CROOKED LITTLE VEIN
Warren Ellis
Contents
Chapter 1
I opened my eyes to see the rat taking a…
Chapter 2
I sat there for at least half an hour, just…
Chapter 3
An hour later, I walked into some freak bar on…
Chapter 4
By Sunday, I’d moved into the Z Hotel, where the…
Chapter 5
Outside, I scrabbled for my cigarettes, still vaguely angry at…
Chapter 6
I wish I still had that photo.
Chapter 7
I spent Monday and Tuesday buying clothes and luggage and…
Chapter 8
Through the airport without any further “magnetism.” I figured maybe…
Chapter 9
The Columbus airport was one of those places you forget…
Chapter 10
Come on over,” said the guy on the phone, sounding…
Chapter 11
I parked outside the address, a well-kept place that’d had…
Chapter 12
Eight very large and very gay men filled the living…
Chapter 13
This is where we shoot salt water into your testicles,”…
Chapter 14
Gary flicked on the showers, and I was doused in…
Chapter 15
Gary gave me a big blue towel, wrapped it around…
Chapter 16
I found that I had to kind of limbo into…
Chapter 17
If you think I’m telling you about having sex with…
Chapter 18
I think it’s finally going down,” Trix said.
Chapter 19
Bob? It’s Mike McGill.”
Chapter 20
At the departure gate, a drunken airport security woman was…
Chapter 21
Bob Ajax was waiting for us in the arrivals lounge…
Chapter 22
Bob refused to talk about it. Drove us to the…
Chapter 23
And to make up for being an asshole, I had…
Chapter 24
Bob picked us up outside our hotel, wearing his Same…
Chapter 25
Bob ate the entire damn thing, but was paralyzed afterward.
Chapter 26
We drove back to the hotel in silence. Bob said…
Chapter 27
Trix came in. “I got the concierge to call the…
Chapter 28
In the middle of the night, I said, “You said…
Chapter 29
If they don’t give us the book they’re going to…
Chapter 30
It was a long drive out under an unforgiving sun.
Chapter 31
Down two flights of stairs, through some heavy doors, into…
Chapter 32
True to her word, Trix was out in the car,…
Chapter 33
We got a late flight out to Vegas. Trix watched…
Chapter 34
From a distance, the Strip looked like it was covered…
Chapter 35
I went back down to the front desk, bought a…
Chapter 36
As the sun went down, we left the hotel and…
Chapter 37
Trix and I gave the cops an edited version of…
Chapter 38
There’s a fucked-up shitpipe in the men’s room,” said the…
Chapter 39
Christ, I want a gun,” I heard myself say.
Chapter 40
Back in the car, Trix couldn’t stop shaking. She tried…
Chapter 41
And then, with the board in the bed ripped out…
Chapter 42
We snuck out of the back of the hotel and…
Chapter 43
Leaning over Trix, I looked out at Los Angeles. An…
Chapter 44
Are edamame food?”
Chapter 45
I walked for an hour before I realized I no…
Chapter 46
The clock ticked around a couple of hours, and I…
Chapter 47
I decided to stay outside for a little while, and…
Chapter 48
I sat down in the guy’s football field of a…
Chapter 49
I walked quickly through the living room into the kitchen.
Chapter 50
I drew the living room curtains, put my foot through…
Chapter 51
After some extended foraging through that stupidly huge house that…
Chapter 52
The ride into Beverly Hills was dark and hot. The…
Chapter 53
I moved around the carport, taking cover where I could,…
Chapter 54
I invented five new swearwords in six seconds.
Chapter 55
Mr. McGill,” came the voice. From the door.
Chapter 56
What did you tell the cops to get them there…
Chapter 57
Of course, the first apartment we took together turned out…
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Other Books by Warren Ellis
Cover
Credits
Copyright
About the Publisher
Chapter 1
