Said candidate waits. Said candidate pardons Jimmy. We get one pardon. We get one colony policy-per nations right- or left-wing.

Cuba was left-wing. They couldn't plant casinos there. Their plant targets were all _right_-wing. Think back. Go back three years-fall '63.

The hit plan's on. The Boys are mad. The Boys want their Cuban casinos. They tried to kill Castro. They indulged covert ops. They failed.

Sam enlists Santo. Santo lures Johnny Rosselli. They brace the Beard. They make nice-_please_ return our casinos. The Beard says no. They clip Jack. The world rocks and sways.

Then to now-plans crass and audacious.

Like the war-Big Pete's preferred misalliance.

He met Barb for lunch. They met once a week. They discussed it. Barb hated the war. Barb felt new love for Bobby. Barb assailed Pete.

Barb talked political. Barb talked lounge gossip and segued. Barb said "exploitation." Barb said "mass murder" and "genocide."

Barb was moody. Barb took pills. Barb anesthetized. They discussed Pete's business. They discussed Pete's compartments.

Barb temporized. Barb straddled fences. Barb compartmentalized: I love Pete/I hate Pete's business/I hate Pete's war.

_He_ loved her. Wayne loved her. She knew it. All men loved her. He told her. She knew it.

She said I like it. She said I hate it. She said I outgrew it late.

She knew Jane left him. She didn't know details. She teased him per Janice. He told her flat-out. He played it blunt-Janice was diversion.

Janice was sex. Janice was style. Janice was will bravura.

Wayne Senior beat her. Janice still limped. Janice still got cramps. Janice still shot scratch golf. Janice still played A-club tennis.

She charged the net. She limped. She cramped. She slammed shots. She made points. She won by attrition.

She rebuffed Mormon goons. Said goons were putting feelers out. Wayne Senior misses Wayne Junior.

She replied one way. Her words were Get Fucked. It was her one response verbatim.

He liked her. He loved Barb. He loved Jane.

Barb got dreamy looks. She hid from Pete then. He envied her looks. He envied her sedation.

_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 10/30/66. Internal memorandum. Topic: OPERATION BLACK RABBIT. To: BLUE RABBIT. From: Director. Marked: "Stage-1 Covert" /"Eyes Only" /"Read and Burn."

I have been digesting my July phone call to CRUSADER RABBIT for some time. I could not read his response to my mention of WHITE RABBIT's alleged confession, and perceived his mental state to be problematic.

WHITE RABBIT was, of course, your brother. I have given your repeated assertions that his confession was fabricated considerable thought. You have stated that CRUSADER RABBIT is the only one in our purview capable of such a fabrication, and I cannot in any way dispute that assessment.

CRUSADER RABBIT troubles me. As you have noted, his paramour, Arden Breen/Jane Fentress, disappeared last October and has presumably been killed by members of organized crime. I suspect that her absence and assuredly grisly fate have contributed to CRUSADER RABBIT's funk. You have often characterized CRUSADER RABBIT as a "wimp," but I would add that his propensity for kamikaze action marks him as the world's most dangerous wimp.

All told, I think we should reinstate our spot-surveillance of CRUSADER RABBIT and reinstate our Trash and Mail Covers. These actions will supplant our decision to exclude him from all aspects of OPERATION BLACK RABBIT.

Per the "Shakedown" adjunct:

I veto your recommendation that we target RED RABBIT. RED RABBIT will simply be too wary of entrapment.

The target will be PINK RABBIT. His heedless pursuit of homosexual encounters marks him as more suitable and vulnerable.

BIG RABBIT seems to have recovered from his heart attack. Contact him by 12/1/66.

_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 11/2/66. Miami _Herald_ headline:

KING DECRIES "IMPERIALISTIC" WAR IN VIETNAM

_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 11/4/66. Denver _Post-Dispatch_ headline and subhead:

_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 11 / 12/66. Atlanta _Constitution_ subhead:

WAR A "MORAL OUTRAGE," KING DECLARES IN SPEECH

_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 11/16/66. Los Angeles _Examiner_ subhead:

_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 11/17/66. San Francisco _Chronicle_ subhead:

_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 11/18/66. Chicago _Sun-Times_ headline and subhead:

_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 11/23/66. Washington _Post_ subhead:

_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 11/24/66. Boston _Globe_ subhead:

HOWARD HUGHES' BIZARRE CROSS-COUNTRY TRAIN RIDE

_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 11/26/66. Las Vegas _Sun_ headline and subhead:

WHAT DOES BILLIONAIRE RECLUSE BODE FOR LAS VEGAS?

Part V

(November 27, 1966-March 18, 1968)

93 (Las Vegas, 11/27/66)

_He's coming_.

He's Mr. Big. He's Howard Hughes. He's the Count of Las Vegas.

Littell watched.

He joined newsmen. He joined camera crews. He joined Joe Vegas. Word leaked. The Count's coming. The train station-1 1:00 p.m.

He's coming. Check track 14. Behold the Drac Express.

The platform rocked. Newsmen cliqued up. Grips wheeled arc lights. Camera guys lugged film.

Littell watched.

He'd braced Drac's Mormons. They talked renovation. They said they'd hit the DI. They said they'd Draculized. They germ-proofed the penthouse. They lugged freezers in. They stocked snacks and treats.

Snow cones/pizza/candy bars. Demerol/codeine/Dilaudid.

They said we launch soon. We negotiate and bargain. We _buy_ the DI. The Boys said _we_ launch soon. _We_ bargain and set the price.

It's large. Drac will balk. Drac will pout. Drac will pay. Drac will stump for a Mormon hegemony. Drac will shout: Mormons must run my casino!

The Boys will renavigate. The Boys will plot. The Boys will decree: Littell must brace Wayne Tedrow Senior.

_They'll_ talk. _They'll_ bargain. Small talk will run cruel. Wayne Senior will tweak him on Janice.

The platform shook. The rails shook. A train whistle blew.

_He's coming_.

A cop van pulled up. Cops got out. Cops hauled equipment. A cop pushed a gurney. A cop wheeled a tent. A cop slung oxygen cans.

Cops shoved newsmen. Cops shoved citizens. Cops pulled cameras back. Newsmen pushed. Newsmen jockeyed. Newsmen shoved back.