The Emperor went back to throwing his knives, and took the wonder gloves out of their safe storage once a week or so, and wore them, or just held them...in his lap and gazed at them.The spy sent every scrap of rumor and information he could find, and a strange story it seemed, just the sort to stimulate The Emperor's imagination. The Man had been found as a stone statue in the desert, and a nomad girl had woken the statue up with the warmth of her nude body. He had learned how to speak her. "I needed to regain composure. "So, besides picking people up, what dothey have you doing?" Everything really. Mostly being a gofer. I hope, once the shootingstarts, I can be a P.A." Her eyes never left the road, but I could feelher looking at me. "Maybe then, my father won't think this isridiculous."I laughed, thinking of my own father. We drove the hour or so to SaukCentre, where they were scouting locations. I looked around. We were inthe middle of nowhere. How could there be cost overruns. "Earl nodded and I turned away. Big time war correspondent my ass, I thought, but I didn't say anything. Lucas didn't have any expression. He stayed right with his computer searches."You need to find a flight and we need to get you out of here. The sooner the better, it takes time to mount an operation. I'm surprised they could get here this quick. They must have people here for some reason. What the hell could they be into in Aster or Tryon. This isn't exactly New York or LA," I said."You can. A tape of me, doing the play-by-play. Something my agent can send to the clubs that might be in the market for a new sportscaster, next season." Uh-huh." ... And I need somebody to do the color. You know? Somebody on the mike who can talk to me about the game, do the part of the broadcast that I do, now, as color man." You want me to be your color man, on the demo?" Yeah! Right. I mean, why not? It would be good training for you, doing an actual broadcast, right? Well. Not really on-air -- but.