“Did I ever tell you what I got Naomi for her birthday last year?” Vincent began. “Of course not, because I don’t talk to trash like you. But I’ll tell you now. I bought her a recorder. It’s a tiny thing. Fits inside a shirt pocket or under your sleeve. Have you ever said anything to her you didn’t want to go public, Peter? Think about it. Anything about your personal life? How you’ve misspent tax dollars for a crush? How you’ve manipulated, lied, and put lives and entire military operations at risk because you’re a goddamned infant who can’t stand to share his toys?” Vincent patted Naomi on the back. “Not that you’re a toy, baby girl. No offense.”

“None taken,” Naomi said, glaring down at Peter. “Leave. I’ll send those recordings to every major news outlet from Fox to Al-Jazeera, I swear to God.”

“Naomi,” Peter began, the megaphone away from his mouth.

“You want a war? You can have it,” Vincent called down. “We have hundreds back here ready to go.”

“Send Naomi then,” Peter said. “I’ll allow her to negotiate.”

“Fuck off, you spineless cunt!” I yelled.

Vincent handed me a sidearm. “You know what to do with this?”

“Yep,” I said, cocking it. I followed Naomi’s lead and kept the barrel pointed at the ground.

Vincent smiled at his only daughter. “I like him.” He looked down at Peter. “You can try to come get her. I don’t think she’ll go quietly.”

Steps sounded behind us, and Kansas and Spenser stood on each side of me, gripping their rifles.

“Spenser! Spense, would you please talk some sense into her? I don’t want this. It’s senseless. Zeke has to come back with us. Naomi and her team have committed serious crimes.”

“Eat shit and die, Peter,” Spenser said, chewing on a wad of gum. She winked at him.

“You think this is going down?” Kansas asked.

“Not sure,” Naomi said.

“Maybe I should,” I began.

“No,” Naomi, Spenser, and Kansas said in unison.

Naomi shot a knowing look at Trex, and he motioned for his team to follow him down the wall. They jogged across the compound and out of sight.

“Are they going to light this place up?” I asked. “I don’t want anyone inside these walls getting hurt over me.” No one answered. “Naomi,” I prompted.

“You go with Peter, and I’ll be hurt,” Naomi said. “Jenn will be hurt. Brad, your siblings who are all waiting for you to come home, by the way—will be hurt.”

“If you leave with Peter,” Kansas said. “No one will ever see you again.”

I turned to look behind me at the men and women on the ground. “I can’t let them—”

“Zeke,” Naomi said, looking up at me. “You promised.”

I nodded. “I did. Okay, then. We’re at an impasse.”