Read Online Blood Testament by Don Pendleton - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Don Pendleton
Ads: Link
"You'd better not be shitting me, old man."
"I'm not about to play that kind of game with all I have to lose."
"I find out that you're jerking me, you're gonna have a triple funeral to arrange, and then we're coming after you."
"It's straight," Brognola told him. "If you don't believe me, check it out yourself."
"I just might do that."
There was a momentary silence while the gunner pondered fresh alternatives, another way to work his scam. When he resumed, his tone was thoughtful, introspective.
"What the hell, your problem, right? We want that information. It's your price for momma and the kids."
Stall the bastard.
"It's extremely difficult ..."
"That's tough."
"...to get the list you want. If you could pin it down to one or two specific names..."
The names might offer him a starting place, a point of reference toward unveiling his opponents. If the opposition wanted a specific witness, he would have a fair idea of who had let the contract in the first place. Given that, he would possess a pressure point.
The gunner thought about it for a moment, or pretended to, before he spoke again. "No good. It's all or nothing, man."
"I'll need some time."
"You've got six hours, starting now. You'll get a call at... let's say 6:15. Be home, or you can kiss it all goodbye."
"Hold on!" Brognola's heart was hammering in his rib cage. He could scarcely form the words. "How do I know my wife and children are alive?"
"You don't."
"Not good enough."
"Hey, listen, man..."
"You
listen,
man,"
Brognola snapped. "In case you missed the point, I'm not in this thing for my health. The minute that I don't believe my family's safe, we've got no deal at all." He waited for a silent heartbeat, letting that sink in. "Now, do you put them on the line or shall I pull the plug right now?"
"You're bluffing."
"Try me."
Another hesitation, and Brognola half imagined he could see the gunner fuming, weighing odds and options, struggling to a decision that would let him save some face. His voice was taut with anger when he spoke again.
"Hold on, goddammit!"
As he waited, Hal Brognola switched the telephone receiver to his other hand and wiped his sweaty palm against his slacks. The risk had been a calculated one, but he was dealing with an unknown quantity. It had been possible that his demand, his very tone, would spark a homicidal fury in the caller, push him into acting out his anger and frustration on the hostages. If it had come to that, Brognola would have been compelled to live with precious blood upon his hands, devoting every moment of his remaining life to the annihilation of the animals who had been hired to destroy his world.
But it had worked, at least so far. His reckless gamble had paid off — or would, if he could hear the voices of his family. As long as they survived, he had a reason to play along with their abductors. And the moment that he doubted their survival, as he had informed their captor, then he would have nothing left to lose.
There was a muffled rustling as the other telephone was lifted, passed from hand to hand. Something broke inside him at the sound of Helen's voice as she pronounced his name.
"Hal? Are you there?"
* * *
"I'm here."
She heard his pain and longed to reach for him, to clasp his big hands tightly in her own and make him smile. For now, though, it would have to be enough to hear his voice and answer when he spoke to her.
"Are you all right? The kids?"
"We're fine." The lie caught in her throat. "We miss you."
"Jesus, Helen..."
"Hal, be careful."
Even as she spoke, the blond was reaching out to twist the telephone receiver from her trembling hands. His face was livid as he snarled into the mouthpiece.
"There, you satisfied?"
From where she sat, Hal's answer was inaudible, but Helen could guess the content from the furious expression on her captor's face.
"Forget it, Jack. You've wasted too much time already with this bullshit."
Another momentary silence as he listened, and his face
"I'm not about to play that kind of game with all I have to lose."
"I find out that you're jerking me, you're gonna have a triple funeral to arrange, and then we're coming after you."
"It's straight," Brognola told him. "If you don't believe me, check it out yourself."
"I just might do that."
There was a momentary silence while the gunner pondered fresh alternatives, another way to work his scam. When he resumed, his tone was thoughtful, introspective.
"What the hell, your problem, right? We want that information. It's your price for momma and the kids."
Stall the bastard.
"It's extremely difficult ..."
"That's tough."
"...to get the list you want. If you could pin it down to one or two specific names..."
The names might offer him a starting place, a point of reference toward unveiling his opponents. If the opposition wanted a specific witness, he would have a fair idea of who had let the contract in the first place. Given that, he would possess a pressure point.
The gunner thought about it for a moment, or pretended to, before he spoke again. "No good. It's all or nothing, man."
"I'll need some time."
"You've got six hours, starting now. You'll get a call at... let's say 6:15. Be home, or you can kiss it all goodbye."
"Hold on!" Brognola's heart was hammering in his rib cage. He could scarcely form the words. "How do I know my wife and children are alive?"
"You don't."
"Not good enough."
"Hey, listen, man..."
"You
listen,
man,"
Brognola snapped. "In case you missed the point, I'm not in this thing for my health. The minute that I don't believe my family's safe, we've got no deal at all." He waited for a silent heartbeat, letting that sink in. "Now, do you put them on the line or shall I pull the plug right now?"
"You're bluffing."
"Try me."
Another hesitation, and Brognola half imagined he could see the gunner fuming, weighing odds and options, struggling to a decision that would let him save some face. His voice was taut with anger when he spoke again.
"Hold on, goddammit!"
As he waited, Hal Brognola switched the telephone receiver to his other hand and wiped his sweaty palm against his slacks. The risk had been a calculated one, but he was dealing with an unknown quantity. It had been possible that his demand, his very tone, would spark a homicidal fury in the caller, push him into acting out his anger and frustration on the hostages. If it had come to that, Brognola would have been compelled to live with precious blood upon his hands, devoting every moment of his remaining life to the annihilation of the animals who had been hired to destroy his world.
But it had worked, at least so far. His reckless gamble had paid off — or would, if he could hear the voices of his family. As long as they survived, he had a reason to play along with their abductors. And the moment that he doubted their survival, as he had informed their captor, then he would have nothing left to lose.
There was a muffled rustling as the other telephone was lifted, passed from hand to hand. Something broke inside him at the sound of Helen's voice as she pronounced his name.
"Hal? Are you there?"
* * *
"I'm here."
She heard his pain and longed to reach for him, to clasp his big hands tightly in her own and make him smile. For now, though, it would have to be enough to hear his voice and answer when he spoke to her.
"Are you all right? The kids?"
"We're fine." The lie caught in her throat. "We miss you."
"Jesus, Helen..."
"Hal, be careful."
Even as she spoke, the blond was reaching out to twist the telephone receiver from her trembling hands. His face was livid as he snarled into the mouthpiece.
"There, you satisfied?"
From where she sat, Hal's answer was inaudible, but Helen could guess the content from the furious expression on her captor's face.
"Forget it, Jack. You've wasted too much time already with this bullshit."
Another momentary silence as he listened, and his face
Similar Books
