Stone Men In Water Street

[Brian]

Nathan, Bjorn, you are in the maroon minivan that Ginrai rented, currently southbound on I-5 out of Sacramento.  Now that you've grabbed a few real changes of clothes, this could actually work out....

[Bjorn]

"Do we have tickets already at LAX?" Bjorn asks, stretching out a bit in the seat.

[Rezantis]

"Nope, mainly on the grounds that I wasn't sure exactly what -our- plans are.  I mean, we have two and a half days to kill, and getting to Alabama doesn't take two and a half days.  Nor is there anything to do when we get there except to meet Victor. Got anything in mind?"

[Bjorn]

"Well, unless you think it's a good idea to sift through the remains of the Workshop to find what we can find, my best suggestion is to get the hell ou of California.  That being the case, two options come to mind.   We can go straight to Montgomery; there's a couple things I wouldn't mind doing there before we head to the mountains.  And the other is to stop by, uh," fumbling one-handed in his right front pocket, Bjorn manages to pull out his wallet, which opens against the steering wheel and reads, "Austin, Texas, and find out what goodies we got in my new place."

[Rezantis]

"Well, I'd probably want to ask Relm about that first, because . . . I don't know how valid those addresses are.  But if there -are- goodies there, we could at least get your credit card."

[Bjorn]

Bjorn shrugs.  "Well, we've got until we reach Los Angeles before we decide, anyways."  Bjorn squints in thought.  "If I remember correctly, if you don't stop, you can go from Los Angeles to Austin in about twenty-four hours.  That'd help cover our tracks, but....

"Anyways, ask the Oracle -- Relm? -- what she thinks.  What about you?  Got any ideas?"

[Rezantis]

"Nope, although if we -can- pick up your credit card - and maybe someone else's, it'll be handy down the track.  I emailed her when we stopped for lunch, so I should probably check my email again . . . not while we're moving, though.  Bad for the uplink."

[Bjorn]

Nodding, Bjorn passes a slow car in the fast lane, and then continues.  "One thing we've got to take care of, I think, is making sure that Lazarus and the rest of 'em have a way to contact Relm.  So either we need to get the right hardware -- computer, uplink, generator, God only knows -- probably pretty hard to do in the time we got.

"What I was thinking of was getting a P.O. box in Montgomery.  Set it up in one of our names, take the key with us and give it to Lazarus.  That way Relm can send whatever she thinks they'll need, and they can keep their hiding place hidden."

[Rezantis]

"Sounds like a plan.  I'm almost tempted to leave the uplink there, actually, but we'll see what Relm has to say on the subject.  And I don't know about you, but I'm kinda hungry."

[Bjorn]

Bjorn grunts.  "Then we should do that before we get out of Sacramento.  Unless things have changed more than I think they have, there ain't much worth stopping for between here and Los Angeles.  Keep an eye out, tell me if you see anything good.  And, uh, don't pick Jack-In-The-Box."

[Rezantis]

"Really, I've got no idea what anything except McDonalds is, over here. You're better off doing it, trust me. And what's Jack-In-The-Box?"

[Bjorn]

"Jack-In-The-Box is a burger chain that got in trouble for minor health code violations.  You know, like raw sewage on the floor, people dropping on the floor with botulism, sorta thing.  That was a while back, but hey, why take chances?

"And you know what?  Damned if I care where we go.  I'm just going to stop at the first place we see that doesn't look like it'll make us need a toilet every five miles hereafter."

[Rezantis]

"Oh, don't sweat the minor stuff.  But, sure, take your pick, as long as it's not Taco Bell."

[Bjorn]

"I don't even like real Mexican food.  Why would I pick a disgusting imitation of it?  Oh, hey, look.  There's an In-N-Out.  California exclusive.  You'll like.  Comes close to being the only thing I miss about his godforsaken state."

Bjorn wheels into the parking lot (cutting someone off as he does so, all his Los Angeles driving instincts coming back into full play), and shuts the van down.  "You want to use the uplink before, after, or both?"

[Rezantis]

"Mm, may as well use it before.  Won't be a minute."

With well-practiced familiarity, Rez pulls out the uplink and his laptop, and sets them both up . . . then checks his email.