“This has to be done,” Newsam said. “The man nearly got me shot. Then he nearly took my head off himself. You don’t know it, because you don’t live in that world, but he’s got a little reputation for getting people killed, shrugging it off, and moving on. A boss is one thing, and that’s fine, but everybody deserves respect. I’m not dying for Hot Rod’s next promotion. We’re just gonna make that clear.”

Luke heard the words coming out of Ed’s mouth, but had trouble connecting them to himself. An image of Martinez, paralyzed, missing body parts, and crying flashed through Luke’s mind.

We were your guys. Now we’re dead. All but you.

Luke shoved that away. He was in a fight. If he didn’t dial in, this big man was going to take his head off.

“I’m going to call Don Morris,” Trudy said.

“Go ahead,” Newsam said. “He’ll know I’m right.”

Luke and Ed began to circle each other. They moved closer, closer… Somehow, word must have gotten out that a fight was underway. People, mostly men, wandered out of the embassy building. Several soldiers in uniform began to coalesce around the outside of the square. This was old hat to them—fights happened sometimes. They used their bodies to obscure the view of people further away, especially people in authority who might stop the fight prematurely.

Luke glanced at them. A couple of them were MPs.

“Come on, little man,” Ed said. “Throw a punch and give these people a show.”

“It’s your fight,” Luke said. “Not mine.”

Ed shrugged. “Okay.”

He charged, moving like lightning for a man so large. His left fist pinioned out, a jab. Luke slipped it, darted inside, and landed his own jab directly to Ed’s face. Then he bounced backward again, out of Ed’s reach. He immediately circled to his right.

A small cheer went up from the crowd. David had struck Goliath a blow.

But Luke saw Ed’s eyes. That hadn’t hurt him a bit. Surprised him? Yes. Frustrated him? Sure. Annoyed him? You bet. But hurt him? Not a chance.

“That all you got?” Ed said.

This was going to be a long war.

Suddenly, someone was clapping their hands. The sound was LOUD. A man’s voice came.

“Uh, dummies?”

The crowd was turning toward the man. Luke didn’t take his own eyes off Ed, not for a split second. That would be a recipe for disaster. He’d probably wake up on the plane ride home.

“No, not you guys. Them. Those dummies. The tough guys. The rest of you idiots, don’t you have someplace to be?”

Luke and Ed continued to circle.

“Stone!” the man shouted, and Luke knew who it was without having to look.