"You don't even need a titanium bullet to kill me," Eliza shot back, trying to be smart.

"Oh, I know that," Laura responded, briskly.

Eliza seemed to think again for a moment before asking another question she had been instructed to ask. "What if he wants in? What if he wants to cooperate with you, too?"

"He won't," Laura bated. "He's too unforgiving for that. He'll tell us all to go to hell before he'll want to help."

"I don't think that's true," Eliza said, sounding ...