"You're lucky we stayed this long," Towne said, speaking now without a smile. "You're no fun to pay a call on, Buster. Let me tell you."
"Cut it out, Towne," Murchison's tone was sharp.
"There are fifty guys on our itinerary," Towne said. "They all have the same problem. But you're the bleedingest heart of 'em all, Pace."
The man glowered. He got to his feet.
"Maybe I'll get lucky in two months," Towne said. "Maybe I'll get a nice convenient virus, too—"
"Towne!" Briggs touched him on the elbow, and Towne shook off his fingers angrily.
"I'm sick of this guy," he said bitterly. "Sick of all his stupid complaints. Mister Loneliness—"
"You dirty groundworm!" Pace's voice shook. "You rotten—" His hands clenched into white-knuckled fists.
"You watch your step, buddy."
"Cut it out, you guys!"