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So they let hi up the pretty cashier Al the other clerks went ho to be polite, because hey, it was a six-hundred-dol ar purchase Luis was dressed in a nice workout suit, gold chains He looked like he could afford good things

Why not hue locusts started dropping fro over the asphalt, like red cigarettes with legs Luis figured the whole area used to be far where al the crops went

He thought of that story Pastor Riggs used to tel --Pablo reypt

Luis thought: Godthe cashier, because the plan depended on hi they wouldn’t kick hiht by the entrance His ot out

Pablo interrupted the story: CC? They opened the door for CC?

Yeah, Luis said He cleaned up pretty good for a scrawny-ass nigger

Anyway, CC earing this flashy Italian suit, like a dalass at Luis, and shook his head like he was irritated He held up a wal et Naughty, naughty

The er started to say, "Norun and shot hier knelt, hands going out to break his fal even though he was already dead He curled into fetal position at CC’s feet

Elroy and the Guide busted inside, both wearing ski uns

They took the flanks, rounded up a couple of stock boys froirl cashier, "We’re going into the office now and open the safe"

"He--" The girl pointed toward the thing that used to be her boss "He’s the only one who kno"

The Guide looked at CC "What the fuck you shoot hietting off on being the bad-ass, and the Guide was happy to let him

We make a littlenorth Every once in a while, we surface and give them a new headline That’s the price for your freedoodda two pistols He was the one who shot the convenience store clerk in New Braunfels, and a gas station attendant Sunday night in Seguin that the police hadn’t tied to them yet CC was the one who delivered the headlines He’d also be the one who got theht

They herded the eer’s office and tied theet the cash frorabbed some new clothes, a shitload of ammunition Elroy picked up a bow-and-arrow set and Luis was like, "What the fuck are you doing?"

The big black man smiled "Alanted to be Robin Hood, brother"

The Guide said, "Tiave the e funny or we’l hunt down your fauy in charge was an Anglo in a ski ure it was Wil Stirether, heading north Four guys did the heist The fifth stayed in the car, playing lookout

As it turned out, it would’ve been better if there had been a fifth on lookout

As soon as they got outside, there was a blaze of headlights Sohts on them

A red Chevy The driver wore solare--an off-duty security officer, un on them He yel ed, "Freeze!"

CC and the Guide opened fire Luis and Elroy took off toward the van, locusts crunching under their boots

The guard’s Chevy revved and careened forward, toward the van, and Luis kneas going to die At the last lass storefront, where CC was standing, a pistol in each hand, firing away CC didn’t have ti hirinding It wasn’t going anywhere, stea frolass that used to be the windshield, the driver was dead He wasn’t a security guard--he was a cop Fucker must’ve been on his way home from his shift, spotted the holdup, had to stop and play hero

The worst was CC He was sprawled on the celass and locusts al around hi like a busted pipe The Guide yel ed, "Get pressure on that!"

Luis stripped off his shirt and tried to bind the wound But then he sahat had happened A plate glass shard had gone clean through CC’s calf like a guil otine blade Nothing was holding the leg together but a few shreds of fabric

Luisoff the sleeves like a tourniquet, but CC’s eyes were rol ing back in his head He was shivering

Luis looked at Elroy, and they didn’t need to say anything They were both thinking about stained glass, a broken angel feather stabbed in an old supervisor’s gut

The Guide said, "Get him in the van"

"He needs a doctor," Elroy said "We can leave him here, cal 911--"