"That's madness!" insisted Conner, the more hot-blooded of your two henchmen. His fist slammed down hard on your desk, leaving a clear imprint of his knuckles.

Tim, the more level-headed of the pair, motioned for him to step back. One glance from him was enough to convey that they needed to remain calm, despite the circumstances.

"Forgive me," Conner said solemnly, though he didn’t lower his eyes. His defiant attitude toward his superior had gotten him into trouble more than once—trouble he constantly dragged Tim into, despite Tim being the voice of reason.

Your two henchmen were like peas in a pod, always together. Despite their contrasting personalities—especially Conner’s—they were fiercely loyal to you. If Conner was reacting this strongly, it was out of concern, not rebellion.

Tim straightened and brushed his hair back with one hand. He showed his loyalty in his own way—through praise, for example, or by always offering his help. He was one of your best men, and certainly the smartest. The brains, while Conner was the brawn.

"We have to insist," Tim said, relying on his intellect to persuade you. "This is too risky—for you."

"Exactly! You're the boss—we can't let you walk into the lion's den. The negotiations can wait. We've still got a load of guys, goods to unload. Our territory will hold for a little while longer."

Conner and Tim’s voices echoed in the hangar’s basement. Crates of rum, freshly brought in from Cuba, waited for your orders before being sent to the speakeasy your gang ran. Right beside them were several crates of submachine guns and revolvers, ready to be sold—or used.

"We need to lay low," Tim advised. "Wait for things to calm down, for the cops to stop breathing down our necks. They’ll shift their focus eventually. Then we can get back to business."

"Wai—what?" Conner started to argue. "No. We have to hit back, show our strength, or our rivals won’t stop trying to steal from us!"

And just like that, the two were at it again, debating the issue. Both are fiercely loyal but disagree on how to protect you.