‘I’m supposed to be dead!’ he whined. ‘I’m supposed to be in heaven!’ Scanlon straightened and slowly walked to the gurney. He looked dow... at Briggs, and held up his thumb. ‘One, he said, ‘sodium thiopental.’ He lifted two more fingers. ‘Two, three – saline.’ Briggs blinked. ‘What the fuck’s that?’ he said. ‘Water,’ said Scanlon. He smiled. ‘All you got pumped into you was a sleeping pill, friend, you’ve had a nice nap.’ He returned to the door and leaned against it, waiting. ‘But … but. If he did know anything useful, probably he was telling himselfto save his strength for the real battle, to keep his information secret. Itwas a common mistake; once a prisoner began to agree to anything toavoid pain, he'd set a precedent that would make it easier and easier tosurrender to her.And that was whatshe wanted. What she needed. Absolute, total surrender.She squatted downover his face, prod at the ready. She couldn't actually use it whilst she wasin contact with him, but even if he. He would be in despatch and was the only packer who would not forsake his suit and tie, much to everyone's amusement.I didn't mind the Christmas rush. It kept me busy at a time when my calling was an interruption to my customers. My sister usually invited me for Christmas, which was not much fun as she would bring our conversation round to what went wrong in my marriage. A subject that I tried to avoid as assiduously as she would try to talk about it. I lived my life and let others get on with. "I guess," I said. I didn't know what else to say. "Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow," I said. I was nervous. I didn't want to just walk away but school was out. I had to go home. The buses were standing outside waiting."Um... you ride a bus home?" she asked me. I told her I did."I could walk, but it's kind of far. If I walked to school, some mornings I'd be late." I live closer than you do. I have to walk." We were nearing the front doors. I pushed one open and stood back to let her.