Saturday 2:00 PM, Battery Kimball Park

Ted

"Sure. Look, I want you to have this." I pull the handset out of his backpack and pushed it at me.
"Why? You got it; it's yours," says Gil.
"I don't want it. I don't think I can deal with this anymore. Here take it."
He takes the handset. "Deal with what?"
"This whole scene. I don't like being constantly afraid that I'm going to get busted."
"Have you been talking to Lindsay?"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Look, forget it."
"No, I want to know what that meant."
"It's just that I know she doesn't like the whole hacking-phreaking thing, and was wondering if maybe . . ."
"No, she has nothing to do with this. I just can't handle this, OK? I need to take some time off. Just leave me alone, all right?"
But I wonder, as I drive away, how close he was to the truth.

Gil

We pull up and Ted, who had his dad's car for the day, was sitting on the hood of the car, a big Olds sedan, when we arrived.

He seems really spooked. I think he must have talked to Lindsay, because he sounds like he wanted to get out of the hacking scene entirely. I ask if he had talked to her, and he promptly has kittens. So much for tact. He gave me the handset the got. I didn't really want to take it, but he wouldn't take no for an answer.

I try to talk some sense into him, and finally he says, "Just leave me alone, all right?"
"Take whatever time you need to. I'll be here."
He gets in his car and drives off.

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Leisl

"Hey Gil, Liesl," he says as we get out of the car.
"How are you feeling?" I asked.
"Not so good. Pretty shaky still. I mean, Fritz will make bail and that will be pretty much it for a while, but this thing just really freaked me out."
"I understand. It sounds like it would shake anyone up." says Gil.
"Yeah."
"Fritz will be fine," I say, "he's been through worse than this."
Gil says a few choice tactless things about Lindsay, and Ted leaves.

Follow Leisl

Who's where

Fritz

Lindsay