Day 9: 10,197 Total: 100,365

I am so close to being done! I'll have it sometime today, probably after a few hours sleep. At that point the title of the blog will likely change to add the name of the second novel. As soon as I figure out what I'm going to do for a second novel.

Oh, and the second one will be a lot slower. Down to about 5k a day, I think. I need to start working on 'end of the year' projects for the various sites and stuff. And yes, even giving myself a little time to relax.

Here is today's snippet. Not much of one, but I'm too tired to go hunting for something more interesting. (grin)

Wingate followed O'Donnell back out of the clinic and looked in the back at Singer and St. Jude. Nic apparently hadn't even noticed they'd stopped.

"I need to hide the van now?" he said. "And it's stolen?"

"Don't worry about it," O'Donnell said. "This is Chief Noble and Captain Promeyer. I think between the three of us -- I'm Captain O'Donnell -- we'll manage to keep you out of trouble."

"Hell. Why not. Around the back. The place is empty this afternoon. Just come in and we'll go upstairs. St. Jude, are you listening to me?"

"Of course," Nic said and without looking up from the book.

"You and Nic were supposed to be sleeping," he said, looking back to Eli with a shake of his head.

"Yeah, well -- things took a turn for the worse. Bombs and things."

"Ah."

He didn't sound at all surprised.

They got the van into the back. Eli couldn't be certain that it hadn't been spotted by dozens of people. He didn't like the feeling that they had no way of knowing where the enemy might be.

"I'm staying down here and watching the door," Castro said, and waved the others up. "Go. I'll let you know if we have company."

Nic had already started up the stairs, the black book still in hand. Eli gave Castro a nod of thanks and started upward after his partner, the others falling in behind him. Eli didn't think he would quite make it to the top.

The others seemed amused by the fact that Wingate knew them so well that he grabbed medical supplies, pushed Nic into one chair and Eli into the other, and began working without even a question.

It had been that kind of month. Hell, two months. Eli just sat back and waited. The others didn't look as inclined to be still, though.

"If Nic can break this code, then we'll have some idea of what's going on," Eli said, filling the uncomfortable silence. He glanced at Nic and saw that he was still flipping through the book, holding it in the hand of his broken arm and leaning down over it while Wingate worked at some cut at the back of his head. "If not, we may need to get down to the docks and look things over for ourselves."

"It seems the most likely place that this is going to take place," Promeyer agreed. He sat on the edge of the sofa and leaned forward. "Do you figure Donner and Belton will be in on it?"

"In on it, yes. I don't think they'll be there. They're slimy little cowards. They'll be worried that Nic and I picked something up, especially if they realize we went through the lawyer's office. The one thing they don't do is show up anywhere that they might take a chance at getting caught."

Nic looked up, even against Wingate's protest. "Franks isn't that smart, though."

"Good point," Promeyer said, though he cast a worried look at Noble and O'Donnell.

"The bastard shot at us," Noble said. "And then he tried to blow us up. I don't think you need to worry about saying something bad about Franks."