When the Clock Strikes Eight [AL/LILAH/DOM]

[Albert Aldein]

Al stared at the crumpled up napkin he was given yesterday, by a rough-looking stranger that scared the hell out of him. Scenes from the night before flashed before him, and he wondered if all of it had actually happened. It was uncanny, how a simple plan to get rid off stolen goods turned into an opportunity to make more money than Al could ever dream of. It was almost too good to be true.

"Well, this seems about right," he said to himself sarcastically, eyeing the abandoned-looking place. Sure, he was at the right address, but leave it up to real life to imitate the things you see in movies. There was an air of trouble that lingered in the place, and part of Al wanted to just get the hell out of there. But he couldn't. He gave Dom his word that he'd be here, and he never flaked out on his word. Besides, he figured that showing up and then leaving would prove to be more dangerous than not showing up at all.

He walked through the door taking small steps, as he inched forward. Looking around, he could see no one, just some tables and chairs littered across the floor. IT was weird seeing a sight like this, especially for a bar. Al figured it was because they were expecting him. Maybe they were going to try giving him a scare. It wouldn't work. Al wouldn't let it.

He made his way towards the bar counter and helped himself to some alcohol. Looks like no one was going to be here for a while. But he did say 8, didn't he? He shrugged to himself, easily grabbing one of the shot glasses nearby and pouring himself some rum. He took the shot, feeling the warm liquid rush down his throat when he heard some foot steps. Gently putting the glass down, he spun around and stood up.

"Hello?" he called out, his voice almost echoing.

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[Lilah Wolfe]

Lilah was sitting down in her father's office. That was normally what she did when things were dull around the place. She didn't go into the actually bar area of the Den. Every time she went in there, there was always someone who was more than twice her age trying to hit on her. It was disgusting and pathetic. So she spent her time in here, in her favorite revolving chair. She spun around aimlessly, wondering when her father would get back from where ever he was at currently. She let out a loud sigh.

Since it was so quiet, she could've heard a pin drop. So when she heard the shuffling of feet somewhere outside the door, it didn't come as a shock to her. Her instincts automatically came through. She jumped much too fast out of the chair, nearly falling due to her 5 inch heels that she was wearing. She cursed to herself, mentally reminding herself to not wear heels this high. She wandered behind the desk, opening one of the drawers, and grabbing a gun from it. Walking outside of the door, as quiet as she could be in those heels, she made her way towards the source of the noise.

She came to where the doorway was, standing against the wall, and looking around the corner. She saw a dark-haired boy sitting at one of the barstool chairs. Her eyes narrowed, and she took a step closer. Obviously the sound of her heels on the floor had given away her position, because the boy called out and turned around. Lilah huffed and positioned her gun in front of her, and came out from around the corner.

She tried to look as convincingly menacing as possible. But he already seemed kind of shaken. Maybe it was the fact that the entire place was empty. Yeah, that would be a good reason for anyone to get creeped out. "Hello." She said in a low voice, raising the gun towards him. "Who are you, and what exactly are you doing in my father's bar, when obviously it's closed? Trying to steal something, are you?" She asked. Being that she didn't recognize him, she figured he was some thief, trying to steal money, or booze. Which she noticed that he'd already poured him self a glass of some of the fine stuff.

"Enjoying the alcohol, are we? Hm. You should have asked first." She said with an evil smirk on her face.

[Albert Aldein]

Al almost jumped in shock when a figure emerged from the corner. But the sight that met his eyes surprised him. He was half-expecting a brutish-looking man, muscles bulging out of his wife-beater shirt, eyes like a bulldog to jump out and tackle him. Instead, it was a girl. A woman, just a few years younger than him, from the looks of it, he couldn't see much of her features because the light in the whole place was horrible, but he could tell that the blonde was looking at him menacingly.

He raised his eyebrows at her question. Where they not expecting him to be there? It was an odd thing to hear questions and accusations thrown at him for no good reason. He'd had enough of those back in the village. He took one last shot before standing from the bar stool. He took a couple of steps forward and leaned on one of the adjacent walls. It was only then when he noticed that she was holding a gun, pointing it at him. He let out a subtle gulp.

"The name's Al. Dom gave me this address, and asked me to bring in something for him," the boy replied casually. He felt for his pocket, feeling the pack of dust secured tightly in his pocket. He smiled at the girl, not wanting to be at the wrong end of a gun. "No, not trying to steal something. I would never do that."

He let out a laugh when she spoke of the alcohol. Somehow, her voice seemed rather cold. And though he had no intention of mocking her, Al couldn't help but compare the tone of her voice to her entire physique. She hardly looked the evil type. "Geez, you scared me. Well, in that case, two shots of the finest rum, miss."

[Lilah Wolfe]

Lilah had to stifle laughter when the man jumped at the sight of her. Sure she had a gun, but did she really look that threatening to him? Sure she was a notorious gangster's daughter, but surely he couldn't tell that by looking at her. She didn't look very much like her father. She barely even looked like her mother in her opinion. But that was beside the point. She watched as he stepped to the wall across from him, leaning on it. She raised an eyebrow. That's right. Try not to act intimidated even though I have a gun.

"Lovely to meet you Al." She said with sarcasm in her voice. His next statement put a questioning look on her face. Her father had sent him? That wasn't unusual, but she wasn't going to be quick to believe it either. "My father gave you the address, eh? What exactly did he ask you to bring?" She said, her eyes becoming slits, and the gun still pointing in his direction. This was no time to let her guard down. 'Al' had to earn her trust first before she put this gun down.

"Ah, you'd never steal, huh? Liar. I bet you would. And the way you're dressed makes me believe that the case is that you do it a lot. But whatever." Lilah had never learned to control her words. She always spoke before she thought, therefore leading a lot of people to avoid her because of her cruelty. But it didn't matter. They were still kind to her because she was "the boss's baby girl".

Scared him? Big shock there. She sighed and rolled her eyes when he asked for more alcohol. She still didn't put the gun away as she walked towards the bar area, pulling out two shot glasses, and pouring some in both of them. She didn't drink much, as she was underage, but she picked up the glass anyway. "So, Al. What exactly did you bring here for my father?"

[Albert Aldein]

He felt the burst of sarcasm and cynicism every time the girl spoke. Not that it annoyed him a lot or anything, it was just unneeded. He wasn't there to make enemies, but as it seemed, she wasn't in the mood to make friends either. He threw a shocked look when she said something about her father. Who was her father? Dom? It couldn't be... Not to say that Dom couldn't father a child. Rather, he just didn't seem like the type who wouldn't. One of those 'forever alone' type rebels. Apparently, he was wrong. Of course, the girl could have been lying, but what reason did she have to? Maybe she knew about the drugs and just wanted them for herself? Al didn't know for sure. Who knows how the people involved in drugs think?

He pulled out the scrap paper with the address and held it out. Seeing as she just kept the gun held up, still pointed at him, he figured she didn't want any proof at all. She then began to mouth off at him, calling him a liar and a thief. He rolled his eyes at her. Who did the girl think she is? She didn't look extremely richer than he did. Nor did she seem like a dainty princess. Who was she to judge?

"What's wrong with the way I dress?" he asked rhetorically, a hint of mockery in his voice. "It can't be that much different from what you're wearing." He threw a playful insult at her, not realizing how dangerous it was to start mocking annoying little girls with guns pointed in your direction.

Al watched as she walked towards the bar, moving in behind it and fetching some of the glasses hidden behind the counter. However, the gun was still pointed at him. Not that he expected to put it down anyways, but still. It just wasn't polite to drink with someone with a gun to their head. He watched as the golden liquid filled the two glasses, picking his glass up as she picked hers. He took his shot at once, letting out a breath as he gulped the last drop of alcohol.

"Dom's really your father, eh? Don't take it personally, but there's not much of a resemblance. I mean, you don't look rough at all," he began, wondering if she would react to it. One thing was for sure though: she has the same snarky stare that Dom has.

"If you really must know, then I'll tell you..." he stood from his seat and got ready to show her his stash of dust, but as though quickly changing his mind, he shuffled it back into his pocket. "But I don't really tell secrets to people I don't know. Sorry. I mean, you have a gun pointed at me, and I don't even know your name. How can I trust you?" He flashed her a quirky smile and a shrug, wondering what she would say next.

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[Lilah Wolfe]

Lilah watched as the man pulled out a piece of paper that had an address to the Wolf's Den on it. She merely stared at it. That was really no proof to her at all that her father had sent him here. Anyone could have given him this address. She wasn't stupid. Though she wouldn't put it past her father to hire random guys of the street. It wouldn't be the first time he had done it. She'd begun to think that her father would do anything. Which was basically the truth. She'd learned to deal with it.

"What isn't wrong with the way you dress?" She said, letting the jab at her own clothing choice slide. She didn't need him telling her that she dressed bad. She knew she had a great sense of fashion. So his back-handed insult didn't effect her much. Not three minutes with the guy, and she already sensed something was up with him. Quite the annoying little thing. Not even realizing how he was speaking to second-in-command of the business she assumed he was now working for.

"Yes, he is my father. And no, we don't look a thing alike. He's been around more than I have. He has a few more battle scars." She rolled her eyes at him when he added the part about her not looking rough. "If you think complimenting me in your twisted way will get this gun away from your head, you are sadly mistaken, Al." She said in an almost patronizing tone. She leaned slightly over the edge of the bar, trying to catch a peek at what he was about to show her. He then put it back into his pocket before even the smallest inch of it was shown. She glared at him as he told her that he didn't tell secrets to people he didn't know.

"One would think that a person with a gun directed at them would do whatever the person pointing said gun at them wanted them to do." God, this guy was such an idiot. She could barely comprehend. Did he not understand the rules of this business? She began to make mental bets with herself about how long he would last. "My name is Lilah, if you must know. Lilah Wolfe: Second-in-command of the Hoods. Daughter to Dominic Wolfe, and dare I say it, Bad-ass extraordinare. You can trust me because I'm part of this business, now show me what I asked you to show me." She said, pacing towards him and sticking the gun in his face.

[Albert Aldein]

Al rolled his eyes as she threw in more snide remarks at her. God, she was annoying. And pompous. Especially when she began babbling on about Dom being her father. He knew what she was doing. She was relying on the fact that she was the boss' daughter. And she probably figured that she wouldn't take crap from anyone because of that. Well, Al wasn't about to pick a fight with someone he just met, especially since he was just new in the club. But he wasn't about to bend over backwards just to please some spoiled daddy's girl.

"Come on," he said smoothly, "Don't mistake any thing I say as compliments because I have to at least be interested in you before I dish out compliments." He listened quietly as she began to speak again, her voice more menacing now than it was earlier. Al suddenly began to fidget, trying to hold back his laughter. He knew he had to bite his tongue. After all, she had a frickin' gun pointed. But something about the way she called herself a 'badass' seemed out-of-place. Al kept to himself and brought his knuckles up to his lips, biting on them to keep from laughing.

He took a deep breath and finally got control of himself before raising his hands in defeat as his eyes darted over to the gun in her hands. Geez, she was tough. But, obviously, it was because she had the leverage. And it had a cartridge full of bullets. He let out a sigh, giving up in defeat. He figured he could only push a certain number of buttons on her before she decided to pull the trigger. And he was sure that his brains splattered over the bar counter wasn't something he would enjoy. He pulled out the small plastic bag from his pocket and tossed it on top of the counter, the bag landing with a soft thud.

"Well, then. There you are, Lilah. It's a good dose of the dust. That's what I was asked to bring." Al paused for a moment, looking at the girl's facial expressions. "I take it Dom didn't mention anything about it?" he spoke, a bit confused. Why would his father not tell her about it? Especially if she was the second-in-command. Suddenly, though he had no idea why, he felt like he had spoken an entirely dangerous question.

[Lilah Wolfe]

Lilah rolled her eyes at the comment of the guy in front of her. "Fine, whatever. It wasn't a compliment. But watch your words around me. Do I have to mention again that I have a gun?" This guy was walking to close to the line, and Lilah wasn't impressed with the confidence he seemed to have, especially since he seemed to be stifling laughter right now. She watched as he finally raised his hands in defeat, and she gave a small grin of enjoyment. Sometimes she was glad her father trained her in how to use a gun.

He finally pulled out a bag of what was obviously drugs, and Lilah gave a sigh. Obviously. she found herself thinking. She pursed her lips tight. "Right. Of course, that sounds like something my father would do. Hire someone he randomly found on the street to get him drugs. But of course, that brings forth the other question of 'Where did you of all people get that big of a dose?'" She asked him, eyeing him. His next question sent a flurry of thoughts through her mind. He was right. Her father didn't tell her. But why?

Her eyes became slits. Her foot began to tap in spite of herself. Why hadn't her father told her anything? She was second-in-command, dammit. She could've blown off this apparent "new associate's" head of without thinking twice about it. Which also made her question whether or not "Al" was just a liability more than a necessity. "You know, Al. He didn't, and I'm glad you brought it up. If I'm second-in-command, shouldn't I have known this before you ever came around?" She said, starting to circle around the bar, stepping lightly, and looking like a predator stalking it's prey. She paused before starting again. "For your safety, of course, my new friend." She told him, looking at him with an evil smirk on her face.

Lilah of all people knew her father didn't do anything without thinking it through first. So obviously there was a legitimate reason he didn't tell Lilah about "Al" coming here. But she sure was going to find out what, and she was sure that things weren't going to be pretty.

[Albert Aldein]

The boy curiously watched her as she studied the bag of drugs, wondering what thoughts raced her head. With the way she was speaking, as though doing a monologue, it couldn't have been nice thoughts about putting the gun out of his face. He kept silent, taking in the words that she was saying. Man, did she talk a lot. He raised an eyebrow when asked where he got his stash. Though he never really dealt in drugs before, he was sure that a dealer's suppliers are his own business. At least, that's what he got from TV Shows. He was pretty sure the same thing applied.

"Well, wouldn't you like to know? Let's just agree with 'I know a guy'. My source likes to keep a low-profile. I'm sure you'll understand." Al spoke each word carefully, trying his best not to rub off with the sarcasm he wanted to let it, only because of the gun pointed at his head. For the most part, after all, Al valued his life.

The sound of her foot tapping echoed across the bar, and Al noticed it immediately. She was agitated, to say the least, and he could only assume it was because she was by-passed. Al had never been in a position of authority, but if he were, he would have liked to be kept on the loop, at least for the most part. But her, it seemed like there were a lot of things she wasn't aware of. Moments later, his assumption was affirmed.

"It only happened yesterday, so maybe your daddy just forgot to tell you," he replied, ignoring the sarcasm in her tone. He had been oblivious to the mocking tone of his 'daddy' comment, mostly because he was taking in everything she had said. For his safety? Please. He was about as safe here with her as a rabbit in a snake pit. He then straightened up, a look of shock wrapping his face, when she began circling the bar. To be honest, it freaked Al out. She was creepy, no doubt. And she was armed. But something about the entire thing felt off to him, and he had a feeling that things were going to get nasty, and soon.

"What are you doing?" he asked, inquisitively, pretending that he was calm regarding the entire situation. He took a casual step back, inching slowly. He could spot the door from his peripherals, but he knew that he couldn't make a run for it. Against her, definitely. But not against a bullet. "Listen, Lilah. If you want the drugs, you can have it. That's what I'm here for anyways. So I guess I'll come back when Dom's around, ya?"

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[Dominic Wolfe]

“Seriously now, Mr. Fabian…when I ask for product, I expect product to be delivered.”

A scream echoed through the basement under the Den, so powerful it almost shook the walls.

“What I do not expect is so many excuses for a job not carried out. Do you understand, Mr. Fabian? Does this compute?”

The last word was stretched out as the hard wood of a baseball bat connected with Fabian’s left kneecap. Another screamed tore through the room, ending on a sick gurgle. The strong scent of sweat, blood and excrement was enough to make any sane person gag, but he was used to the smell by now. After so many years doing business with morons and imbeciles, he’d come to realize that this was really the only way to make his point known.

The arms dealer lay back in the chair he was tied to, crying out for his mother. Gabe just rolled his eyes and let the bloody bat lie on his shoulder. Really now…for one of the most notorious illegal traffickers in all of Faraway City, Fabian was beginning to lose a bit of his street cred right there. With a nod at his men, he let the clean up crew take care of the dirty work and strolled over to the poker table set up in the far side of the room.

Ah, the downside of running a business like his; he seemed to go through good shirts as quickly as his daughter tore through his new recruits. After trading the now bloodied mess for a crisp black t, he ordered his men to clean up the mess and started upstairs. Now that the grunt work was done, he had some phone calls to make, threats to give; the usual. He’d just go on up to his office and make some powerful men quake in their shoes…

That is, or raise a brow at the amusing scene of his daughter having a standoff with the amusing kid from the other night. Damn, but his girl was a chip off the old block, wasn’t she? He was so proud; she didn’t trust anyone or anything. That was his baby.

“Lilah, honey, stand down,” He drawled, lazily moving over to where his daughter was putting the fear of God into the poor kid. “This is my good friend Al. I gave him an invitation to join our little family; is that any way to treat your future brother?”

With an amused smile on his face, the gangster stood beside Al and clapped a hand on his shoulder. His daughter would probably have quite the little fit at being kept out of the loop, but he had to teach her to be on her feet at all times. His smile widened ever so slightly as he considered how the lesson would be taken.

His Lilah had to be tough, if she were to survive. That’s where he came in.

[Albert Aldein]

Al stepped back some more, ready to run in case the psycho daughter of Dom decided to actually get serious and pull the trigger. She scared him, mostly because she had the look in her eyes, one that was similar to her father's. And for someone as young as her, it was creepy bordering on psychotic. He continued to shuffle backwards as he felt his body bump into something solid. Al shut his eyes, shaking his head in disappointment. Great. Now she has me backed up against a wall. Fuck.

It wasn't until he heard the so-called wall speak in a voice that eerily sounded like his new employer that Al was able to breathe more easily. "Yeah, honey. He said the words with cynicism and sarcasm, knowing that Lilah wouldn't like it. She had to be all freaky and bring a gun. Al would have been perfectly fine exchanging some humane banter between her. But no, she had to make things lethal. The mocking look plastered on Al's face quickly disappeared when he heard what Dom had said.

Al turned his head to the man and raised a questioning eyebrow. "Brother?" he cried out. Oh, he knew they were going to be a family, just like Dom had told him in the bar, but none of it stuck to him until that very moment when it had sunk in. He wasn't particularly fine treating other people he didn't know all too well as family. Especially little daddy's girls who point guns at him.

He turned over to Lilah, judging her reaction from what her father had said. He let out a nervous cough, feeling Dom's hand patting him on the shoulder. "Well then, nice to meet you again, Lilah. As promised, there's your stash, Dom," he called out, showing him the ziplock containing the dust. "So, just to make sure I have the right idea, I get paid and you call me whenever you need me to do things, right? If that's the case, lemme know what you need."Al was a bit eager to start working for the Hoods, mostly because he needed the money. He wanted to get out of his job at the Neptune, and do it soon. He stood there, arms on his waist, waiting for an answer.

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[Lilah Wolfe]

"I don't want the stupid drugs." She said in an annoyed tone. Apparently nowadays gangsters weren't allowed to wonder what a person was doing in their headquarters unannounced. She was about to say something until her father walked in. "Well, looks like he's around now." She looked at her dad, slitting her eyes when he told her to stand down. She lowered her gun, her eyes still trained on Al. She couldn't trust him as far as she could throw him. And when Al had called her "honey" in that condescending tone, it was all she could do to keep from shooting him.

She scowled when her father said something about inviting him to join the family. Her eyes bugging out of her head when he called him her "future brother". She scoffed. "As if I'd call him my brother, ever. He has to earn that position with trust and respect. Which he has none of. " She glared in Al's direction for a moment before turning her attention back to her father. "And how am I supposed to know how to treat a person if you don't at least give me a heads up that you hired some poor kid to do your dirty work?" She rolled her eyes and sighed deeply.

"Right. Nice to meet you again too." She said in a low voice. She was getting much too annoyed with the whole situation. Now she was getting kept out of the loop too? It wasn't fair considering she was second-in-command. Lilah watched as Al, (Her new brother. Wow, she couldn't even say it in her head.) handed the drugs over to her father. Al sounded oh-so-chipper while telling her father that he just needed to know what needed to be done, and he'd do it.

Well, Mister Al should know that eager beavers get killed easiest. Those are the easiest targets in an organization. One wrong move, and your head could be blown onto the nearest wall within seconds. Someone needed to alert him of what he's getting himself into. And though Lilah already had developed a strong hatred for her new "Brother", she would at least be sure to warn him of what lies ahead. She couldn't have any ignorant people coming in. If you mess up, you get killed. That should at least be common knowledge. Even those close within the business could turn on you in a second.

"Never assume anything." She told him. That was the only bit of advice she'd give him for now. But she thought it would suffice for the moment.

[Dominic Wolfe]

Damn, but his daughter just could not go a second without making his chest swell with pride! There she was, having heard her father’s word that the newbie was to be trusted, and she declared him an enemy until further notice. She glared at Al as if he were someone trying his hardest to plunge a knife into her back; not once trusting what her own blood had promised.

That was his girl! Making up her own mind about people she didn’t know, rather than depending on the opinions of others; being cold until she figured out what the other could do for her. She was going to make a great leader of the Hoods, one day. Yes, she was.

“Good advice,” The elder Wolfe remarked, giving his daughter a look of approval. “As for the drugs; you can just leave them on the bar, and one of my normal distributors will get on it.”

His hand tightened on Al’s shoulder as he continued. “And for future reference, you will refer to Lilah with the proper term of respect, hmm? Or by her street name, which I’m sure you’ve heard of. Disrespect my second in command, and you’ll disappear. For good.”

His voice had darkened as he leaned in and laid down the law. He didn’t care if his daughter wouldn’t appreciate his efforts, or if Al would shy away from his latest life choice; it was a necessary threat. Once all was said and done, however, that amused expression was back on his face and he released Al’s shoulder, stepping away.

“Yes, that is the right idea, my friend. You’ll work as a...runner for the moment being, until you’ve proven yourself capable of anything else. Lilah will contact you when we need shipments delivered or picked up. But before any of that…there is the initiation that we have to take care of.”

Which basically meant a little gathering for the boys as a meet and greet, so when Al showed up unannounced, he wasn’t about to get himself shot full of holes. And a tat, if he was into that sort of thing. There was the bloodier initiation fee that he sometimes demanded of those in the gang, but he didn’t think the kid could handle it. Almost lazily, he looked from new initiate to his daughter, judging their reactions.

[Albert Aldein]

Al stood his ground firmly, not letting the words of Lilah bother him at all. First of all, it wasn't as though he wanted to be her brother anyways. Though he never had any siblings of his own, he would have figured that she would fall under the 'annoying sisters' category. Secondly, it was hard to show respect and trust towards a person that shows up from the shadows, pointing a gun at his face. Not to say that he didn't understand her actions. It was, after all, a gang that did illegal things and he knew that they had to keep their guard up. But he was sure that his face didn't scream 'cop', so he had no idea what the fuss was about.

The boy furrowed his eyebrows as she called him 'poor kid'. He wasn't as helpless as she probably thought he was. Not to mention, he was most likely older than her. He wanted to open his mouth to say something but he opted not to. He just kept silent, watching the judging eyes that fell on him. Lilah spoke, her advice shattering the silence that fell on them. Never assume anything. He could tell that though she practically hated him, her advice was sincere. They had probably had encounters before with similar situations. It was advice that Al would gladly take note of.

It was now Dom's turn to speak, acknowledging the wisdom of her daughter. Al agreed, giving a slight nod saying that he would take note of what she had said. Clearing his throat, he clutched the drugs tightly, making sure to remember to leave it by the counter.

Al felt Dom's grip become tighter on his shoulder, but he made no sign of wincing. He knew he had to show the Wolfes that he was a tough lad, not just some lanky street boy. It was then when Dom's voice changed, into something darker and more serious. It was then when he fully understood how much Dom belonged in a gang. And though it didn't show in his face, or at least he hoped it didn't, he was terrified. Keeping a stern face, he nodded, noting what it was he was saying, though he made a mental note to ask around what Lilah's street name was. He swallowed hard as the older Wolfe began discussing the dos and donts of the gang, and the punishments of breaking them. How he got dragged into this whole thing, he seemed to have forgotten. The only thing sticking to him now was that it was too late to get out. It was creepy how the man managed to instill fear in him, even more fear than having a gun pointed at him, only through his words. But then, shortly after, he was back to normal. As though he had just been possessed by some demonic being.

"Alright. Runner. I think I can do that," he replied somewhat confidently, looking over to Lilah. Looks like they'd be in constant communication with one another. Great. But all Al could really do was smile in her direction. However, what Dom said next immediately wiped off the smile on Al's face. He raised his eyebrows at the boss, wondering what kind of initiation he had meant. He had hoped it would be a hearty greeting with a welcoming dinner treat for him, but he highly doubted it. He took a deep breath, figuring that there was nothing else he could do anyways. Besides, he had been caught in his share of tight situations, and he always managed to get out of them. For sure he could get out of this one if things became too tight. "Bring it on."

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