CRUSADER RABBIT troubles me. As you have noted, his paramour, Arden Breen/Jane Fentress, disappeared last October and has presumably been killed by members of organized crime. I suspect that her absence and assuredly grisly fate have contributed to CRUSADER RABBIT's funk. You have often characterized CRUSADER RABBIT as a "wimp," but I would add that his propensity for kamikaze action marks him as the world's most dangerous wimp.
All told, I think we should reinstate our spot-surveillance of CRUSADER RABBIT and reinstate our Trash and Mail Covers. These actions will supplant our decision to exclude him from all aspects of OPERATION BLACK RABBIT.
Per the "Shakedown" adjunct:
I veto your recommendation that we target RED RABBIT. RED RABBIT will simply be too wary of entrapment.
The target will be PINK RABBIT. His heedless pursuit of homosexual encounters marks him as more suitable and vulnerable.
BIG RABBIT seems to have recovered from his heart attack. Contact him by 12/1/66.
_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 11/2/66. Miami _Herald_ headline:
KING DECRIES "IMPERIALISTIC" WAR IN VIETNAM
_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 11/4/66. Denver _Post-Dispatch_ headline and subhead:
_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 11 / 12/66. Atlanta _Constitution_ subhead:
WAR A "MORAL OUTRAGE," KING DECLARES IN SPEECH
_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 11/16/66. Los Angeles _Examiner_ subhead:
_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 11/17/66. San Francisco _Chronicle_ subhead:
_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 11/18/66. Chicago _Sun-Times_ headline and subhead:
_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 11/23/66. Washington _Post_ subhead:
_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 11/24/66. Boston _Globe_ subhead:
HOWARD HUGHES' BIZARRE CROSS-COUNTRY TRAIN RIDE
_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 11/26/66. Las Vegas _Sun_ headline and subhead:
WHAT DOES BILLIONAIRE RECLUSE BODE FOR LAS VEGAS?
Part V
(November 27, 1966-March 18, 1968)
93 (Las Vegas, 11/27/66)
_He's coming_.
He's Mr. Big. He's Howard Hughes. He's the Count of Las Vegas.
Littell watched.
He joined newsmen. He joined camera crews. He joined Joe Vegas. Word leaked. The Count's coming. The train station-1 1:00 p.m.
He's coming. Check track 14. Behold the Drac Express.
The platform rocked. Newsmen cliqued up. Grips wheeled arc lights. Camera guys lugged film.
Littell watched.
He'd braced Drac's Mormons. They talked renovation. They said they'd hit the DI. They said they'd Draculized. They germ-proofed the penthouse. They lugged freezers in. They stocked snacks and treats.
Snow cones/pizza/candy bars. Demerol/codeine/Dilaudid.
They said we launch soon. We negotiate and bargain. We _buy_ the DI. The Boys said _we_ launch soon. _We_ bargain and set the price.
It's large. Drac will balk. Drac will pout. Drac will pay. Drac will stump for a Mormon hegemony. Drac will shout: Mormons must run my casino!
The Boys will renavigate. The Boys will plot. The Boys will decree: Littell must brace Wayne Tedrow Senior.
_They'll_ talk. _They'll_ bargain. Small talk will run cruel. Wayne Senior will tweak him on Janice.
The platform shook. The rails shook. A train whistle blew.
_He's coming_.
A cop van pulled up. Cops got out. Cops hauled equipment. A cop pushed a gurney. A cop wheeled a tent. A cop slung oxygen cans.
Cops shoved newsmen. Cops shoved citizens. Cops pulled cameras back. Newsmen pushed. Newsmen jockeyed. Newsmen shoved back.
Train lights coming-that whistle full blast.
Littell stood tiptoed. A kid jostled him. Littell stepped back. Littell got perspective.
Sparks flew. The train braked. The train stopped and sat. The crowd shoved. Flashbulbs popped. The crowd scattered.
They hit the train. They cupped their eyes. They peeped window slats. Doors cranked open-up and back-the crowd tailed the cop with the gurney.
Littell laughed. Littell knew Drac strategy. Littell knew diversions.
Look:
There's gurney 2. There's tent 2. They're _all_ the way back.
Mormons stepped out. Mormons signaled. Mormons dropped a ramp. Mormons formed a cordon. Mormons pushed a wheelchair. Mormons wheeled Drac.
He's tall. He's thin. He's wearing a Kleenex-box hat.
94
(Las Vegas, 11/27/66)
_He's coming_.
He's off the train. He's in the car. He's got this dumb hat.
Wayne walked the DI. The floor buzzed electric. Ghouls circulated. Wayne logged rumors.
He's overdue. He's due soon. He's due _now_. He's got plane-crash scars. He's got skin disease. He's got neck bolts like Frankenstein.
Ghouls positioned. Ghouls vultured. Ghouls swarmed the casino. Ghouls stood on chairs. Ghouls slung cameras. Ghouls perched with autograph books.
Ghouls swarmed outside. Wayne saw Barb there. Glass walls provided views. Barb saw Wayne. Barb waved. Wayne waved back.
Ghouls prowled. Hotel fuzz prowled. Somebody yelled, "Limos!" Somebody yelled, "_Him!_"
Ghouls whooped. Ghouls dispersed. Ghouls ran outside. Wayne checked the glass walls. Wayne caught a view.
He saw cops. He saw limos. He saw a mock Howard Hughes. He made him. He _popped_ him-back in '62.
He hosted a kid's show. He flashed his dick. He groped prepubescents. Cops called him "Chester the Molester."
Ghouls jumped him. Chester posed for pix magnanimous. Chester signed autographs. A limo eased by. A window went down. Wayne caught a blip: White hair/dead eyes/dumb hat.
Somebody yelled, "He's a fake!" The ghouls up and ran. The ghouls chased the limo.
Barb walked inside. Wayne saw her. Wayne detoured up.
"Aren't you working tonight?"
Barb laughed. "I could ask you the same thing."
Wayne smiled. "I was thinking of Pete and Ward, and how this whole thing started."
Barb yawned. "Tell me over coffee, all right?"
A ghoul ran by. They dodged him. They walked to the bar. They grabbed seats and faced the casino.
A waitress showed. Barb cued her. She brought coffee fast. The floor was slow. Chester shot craps. Ghouls meandered through.
Barb sipped coffee. "It's been months, and I still want a cigarette."
"Not like Pete does."
Chester rolled. Chester crapped out. Chester blew money.
Barb watched him. "There's these secrets that people know."
"Not _everyone_."
Barb unrolled her napkin. Barb twirled her spoon.
"To start, there's a certain city in Texas. Then there's the plans the Outfit has for Mr. Hughes."
Wayne smiled. "Tell me some secrets I don't know."
"For instance?"
"Come on. Pete has half the rooms in Vegas bugged."
Barb twirled her knife. "All right. Donkey Dom's shacked at the Cavern. He's four nights in with Sal Mineo, and they haven't left the suite. Bellboys are bringing them poppers and K-Y. Pete's wondering how long it can last."