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〃Zip； cut it out；〃 she said。 〃There's people watching。〃
〃So let them； who cares？〃 He took one arm from Elena and pointed into the crowd。 〃Hey！ Hey you！ Fat boy！〃
Frederick Block； who had shoved his way up to the barricade； looked up at Zip。
〃You watching us； Fat Boy？〃
Block turned away with a look of extreme disgust on his face。 Zip burst out laughing。
〃See； honey？〃 he said。 〃Nobody watching us。〃 He pulled her closer to him。 〃Mmmm； you are the softest girl。〃
〃I shouldn't let you；〃 Elena said。 〃Not after this China thing。〃
〃Somebody's got to protect little China； no？〃 His hands roamed her body。 He touched her breast； and she pulled away from him quickly； embarrassed； but he drew her close again； and she stood unprotesting in the circle of his arms。 Zip stroked her back gently。
〃You going to hurt Alfie Gomez？〃 Juana asked。
〃Drop dead；〃 Zip told her。
〃Big man；〃 Juana said。 〃Everybody in this neighborhood's a big man。 It's just you're insecure； that's all。〃
〃Man； she sprouts that crap like as if she grows it in her mouth；〃 Zip said。 〃I got news for you； zombie。 I am a big man； now how about that？ The Latin Purples ain't afraid of nothing or nobody！〃
〃Whoever heard of the Latin Purples outside of you and your mother？〃 Juana asked。 〃If one of those Royal Guardians came down the street right now； you'd pass out cold。〃
〃I ain't afraid of no Royal Guardians；〃 Zip said angrily。 〃I ain't afraid of nobody！〃 He searched in his mind for a clincher to his argument； and then blurted； 〃Why； one of my boys is out right now； rounding up a couple of pieces！〃
〃If one of them goes off accidentally； you'll run a mile。〃
〃You better tell your pal to shut up； Elena；〃 Zip warned。
〃Juana； stop picking on。。。〃
〃A gun is a psychological symbol；〃 Juana said。 〃You only want one because you're afraid。〃
〃I ain't afraid to rap you right in the mouth；〃 Zip said。
〃Big man；〃 Juana repeated； but she shut up。
Zip looked out over the crowd。 〃They're ing back；〃 he said。 〃The bulls are ing back。〃
11
The plan was a simple one； but Lieutenant Byrnes had discovered in his years of police work that most feasible and practical plans were simple。
The plan was one of deception； a plan which would utilize every man's innate susceptibility to the expected； and then knock him flat by suddenly producing the unexpected。 The plan； of course； undertook to presume what Miranda would consider 〃expected〃。 But it seemed a reasonable guess to suppose that Miranda expected the cops to get him out of that apartment； and that one certain way to acplish this was to bust into the joint。 If a rush were made across the street； a rush which carried all the earmarks of a frontal attack； Miranda would brace himself for an assault on his front door。 Actually； the assault would e from elsewhere。 Such was the unoriginal and simple nature of the deception。 Broken down into simple terms； the police plan could have been stated thusly： Hit him where he ain't。
〃Have you got it straight？〃 Byrnes asked his men。
〃I want the fire escape；〃 Parker said。
〃We'll see about that。〃
〃I want to be the one who gets him；〃 Parker said。 〃I want to blow his head off。〃
〃Sometimes； Parker； you turn my goddamn stomach；〃 Byrnes said。
〃What？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃Well； what do you want to say something like that for？〃
〃Skip it；〃 Byrnes said。 〃Do you understand the plan？〃
〃I understand it；〃 Parker said sullenly。
〃Frankie？〃
〃I've got it。〃
〃Steve？〃
〃Run through it once more； would you； Pete？〃
〃Okay； this is it in a nutshell。 I'm going to tell Miranda we're ing in after him。 A pile of us'll rush the stoop when the shooting starts。 Miranda … I hope … will think we're going to force the apartment door from the hallway。 But one of us will break away from the rest and flatten himself against the side of the building。〃
〃Me；〃 Parker said。
〃Whoever it is； he'll pull down the ladder of the fire escape and climb up to the first floor。 He may be able to get Miranda from the window。 Otherwise； he'll have to enter the apartment and have it out there。 It's tricky； but I'd rather risk one man than a dozen。〃
〃Let's get started；〃 Parker said。
〃In a minute。 I need a volunteer for that fire escape job。〃
〃You've already got your volunteer； Lieutenant；〃 Parker said。
〃You've got two〃 Hernandez said。
〃Keep out of this； Frankie。 This is my baby。〃
〃Why should it be？〃
〃Because I want it。〃
〃I'll decide who。。。〃 Byrnes started。
〃Lieutenant； you'd be crazy to send up a guy who's。。。〃 Parker cut himself short。
〃Who's what？〃 Hemandez asked。
〃Okay！ Who's got a personal stake in this； okay？〃
〃Personal？ What the hell are you talking about？〃
〃You grew up with Miranda！〃
〃What difference does that make？ We want him out of that apartment； don't we？〃
〃We want him dead；〃 Parker said。 〃He's a punk。 He should have been killed a long time ago。 He's the biggest stink in these streets。〃
〃What the hell do you know about the stink here； Parker？ Did you。。。〃
〃I seen plenty of it。 I been in this precinct for。。。〃
〃Did you grow up with the stink in your nostrils； day and night？ Did you live with it every day of your life？〃
〃You're telling me about this precinct？ I know it like my own mother。 There's nothing you can tell me about。。。〃
〃No； nothing！ To you； this precinct is one big violation； one big crime being mitted every hour on the hour。 And you're scared of the place！ You're scared out of your wits！〃
〃Scared？ Who the hell。。。〃
〃Well to me it's people！ And they deserve a goddamn break！ They want to get that son of a bitch as much as you do！〃
〃They want him to hold off the whole damn city！〃 Parker shouted。 〃You know that！ You know it's true！〃
〃They only want a Puerto Rican to win for a change。 Okay； if I go up there； a Puerto Rican wins。〃
〃If I go up。。。〃
〃If you go up； you purge yourself。 You think killing him is gonna help you； Parker？ You think that's the answer？〃
〃I don't know what the hell you're talking about。〃
〃If you go up there； you acplish nothing。 Not for yourself； and not for the city。 You'll be making Miranda a hero。 I'm telling you that right now。 You kill him； and this neighborhood has a martyr。 The kids'll be playing Pepe Miranda and the Cops for the next six weeks。〃
〃The hell with the kids。 You think I'm interested in。。。 ？〃
〃Who's gonna show them； Parker？ You want a hundred more Mirandas ten years from now？〃
〃You gonna show them？〃 Parker asked sarcastically。
〃If I kill him；〃 Hernandez said flatly； 〃the neighborhood gets nothing but a dead punk。〃
〃You've got him； Frankie；〃 Byrnes said。
〃Thank you。〃
〃Get to the car； Parker。 Radio the men on the next block to open up。 I want to draw his fire away from these windows。〃
〃You're sending Hernandez up there？〃
〃Yes。 Any plaints？〃
〃Damn right I've got a…〃
〃Take it to the mayor！〃 Byrnes snapped； and he turned his back and walked toward the patrolman who was holding the megaphone。 Parker stared after him； spat viciously into the gutter； and then walked around to the other side of the squad car。
A reporter behind the barricade caught at Hernandez's sleeve。 〃Hey； are you in charge here？〃 he asked。