Setting the rest of the pamphlets down on a nearby barrel, Esther pulled her hair back, the heat just enough to be annoying. "Exactly. One minute it's a hell of a ride and the next, the Mayor's one with the earth."

When he mentioned getting paid, the girl grimaced. "Not a dime. It's 'required volunteer work.' Which is also Mayor Wright's way of saying 'you're not getting paid and go draw some fliers.'"