Christine answered the knock at the door. She jumped with joy and emitted a shrill scream.
“Jimmy!” Christine said as she gave him a bear hug. “Dougie! Tawny!” More bear hugs. “Come on in!”
“Hey! That’s rad, man,” Tawny said with a smile as she looked around the suite and nodded her approval.
“Hmm, very nice,” Dougie said.
“Why a presidential suite?” Jimmy asked, baffled. “Isn’t that a bit over the top?”
“C’mere,” Christine said. She wrapped her arm around Jimmy’s and guided him to the window. “Here lies your answer.”
Jimmy took in the panoramic view of the hills of Studio City. He observed lights that twinkled from several homes as the sun set.
“All I see are houses on hills,” he said. “What about it?”
“You see, Jimmy,” Christine said. She gently took his face in her hand and turned it to the right. She guided his line of vision a little to the west. “Right there is a big, ol’ two-story, white house near the top. So, with an expansive view like this, how could I afford not to have an advantage, hmm?” She flashed a smile.
“Advantage? I don’t understand,” Jimmy said.
“I’ll get to that soon.”
Christine noted the luggage they brought. “Whew, that’s a lotta luggage ya got there, guys.”
“There’s more in the car,” Dougie said. “Just what you wanted us to bring and then some.”
“Oh?” Christine turned to Jimmy with a questioning look. “Were you able to bring what I asked you for?”
“Would I let you down?”
“Well, what are we waiting for?”
They brought the rest of the luggage up from the car and placed them on the marble floor inside the door of the suite. Jimmy hefted a large black case and laid it on the oversized couch in the middle of the room. He opened it and inside contained several components that, when assembled, would be a large, powerful telescope.
“Awesome,” Christine said as she caressed the components with admiration.
“I presume you want this by the window, right?” Jimmy asked.
“Duuuhhhh,” Christine said in a sing-song voice.
Jimmy assembled the components, then went to the window and set the telescope on its tripod. He located the white, two-story house through the viewfinder, then sat down on the floor with the others. He opened one suitcase and showed Christine twenty cellophane-wrapped rectangular blocks of clay each with separate pairs of colored wires.
“C-4,” Jimmy said.
Next, he withdrew a small, black object from another suitcase.
“Oh, oh, oh!” Christine said. “Don’t tell me! Don’t tell me! It’s my early Christmas present.” She giggled gleefully. “I know what it is. That little red button right there is a dead giveaway.”
“Merry Christmas,” Jimmy said.
Christine roared with laughter.
“That thing with the little red button,” Jimmy said, “is a long-range wireless detonator.”
“Awesome!”
“The Uzi’s in the other suitcase over there.” Jimmy pointed at the suitcase nearby.
“What’cha got there, Dougie?” Christine asked.
Dougie inventoried each item as he withdrew them.
“Fire accelerant, some pipe bombs,” he said, “and last, but not least, is an added surprise because we love you so.”
“Awww,” Christine said. “You’re so sweet. Well, don’t keep me in suspense!”
Dougie unlatched the locks of a large, rectangular-shaped suitcase and opened it. He removed the plastic protective sheeting ribbed with air bubbles.
Christine gasped in awe, stunned beyond belief.
“Holy crap,” Christine said. “Are you serious?”
“Your Christmas has just been made merrier,” Dougie said.
Jimmy and Tawny laughed, but Christine didn’t. Her attention was undivided. She caressed her early Christmas present with trepidation and reverence—a shoulder-fired rocket launcher, missiles included.