Rain fell upon the cobblestone road heavy enough for it to be deafening. Great rivulets of water ran off the surrounding buildings.

Crispin wiped the water from his face, trying hard to keep an eye on the man not fifteen paces in front of him. Time seemed to slow as both men stared each other down, their breath catching in the air only to be dragged down to the earth by the torrential downpour.

In the blink of an eye the other man fell to the ground, smoke pouring from the barrel of a gun up into Crispin’s nose.