"In what way?" Hanging from a limb in front of Luis was a large plastic bag holding liquid. A flexible tube extended from it, the end of which was within easy reach of his mouth, allowing him to drink whenever he wished.

The bag was nearly three quarters gone. Keyes took a liter-sized bottle from his sack and twisted it open. "It struck me that just putting water down there to make him last longer was a good start. I substituted some sports drink, and just to improve the taste mixed in a good dose of antihistamines and some uppers."

"The drink I understand, but the rest?"

"I'm figuring the antihistamines to help counteract anaphylactic shock and the uppers to make sure he enjoys every fun-filled moment."

"Very creative. My compliments."

Richard held himself steady, staring hard through the lens, adjusting the focus. He could just make out minute lines creeping over Luis's flesh. He writhed under them. Flies dotted his face and he shook his head again. If he groaned or cursed, it went unheard in the distance.

"Of course," Keyes continued, "if he really goes into serious shock then the fat lady's done with her chorus. That's when I pack up and boogie."

"But not before-"

"Oh, hell no. Can't let the fire ants get all the glory."

"What have you got for it?"

"Party favor." He pointed to an MP-5 on the ground by his chair. On top of it, a pair of surgical gloves. "Still has Nick's prints on it. I can pop three rounds in the skull, leave the gun, then it's home for Stoli time."

This was also the plan should someone happen along and find Luis. Keyes was to kill the prisoner to silence him, then vanish. In this heat, so far from anywhere, the happenstance was remote, but both men believed in preparation.

"What'd you bring me?" Keyes asked, reaching for Richard's sack.

"More water, more food bars. The kind you said you wanted."

"Great, I ran out this morning. I was getting hungry." He tore the wrapper off one, taking a healthy bite. "These are most bueno, but they stop you up like a summabitch-though out here that's just as well. What's happening in the rest of the world? I take it no one followed you."

"Not to worry. I was careful and your directions were clear." Richard gave him a summation of events. Most of it was even true. "No one knows what's become of Luis. The general assumption is that Alejandro killed him."

"That's fine. Just what you wanted."

"You had no trouble getting Luis out here?"

"Not too much. I kept him drugged in the car until I found a good spot for each of us. I knew about this hill; it was finding the right tree close enough to it that was the problem."

"Right tree?"

"One that had fire ants. I lucked out, though, and turned up a mound next to that one. He woke up pretty fast when I sat him down on it. Had to be quick with the chains to keep him there, then he started hollering, so we had fun with the duct tape. He was freaking out for most of the day, then settled down. Too damn tired to keep it up. Next morning I could take the tape off so he could drink. That's when he tried to buy me off. Tried to say he had the locations of some of his brother's accounts. Like I could believe that. He got pretty crazy, babbled a lot. Just to humor him I wrote the stuff down. Doubt if anything will come of it, but I can play hacker and see what I turn up. If you hear any news about me buying an island you'll know I nailed it."

Richard rather hoped he would. "All this is rather above and beyond."

"Maybe so. Indirectly, he cost me a steady paying customer. 'Cause of him I had to bump Trujillo before he bumped me. Now that would have probably happened sooner or later, but it's annoying all the same. But what really chaps my hide is what he did to his family. That was wrong."

Agreed, Richard thought. But is this not just as wrong?

Even lowering the binoculars could not remove the sight of the dying Luis from his mind's eye. Richard had thought long and hard about the punishment he would inflict on Stephanie's butcher. It had seemed just. Certainly he'd done worse things to enemies in the past, but this time it was different.

The righteous satisfaction was not there. He understood and had often reveled in its sweet, raw heat. But now... nothing. He couldn't feel pity for Luis, but could summon horror within for his own actions.

I've changed. This vengeance I thought so important is no longer necessary.

"Have you plans for after this?" he asked Keyes.

"I thought about buying a ticket to Aruba for the summer, but the cats'd hate it. They wouldn't have me around to bitch at. My neighbor who checks on them isn't as much fun."

"Perhaps it's time you went back to them."

Keyes finished his food bar and stuffed the wrapper into one of the sacks. "You wanting to cut this short?"

"He looks too far gone for anything more to matter to him."

"I expect so. The ants would have stopped biting sometime back. They're eating on him by now. Different kind of intense, but his mind..."

"You've other things to do, I'm sure."

"I can think of a few. You gonna do the honors?"

"Yes."

Richard helped Keyes break camp. It took but a few moments to roll up and stow away the camouflage netting.

Richard hiked down to the tree and unhooked the plastic bag, draining it out on the return trip. Luis was so far gone he did not seem to notice his presence.

Keyes had folded the camp chair and put his books away. He hooked the bundle straps over one shoulder then stuck a hand toward Richard.

They briefly shook.

"It's been a pleasure," said Keyes. "Let's not do this again sometime."

God forbid.

Richard waited until Keyes was well gone. Before too long he caught the faint sound of a car motor turning over.

He waited, spying a cloud of dust rising along the line that marked the road into the property. He waited until the dust drifted lazily back into place.

Then Richard put on the surgical gloves.

He raised the gun, sighting along the barrel. He could see no real detail without the binoculars, but they weren't necessary.

An easy enough shot.

Who was he? Did he deserve his fate?

An easy enough answer.

The figure down below moved fitfully, as one in the torment of a nightmare. Richard waited until the man went still again.

And why was I the one chosen to deliver it to him?

That one was easy as well.

Richard squeezed off a three-round burst. The cracking of the shots echoed briefly, then the summer silence reasserted itself once more over field and wood.