“That’s called mutual affray,” said Alik. “And you don’t get medals for it.”
“Nonsense!” Eldar interrupted. “There’s a law about necessary measures of self-defense. We were defending ourselves. We have witnesses… the driver. He saw them hitting the young guy.”
“But he didn’t see who started the fight,” said Marat. “We claim that they attacked us. They say the opposite.”
“That’s why we have to tell the truth, right down to the very last detail,” said Eldar. “So there can’t be even a shadow of a doubt that our testimony is true.”
“You would be right,” Marat objected, “if only he hadn’t died.”
“And what did you say?” I asked Marat. “Did he ask you about Alik?”
“The lieutenant questioned me. I didn’t say anything about Alik. I didn’t see anything anyway. That guy attacked me when three o
