“We crucified him,” Borken said. “We found a couple of trees a yard apart, and we nailed him up. We’re going to do that to your daughter, General, if you step out of line. Then we cut his balls off. He was pleading and screaming for us not to, but we did it anyway. We can’t do that to your kid, her being a woman and all, but we’ll find some equivalent, you know what I mean? Do you think she’ll be screaming and pleading, General? You know her better than me. Personally, I’m betting she will be. She likes to think she’s a tough cookie, but when she sees those blades coming close, she’s going to change her damn tune pretty quick, I’m just about sure of that.”

Johnson turned whiter. All his blood just drained away. He fell back and sat heavily against the rock. His mouth was working soundlessly.

“What the hell do you bastards want?” Webster yelled.

There was another silence. Then the voice came back, quiet and firm.

“I want you to stop yelling,” it said. “I want you to apologize for yelling at me. I want you to apologize for calling me a rude name. I’m the President of the Free States, and I’m owed some courtesy and deference, wouldn’t you say?”

His voice was quiet, but McGrath heard it clearly enough. He looked across at Webster in panic. They were close to losing, before they had even started. First rule was to negotiate. To keep them talking, and gradually gain the upper hand. Establish dominance. Classic siege theory. But to start out by apologizing for yelling was to kiss goodbye any hope of dominance. That was to lie down and roll over. From that point on, you were their plaything. McGrath shook his head urgently. Webster nodded back. Said nothing. Just held the radio without speaking. He knew how to do this. He had been in this situation before. Several times. He knew the protocol. Now, the first one to speak was the weaker one. And it wasn’t going to be him. He and McGrath gazed at the ground and waited.

“You still there?” Borken asked.

Webster kept on staring down. Saying nothing.

“You there?” Borken said again.

“What’s on your mind, Beau?” Webster asked, calmly.

There was angry breathing over the air.

“You cut my phone line,” Borken said. “I want it restored.”

“No, we didn’t,” Webster said. “Doesn’t your phone work?”

“My faxes,” Borken said. “I got no response.”

“What faxes?” Webster said.

“Don’t bullshit me,” Borken said. “I know you cut the line. I want it fixed.”

Webster winked at McGrath.

“OK,” he said. “We can do that. But you’ve got to do something for us first.”

“What?” Borken asked.

“Holly,” Webster said. “Bring her down to the bridge and leave her there.”

There was another silence. Then the laughter started up again. High and loud.

“No dice,” Borken said. “And no deals.”

Webster nodded to himself. Lowered his voice. Sounded like the most reasonable man on earth.

“Listen, Mr. Borken,” he said. “If we can’t deal, how can we help each other?”

Another silence. McGrath stared at Webster. The next reply was crucial. Win or lose.

“You listen to me, Webster,” the voice said. “No deals. You don’t do exactly what I say, Holly dies. In a lot of pain. I hold all the cards, and I’m not doing deals. You understand that?”

Webster’s shoulders slumped. McGrath looked away.

“Restore the fax line,” the voice said. “I need communications. The world must know what we’re doing here. This is a big moment in history, Webster. I won’t be denied by your stupid games. The world must witness the first blows being struck against your tyranny.”

Webster stared at the ground.

“This decision is too big for you alone,” Borken said. “You need to consult with the White House. There’s an interest there too, wouldn’t you say?”

Even over the tinny handheld radio, the force of Borken’s voice was obvious. Webster was flinching like a physical weight was against his ear. Flinching and gasping, as his heart and lungs fought each other for space inside his chest.

“Make your decision,” Borken said. “I’ll call back in two minutes.”

Then the radio went dead. Webster stared at it like he had never seen such a piece of equipment before. McGrath leaned over and clicked the button off.

“OK,” he said. “We stall, right? Tell him we’re fixing the line. Tell him it will take an hour, maybe two. Tell him we’re in contact with the White House, the UN, CNN, whoever. Tell him whatever the hell he wants to hear.”

“Why is he doing this?” Webster asked, vaguely. “Escalating everything? He’s making it so we have to attack him. So we have to, right? Like he wants us to. He’s giving us no choice. He’s provoking us.”

“He’s doing it because he’s crazy,” McGrath said.

“He must be,” Webster said. “He’s a maniac. Otherwise I just can’t understand why he’s trying to attract so much attention. Because like he says, he holds all the cards already.”

“We’ll worry about that later, chief,” McGrath said. “Right now, we just need to stall him.”

Webster nodded. Forced himself back to the problem in hand.

“But we need longer than two hours,” he said. “Hostage Rescue will take at least four to get over here. Maybe five, maybe six.”

“OK, it’s the Fourth of July,” McGrath said. “Tell him the linemen are all off duty. Tell him it could take us all day to get them back.”

They stared at each other. Glanced at Johnson. He was right out of it. Just slumped against the rock face, white and inert, barely breathing. Ninety hours of mortal stress and emotion had finally broken him. Then the radio in Webster’s hand crackled again.

“Well?” Borken asked, when the static cleared.

“OK, we agree,” Webster said. “We’ll fix the line. But it’s going to take some time. Linemen are off duty for the holidays.”

There was a pause. Then a chuckle.

“Independence Day,” Borken said. “Maybe I should have chosen another date.”

Webster made no reply.

“I want your Marines where I can see them,” Borken said.

“What Marines?” Webster said.

There was another short laugh. Short and complacent.

“You got eight Marines,” Borken said. “And an armored car. We got lookouts all over the place. We’ve been watching you. Like you’re watching us with those damn planes. You’re lucky Stingers don’t shoot that high, or you’d have more than a damn helicopter on the ground by now.”

Webster made no reply. Just scanned the horizon. McGrath was doing the same thing, automatically, looking for the glint of the sun on field glasses.

“I figure you’re close to the bridge right now,” Borken said. “Am I right?”

Webster shrugged. McGrath prompted him with a nod.

“We’re close to the bridge,” Webster said.

“I want the Marines on the bridge,” Borken said. “Sitting on the edge in a neat little row. Their vehicle behind them. I want that to happen now, you understand? Or we go to work on Holly. Your choice, Webster. Or maybe it’s the General’s choice. His daughter, and his Marines, right?”

Johnson roused himself and glanced up. Five minutes later the Marines were sitting on the fractured edge of the roadway, feet dangling down into the abyss. Their LAV was parked up behind them. Webster was still in the lee of the rock face with McGrath and Johnson. The radio still pressed to his ear. He could hear muffled sounds. Like Borken had pressed his hand over the microphone and was using a walkie-talkie. He could hear his muffled voice alternating with crackly replies. Then he heard the hand come away and the voice come back again, loud and clear in the earpiece.

“OK, Webster, good work,” Borken said to him. “Our scouts can see all eight of them. So can our riflemen. If they move, they die. Who else have you got there with you?”

Webster paused. McGrath shook his head urgently.

“Can’t you see?” Webster asked. “I thought you were watching us.”