Chapter 1, the discarded version

"That was Zeppelin rocking your world with Kashmir on World Radio WRLD. Speaking of Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto was put under house arrest today. What is house arrest anyway? I guess if Benazir can hang behind her own bar rather than iron bars, at least she can enjoy a stiff drink periodically, which I'd say she'd be entitled to. So tonight, we're sending a little Frank Sinatra her way."

Ray hit the button and Frank began to sing "Drinking Again."

Reaching for another button that connected him to his producer, Ray snarled, "God, I could use a drink myself."

"Ray when couldn't you use a drink?" Carrie asked, but the question was rhetorical.

"Oh, you've asked for it now," he said and pulled a disk off the shelf and put it in the on-deck player. On the heels of Sinatra came Jimmy Buffet's familiar refrain "Why don't we get drunk and screw?"

In between the lyrics, Ray announced over the airwaves, "Well, that's all for me sports fans, I've got a fire to put out. Until the next time, peace."

Ray hung up his headphones and walked out of the studio. Carrie met him on the other side of the glass door with a discrete pat on the butt and peck on the neck.

"Hey, hands off my Bhutto."

"Smartass."

They walked out the door and crossed the street. A bus passed by belching dark clouds of diesel exhaust.

"Don't breathe," Carrie said.

"I've got a better idea," Ray said, pulling out a pack of smokes. He had a cigarette lit before the exhaust cleared.

"I still don't understand how you can run and smoke."

"The way I look at it, how can you smoke and not run?"

"You have some way of twisting logic, Ray Carson."

With that, they entered Atlantis.

"Table for two Mr. Carson?"

"Not tonight Antonio, I think we'll just head to the bar. Busy?"

"Always. But never too busy for you."

Carrie whispered in Ray's ear, "I think he likes you."

"Threesome?"

"Oh, you are evil."

Ray ordered a mojito for Carrie and a Coke for himself.

"Hitting the hard stuff, eh?"

"I'm going to run later. Got a lot to think about."

"Saving the world?"

"I'm actually more interested in saving the trail. Do you know the power company wants to put up an 11-mile stretch of power lines and 110-foot steel towers?"

"It's all the growth here. After all, the population has doubled in the last 10 years. All those people need power to fire up their big screen TVs, charge their cellphones and listen to you on the radio."

"Yeah, but do we actually need to pave paradise in the process? You know we're paving 11 acres a day in this county?"

"Spoken like a true Counting Crows fan."

"I've always preferred the Joni Mitchell original."

"Is that so? Well I suggest we flag down a big yellow taxi and stop by my place for a little pre-run stretch."

"Would that involve rolling in any hay?"

"Only if you get out your pitchfork."

"Now who's the devil?"

Outside, the world grew a little hotter.