Jay Cochran is a recently retired military pilot. He was in the military for 20 years and has been out for two. Cochran is divorced and has been estranged from his daughter for several years. When “Revenge” begins, he has been making a living playing in tennis tournaments and has befriended a dangerous man named Tibey.

Cochran has a love for literature and poetry, which Miryea shares—it is this love that brings them together. Mauro worries about his ability to take care of himself but quickly realizes that he can do so. Cochran’s depths are further revealed when he follows a man into a cantina bathroom and kills him, a spontaneous action that he seems to brush off when asked about it. He is underestimated by those around him but shows, consistently and in small ways, his capacity for violence and ability to survive against a dangerous foe.

Although Miryea is not present for much of the novella, she is a crucial character as the love interest of Cochran, a source of heartbreak and regret for Tibey, and the impetus for the violence and retribution that occurs between the two men. Miryea is from a highly regarded family in Mexico, and although Tibey appears to be in love with her, their marriage also makes Tibey and his money socially acceptable.