“What?  No… that’s… I’m just trying to show you how much I love you, Alex,” the coward on the floor tried to reason.  “I just love you so,<i>so</i>much… and…”  The other shot was fired and Richard jumped again.  He swore his heart almost stopped with each shot, but this time he had enough of his mental faculties to at least shout out a few quick obscenities to express how he felt about his situation.  “Alex!  Please!”<br/><br/>“What you were doing wasn’t<i>love</i>,” Andreas stated.  “It was pure greed.  You never gave a damn about Alex, did you?  You just thought he was a pretty little doll to play with.”  The assassin looked to the young man beside him, then guided him to sit in front, Andreas’ arms coming around him to help aim.  He kept those hands steady, aiming for the throat instead of the head.  No way Dick got out that easy.  “Together, then,” he whispered against Alex’s ear.  “Whenever you’re ready.  End your nightmare, Käraste.”