ETA: names have been changed at the request of Greenjudy. ET is now Auren Han. SA is now Maxwell Bennie, aka Bennie. EF is not in this story.
RANT
Low-end tripods are stupid.
Invest in a decent tripod.
A decent tripod should open up to more than 22 inches.
/RANT
Omake: Some Ways and Means villainy.
THE STAKEOUT
EF does a gear check, dreams of death; Bennie waits for the idiot to call, dreams of pizza.
Auren Han runs the operation. The alert will have noted the beer can in the background.
Han: Mind-boggling stupidity would be indicated by that beer can in the background.