Outnumbered three to one. And I think A fourth was creeping up behind me. They fanned out across the mouth of the alley and whispered to each other. They walked forward slowly, and together, I chuckled a bit when I imagined them to be a dancing troupe.

They saw me laugh and slowed their pace, not by much, but just enough to show me I had rattled them.

Cold, black steel appeared in their grimy fingers. One knife, one section of pipe, and the lead man pulled a snub-nosed pistol. A .22, a woman's gun. I wondered how close I could let them get.

A footstep behind me sent a rat running. The advancing men's eyes grew and they sucked in their breath. I pulled the .38 from under my shoulder and fired two shots. The man with the gun stopped. His knees buckled and the pistol tumbled from his hand. The man coming up from behind ran. I coc