Chuck dribbled blood. Chuck dribbled bile. Chuck rubbed his head on the floor.

"I… didn't… tell Bob. I… I burned them notes."

Pete cued Wayne. Wayne cranked the radio. Wayne reprised Rambunctious Roy:

"… White Man's wise to Martin Luther Coon. Eatin' watermelon in the month of June. Big teeth chompin' sweet potato pie-"

Wayne pulled his piece. Pete pulled his piece. Chuck said, "No, _please_."

The door creaked. The jamb snapped and sheared. Ward Littell walked in.

He was egg-spattered. He was blotto. He was non compos something. He put out booze breath.

Pete said, "Fuck."

Wayne said, "Jesus Christ."

Ward turned the music off. Ward walked up to Chuck. Chuck shit his pants. Chuck dribbled teeth.

Ward said, "Wild Rabbit."

Chuck coughed. Chuck dribbled teeth.

"Wild Rabbit's got the Federal pedig-"

Ward pulled his piece. Ward shot Chuck's eyes out.

Part IV

COERCION

July 1965-November 1966

_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 7/2/65. Internal memorandum. To: Director. From: BLUE RABBIT. Topic: OPERATION BLACK RABBIT. Marked: "Stage-1 Covert" / "Eyes Only" / "Read and Burn."

Sir,

Per the church bombing and related actions in Bogalusa, Louisiana.

Locally assigned agents have completed their internal investigation. They have reported to me orally, have filed no official reports and have confirmed the official judgment of the Bogalusa Police Department: that the "accidental explosion" was caused by a leaky pipe main. That judgment should stand as the authoritative verdict on this matter. It is crucial to the continued success of the WHITEHATE arm of OPERATION BLACK RABBIT.

I've spoken to WILD RABBIT. His denials of complicity in the bombing were not convincing. I warned him that church bombings were outside his operating parameters and that no such incidents should happen again. WILD RABBIT seemed cowed and did not protest the reprimand. It should be noted that his arms bore odd bruises and that in fact he seemed to have sustained a recent beating.

WILD RABBIT refused to comment on his bruises and overall beaten appearance. I queried him on the possible presence of his known Vietnam associate Charles Rogers per the time of the church incident, and WILD RABBIT became visibly upset. It should be noted: The dismembered bodies of Rogers' elderly parents were found in their Houston, Texas, home on 6/23, and Rogers (who cannot be located) is the leading suspect in this double homicide. I checked Vietnamese-U.S. passport records for the two weeks preceding the assumed date-of-death, learned that Rogers flew from Saigon to Houston on 6 / 15 and that the cargo on his ifight included bomb material. It is my belief that Rogers supplied the explosives for the bombing and that WILD RABBIT assisted him in this unsanctioned provocation.

It should also be noted that local agents spotted CRUSADER RABBIT at the Negro hospital shortly after the bombing. He was visibly distraught and of unkempt appearance. I checked regionwide ifight and car-rental records and learned that CRUSADER RABBIT flew from Las Vegas to New Orleans and drove to Bogalusa. I consider it likely that he met his client Caries Marcello in New Orleans and took advantage of its proximity to Bogalusa.

I view CRUSADER RABBIT's trip to Bogalusa as fully in character, and it does not surprise me that he wished to view the planned civil-rights agitation in person. Please respond per CRUSADER RABBIT.

Respectfully,

_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 7/6/65. Internal memorandum. To: BLUE RABBIT. From: Director. Topic: OPERATION BLACK RABBIT. Marked: "Stage-1 Covert" / "Eyes Only" / "Read and Burn."

Take all measures to see that the accidental explosion verdict is sustained in the Bogalusa case. Allow WILD RABBIT to claim credit for the "Bombing" and thus gain credibility for his new Klan unit. Continue to discourage WILD RABBIT from committing acts of violence outside his operating parameters.

I agree: CRUSADER RABBIT's presence in Bogalusa was entirely in character, albeit marginally disturbing. CRUSADER RABBIT is a close associate of Pete Bondurant, who is a close associate of Charles Rogers.

The confluence troubles me. Have Los Angeles and Nevadabased agents tail CRUSADER RABBIT at irregular intervals. Initiate trash and mail covers at his Los Angeles and Las Vegas residences.

_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 7/8/65. Internal memorandum. To: Director. From: BLUE RABBIT. Topic: OPERATION BLACK RABBIT. Marked: "Stage-1 Covert" / "Eyes Only" / "Read and Burn."

Sir,

I've talked to WHITE RABBIT. He told me he'll be taking a Las Vegas vacation soon. Should I have him meet with CRUSADER RABBIT and judiciously assess his state of mind?

Respectfully,

_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 7/10/65. Internal memorandum. To: BLUE RABBIT. From: Director. Topic: OPERATION BLACK RABBIT. Marked: "Stage-1 Covert"/ "Eyes Only"/ "Read and Burn."

BLUE RABBIT,

Yes. Have WHITE RABBIT contact CRUSADER RABBIT during his stay in Las Vegas.

(Port Sulphur, 7/14/65)

Prospects: Gaspar Fuentes/Miguel Diaz Arredondo. Cubano/antiBeard/allegedly pro-_Tigre_.

Flash boated to Cuba. Flash found them. Flash boated them out. Flash praised their skills. Flash praised their pidgin English. Flash praised their balls.

The venue: a cinder-block shack/10-by-l0/a heat sponge. Two electric chairs-straps and hoods-bought from Angola Pen. A dynamo/two chair feeds/two polys.

Flash strapped Fuentes. Laurent G. strapped Arredondo. Wayne and Mesplиde watched.

Shots popped outside. Troopers hit targets. Tiger South-Kamp with a "K." Exiles in residence-sixty strong-kadre-adjunct/kadre-armed/ kadre-fed.

Flash rigged the needles. Laurent pumped the cuffs. Wayne watched. Wayne drifted off.

We're in Port Sulphur. Go north a bit-you'll hit Bogalusa.

Littell shoots Chuck. Littell's drunk. Littell vows sobriety. Pete consoles him: I'll dump Chuck and brace WILD RABBIT Wild Bob's Fed now. He's Wayne Senior's boy.

Flash ran the polys. Laurent ran the quiz: Do you drink water? Is your shirt blue? Do you hate Fidel Castro?

Needle dip-short-no lies.

Port Sulphur-stone's throw to Bogalusa.

They drove Chuck around. They found a swamp. They dumped Chuck in. Gators ate him. Wayne and Pete watched.

Wayne toured the hospital. Wayne saw the bomb damage. Wayne saw a boy minus toes.

Pictures. Add-on shots. Let's augment your Bongo pix. Let's augment Wendell D. Pictures: The icebox/Chuck's parents/those big gator teeth.

Flash ran the polys. Laurent ran the quiz: Are you a spy? Do you serve the Cuban militia?

Needle dip-short-no lies.

Wayne drifted. Wayne yawned. The stateside runs bored him. He missed Saigon. He missed the lab. He missed the war and the threat.

Are you anti-_Communisto?_ Are you pro-_Tigre?_ Will you serve _El Gato_ supreme?

Needle dip-short-no lies.

Flash smiled. Laurent smiled. Mesplиde up and cheered.

They unstrapped the prospects. They hugged them. Fuentes hugged Wayne. Fuentes oozed Brylcreem. Arredondo hugged Wayne. Arredondo oozed VO5.