Crooked Little Vein

CROOKED LITTLE VEIN

Warren Ellis

To Niki and Lili, for continuing to put up with me,

and to the memory of my father

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