Guardian by Erik Williams

fucking dumb.”
    â€œI know, but it’s true.” And I haven’t even told you the part about Greg coming to visit me in my dreams and catechizing me on the difference between just and unjust murder.”
    â€œI should have you committed.”
    â€œRemember what happened in Basra?”
    â€œYes, I do. But still—­”
    â€œAnd don’t forget the crew of the al-­Phirosh . Scuttled their ship hoping to sink Semyaza to the bottom of the ocean. Then they committed suicide when they found out they failed and Semyaza had made it onboard the Rushmore with them.”
    Glenn held up a hand. “Stop. You’re not going to say anything to convince me. Crazy shit happened that can’t be readily explained. That’s all I’m swallowing. I’d rather have no answers than your answers. And I recommend you forget this stupid shit about Kharija serving some creature trapped in a human body. Christ, Mike. What happened to your brains?”
    Mike ignored the jab. “What do you propose?”
    â€œI propose you lay low. Under the earth low. Dig a tunnel or something. Until the FBI runs to ground our mysterious leg severer I don’t want your head above the surface.”
    â€œFuck that, Glenn. They’re after me, I need to—­”
    â€œDon’t for one moment think I’m going to let you try and find this asshole. No way. This guy Kharija has a major league hard-­on for you, and he’s proven he has the means to capture you. Did some digging on this guy, by the way. Know what he was besides a member of a secret society? A top-­tier intel officer in the Mukhabarat under Hussein. Trained by the KGB in the eighties. This is a classic beat-­the-­bush op. They’re trying to flush you out, make you expose yourself. That’s what they want.”
    â€œSo let’s give it to them. Kharija needs to go down before any more ­people die.”
    I am the good shepherd, Mike thought. And I need to kill this wolf.
    â€œI risked a lot saving you once,” Glenn said. “I won’t take that risk twice. I can’t have you exposed any further, Mr. Rogue Agent. Besides, if you believe what you just told me and they want you so they can find another prison and open it, then you’re fucking high to think I’m letting you anywhere in the daylight. Hell, I should bury you in a bunker somewhere.”
    Mike rocked back and grunted. “I can’t just sit on my ass and let ­people I know get killed.”
    â€œWho else?”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œWho else might be in danger? I can feed the names to the FBI and have protection put in place for them.”
    â€œOther than the surviving crew of the Rushmore ?” Mike thought about it a moment. Other than bartenders, he couldn’t think of anyone else he’d met the last few weeks who was still alive that he’d had any emotional tie to. Except . . .
    â€œShit,” he said.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œGreengrass. The Marine major injured in the attack in Iraq.”
    â€œFirst name?”
    â€œFrancis.”
    Glenn nodded. “I’ll send it over to the Bureau. Assume you’ve been burned. Grab a spot at a hotel somewhere. Stay inside.”
    â€œCome on, Glenn.”
    â€œI’m serious, Mike. I’ve heard your story and I’ve assessed the facts as I know them. Kharija wants you badly enough to have American citizens killed on our soil. And guess what? He’s going to keep killing ­people until you’re dumb enough to show yourself to him. But know this: none of those ­people are as important as you. So stay low and out of sight. Got it?”
    â€œWhy am I so important if you don’t believe my story? Is it because I’m your secret killer? Well, I’m not doing any more unsanctioned killings. I’m done with that. You want another rogue cleaner, find a new guy.”
    â€œWhether you’re