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the ACTION…9 mobile screeched around the hairpin curve； it nearly rode up on her ass。 〃Can't you go around her？〃
〃No passing； man；〃 Mike said。 〃I've already got two tickets and ten points on my license。 One more and I'm a pedestrian。〃
〃So what's life without risk？ e on； man！ Punch it！〃
Mike shrugged。 〃Fuggit。〃 He hit the accelerator； let out a manic war whoop as they crossed the double yellow line。 Kirk echoed the sentiment； but he still ducked out of sight as they blasted past the wide…eyed senior。 Just in case。
〃I'm tellin' you； man。 This is it！〃 he exclaimed； sitting back up in the seat。 He was charged on adrenaline and the blood…scent of a story。 〃I've got a sense for these things； and this one's a motherfucker。 No more mall openings and handshake ceremonies for me； babe。 This puppy's my wake…up call。〃
〃Okay。 Cool。〃 Mike nodded； nonmital； as the car sped eastward； past open fields and housing develop
ments； toward Kirk's big date with destiny。 He'd believe it when he saw it； Kirk's wake…up call came at least three times a month； and he hadn't woken up yet。 He thumbed in the dashboard lighter； fished a joint of homegrown from his pocket and fired when ready； going shhhup as he sucked in a lungful of sweet smoke。
He offered it to Kirk。 Kirk abruptly recoiled。 〃No； I better not 。。。 〃 he began； then just as suddenly changed his mind。 〃Aw； hell。 Who's gonna know？〃 Taking a tiny； tentative hit。
〃So tell me；〃 Mike inquired； 〃why you think this is such a big deal。〃
〃Why？〃 Kirk looked astounded； as if he'd just found out that Mike had been a really slow child。 〃 'Cause HazMat's a hook； that's why！ It's not just a story in itself； it's a way into the whole larger issue of toxic waste； from a local perspective！ I mean； don't you see how hot this is？〃
Mike said nothing； maddeningly neutral。
〃Christ！〃 Kirk yelled； exasperated。 Then he took another tiny hit and shot Mike a demented quiz…show…host look。 〃Okay。 For example。 Do you know how many tons of toxic shit are generated around here every year？〃
Mike gave him a slight； startled who me？ look。 〃Um 。。。 〃 he began。
〃Four thousand tons；〃 Kirk answered for him； dragging out the words dramatically。 〃That's eight million pounds； man。 Every year。 In this county alone。〃
〃Whoa。〃 Taking the joint back； toking again。 The figure impressed him。 〃That's one large pile of shit。〃
〃Yup。 We're talking carcinogens； mutagens； fetalogens； hallucinogens 。。。 〃 Kirk was in Serious Mode now； rattling off the litany with practiced vigor。 Mike humored him； punctuating each technical term with a solemn nod。 Especially the last one。
Then Quizmaster Kirk struck again。 〃So if the local treatment facility can only actually handle maybe sixty percent of that； where does the rest of it go？〃
〃Um 。。。 〃 Shrugging； clueless。 Holding in his hit。
〃Quick！〃 White teeth flashing。 〃Think！ Where do you think it goes？〃
〃Umm 。。。 shit； I don't know。〃 Exhaling； huge。 〃Toad Road； I guess。〃
〃Exactly！〃 Kirk crowed。 〃And a hundred other places。 Like any goddam place they want。 Burn it。 Bury it。 Dump it in a creek。 What the fuck do they care？ It's like it all just goes away！〃
Mike took another hit； continued listening in silence。
〃I mean； the only times you ever hear about HazMat are a） when a tanker truck flips over on 83 and there's no way to hide it； or b） when it's a fucking Love Canal。 You never hear about the little disasters； where maybe it's only a hundred or a thousand gallons； and it all drains off into some little guy's yard。 Those are the kinds of stories that get slipped between the cracks。
〃That's why this is so unbelievably perfect。〃
He paused to shake his head； as if he couldn't believe it himself。 Mike nodded sympathetically。 〃I mean； I must've talked to Chris about this fifty times。 He always shrugs it off。 'No hook；' he says； 'Makes local industry look bad。' Hhhmph！〃
He snorted derisively。 Mike handed him back the joint。 This time； there was no hesitation。
〃Meanwhile；〃 he continued； 〃every year； we get another eight…million…pound turd in our pants。〃
Mike laughed out loud。 Kirk smiled； pleased； and sucked on the joint。 〃And it's only a matter of time；〃 he concluded； 〃before it wakes up and bites off our ass。〃
〃I like it；〃 Mike enthused。 〃If I were you； I'd run with the Giant Ass…Biting Turd motif。〃
It was Kirk's turn to laugh。 〃In a world of perfect news 。。。 〃 he said； then let it trail off。 They grew quiet for a moment； each in his own buzzing； contemplative world。
〃So；〃 Mike said at last。 〃I hate to bring this up； but 。。。 if Chris always has a problem； what's gonna make this any different 。。。 ？〃 Kirk shot him a glaring you dimwit stare。 It came to Mike suddenly。 〃Oh；〃 he said。
〃A hook。 Exactly。〃 Sighing wearily； yet triumphant。 〃A terrible； tragic； specific incident with lots of exclusive footage。 Which means the trick is to nail 'em while their pants are down； get the shot that everyone wants； and show it before anyone else。〃
〃I gotcha。〃
〃The only thing is 。。。 〃 Kirk paused； turning thoughtful。 〃If it is a local industry； you start to run into trouble with advertisers； you know？ And those guys are all in fucking cahoots 。。。 〃
Mike nodded。 〃Country club。 Chamber of merce 。。。 〃
〃 。。。 it's all a Good Ol' Boys network。 And then you run into the fucking Industrial Development Authority； and that motherfucker Blake 。。。 〃
〃Umm 。。。 I don't know； dude。〃 All of a sudden； Mike felt a nasty little blast of foreboding run through him。 Like everyone else in local news； he had heard stories about Werner Blake。 They were not happy stories。 〃Correct me if I'm wrong； but I don't think you really want to piss those people off。 I mean； seriously。 If you push too hard； they could severely fuck you up。〃
〃Oh； I don't think so。〃 Kirk's jaw set hard。
〃Oh； you don't think so？〃
〃No； I don't think so。〃 He had locked into Determined Mode。 It was amazing； in such moments； how much like a little kid he looked。 Mike couldn't help picturing him in high school： little blond blue…eyed Super Achiever； The Boy Who Could Not Fail。 He didn't seem to understand that anyone can fail。 Even the well…heeled sons of the powerful。
Even the sons that their God loved the most。
〃Okay。〃 Mike knew it was pointless to argue。 He'd learned a long time ago when to back off if he wanted to get along with Kirk。 Keep it light； keep it fun； and run the goddam camera。
〃Just watch；〃 Kirk asserted； eyes flashing。 〃I'm gonna break this story。〃 He took another hit； cracked the window； and blew it out； his fantasy blooming bright before his eyes。 〃I'm gonna make waves on national TV。〃
Mike gave a stoned chuckle at the thought。 〃I bet。〃
〃Yeah； sure； laugh now；〃 Kirk huffed。 〃But I got a good feeling about this。 I know what I'm doing。〃
He glanced down at the map； then suddenly up； at the unmarked side road directly upon them。
〃Oops；〃 he said。 〃Turn here。〃
〃WHOA！！！〃 Mike hollered； sawing the wheel。 The car slid； tires squealing into the turn； chewing up shoulder gravel as it went。 Mike seesawed the car； stabilizing it without losing speed。 Stoned or no； Mike was good。
〃JESUS； man！ How 'bout a little warning next time！〃 He shook his head； taking the joint back。 〃I swear； you are the worst fucking navigator。
〃Yeah； yeah；〃 Kirk said。 〃I get you killed 。。。 〃
〃 。。。 and I'll never speak to you again。 Exactly。〃
They snickered。 It was the secret of their success： reckless Mike and ruthless Kirk； the Two Horsemen of the TV News Apocalypse。
Kirk looked back at the directions。 〃Oops。 Turn here。〃
〃SHIT！〃 Mike wheeled sharply； skidded around another one。
This time； the road made an abrupt transition； winding into thickly overgrown woods。 〃Okay；〃 Kirk said。 〃Slow down。〃 Mike breathed a sigh of relief。 〃Over there。〃
An opening in the trees yawned like a part in heavy drapes。
〃This is the place；〃 Kirk said； as Mike wheeled off the main road and stopped。
Toad Road stretched out before them： a single gravel lane； chuck…holed and foreboding。 The sun was all but blotted out by the leafless thicket of branches overhead； thin beams wormed through like tiny spotlights； dappling the rutty surface。
〃Fuckin' aye。 This is excellent；〃 Kirk enthused。 〃Two and Twenty…three'll be lucky if they even find this place before we air。 We aced out everybody。〃
Mike nodded； already appraising the angles。 〃We should get some pickup shots here。〃
〃On our way out；〃 Kirk interjected。 〃I wanna get in there now。〃 He fished in the pockets of his cranberry L。L。 Bean parka； producing some Binaca and a tiny squeeze…bottle of Visine。 He spritzed his mouth； put a glistening drop in each eye； blinked it back； and straightened his tie。
〃Okay； this is it；〃 he said。 〃We are professionals。 There is no dress rehearsal。 And this is the big time。 Right？〃
Mike looked at him； shaking his head。 〃Anyone ever tell you you're fucking crazy？〃
〃Like a fox； buddy。〃 Winking。 〃Like a fucking fox。〃
And this is how Kirk Bogarde became a star。
They found Hal's cruiser three quarters of a mile in： parked neatly on what passed for the right shou