“Exercise our Second Amendment rights,” said Clint.

“Yeah, well, you may want to bone up on the case law on that one,” said Donny. “Unless you want to ask the powers that be in Washington or Austin to license you three as a militia.”

“We know what our true rights are,” said Xelina. “And so do you. As for the law, the law is what we make it.”

He sized up his friends, sitting there in the dining room of Percy’s little old house in the Fifth Ward, the one she had bought when she was still an associate at Miles’s firm.

“There’s more of them than there are of you,” he said.

“We have a big network of people ready to do what it takes,” said Clint. “More than you think.”

“And we have a smarter lawyer,” said Xelina.

“Come on,” said Donny. “I’m not even smart enough to sense that I shouldn’t have come here. Now you’ve made me into your co-conspirator.”

“Our lawyer,” said Percy.

“Uh-huh,” said Donny. “You and I both know they would love nothing more than to show that the defense lawyers, the last line holding up some tattered remnant of justice, are actually terrorists. That we’re in on it with our clients.”

“I’m taking a bigger risk than you, Donny,” said Percy.

“You took a bigger risk than me when you decided to run for office as a member of the opposition. That makes you an endangered species. I just want to be a lawyer. Not a politician. And definitely not a revolutionary.”

“That’s all we want,” said Percy. “Be our lawyer.”

“Who’s the client?”

“The Gulf Liberation Front,” said Xelina.

“Oh, you have got to be fucking kidding me,” said Donny.

“Each of us,” said Percy. “And the group of which we are a part.”

“Like a neighborhood association,” said Donny. “But with assault rifles. And probably bombs.”

“Exactly,” said Clint.

“The reason we need you,” said Percy, “is we need to build the legal arguments to support our case. Our cause.”

“Good luck with that.”

“Come on, Donny,” said Percy. “How many times have you spouted your theory about the right to revolt? You convinced me. You even convinced Miles. There’s real law there to grab on to.”

“Not in these courts.”

“Maybe not today. But this isn’t about today. It’s about tomorrow. Building precedents, even if we start small.”

Donny looked at her. She appeared to really believe in that idea.

“It’s about fighting for a future you would actually want to live in,” said Xelina.

She had a point.

“Or maybe you like watching your friends and clients disappear,” said Clint.

Donny knew the truth of that better than most.

“While the planet dies,” said Xelina.

“What do you want from me, exactly?” said Donny. “A memo?”

“I mean, maybe,” said Percy. “Maybe that’s part of it. I want to build our defense.”