doing nothing. 
He looked around the apartment. What if there's like a gun here. His car....

James couldn't drink. Sneaking in beers didn't work. Because he couldn't get drunk. Instead he would just feel bloated and have to piss. So he began chain smoking.  Big Joe didn't approve. But since it didn't impact their heist he couldn't complain.

James would smoke a whole pack by the afternoon....

What was it with  Big Joe ? James thought.

He couldn't say that there was necessarily something wrong with him. Although if he were telling somebody the story honest, that's exactly how he'd describe Big Joe. There's something wrong with him. He's messed up.

But if James thought there was truly something...

He was on the interstate now, going East, it was early so the sun shown in his eyes. He had glasses but when its so direct its impossible, he put his visor down. 

What will it be today he thought.  Big Joe was on his mind. What's with that guy. ...

When he arrived at his apartment he was jolted. Sweat. Heartbeat.

The place had burned down.

Then he remembered. He and  Big Joe had done that. This was less than a day ago. Less than 14 hours.

God damn he was tired.  sun light soaked into his head. His eyes ached. Those pills...

Big Joe when he woke up. Shaved his face, he liked the way it felt smooth. Hated when it was prickly. There was something that felt dirty about it. The day of the heist he didn't think about Butch. He was just doing a job. It was separate from his...

The next job was a flower shop. Just off an express way. Easy on and off. Big Joe's plan was to first go stake it out himself. Buy some flowers, chat to the people. Let them do what they normally do. One was behind the counter another was helping him...

James was angry when they got to their cars. No one bats an eye at them leaving separately even though they came together. Maybe just a carpool on the way to work. Their saving the planet. The hours aligned with first shift. So now the traffic started, their cars would...