Reich tore the gun out of his breast pocket. He touched the stud and it opened like a red steel flower. A faint groan escaped from D’Courtney when he saw the weapon. He backed away in horror. Reich caught him and held him fast. D’Courtney twisted in Reich’s grasp, his face pleading, his eyes glazed and rheumy. Reich transferred his grasp to the back of D’Courtney’s thin neck and wrenched the head toward him. He had to fire through the open mouth for the trick to work.