‘Down!’ she screamed at the two suspects. ‘Down! Get down on the floor! Now!’ The smaller man immediately complied, but Bert charged Elise. El...se put a bullet into his knee cap, bringing him down. ‘Is there anyone else?’ Elise yelled over the screams of the customers and tellers. ‘Anyone else I need to be looking for?’ ‘What the fuck?’ Darren yelled at Elise as he barged in through the rear door of the bank. ‘Woman, are you fucking crazy?’ Eric and Jack followed, guns drawn. ‘Are you?’ Darren. Almost as if he knew the thoughts racing through her mind, Alex now shifted his attention to his testicles. He started by running his fingers softly and slowly across his sack, ticking the hairs growing there. The skin tightened, changing from loose folds hanging slack, to now closely hugging his jewels. Marie unconsciously licked her lips and shifted her position on the bed. She needed to spread her legs a little wider. It wasn't exactly lady-like, but who would know?Alex was back to running. Under street lamps at corners, old men leaned on canes and gesticulated wildly, discussing the football scores, politics, their chances at lotto and smoked Ducados, a cheap brand of strong-smelling cigarettes. Young men raced their motor scooters past us, letting the engines whine as they took the corners at daring speed to impress their girl friends who rode behind them and make them cling to their waists in fright. Carlos led me into an even narrower alley, that rose steeply upwards cobble. You know about endorphins, don’t you, Sheila?”“I do. They reduce pain and boost the pleasure circuits in the brain. Do you think this will make me feel pleasure while giving birth?”“No idea on that, Sheila, but they may act as an anti-depressant at a minimum, making the birthing a lot easier to put up with.”“I hope that is what happens. I can’t imagine being in pain and loving it! Can you get John to come to me now, to give me a kiss and cuddle before I get too sore with the contractions coming.