“It’s over, Parr,” Luke said. “There’s no way out of here. We’re your only chance. You surrender to us, and they’ll send you back to the States. You’ll get a trial. You’ll go to prison.” He shrugged. “Maybe there’s some defense—fog of war, temporary insanity. Maybe you’ll see daylight again one day. But if you stay here…”

Luke shook his head.

“These people are going to cut your heart out.”

Parr looked at Cole.

“You did this to me, Cole? You brought these guys in here? You knew about this?”

Cole shrugged. “The CIA had me. They tortured me, Parr. They were gonna kill me. They still might.”

Parr gritted his teeth. He shook his head. “You punk traitor. You don’t have to wait for the CIA. Roger, kill that man.”

Roger had a perfect angle on Cole. He turned his Uzi two feet to his left and fired a short spray. The ugly blat of automatic gunfire was deafening in the rounded chamber, echoing off the walls and ceilings.

Ed Newsam’s entire body jerked, almost as if he had taken the bullets instead.

Cole turned just in time to take the shots in his chest. It knocked him backward—he was wearing body armor under his clothes. Cole stumbled but stayed on his feet. Roger hosed him again. This one took Cole’s head off above his eyebrows. Bone and blood and brains spewed backward. The shots ricocheted around the room.

Luke’s ears were ringing now.

He turned toward Roger. Big Ed’s back was in the way.

Ed!” he shouted. “Duck!”

Ed dropped like a trapdoor had opened beneath him.

Luke fired a single shot from his handgun. BANG! It hit Roger directly in the face, punching his features inward. Roger dropped, his Uzi clattering across the floor.

Luke turned back toward Parr.

Parr had his own sidearm out. He raised it to point it at Luke.

Luke pointed his own gun at Parr.

“Drop it!” Luke said.

Parr shook his head. “You drop it.”

“Parr…”

“You’re stupid, man,” Parr said. “This whole thing is stupid.”

The two guns came closer. They were inches apart now, and the maw at the end of Parr’s gun was like a tunnel, like a cave, like the abyss itself. Luke had been at the point of a gun before, many times. It never got easier.

“Drop that gun!” Luke shouted.

Parr’s hands were shaking. Luke saw Parr’s gun in a blown-out close-up, like it was a giant poster on a wall. Parr’s finger put pressure on the trigger. The gun inched closer, and now the two guns were so close they could almost touch. They were like two nervous lovers, coming together for their first kiss.

BANG!