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“Huh,” Dan said, then in a mocking tone added, “‘Good shit. Fuck your head right up.’ Yeah, right. That’s why they call that crap hallucinogens.”

The car, its tires crunching on the snow, pulled to a stop at the end of the block. Billy put the gear shift in park.

The man on the corner stood staring at them.

“Is he going to get the dope or what?”

“No. He’s the lookout. Watching for cops. And he makes sure no one messes with the kid and the stash.”

How does he know all this? Dan thought.

He really must come here a lot.

The kid then reappeared from behind the fence. He carried something wrapped in a white plastic grocery bag.

“So, the kid hands over the dope? What’s up with that?”

Billy shrugged. “I guess they think the cops won’t bust a kid.”

The boy reached the car and went to slip the bag through the open window.

“Thanks, man,” Billy said, taking the bag and stuffing it in his coat pocket.

He then noticed the skinny guy on the corner was fast approaching.

“Oh, shit!” Billy blurted.

“What?” Dan said, looking. Then, “Oh, shit!”

Dan was staring at the muzzle of the black revolver pointing through the gap of the open window.

“Don’t you fucking make a move!” the skinny guy said. “Get outta the car! Now!”

Billy turned off the engine. He started to pull out the key from the ignition.

“Leave the key!”

Billy yanked back his hand. Then he and Dan slowly opened their doors and got out, taking careful steps on the snow.

The guy gestured with the pistol at them and nodded toward the boy.

“Get on the sidewalk. Give him your phones and wallets.”

When Dan came around the car, the little kid laughed and pointed at Billy. Dan looked. The crotch of Billy’s jeans was wet.

Damn! He pissed himself.

The kid took their wallets and phones.

The skinny guy said, “Somerset El’s two blocks that way. You be in Center City in fifteen minutes.”

“What?” Billy said, incredulous. “Take the train?”

“Get the hell outta here! And listen. You call the cops? I come and find your ass. I got your address on your IDs. You don’t want me in your hood.”

“Snitches get stitches! End up in ditches!” the kid blurted, almost as if rehearsed, then disappeared with their phones and wallets back behind the chain-link fencing.

Dan started to back away slowly.