Zero History

Gracie.”
“Gracie? What about fucking Mabel? You’re totally making this shit up, aren’t you?”
“It’s his last name. And Garreth’s last name, while I remember, is now ‘Wilson.’ That
was what he told Bigend it was at breakfast. Gracie’s an arms dealer. Bigend was spying
on some business of his, in South Carolina. Well, Milgrim was, on his orders. In the
process of that, Oliver Sleight, who you met in Vancouver but probably don’t remember,
Bigend’s IT security specialist, defected to Gracie—”
“But you’re in love, right?” Heidi interrupted.
“Yes,” said Hollis, surprising herself.
“Well,” said Heidi, “I’m glad that’s sorted. The rest of this shit’s just shit, right? Ajay
gonna get to violate his ASBO, or what?”
There was a rap at the door.
“Who the fuck?” inquired Heidi, loudly.
“Garreth, luv.”
“He likes you,” said Ajay, delighted.
“He likes you too,” said Heidi, “so try to keep your fucking pants on.”
She opened the door, held it as Garreth powered the scooter in, then closed, locked,
and chained it.
“All good,” said Garreth, to Hollis. “Old chap’s signed off, he’s calling the solicitor
about the bank, calling Charlie.” He turned the chair toward Ajay. “Know this Milgrim,
then?”
“No,” said Ajay.
“Are Milgrim and Ajay of a similar height?”
Heidi raised her eyebrows, considered. “Close enough.”
“Build?”
“Milgrim’s a fucking weed.”
“Bigend guessed ten stone. But Ajay’s not that broad, really,” said Garreth, considering
him. “Wiry. Core strength. No excess muscle-mass. Wiry can do weed. Done any acting,
Ajay?”
“At school,” said Ajay, pleased. “Islington Youth Theater.”
“I haven’t met Milgrim either. We’ll both have to. Can you do a rupert for me, then?
How does a rupert walk inspection?”
Ajay straightened, thumbs aligned with the seams of his sweatpants, assumed a
supercilious expression, and strolled past Heidi, taking her in with a quick and
disapproving glance.
“Good,” said Garreth, nodding.
“Milgrim,” said Heidi to Garreth, “is your basic pasty-faced Caucasian fuck. You
couldn’t find a whiter guy.”
“Ah,” said Garreth, “but that’s the art of the thing, isn’t it?”