It looked to be three against one, all in their twenties, where the testosterone surge frequently overrode all safety valves. Two held one while the third pounded away. Some of the passengers were making halfhearted calls for the men to stop, but no one had climbed from their seats to really do anything. Stone looked around for the conductor but didn’t see anyone in uniform.

The kid being held was the one Stone had seen before, the former high school quarterback who held an angry chit against the world. His handsome face was taking another right cross to his already swollen left cheek. Blood ran down his nose as he struggled to free himself. He kicked and spit and lunged, but couldn’t break loose as the third fellow laughed and landed a kick to the gut that doubled over Mr. Quarterback.

Okay, that’s enough.

Stone sprang up from his seat, and when the hitter swung back to let fly with another blow, he grabbed the fist and pulled hard, almost knocking the fellow off his feet. He jerked around and stared at Stone, his anger dissolving to amusement.

The kid was at least five inches shorter than the six-two Stone, but nearly forty years younger and fifty pounds heavier.

“You want some of it, old man?” the kid mocked, raising his fists. “You want some of this?” He danced and juked around, his belly jiggling, his meaty arms flapping and the bling on them jingling. It was all Stone could do to keep from laughing.

“Just let him go and we call it square.”

“He’s a card cheater!” yelled one of the other punks as he gripped the quarterback’s hair and ripped his head upward. “He cheated at poker.”

“And I think you taught him a real tough lesson. So why don’t you let him go.”

“Who the hell are you giving orders?” the beefy kid with the cocked fists said.

“Let’s just call it a day, fellows. You made your point. He’s banged up pretty bad.”

“Yeah, but you’re not.”

“Just trying to make the peace.” Stone looked at the other passengers, many of whom were elderly. “You’ve scared everybody pretty bad.”

“You think we give a shit?” He pointed at Stone. “Now, what you’re gonna do, old man, is say you’re sorry for bothering us and you’re gonna turn yourself around and go sit down if you know what’s good for you. Otherwise I’m gonna have to kick your ass too. Hell, I just might do it anyway ’cause I feel like it. How ’bout that?”

It had been a long day and Stone was already pissed that he couldn’t even get ten minutes of sleep, so he said, “Just you? Or with your two buddies there helping?”