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of his Toyota.
    “Hey,” Grant exclaimed angrily.
    The Blank Man’s hand disappeared into his coat and reappeared with a gun.
    “Here we go,” Maddy murmured to herself shakily.
    The second Blank Man started to open Maddy's door, but she threw all her weight against it. The corner of the door connected with his chin, sending him to the ground.
    Maddy scrambled out and grabbed the arm of the officer.
    “Help,” she shouted.  “These men are not cops!”
    Pushing her firmly aside, the officer dropped his right hand to his holster and unsnapped the guard as his left hand hit the transmit button on the radio attached to his coat pocket.
    “Unit six!  Lou!  Get out here!”
    The fallen Blank Man leapt up, burying his knee in the officer's crotch.
    As the officer hit the ground, Maddy drew the officer's gun from his holster and pressed the gun to the Blank Man’s head.
    “Down! Knees! Now,” Maddy barked in an authoritative voice.  “You with the gun!  Drop it!”
    He stood stock still.
    The Blank Man with Grant gave an almost infinitesimal nod and the other man dropped slowly to his knees.  Grant attempted to look up over the roof, but Blank pushed him firmly against the car.
    Turning her attention to the other man, Maddy called out: “Get rid of the gun and let go of him! Now!
    The tall Blank Man did not move.
    “Bert, you and your friend Ernie read my file?”
    The taller Blank Man released Grant, returned his gun into his coat and backed away palms turned out to Maddy.
    “Now go get in your car and keep your hands on the wheel where I can see them.”
    Pushing away from his car, Grant looked from the Blank Man to Maddy.  “You aren’t here for me ?”  He attempted to get a look at the man’s face but he smoothly turned aside.  “Who are you with?” Grant demanded.
    On his knees at Maddy’s feet, Ernie-Blank gave just the hint of a cold smile.
    Bert-Blank dutifully climbed behind the wheel of the black sedan, the Toyota’s headlights brightly revealing every movement as he placed his hands almost demurely atop the steering wheel.
    “Grant!  Car! Now!”
    Grant slid into the driver’s seat of the Toyota without hesitation, glancing over at the grimacing police officer rising slowly to his knees.
    Maddy opened the passenger side door, rolled the window down and slid inside, all the while maintaining her aim on Ernie.  “Grant, I’m going to fire this gun twice now, but no one will be hurt.  You understand?”
    “What?  What?”
    Hanging out the window, Maddy fired one shot each into the black sedan's left side tires.  The car sank to one side.
    On the driver’s side, Grant covered his head with both arms.
    “Sorry-Sorry,” Maddy called out, sliding back inside.  “I had to do it.
    Grant slowly untangled himself and stared at Maddy with a mixture of shock and anger.
    “I shot the tires.  Yes, they're still breathing,” Maddy told him.  “Drive the car.  Now!”
    Putting the car into reverse, Grant pulled the Toyota back far enough to get around the sedan and back onto the road.
    Ernie-Blank slowly rose from the ground behind the crippled sedan watching the Toyota drive off into the night.  Bert climbed out from the behind the wheel and stood beside the car just as a black Mercedes cruised past.
    Rudy rolled down his passenger window and surveyed the scene as he passed them.
    “I’ll call AAA for you,” Rudy called out, accelerating past.
    Bert-Blank yanked his cell phone from its holster and hit the speed-dial.
    The police officer finally rose to his feet, patting the empty holster at his side.  “Aw hell.”
    Turning slightly away from him and without seeming to aim, Ernie-Blank drew a gun and pumped two shots into the policeman —head and chest, perfectly placed-- then returned the gun to his coat.
    “Scarlet Fever has spread,” Bert-Blank spoke into the phone.

14
    Accelerating down the feeder road of the Beltway, Grant sat red-faced behind the wheel of his car,