PROLOGUE: Paul
Paul Weezell woke up in the darkened room, feeling the weight of a body at the foot of the bed. Every morning he woke up, feeling the weight of the last person murdered in this apartment. Next to him lay his trophy girlfriend, newly recovered from Sage Old Man, who had stolen her away from him while he was in prison.

"We can make it babe. I know what has to be done," he whispered t Trina as she slept. They had been lovers since he was thirteen. He had been living on the street, so why not let Trina take care of him? Besides, she wanted to make him a man. She was a dream some true, and she would always belong to him.

Paul sat up. The body had been found lying face down on the mattress, half on the bed and half off. An incompetent Tribal police Chief had claimed the death to be a simple drug overdose. The needle marks, hidden by tattoos, the brownish yellow spoon, cotton swabs, and rubber tubing lying under the body didn't leave much to the Chief's imagination. No one really cared about what could have happened. But, the body knew, and now so did Paul.

Paul got up carefully, trying not to wake Trina. Maybe the spirits would talk to him again today.They understood him. He pulled on his jeans and padded over to the dresser. He saw himself, a proud warrior, in the mirror. A strong body, powerful, scarred with prison tats. Paul opened the small top right drawer of the dresser and carefully pushed aside socks and underwear, feeling for cold metal.
"My other friend," he muttered, finally, staring at the Clock.
A slow thick voice startled him. He'll be back tonight to see his kids. Paul shook his head against the roaring whisper. The baby inside her is his, so you know she'll take him back.
They're just playing you, little man...Where's your spine? You don't deserve to be fucked over by that guy. Take him out... Show your kids you're a man.. Fight for your woman.
Trina was sitting up in the bed looking at him.
"What?" Paul shook himself as if to wake up.
"I asked you what you were doing."
Paul closed the dresser drawer. "I need you," he said, pulling her toward the foot of the bed and turning her on her stomach.