Two dozen riders came down Roswell's Main Street at a slow pace. The men were well armed. Winchester rifles were in their scubbards,

Revolver grips protruded from the low-buckled holsters. Here and there a shotgun could also be seen. Some of the riders wore bandoliers around their shoulders. Dust covered their clothing. At the head of this sinister pack rode a man with a black beard. He wore a suit with a bowtie. At his side hung a Colt with a name engraved on the ivory-colored handle. DARREN McCALL - in large letters.

McCall reined in the reins near the McMillan store. Next to him rode a dark-haired beauty - the only woman in the crowd of riders. She was wearing a riding dress and fanning herself with her hat.

"Is this that nest called Roswell?" she asked with clear contempt in her voice.

McCall laughed.

"Now Roswell is still a rat hole. But that will change soon... Once everything here is mine!"

Neal Chadwick aka ALFRED BEKKER is a well-known author of fantasy novels, science fiction, crime novels and books for young people. In addition to his major book successes, he has written numerous novels for suspense series such as Ren Dhark, Jerry Cotton, Cotton reloaded, Inspector X, John Sinclair and Jessica Bannister. He has also published under the names Neal Chadwick, Henry Rohmer, Conny Walden, Sidney Gardner, Jonas Herlin, Adrian Leschek, John Devlin, Brian Carisi, Robert Gruber and Janet Farell .