Pulling into her suburban home, Kim succumbed once again to the memory of their brief kiss and shivered despite the warm, June evening air that assailed her as she opened the car door. She caght her smiling reflection in the car window.

     Come on, Kim said to herself. Snap out it. Nothing good would have come from sleeping with Mr Gucci. Nothing except mind blowing .

     Kim groaned at the excitement that was still evident in her expression. How was she going to convince Kam that she regretted getting her fired from her job if she couldn't get this stupid smile off her face?

     Gerald put up his feet up on the desk in the small office of his house. The worn leather of the swivel chair reminded him of days long past when he'd settled for this office furniture of necessity. Each day had held a challenge for him, a reason to get up in the morning.

     he poured himself a glass of Jack Daniels, but put it down without taking a sip. Not normally a big drinker, Gerald had temporarily sought solace in the numbness of alcohol provided. But even at the level of incapacitation, the fury had remained - until tonight.

     Tonight he didn't want to think about the father who had disowned him when he'd set off to find his mother or the bitterness that had overcome Gerald when eventually he's stopped looking for her. He didn't want to second guess the very successful carrer he'd thrown himself into or how his business practices had left him with a distinct lack of friends.

     No, tonight was not about the past. For once, he focused on something that had nothing to do with money or revenge. Tonight was abot getting something -- more specifically someone - he wanted. He'd palyed the evening wrong and fixing the situation would require careful negotiations and a clear head.

     He pulled out his cell phone and said, 'Fred.'

     Fred answered on the second ring. 'Gerald, what do you need?'

     'I need a favor. A personal favor.'

     Knowing Fred, he sat forward in his chair as he announced, 'I'm not going to kill anyone for you.' Although his tone was light, Gerald heard the serious undertones of what Fred said.

     'Do you honestly think if I was going to ask you to knock someone off, that I'd use my own cell phone?' he joked, but Fred didn't share in his humor. 'Fred, I'm suppose to be kidding and you're expected to laugh.'

     'I don't joke about things that could have me hiding in a third world country to escape extradition.'

     The seroiusness of Fred's tone stung. When they'd sat in this very office, cramming for exams and outlining their future business proposals, neither of them could have predicted exactly how much they would surpass their original goals or how ruthless Gerald would have become to make it happen.  But murder? Exactly how depraved did Fred think he'd become? Sure there had been financial casulaties along the way, but that was business. His success had always sparked rumors of possible wrongdoing, but until now he'd believed that Fred knew the truth.

     'All I need Fred, is for you to contact our local security company.'