Is she one of those with the talent of persuasion, or whatever the hell? No, no - when she speaks it's not with any strength of conviction. It's her playing on his goddamn heartstrings, trying to make him feel pity for her plight. That's a laugh. What plight could she possibly have? She's not the one who's been caught underfoot again and again. She's not the one society is trying to extinguish with every fiber of its collective being.

But still, he - for reasons he can't explain, he hesitates.

And she seizes the gun, tries to yank it upwards. He maintains his grip, if barely, and his knee shoots out to try and slam into her midriff and unbalance her.