"Just for the record," I said. "Second-hand cigar smoke is in no way attractive."

"This is my town," said Luther. "My territory. No one knows it better than me. The people, the organisations, the schemes and the hustles. They didn't need to send you. I could have handled this myself. I've handled a lot worse in my time, and never once made a ripple in the waters. I have a reputation for getting things done and keeping things quiet, and I don't want it upset. I operate without being seen, behind the scenes. I keep the lid on things, I defuse situations before they get out of control, and no one ever knows I was there. It's the only way you can operate, in a media-saturated town like this. The last thing I need is a show-off, grandstanding overachiever like you, coming in here playing the hero, overturning the applecart and then setting it on fire. I know all about you, Eddie. No gesture too dramatic, no action too violent. Well, you aren't going to operate like that here. We can't make waves; we'd be noticed. Even after everything you've done recently, we're still supposed to be a secret organisation of secret agents."

"After everything I've done?" I said, innocently.

He wanted to splutter and raise his voice. I could tell.

"I know your reputation," he said doggedly. "It doesn't impress me. You're impetuous, you're unnecessarily aggressive, and you're sloppy! How many times have you been seen in armour in public? That's not how we get things done!"

"I saved the entire world from the Hungry Gods," I said.

"And got a lot of good Droods killed in the process. You're not getting me killed, rushing in where devils fear to tread. This is my territory, and we're going to do things my way. Either you agree right now to follow my orders, or I'll kick you out of town and deal with this problem myself. And to hell with the Matriarch's instructions!"