Tom drew a sharp breath to rip out the automatic reply that Karl had won here and there . . . like when he’d helped Dalton brainwash Tom, he’d definitely been the winner those times. Then something occurred to Tom: no, Karl hadn’t come out better in the balance of things. After the sewage bath in the Beringer Club, and the humiliation in front of those executives, Karl was definitely the loser.

“Your life would be considerably easier if, instead of aggravating your enemies intentionally to make very sure they know you don’t care what they think—if instead, you let them have the meaningless, easy victories here and there. That’s compromise.”

Tom gave up on trying to tread lightly. “You know, Elliot, it’s hilarious hearing about compromise from a guy who gave up some person he felt strongly about because the Coalition said no. A guy who wanted to quit but again got told no. Now you’ve wasted a year putting all this effort into helping Heather Akron so she can take your place in that comfy little cage, when you know she’d stab you in the back if it would get her there, too, and it’s all because you won’t cross these people who think they have a right to be your overlords. I’ve gotta tell you, man, your definition of compromise seems a lot more like ‘outright surrender’ to me.”

“You think I surrender too much? Well, I say you can’t give a single inch of ground to anyone. Even when they’re right.”

“You’re right,” Tom said. “I can’t.”

They sat there a moment.

Elliot’s mouth lifted. “Now you’re being contrary, aren’t you?”

“No, I’m not.”

“No, no. That’s exactly what you’re doing. I had a beautifully articulated point now about you being absurdly stubborn, and you had to go right away and undermine my point by agreeing with me. You did that on purpose.”

“That’s how I operate. Sorry, man. It’s not personal.”

Elliot’s smile faded. “I must seem very weak to you.”

Tom shifted his weight uneasily, thrown by the turn in the conversation. “I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to.” Elliot rose to leave him.

Tom almost let him leave on that note. Almost. But he couldn’t help thinking of Elliot coming in to rescue him at Dominion Agra; telling him he was recommending him for promotion to Middle Company. Tom didn’t want Elliot to walk away feeling like he saw him as a pansy. He didn’t.

“Hey, Elliot . . . Wait.”

Elliot half turned.