“I don't do romance, in the same way I don't do heroin Russian roulette, or nude alligator wrestling. I consider all of the above self-destructive, and demeaning and these are things up with which I will not put.”

“You can't do that kind of thing normally, but normal dumped without a note nearly a month ago. These days, I'll happily set fire to a bridge the second after I've crossed it - I don't plan on being around for the consequences to catch up with me.”

“I don't care if we're on our way to look at the dismembered corpse of the pope, I want coffee.”

“Is that a scanning electron microscope? “This’ll do, pig, this’ll do,” I murmur.“Excuse me?”“Sorry. Film reference, wasn’t meant as an insult.”“Ah. I see.” His tone tells me he clearly doesn’t. I briefly consider educating him, but explaining a movieabout a talking pig who wants to be a sheepdog to a Japanese vampire just isn’t all that high on my to-dolist.”

“I stare at him. "Gee, don't feel like you have to sugarcoat it or anything.""Some people need a cold dose of reality to help them focus.""You could have just slapped me.""I considered it. But you hate clichés, and I hate being shot.""Good point. Plus, this is a hospital. Guns are kind of noisy.""Are they? I thought it was just a personal statement on your part, like women who wear too much makeup.”

“We doing a traffic stop?""Yeah. I have a reasonable suspicion that we're witnessing a violation of the law.""Which law?""I'll decide later.”

“I'm in position." Charlie's voice, coming through my earpiece."Wish I could say the same. All the blood's rushing to my head.""Thrope stuff?" Charlie sounds a little worried."No, I'm upside down.""Why?""I thought it would make me look all cool and ninja-y.""No one's supposed to be bale to see you.""Ah. I knew there was a flaw in my plan. Also, i slipped.""In fact, the whole point of being a ninja is not to be seen.""Fortunately I have this nifty safety harness, which is why I'm dangling instead of plummeting. Thanks for asking.”