The deep blob of black became a faceless, formless man. Fists beat at Malloy's face and body... Grunting, Malloy beat back. This was a business he knew. A voice came from behind them. "Step aside, Dan. Don't break your fists on the guy. Let me slug him with my gun." Malloy tried to move to one side and the hard barrel of a gun swinging down in a vicious arc slashed him across the face... Malloy stood, dazed, between the two men, blind with pain, tasting the blood trickling down into his mouth. Then the gun barrel slashed him again... He caught at the bed to break his fall and the room was criss-crossed with gunfire...