"I have no doubts about that," the would-be victim answered, smiling sarcastically. "But this is all very childish. Sit down so we can finish making our preparations."

Suddenly Billy looked cowed. All his attempts to intimidate the older man and to retain his own precarious power had failed, and he seemed almost defeated standing with his command all but gone and his pride smashed. It was obvious to Ellen that he was unable to understand the intricacies of the assassination plot, and that he was no more than a hired gunman… and not a very bright one at that. He and the rest of them were expendable items and had a limited usefulness, but none of them knew this.

Almost as if sensing his untenable position, the gang leader sat down. He stared, almost unseeingly, at the well-dressed man. All of his criminal instincts told him something was wrong, but there was nothing he could do about it; with a snap of his fingers the man with the briefcase could have him and the others back in prison where they would probably remain for most of their lives, living in a kind of twilight world of unfulfilled dreams and vain promises… if they weren't hit by the underworld within the walls as a lesson to others. His own men were probably more distrustful of him now than they had ever been, and this is what made things all the more painful. He couldn't stand being knocked down in front of the others as though he were just a piece of dirt. Irrationally, he thought about pulling his gun and killing the man opposite him, but one look at his own trembling hands told him he'd never pull it off.

The rain drove in long sweeps across the parking lot outside the warehouse and beat against the windows of the ramshackle building in a mounting fury that seemed to match the violence of the discussion going on inside. Ellen felt the impact of the two forces merge inside her and her very body shuddered while the argument between the opposing figures of authority continued to build in intensity.