IN THE BATHROOMin the mirror my face sagged, like sadness was trying to pull the skin off. Zombie. I had slept in my clothes, the stench of death and sweat trapped in the cotton like fish grease. I looked and felt like shit. And so what.
I STUCK THE CANNONin the waistband in the back of my jeans, the handle sticking out like a steel tail. I covered it with my too-big T-shirt, the name-brand hand-me-down.
THE PLANwas to wait for Riggs in front of his building. Me and Shawn were always over his house before Riggs joined the gang. and since then, Shawn had been up that way a bunch of times to get Mom's special soap. I figured it would be safest if I went in the morning. If I timed it right , none of his crew would be out yet. No one would ever suspect me. I'd hit his buzzer, get him to come down and open the door. Then I'd pull my shirt over my mouth and nose and do it.