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CHAPTER ONE

I a with a friend at a coffee shop We do this every afternoon and I enjoy the routine In general, we don’t say much, and I enjoy that, too

Today is no different We are sitting together under a wide umbrella near the Beverly Center in Beverly Hills at my favorite outdoor cafe, The Coffee Bean I like the Bean Here, they use vanilla powder instead of syrup; the powder adds just enough texture to the drink to give it sorit I like that

The day is hot and the sun has found a s in the direct glare, but I do not move my arm I let s anyer fish to fry, so to speak

My friend, Nu in, one where he jots down randohts, impressions, and observations This journal is his life and he goes throughlooks like a lot of work to th for such work I barely have the strength to sit here inover

“Eddie wants to see you,” says Nuerian accent “He says he wants to talk to you about so important”

I nod and turn back toI open and flex ers wide My hand appears incandescent in the splash of sunlight Bluish veins glow like neon tubes just beneath the surface of my skin I try to make a fist, but I’m too weak to do even that

“Don’t you even want to knohy he wants to see you, man?” asks Numi He sets down his pen, which for him is serious business It means his journal ait

“To say good-bye, I assume,” I say

“You assume incorrectly, cowboy He wants to hire you”

“Hire me?”

“Yes”

“For what?”

“He has a job for you, boss”

“You’re joking”

He laces his fingers over his notepad and levels his considerable stare at ainst his rich black skin “Do I look like I’, kemosabe?”

“If by joking youscary as hell, then yes”

“Is that another reference to my beautiful black skin?”

“You ly black skin”

Nurins “Do you want to hear about the job or not?”