-"I got a gig--a sting on one of the Outer cities. They brought me along for the count. I'm good with numbers."<br/> -"How many fingers am I holding up?"<br/> -"None, if you wanna keep bein a wiseguy."	"They wanted an inside guy for this job, so I set 'em up. I got keys to every door in that ship, and I know where every door leads. I get no respect from the captain, so I say what the hell. You go where the money is, right? ...ay, you got a light?"	-"I owe the guy a favor, but this is it. I'm out after this."<br/> -"What is it that you do?"<br/> -"Cargo. That ship needs cargo, 'else it ain't got no business in the Outer cities. These people got eyes everywhere. I'm puttin' my neck out for the big guy on this one. He's got a plan though..and if there's one thing the big guy's got it's brains."
"They don't call me 'Guns' for nothin."	-"Kid, you been takin' pictures of my bar since you walked in. You want a drink or what?"<br/> -"I'm looking for the owner..I think."<br/> -"Who's askin'?"<br/> -"They're calling him 'the big guy'."<br/> -"So it's really happening! And you must be the Photographer. Lemme close the place up. I think you'll like what I got..."	-"So, you're a map maker?"<br> -"'Cartographer' to be exact. It's a more precise term."<br> -"And you've been to these Outer cities?"<br> -"Only once. But I've got..what you might call: a photographic memory. Nothing much fades."
-"Okay, so here's the deal. We all know what we're in for."<br/> -"The money!"<br/> -"Cool it! Of course 'the money'. But we all know the stakes. If anyone wants out, now's your last chance. Once we get in the truck, and on that ship, we're on cruise control...straight to the Outer cities."<br/> -"Will the 'big guy' be making an appearance?"<br/> -"No. But you'll get your payout."	..."The big guy always pays up."	-"I got a girl back home. She hates when I do these jobs."<br> -"She knows?"<br> -"No, not about that. She just don't like it when I'm out There. She's always picturin' me at the bottom of the sea, like I can't swim or somethin."<br> -"Do you ever miss her?"<br> ...<br> -"Hey, we got a lot a' work to do. Let's hurry it up."
"My whole life's been at sea. Wouldn't have it any other way."	"Pack your bags, photographer. We're on the next ship Out."	"She says to me, 'Bill...you're as crazy as they make 'em!' And I say doll, they don't make 'em like me. And she says 'with good reason.' And I look her straight in the eye and take one deep breath. And I say doll...fix me some whiskey. And she says 'why?' And I say why not."
-"Are we on yet?"<br/> -"I don't know, I can't see nothin' back here."<br/> -"Hey man, ain't you got a light in this rig!"<br/> -"I got a match or two, here."<br/><br/> BANG!*<br/><br/> -"What's that supposed to be?"<br/> -"I think it means 'keep it down morons'."<br/> -"Ah..wise guy, ay?"	I watched that filthy city vanish into the darkness of the distance and the night. The cold restless salt water traced sluggishly around the bottom edges of our ship, passing without form or prejudice into the infinite abyss. As yet, I'm unsure of the exact distance from here to these so-called Outer cities. I wonder if I've made a wise choice in joining this strange band of hooligans. Then again, I've wondered the same thing about all my adventures here in the After Place.	A strange place it is...A strange place, indeed.
"Some guys I know, back home, they'd do anything to get a taste of the life in these Outer cities. I get my spoonful just dockin the ship There. But, boy, what I'd give to kick back awhile, you know?...watch a sunrise... ...Say, how'd you get up here anyways?"	"You oughtta be more careful, Photographer." <br/> "Why's that?"<br/> "Not everyone out here likes gettin their picture taken."	-"What's this?"<br/> -"Will you stop touching everything! It's like a walkie-talkie for the ship. But it don't work no more."<br/> *BEEEP: "I need a shipmate to the cargo bay! Immediately!"<br/> ...<br/> -"I guess it works now."
-"False alarm...'Captain thought he heard something by one of the trucks. Too damn close though."<br/> -"How much longer do we have?"<br/> -"You might wanna get some shuteye."<br/> -"What, why?"<br/> -"We haven't even left the coast yet."	-"It don't look like much from here, but there's a lotta' loot just over that horizon..just waitin to be snatched up. I don't know about you but soon as I get my cut, I'm gettin' the hell outta here. Cap'n can kiss my-"<br/> *BEEEP: "Approaching Outer 1...where the hell is my crew?!"<br/> -"Aw, blast it."	When he drew us our maps, the Cartographer told us we'd most likely be arriving at sunset, which would afford the others some time to sneak off the truck once it got dark. I was told to keep an eye out...I guess I look like a tourist.
-"You know, at night, this place don't look much different from home."<br/> -"Yeah, but wait'll the lights come on! Like a damn postcard, I tell ya!"<br/> -"Shush! Guns, you got the guns?"<br/> -"Yup."<br/> -"And we got the map. Let's do this thing already."	-"Man, this place must be bustlin' when the sun's up!"<br/> -"Do we even know where we're goin?!"<br/> -"Ask the Photographer, he's got the map."<br/> -"...Ya, I think we're close. And we're making good time. Maybe we should stay out of the light though."	-"There it is, the Courthouse."<br/> -"There's money in there?"<br/> -"That's what the big guy says. It's underneath, in an old vault."<br/> -"How does the 'big guy' know this?"<br/> -"How do I know, maybe he's been here. I count, the big guy plans. You take pictures. We can't all know everything."
-"Wait, so we're going Up to get Down?"<br/> -"Like sometimes you gotta get Down to get Up...am I right! eh?"<br/> -"Keep it Up and, I swear to the Clouds, I'll punch you right in the kisser! And then YOU'LL be Down! Who brought this guy, anyway?"	I should've known I'd get guard duty...the others went up the fire escape with the map the Cartographer gave me. Guns left me a small piece..said it'd be like "shootin' with the little red camera--just aim straight." That's what he says anyway..though I'm not sure I could really use it if it came to it. But, by the looks of it, I might have to...cell phones would be convenient right about now.... ...I hope they know what they're doing in there...	I have no idea what's taking them so long. They should've come out this way by now. ...and the sun'll be rising soon...
*alarms*<br/> -"We been set up! Run, Photographer!"<br/> -"Wait, I'm coming! The camera's acting funny."<br/> -"Fix it on the ship, there's no time now!"	*alarms*<br/> -"Remind me again, if the ship were to leave...?"<br/> -"The Captain sets sail at sunrise. But we got bigger problems."<br/> -"Did you grab the money?"<br/> -"As much as we could, but we ain't ever gettin' back with that racket. The whole town'll be lookin' for us."<br/> ...<br/> -"Fellas, I got to admit: I'm freakin' out a little bit."	*alarms*<br/> -"You see anyone out there?"<br/> -"No, but the damn Place is lit up like a Christmas tree."<br/> -"Like a What?"<br/> -"A tree with lights...It's bright, I mean. But this is the way we came in."<br/> -"Then we move through quickly."
*alarms*<br/> -"Soon as I get back, the Big Guy has to know..I'm out! No more Outer city stings, money or no! I'll put a ring on a bottle and call it a dime if it means I can Count one more."<br/> -"You ain't puttin' no rings on no bottles in the slammer, you im-"<br/> -"Get down! There's someone coming!"	*alarms*<br/> -"But...the ship...I was sure it would be here..."<br/> -"Any other ideas, fellas? 'Cause now I'm thinkin' the sting's on us."	In the words of one of my most esteemed 'colleagues', "the pigs are comin'."
But we have a plan now. Guns has volunteered to be the distraction, so he'll be sending one of the local ferries off on an expedition to Nowhere. Meanwhile, the guys and I have commandeered our own small private schooner. <br/> You see, it may not be the ship we hoped for, but it's the one with all the hope...	*sirens*<br/> ...somewhere on Outer-12, a heist has taken place...<br/> the rain begins to pitter and patter...the evidence washes away...