There Is No Cat's Stories2007-06-30T14:52:44Zhttp://ficlets.com/feeds/author/thereisnocatNumbers Game<p>“Dva. Nul. Chetyri. Dva. Devyat.”</p>
<p>His pencil scratched the piece of paper. The signal on the radio was strong tonight.</p>
<p>“Tri. Shest’. Raz. Vosem. Nul.”</p>
<p>Probably just another drop. Microfilm, usually, although there were CDs almost as often lately.</p>
<p>“Pyat’. Raz. Sem’. Nul. Nul.”</p>
<p>After 20 years, he was getting tired of the game. He liked his neighbors, their friendliness. His kids played baseball in Little League. He was getting a little soft in his middle age. Back at the Tsentr, they had warned him about this. “We’ve invested too much in you to let you go easily, you know. Go native, but never forget, you belong to us.”</p>
<p>“Devyat. Raz. Tri. Chetyri. Dva.”</p>
<p>It was a strain. It would be so much easier to let go, blend in. Not that the work was strenuous. How hard can it be to pick up a package in a hollow tree, after all? Still, he had his doubts.</p>
<p>The numbers stopped. He pulled out his one-time pad and went to work.</p>
<p>He gasped and dropped the pencil. Not this mission. Not now. He had so much to lose.</p>http://ficlets.com/stories/9832007-03-20T16:19:02Z2007-06-30T14:52:44ZThere Is No Cathttp://ficlets.com/authors/thereisnocatAlways with the monkeys<p>“The monkeys told me I’d find you here,” she said.</p>
<p>Always with the monkeys. Damned things just couldn’t keep their mouths shut. Nosy, smelly, and now they were spying on me. At least they weren’t chihuahuas.</p>
<p>“Ah, okay. Did they mention what I was doing?”</p>
<p>“Well, they said something about a welding torch and a jar of peanuts, but I don’t think they knew what you were using them for.”</p>
<p>Good thing, too. If word ever got out, there would be hell to pay, especially after last time.</p>
<p>“I’m not sure what you’re using them for, either.”</p>
<p>“I’m just playing around. Experimenting. Just a little idea I had. Most experiments fail, and this one likely will too.”</p>
<p>“Well, I just wanted to let you know that dinner will be ready in an hour, so don’t be late. You know how the monkeys get.”</p>
<p>The monkeys. Always with the monkeys….</p>
<p>At least they weren’t chihuahuas.</p>http://ficlets.com/stories/8172007-03-18T14:56:52Z2007-07-01T20:07:49ZThere Is No Cathttp://ficlets.com/authors/thereisnocat