Chaingang

“Let's recap: A doctor working in the prison system convinces you and the rest of your outfit that a known serial killer can be manipulated like a lab experiment. That while he—and let me quote the record here—'and while he cannot be controlled, he can be handled by the manipulation of his hatred for humans, and his strong protective urges for animals.’ That this could be achieved by—again I'm quoting—'a presentation of data which would effectively target specific individuals for assassination. Subject would be informed that targets lived in a community which had been carefully zoned for his protection, if he stayed within a twenty-five-mile radius. Subject would be transported to and set free in this area of operation, and his killing techniques would be surveilled and monitored to be studied and analyzed later. This would present the service with a unique opportunity to produce a fully documented clinical study of a mass murderer's behavioristic modes, in a civilian setting, under textbook conditions. Was that about the size of it?"

“Yes. It would be a dual operation, a ‘field appraisal’ of an actual series of premeditated assassinations, and because there had been some problems in the securing of a location for the assassination school, which had involved the termination with prejudice of certain indigenous personnel, the actions of the subject would serve as cover."

“But what about the killing of innocents? What about the danger to the community?"

“These were deemed acceptable risk factors."

“But ... even if such a school had to exist, why did it have to be built in this particular country town? Why couldn't it have been located in any suitably desolate locale?"

“There were several sites which were geographically suitable, sufficiently low population density, heartland centrality, that type of thing, quick access to major airports—the various logistical and geographical criteria were met. Then after what we called the “spoon-feeds” were done and we had the communities where a school could be put in place, each one was investigated for prevalence of animal abuses and so on, which were the control factors."

“So you had your location and your mad-dog killer working for you, and all the cameras going, and two hundred people in the bushes with machine guns—and not only do you idiots let a madman slay fifty civilians, you let him get away!"

“Yes, sir."

"But how can that be?"

“We fucked up.” He wondered how the wife and kid would like it in Reykyavik.

37

WATERTON

TWO MONTHS LATER

ROYCE HAWTHORNE was never terminated. ELINT rescinded the contract when SAUCOG'S murderer-at-large hit one of their own surveillance teams. That tore it. If they wanted anybody else hit, they could do it themselves.

MARY PERKINS started studying for her Missouri Real Estate Sales License, got serious about aerobics, and turned Royce on to health foods.

SAM PERKINS'S remains were among those positively identified in the mass grave site uncovered in the explosions that blew apart Ecoworld's concrete footings. Subsequent excavation revealed six males and two females, with predominant cause of death recorded in autopsy findings as “chemically induced pulmonary embolism(s)."

ECOWORLD, what was left of it, was sold to a Maysburg, Tennessee, investor group in search of a quick tax write-off, but development of their “high-concept entertainment mail” was halted.

GRANT SILBERMAN (aka Robert Newman, Christopher Sinclair, etc.), along with his wife and child, were killed in an automobile mishap, while vacationing in the Great Smoky Mountains.

GABRIEL “GABE” AUGUSTINE, whose Ready-Mix company was principal low bidder on the ill-fated Ecoworld job, won one of the largest lien judgments ever awarded in the state of Missouri. He purchased a three-thousand-acre cattle ranch in Montana, and the family estate included a Ready-Mix runway in the shape of a huge concrete letter A.

"MEAN” DEAN SEABAUGH was found dead in one of the Genneret stables. He'd suffered a broken neck, and it is believed he may have been kicked in the head by a horse.

DOYLE GENNERET was blinded when a package he received in the mail exploded in his face. Authorities determined that a “sophisticated letter bomb of the type favored by terrorists” had been sent to him by an unknown individual.

DANIEL EDWARD FLOWERS BUKOWSKI disappeared. He was last seen clean-shaven, sweet-smelling, and wearing a charcoal three-piece suit. “He was a big, heavyset guy with glasses. Mr. Conway, he said, from Marion, Illinois. Seemed like a real nice old boy,” a motel desk clerk told police. He was last observed in legal wheels, heading northbound on I-55.

CLANDESTINE SERVICES became “The Fifteen Group,” and that became something else. The assassination school was abandoned.