"Well, I built it." "No fucking way." "Way." He smiled and that made his face hurt. "Dude, that is the coolest thing ever. You built that? How did -- How do you become the kind of person who can build one of those things? I'm out of work and trying to figure out what to do next." "Well, you could join one of the co-ops that's building the other rides." "Sure, I guess. But I want to be the kind of person who invents the idea of making something like that. Did you get an electrical engineering degree or something?" "Just picked it up as I went along. You could do the same, I'm sure. But hang on a sec -- you were putting stuff from Disney rides into my ride?" "Well, yeah. But it was stuff they'd torn down." Perry's eyes streamed. This couldn't be a coincidence, stuff from Disney rides showing up in his ride and the cops turning up to enforce a court order Disney got. But he couldn't blame this kid, who sounded like a real puppy-dog. "Wait, you don't think the cops were there because --" "Probably. No hard feelings though. I might have done the same in your shoes." "Oh shit, I am *so sorry*. I didn't think it through at *all*, I can see that now. Of course they'd come after you. They must totally hate you. I used to work there, they just hate anything that takes a Florida tourist dollar. It's why they built the monorail extension to Orlando airport -- to make sure that from the moment you get off the plane, you don't spend a nickel on anything that they don't sell you. I used to think it was cool, because they built such great stuff, but then they went after the new Fantasyland --" "You can't be a citizen of a themepark," Perry said. The kid barked a laugh. "Man, how true is *that*? You've nailed it, pal." Perry managed to crack an eye, painfully, and catch a blurry look at the kid: a black Edward Scissorhands dandelion clock of hair, eyeliner, frock-coat -- but a baby-face with cheeks you could probably see from the back of his head. About as threatening as a Smurf. Perry felt a sudden, delayed rush of anger. How *dare* they beat up kids like this "Death Waits" -- all he wanted to do was ride a goddamned ride! He wasn't a criminal, wasn't out rolling old ladies or releasing malicious bioorganisms on the beach! The bus turned a sharp corner and their heads banged together again. They groaned and then the doors were being opened and Perry squeezed his eyes shut again.