Mosh craned his neck around to look over the back of the booth. A middle-aged man in a charcoal-colored suit had come up silently behind them, and it wasn’t the manager of the Pancake Hut. Mosh immediately recognized the smug, obnoxious, lying face of the man who had orchestrated the ruination of his life. “You…”

“Yes.” Agent Myers stopped next to the booth and gave Holly a nod of recognition. “You, I’m not surprised to see here meddling.” He looked next at Mosh. “You, I didn’t expect. Your psychological profile suggested you were a narcissist that didn’t suffer from heroic delusions like your brother. When did you get suckered into joining MHI?”

“Never. I’m a freelance ass-kicker. So uncuff me now, asshole.”

“Or what?” Myers asked slowly.

Mosh hadn’t thought that far ahead. “Or you’ll be hearing from my lawyer.”

“I already bribed your leech of an attorney into failing miserably during your civil-liability cases last year, Mr. Pitt, and he did a rather spectacular job of it too. I was surprised he came so cheaply as well. Apparently, he didn’t much care for you to begin with. So spare me the sanctimony.”

“What? Max sold me out? That son of—”

Holly made a shushing noise. “Quiet. Grownups talking…Okay, Myers. So I know what you know, and you know that I know, but you don’t know all I know, and there’s something else that I simply must know…So we need to make a deal.”

“I’m listening.”

She leaned forward conspiratorially. “I know that Stricken is planning on letting everyone inside the Last Dragon die before he makes a move.”

“Unfortunately, it would appear you are correct. Mr. Stricken feels that an event of this magnitude will result in him receiving the permissions necessary to go ahead with a very controversial plan. My guess is that he considers these deaths an acceptable loss in order to reach his goals.”

“That’s the difference between us. I don’t consider any losses acceptable. Are you mounting a coup against Stricken, or what?”

“Coup is such a nasty word.”

Despite being in handcuffs, Holly seemed completely at ease. Mosh found her confidence almost annoying. “You know what else I hear is a nasty word in some circles? Nemesis. I’ve heard that Stricken is willing to murder you and Franks over it.”