Afternoon, May 19, 2004

*Andrew's spent about as much time as he believably can in this corner Starbucks. He tosses out the cardboard cup and heads out onto the street, looking for another place to wait for the phone call.*

*He's been killing time in one place after another for most of the afternoon -- a comic book shop, a pizzeria, half a dozen other places -- all within a few blocks of a certain abandoned hotel and a certain alleyway behind it.*

*His cellhone rings. His heart abruptly hammering, Andrew grabs for it.*

Wells here.