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Att'y： That's OK。
Waitress： Yeah； they got new laws。
Duke： Twenty…four…hour…a…day violence？ Is that what we're saying？
Lou： Exactly。 Now here's the Flamingo。。。Oh； I can't show you this； I can tell you better my way。 Right up here at the first gas station is Tropicana； take a right。
Att'y： Tropicana to the right。
Lou： The first gas station is Tropicana。 Take a right on Tropicana and take this way。。。right on Tropicana； right on Paradice； you'll see a big black building； it's all painted black real weird looking。
Att'y： Right on Tropicana； right on Paradise； black building。。。
Lou： And there's a sign on the side of the building that says Psychiatrist's Club； but they're pletely remodeling it and everything。
Att'y： All right； that's close enough Lou： If there's anything I can do for ya； honey。。。 I don't know if that's even it or not。 But it sounds like it is。 I think you boys are on the right track。
Att'y： Right。 That's the best lead we've had for two days； we've been asking people all around。
Lou：。。。I could make a couple calls and sure as hell find out。
Att'y： Could you？
Lou： Sure I'll call Allen and ask him。
Att'y： Gee； I'd appreciate that if you could。
Waitress： When you go down to Tropicana； it's not the first gas station； the second。
Lou： There's a big sign right down the street here； it says Tropicana Avenue。 Make a right； and when you get to Paradice make another right。
Att'y： OK。 Big black building； right on Paradise： twenty…four…hour…a…day violence； drugs Waitress： See； here's Tropicana； and this is Boulder Highway that goes clear down like that。
Duke： Well； that's pretty far into town then。
Waitress： Well； here's Paradise split up somewhere around there。 There's Paradice。 Paradise。 Yeah； we're down in here。 See； this is Boulder Highway。。。and Tropicana。
Lou： Well； that's not it； that bartender in there is a pothead too。。。
Att'y： Yeah； well； it's a lead。
Lou： You gonna be glad you stopped here； boys。
Duke： Only if we find it。
Att'y： Only if we write the article and get it in。
Waitress： Well； why don't you e inside and sit down？
Duke： We're trying to get as much sun as we can。
Att'y： She's going to make a phone call to find out where it Is。
Duke： Oh。 OK； well； let's go inside。 EDITOR'S NOTE （cont。）： Tape cassettes for the next sequence were impossible to transcribe due to some viscous liquid encrusted behind the heads。 There is a certain consistency in the garbled sounds however； indicating that almost two hours later Dr。
Duke and his attorney finally located what was left of the 〃Old Psychiatrist's Club〃…a huge slab of cracked； scorched concrete in a vacant lot full of tall weeds。 The owner of a gas station across the road said the place had 〃burned down about three years ago。〃
10。 Heavy Duty at the Airport。。。Ugly Peruvian Flashback 。。。〃No！ It's Too Late！ Don't Try It！〃
My attorney left at dawn。 We almost missed the first flight to LA。 because I couldn't find the airport。 It was less than thirty minutes from the hotel。 I was sure of that。 So we left the Flamingo at exactly seven…thirty。。。but for some reason we failed to make the turnoff at the stoplight in front of the Tropicana。 We kept going straight ahead on the freeway； that parallels the main airport runway； but on the opposite from the terminal。。。and there is no way to get across legally。
〃Goddamnit！ We're lost！〃 my attorney was shouting。 What are we doing out here on this godforsaken road？ The airport is right over there！〃 He pointed hysterically across the tundra。
〃Don't worry；〃 I said。 〃I've never missed a plane yet。〃 I smiled as the memory came back。 〃Except once in Peru；〃 I added。 〃I was already checked out of country； through customs； but I went back to the bar to chat with this Bolivian cocaine dealer。。。and all of a sudden I heard those big 707 engines starting up； so I ran out to the runway and tried to get aboard but the door was right behind the engines and they'd already rolled the ladder away。 Shit； those afterburners would have fried me like bacon。。。but I was pletely out of my head： I was desperate to get aboard。
〃The airport cops saw me ing； and they gathered into a knot at the gate。 I was running like a bastard； straight at them。 The guy with me was screaming： 'No！ It's too late！ Don't try it！'
〃I saw the cops waiting for me； so I slowed down like maybe I'd changed my mind 。。。 but when I saw them relax； I did a quick change of pace and tried to run right over the bastards。〃 I laughed。 〃Jesus； it was like running full bore into a closet full of gila monsters。 The fuckers almost killed me。 All I remember is seeing five or six billyclubs ing down on me at the same time； and a lot of voices screaming： 'No！ No！ It's suicide！ Stop the crazy gringo！' 〃I woke up about two hours later in a bar in downtown Lima。 They'd stretched me out in one of those half…moon leather booths。 My luggage was all stacked beside me。 No body had opened it。。。so I went back to sleep and caught the first flight out； the next morning。〃 My attorney was only half listening。 〃Look；〃 he said； 〃I'd really like to hear more about your adventures in Peru； but not now。 Right now all I care about is getting across that god damn runway。〃 We were flashing along at good speed。 I was looking for an opening； some kind of access road； some lane across the run way to the terminal。 We were five miles past the last stop light and there wasn't enough time to turn around and go back to it。
There was only one way to make it on time。 I hit the brakes and eased the Whale down into the grassy moat between the two freeway lanes。 The ditch was too deep for a head…on run； so I took it at an angle。 The Whale almost rolled； but I kept the wheels churning and we careened up the opposite bank and into the oning lane。 Fortunately； it was empty。 We came out of the moat with the nose of the car up in the air like a hydroplane。。 。 then bounced on the freeway and kept on going into the cactus field on the other side。 I recall running over a fence of some kind said dragging it a few hundred yards； but by the time w e got to the runway way we were under control。。。screaming along about 60 miles an in low gear； and it looked like a wide…open run all the to the terminal。
My only worry was the chance of getting crushed like a roach by an ining DC…8； which we probably wouldn't see until it was right on top of us。 I wondered if they could see us in the tower。 Probably so； but why worry？ I kept the thing floored。 There was no point in turning back now。
My attorney was hanging onto the dashboard with both nds。 I glanced over and saw fear in his eyes。 His face appeared to be grey； and I sensed he was not happy with this move； but we were going so fast across the runway…then cactus； then runway again…that I knew he understood our situation： We were past the point of debating the wisdom of is move； it was already done； and our only hope was to get the other side。
I looked at my skeleton…face Accutron and saw that we had three minutes and fifteen seconds before takeoff。 〃Plenty of time；〃 I said。 〃Get your stuff together。 I'll drop you rig