"A lot of people have motive, Preston. Listen to a bastard, all right? I've seen revolution. You take out a dictator, you put summat up in his place- unless you take a lot of steps, the dictator's old chums're gonna be pretty fucking pissed. They'll come back- they always try. And if they're smart, they'll pin it on someone who'd give 'em trouble and give the new government every reasin in the world to kill off their enemies. Two kills with one bullet, you might say." He grimaces. "Don't lunge at the easy target. It's nearly enver that easy."

Cynicism is ugly, but in Wells' case it's hard-won over the course of a lifetime.