In considering why the collapse of civilization occurred with such astonishing speed, we must acknowledge the role of sexism: In almost every recorded instance, men failed to respond with appropriate caution to female attackers. This has been called the Sadie Hawkins Effect, in which radical reversal of traditional sex roles conflicted with assumed male supremacy and clouded the ordinary instinct for self-preservation. Overnight, a world in which women were the "weaker sex"-where they frequently dared not walk alone for fear of sexual assault-was transformed into a world where wholesale violation and murder were being committed upon men by women, where men were suddenly the objects of violent lust, and where the toughest of tough guys dared not go out in the open for fear of his life… and his wife. This was not a condition that most men could readily grasp, to their abrupt misfortune. By trying to retain their perceived sexual hegemony-by leaping in to "take charge"-the males of our species surrendered in droves to the annihilating passion of the Maenads. -The Maenad Project Marcus Washington, aka Voodooman, sat at the card table and tried to gauge his opponents' blank expressions. You weren't allowed to turn or take your eyes off the game; you weren't allowed to show fear. It was a matter of honor that you had to sit still and play for real in the shadow of death.

Marcus knew these men better than he knew his own family. They were the Dead Presidents Posse, the four of them seated at the cardinal points of the compass:

Righteous Weeks faced north, with the best view; Little Rock faced west; 50 Cal east; and Voodooman himself in the blind position, for which they drew straws before the game-all very cool customers who were not easily spooked. But they were nervous now, all right. The question was, were they nervous enough?