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A scandal would lead to an investigation。
An investigation would lead to an indictment。
An indictment to a trial。
And the trial…bone's connected to the 。。。 JAIL…bone 。。。
〃Shut up！〃 Leonard pounded the singsong nattering in his skull； already feeling the rope tighten around his neck。 When he closed his eyes； he saw himself： crying out to his accusers in the courtroom of his mind； waving handfuls of crumpled invoices at the featureless shadow…faces。 Protesting the inevitability of his guilt。
To no avail。
〃Oh； God；〃 he croaked in desperate； spontaneous prayer。 〃Oh； God； please 。。。 〃 Everything he'd built was ing down around his ears； collapsing into rubble and ruin。 Paradise Waste Disposal was a rock tied around his neck and hurled into the abyss； and Leonard was just standing on the edge； watching the line play out。
〃Oh； God；〃 he reiterated； dry…heaving tears； 〃please 。。。 〃
And suddenly a fist closed around Harold's cholesterol…clotted heart； sending lightning stabs of pain slicing through his chest。 He broke out in an instantaneous； copious sweat and dropped the sheaf of papers scattering to the floor。
〃No；〃 he whinnied； stripped of air and power。 〃Not like this 。。。 〃
Pain jetted through his left arm； exploding in fire buds that blossomed in his brain。 Somehow he found a chair； stumbled into it； and held on tight： blood pressure thudding in his temples； roaring like a runaway fire hose through his skull。 His heart body…slammed him again； rocking him back。 His eyes rolled heavenward。
And his prayers were answered。
Sudden sense of dislocation； cut loose from the fragile mooring of flesh。 Sent rocketing up and out of body； through the ceiling； and soaring high above the glistening dump below； the pools like distant； tiny baubles。
Seeing； then； the culture to which he was slave： the greedy； insatiable eating machine。 Shoveling resources in the one end； shitting poison out the other。 A fat； blind； dying carcass； smothering all as it wallowed in its own excrement。
Seeing Exxon and Bechtel； McDonald's and Dow； General Motors and General Foods and a host of others； a parade of myopic corporate criminals that burrowed and bored through civilization like flies in offal。 Raping their heritage。 Devouring their young。 Breeding swarms of dull…eyed mall…dwellers who were utterly convinced that happiness was not possible without one more disposable cigarette lighter； one more bustion engine； one more burger in a polystyrene box。
Seeing waves of humanity； lemming…racing face…first into the future； throwing their garbage over their shoul
ders and never once pausing to wonder where it went； or what it did when it got there。
And； finally； seeing himself： part puppet； part pawn； part piggy on a conveyor belt； squealing as he rolled toward his date with the knife。
He saw it all； in a single moment of absolute clarity。
Then the telephone rang。
〃YAHHH！〃 he cried； nearly jumping out of his skin。 The hallucination evaporated； leaving the reality right where he'd left it： heart in a vise grip； ass in a sling； evidence scattered all over the floor。
The phone rang again。
It's Blake； he knew。 Oh； Jesus。 His fear was a fact that surprised him； until this moment； he hadn't realized how frightened of Blake he actually was。
And that in itself was a revelation； clicking into place with the rest of the vision。 He realized； as the phone rang again； that something fundamental felt changed inside him。 Different。 Stronger； perhaps。
He looked at the papers strewn about at his feet； saw all those names and numbers listed； and in that moment…in a second wave of illumination…understood precisely what the difference was。
He no longer felt alone。
〃Hello；〃 he said； picking up on the fourth ring。
〃Hi； Harry；〃 Blake said。 〃Just checking in。〃
〃Good；〃 Leonard said； feeling the strength of his convictions。 〃 'Cause there were a few things I wanted to ask you； too。〃
Beat。 〃Shoot。〃
〃Well； for example； I need to know what you plan to do about the kid who got hurt。〃
〃Actually； I was hoping you might have a suggestion。〃
〃Me？〃 Leonard laughed。 The pain was still bad…a fireball in his chest； radiating outward to his extremities…but at least it was stable。 It was easy to believe； in that moment； that the worst was actually over。 〃I thought you were taking care of this。〃
Barely missing a beat。 〃We're working on it。〃
〃Well； good； because I talked to Pusser a while ago； and he was threatening to talk to the cops if something didn't happen fast。〃
〃Oh 。。。 ？〃
〃 'Oh' is right。〃 He was on a roll now； and the taint of sarcasm in his voice exhilarated him。 〃And that could be a problem。 Because if they go to prison； they'll take me with them。〃
〃Not necessarily…〃
〃And if I go down；〃 he cut in； 〃I'll have no choice but to drag everyone else down； too。〃
Long beat of silence。
〃Harry； don't you think you're overreacting？〃
〃Am I？〃
〃Yes； I think you are。〃
〃Well； then； straighten me out； Werner。 Calm me down。〃
〃What do you need to know？〃
〃How you plan to keep me out of jail。〃
Not a dropped beat this time。 Straight into the pitch。 Leonard had to admire how quick Blake was； when the chips were down。
〃The first and most important job is containment。 So far； we've been lucky。 Nobody knows anything 。。。 〃
〃Ah。〃 Using Blake's smug little throat noise against him。 〃But don't you think they should？〃
〃What？〃 Incredulous now。 It made Leonard smile to get a rise out of him like that。 Amazingly； the pain in his chest had dwindled to little more than an afterthought。
〃Don't you think people deserve to know that there's poison in the Codorus？ I mean； when you talk about containment； does that mean you intend to hush the whole thing up？ Or just the part that might point back at you？〃
〃Harry 。。。 〃
〃When is someone gonna take some responsibility for this？ I mean； Christ！ It's not worth the money anymore； Werner！ This whole thing is just out of control！ Doesn't it scare you to think of what might be out there？ In your water？ In your food？ In your air？〃
Nothing from Blake。 Leonard continued； feeling his whole life solidify； e together beneath him in this moment of truth。
〃Well； it scares me half to death； and I'll tell you what else。 I feel guilty as hell； and I don't know what to do about it。 I mean； in some ways； we probably should go to jail 。。。 〃
〃Harry；〃 Blake interrupted； and this time he would not be forestalled。 〃I hear what you're saying； but I've got to ask： do you really think that； by going to jail； you'd be helping make the world a better place for anybody？〃
Leonard started to reply； but it was Blake's turn to override。
〃Seriously； just stop and think for a minute。 I mean； I certainly understand how you feel。 Sometimes I lay awake nights； thinking about all the terrible things we've done to this poor world of ours； and wondering if it isn't already too late。〃
Leonard's mouth opened； and nothing came out。
〃But then I think about our work…about all the jobs that we create； the meaningful and necessary employment we generate； the goods and services that we provide…and I think； the world needs guys like us； Harry！〃
Leonard felt his spirit deflate and his fight diminish； as Blake turned Harold's own rationalizations on him like a pack of hounds。 For a moment there； everything had seemed so clear 。。。
〃You know what would happen if there were no Paradise Waste Disposal？〃 Blake asked； and answered。 〃Local industry would either be forced to spend more money shipping their waste out of town； which they would not like to do： or we'd go back to the bad old days； when waste treatment was unheard…of and it ALL went into the creek！ Does that make any kind of sense to you？〃
〃Well； no； but…〃
〃But； nothing； Harry！ You know I'm right on this one。〃
〃But I…〃
〃Harry；〃 Blake said； crushing the last of Leonard's fight like a spent cigarette butt。 〃Don't go soft on me now； buddy。 You're right： we've been playing this way too fast and loose； and it's high time we cleaned up our act。〃
〃That's what I…〃
〃I'll tell you what；〃 Blake continued； a velvet steamroller squashing all debate。 〃We pull together on this one until we're out of the woods。 And if you still want out； well； we'll buy you out。 You walk away： free and clear； new lease on life。〃
This time； the silence was entirely Leonard's call。
〃C'mon； Harry。 Whaddaya say？〃
〃What do you want me to do？〃 Leonard said at last。
On the other end； Blake sighed with enormous relief； and Leonard； perversely； echoed the sound； if not the sentiment。
〃You're a stand…up guy； Harry。 I mean that；〃 Blake said； and he sounded utterly genuine； like a real friend。 It was the first time Werner had ever spoken that way to him。 Like he was one of the gang。
〃Okay！〃 Blake said。 〃First off； I want you to relax； and trust me； for God's sake！ I won't let you go down the tubes。 The DER can find hazardous chemicals in the river without knowing where they came from； right？ It's not like they have your fingerprints on 'em； right？〃
And Leonard was forced to agree。