On Friday, the Northern Ireland Assembly is expected to meet for one of the most important votes in its short history. David Trimble will be seeking re-election as First Minister. To succeed, he needs the support of every single member of his Assembly team.
All eyes are focusing on the decision of one member - someone who has no reason to do Trimble any favours. Peter Weir, Assembly member for North Down, is the sort of young man one would expect to be doing well in the Ulster Unionist Party.
A qualified barrister, he set aside his legal career when elected to the Assembly three years ago. He is hard-working, intelligent and articulate. But there has been no meteoric rise. He was suspended from the UUP for 18 months; had the party whip withdrawn - he has since refused its restoration; and he originally defeated Lady Sylvia Hermon for the UUP North Down Westminster nomination, only to be later disqualified.
Supporters and critics agree on the reason - his refusal to accept the party leadership's line on the Belfast Agreement. "If Peter was pro-agreement, he'd be a minister by now," says a colleague. Weir has previously broken ranks and voted with the DUP but this vote is more crucial than all the others.
His mobile phone rings incessantly and he is surrounded by journalists requesting interviews as he strolls around Stormont. He hasn't made a final decision but it currently looks as if he will vote against Trimble, he says.
It would not be an act of revenge but "because of the complete lack of clarity on decommissioning".
He admits to "a twinge of sadness" when Lady Sylvia Hermon won the North Down seat in June. "Of course I was thinking, 'it could have been me' but life goes on."
He knows the consequences if he rebels on Friday: "It is fairly obvious that any UUP member who votes against David Trimble will be expelled from the party". That would be sad, he says.
"My personal future is something I will have to consider when making my decision but there are other factors too - like responsibility to the people of Northern Ireland on decommissioning."
Weir looks older than his 32 years. He comes from an "ordinary background" in Bangor, Co Down. His mother was a housewife, his father worked in the post office.
He studied law at Queen's University where he chaired the UUP association.
Many young Protestants thought Queen's was too identified with the nationalist community and opted to study in Britain. "I never thought of leaving," says Weir. "I love Northern Ireland.
"I've been to Europe and America but I really haven't travelled that much. Even during university holidays, I was always just happy to potter around here."
Weir is single and has a modest lifestyle. "I drive a Ford Fiesta. I have an occasional glass of wine but I'm largely teetotal."
He is shy but has a good sense of humour. "I like my own company but I'm not some crank planning to go into the Assembly on Friday with a loaded revolver."
He has requested a meeting with Gen John de Chastelain to seek more information on decommissioning.
The general's statement that decommissioning took "more than one minute but less than 12 hours" and the lack of further details are unacceptable, he says.
"It's not just Peter Weir who needs answers, the people of Northern Ireland have a right to know."