'Eddie,' said Snake. 'Open the suitcase.'
'Dammit, Snake,' said Eddie, 'you said my name!'
'Well, you just said my name, you moron,' said Snake.
'Snake ain't a name,' said Eddie. 'Snake is a nickname.'
'Before we criticize others,' Jerry Springer was saying, 'we need to take a look in the mirror at ... '
Snake shot Jerry Springer, who disappeared in a violent implosion of glass shards. Everybody, Snake included, flinched at the gunshot; Arthur made a whimpering sound. It was Snake's first real effort to shoot anything, and he was pretty surprised to have hit the target, which was now a smoking hole in the plastic TV cabinet. It made him feel good; he took it as an indication that he was well suited to this new line of work.
'Now,' said Snake to Eddie, 'open the damn suitcase.'
Muttering, Eddie pulled the panty hose waist off of the lower part of his face and shuffled back around the bar to the suitcase, which was lying on its side. He fumbled with the latches and finally got them unfastened. With his hand on the lid, he looked up at Snake.
'What if it is a bomb?' he asked.
'Open it,' said Snake.
Gingerly, Eddie opened the lid and looked inside.
'What is it?' said Snake.
'Beats the shit outta me,' said Eddie. 'It ain't money, tell you that.'
Snake stepped closer and looked at the contents of the suitcase. He couldn't tell what it was, either. It looked kind of like a garbage disposal. But he knew it had to be something important. That much he knew. Maybe it was some kind of drug container. Or maybe emeralds were in there; somebody told Snake once that drug kingpins always had emeralds. Whatever it was, Snake saw this as an opportunity, after a lifetime of being a low-life scum, to show some initiative, to do something with his sorry self, to move up the ladder to the level of big-time scum. But how should he handle it? He knew he needed to think, and think hard. He aimed the gun at Leo, behind the bar.
'Gimme a drink,' he said.
Leo poured a vodka and set it on the bar. Snake picked it up and attempted to slug it down, but, because he was wearing panty hose on his head, much of it dribbled down the front of his T-shirt. On the floor, John snorted. Snake whirled and pointed the gun at him.
'You think that's funny?' he said.
'No,' said John.
'All right,' said Snake. 'Here's what we're gonna do. You got a car?' He was looking at Arthur.
Arthur nodded.
'Outside here?'
Arthur nodded again.
'Gimme your car keys.'
Arthur tossed Snake the keys.
'OK,' said Snake. 'Eddie, I want you ... '
'Stop sayin' my name!' said Eddie.
'OK, whoever you are, latch up the suitcase.' said Snake, 'We're goin' for a ride. You're goin' with us.' He pointed the gun at Arthur.
'You don't want me!' said Arthur. 'You want these other guys! They're Russians! They sell missiles! There's ten thousand dollars in that briefcase there!'
'Yeah, right,' said Snake. These drug kingpins would try to tell you anything.
'No!' said Arthur. 'I'm telling you, there's ten thou—'
'Shut up, asshole,' said Snake, aiming the gun at Arthur.
Arthur shut up.
'OK, Ed ... you,' said Snake. 'Pick up the suitcase.'
Eddie grabbed the handle and heaved. The suitcase barely moved.
'It's too heavy,' said Eddie.
'Do I gotta do everything?' asked Snake. He stepped over and yanked on the suitcase handle and damn that thing was heavy. Snake pondered for a moment, then remembered who was carrying the suitcase when he came in.
He kicked Puggy, who was still curled fetally on the floor, hoping to be forgotten.
'Pick up the suitcase,' said Snake.
Slowly, Puggy stood up. His nose had bled a streak down the side of his cheek. He picked up the suitcase with one hand and stood holding it.
Snake turned to Leo. 'You,' he said. 'Get back around here and go sit next to your friend.'
Warily, Leo came around the bar. As he passed Snake, Snake slugged him on the back of the head with the
