A voice from inside called out, “Hang on.”

There was some activity inside and then the man opened the door. He had a five o’clock shadow and was dressed in a ratty robe and slippers. He didn’t look much like a high-paid GRU assassin.

Behind him, Lance could see through to the kitchen where an elderly woman, also dressed in a robe and slippers, was sitting at the table.

“I’m sorry,” Lance said. “Is this your house?”

“No, it’s my mother’s house.”

“I didn’t mean to interrupt your breakfast.”

“Where’s my driver?”

There was a newspaper on the step and Lance bent down and picked it up. He handed it to the man. The man’s shoulder was bandaged. He moved it tenderly.

If they got into a fight, there wouldn’t be much to it.

“Well?” the man said.

“Can I come in?”

“What for?”

“I want to discuss the Sarin poisonings in Iraq. The legal case.”

The man made to shut the door in Lance’s face and Lance stopped it with his foot.

“I’m from Veteran’s Affairs. We’re looking into compensation.”

“I’m not interested.”

“But you were there when the poisonings happened.”

“I ain’t talking to no one.”

Lance nodded. “All right,” he said. “All right.”

The man made to shut the door again and Lance said, “Don’t make me do this in front of your mother.”

The man froze. He looked at Lance again as if seeing him for the first time.

“You’re not from Veteran’s Affairs.”

“Don’t fight me,” Lance said. “She’ll only have to watch.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying we can do this civilized. What is she? Eighty years old? Seeing you die in front of her will destroy her.”

The man’s fist was clenched around the door handle. He was thinking about his wounded shoulder. Calculating.

Lance needed information from him more than anything else. He didn’t want him to run.

“That shootout in the Village,” Lance said. “The American woman was one of ours.”

“What are you talking about?”

“The girl you shot. The one was a Russian GRU operative.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The old lady called out from the kitchen. “Who’s there?”

Lance looked around the man. He saw that she had a boiled egg in front of her and was tapping the shell with a spoon.

“How about you invite me in, give me some tea, and tell me what I want to know.”

“Mister, you’re out of your mind.”

“Maybe I am. Maybe we all are. Looks to me like we both have a little in common. You served in the 82nd. I served in the 82nd.”

“So what?”

“We both had reasons to quit Uncle Sam too.”

“What do you know about it?”

“I know they covered up the toxin exposure.”