Someone snatched Lukes badge away. Rough hands pulled his arms behind his back and cuffed him tight. He felt the cold steel bite into his wrists. He made no attempt at resistance. In other rooms of the apartment, cops were still surging through, screaming and shouting.

Stone, what are you doing?

Luke recognized the voice. He craned his head around to see who it was. Ron Begley of Homeland Security stood over him, surrounded by uniformed cops. He stared down at Luke with an expression probably calculated to convey disgust, or maybe pity. Begley wore a long trench coat. With his big gut and his coat, he looked like a TV producers idea of an alcoholic Irish detective. Standing with him was Three-Piece, the NYPD counter-terrorism officer from this morning, the one who didnt like being treated like a servant. It took Luke a moment to remember his name. Myerson. Kurt Myerson.

In a sense, Luke was glad to see them.

The man in the chair has been operating a terrorist cell located here in New York. We have evidence tying him to the group who stole radioactive materials from Center last night.

Begley crouched near Lukes head. The man is no longer in the chair. We just cut him loose. I guess you must know that hes a diplomat attached to the Iranian United Nations contingent, right?

Hes hiding behind diplomatic immunity, Luke said. Thats what allows him to

Were on the verge of war with Iran, Stone. That much is true. But starting the war is outside of your job description. Begley paused. The squat seemed to take his breath away, but he stuck with it.

Can you even imagine the amount of shit thats about to come down from this? The United States of America is going to have to issue a public apology to Iran. This is because you took it upon yourself to invade a diplomats home, strip him to his underwear, and subject him to questioning that at first glance appears to meet the international definition of torture. The President is going to choke on his Wheaties when he hears about this. And a rogue agent from a secretive FBI unit no one has ever heard of is going to go around and around in the twenty-four-hour news loop, just in case there was anyone left in the country who thought government spying wasnt out of control.

Ron, listen.

Im done listening to you, Stone. What good does it do? Youre out of your mind. Right now, Ive got people contacting Don Morris. Since hes the only person you seem to listen to, hes going to personally relieve you of your command. At this point, youre way past worrying about job security. That man in the next room is very likely to press charges, and if he does, I think youre going to see some jail time. No one is going to protect you. No one is going to stand up for you.