Read Online Deadly Intent: An Action Thriller (Adrian Hell Series Book 4) by James P. Sumner - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: James P. Sumner
Ads: Link
give a fancy title to that requires you to do absolutely nothing. Y’know, the kind of job that they award old people with too much time on their hands…”
He smiles, winks and stands up straight again, casting a quick glance to an unimpressed Schultz, who’s leaning against the hood of Josh’s car. I smile. The more things change, the more they stay the same…
“But seriously, Schultzy has done good for us since he came on board, so respect where it’s due. Anyway, we as a company were approached soon after by a couple of people with… questionable intentions, shall we say. Think Dark Rain, but more evil.”
“Lovely,” I say, remembering very clearly how that ended.
“Obviously, since the era of Bob Clark began, we don’t get into bed with such unsavory characters. But alarm bells were ringing nonetheless.”
He moves over to his car and leans against the door as he talks. I’m standing with my arms folded across my chest, waiting patiently for the part that explains why the last few days have gone to shit.
“We kept a close eye on the movements of these people, using the vast array of technology at our disposal. This was about a year ago, and there’s been very little to go on until the last couple of days when, you guessed it, you got involved!”
He laughs as I shrug innocently. “Hey, I didn’t ask for this,” I say.
“I know, I know… this shit just kinda finds you,” he replies with another knowing smile. “So anyway, we track these people all over the world—they’re on some mad recruitment drive, hiring the best and the baddest killers, mercenaries, scientists… you name it.”
“What for?”
He holds his hand up. “Ah-ah-ah, save the questions for later… I figured it was only a matter of time before they tried to recruit you. I mean, you’re the best assassin there is.”
“Was…”
“Whatever. Point is, retirement or not, these people knew where to find you and, in keeping with tradition, asked you to join them and tried to kill you when you said no.”
“Okay, Josh, the FBI has already told me something along these lines. A terrorist network nobody seems to know anything about has been going around recruiting people to work for them, for reasons unknown. The first three guys who came to me were apparently linked to someone called Yalafi Hussein. They were found dead in their rental car parked at the side of the interstate. Nothing to do with me, by the way. But they then sent two hit squads to kill me, and those guys I killed without prejudice. A real mixed bag of assholes, too, from all over the place. What’s going on, Josh?”
He sighs and looks at Schultz, who shrugs. “Just tell him,” he says.
Josh nods and looks back at me. “We do know who they are… they call themselves the Armageddon Initiative. They’ve got active cells all across the globe and seem to run what we think is their main base of operations from somewhere in Ukraine. Every time we try to track them via satellite, they disappear completely. We’ve got it narrowed to a thirty mile radius, but…”
“That doesn’t sound all that narrow,” I observe. “Are they underground?”
“That’s what I think, yeah.”
“So what do these guys want? What’s their plan?”
“We don’t know. That’s why I’m here. To ask you a favor.”
I take a deep breath. I can see what’s coming. “You want me to sign up with these assholes, don’t you? Be the man inside?”
Josh smiles. “That was my original plan, yeah. But that went to shit when you started killing them.”
“So what can I do? I just wanna be left alone, Josh.”
“I know, and I hate asking you… but we have a bead on Hussein. We have reason to believe he’s going to be in New York in the next twenty-four hours. We know he’s not in charge, but we think he has access to the people who are.”
“You seem to have the same information as the FBI—I wonder if they know where he’ll be tomorrow? Why don’t you just
He smiles, winks and stands up straight again, casting a quick glance to an unimpressed Schultz, who’s leaning against the hood of Josh’s car. I smile. The more things change, the more they stay the same…
“But seriously, Schultzy has done good for us since he came on board, so respect where it’s due. Anyway, we as a company were approached soon after by a couple of people with… questionable intentions, shall we say. Think Dark Rain, but more evil.”
“Lovely,” I say, remembering very clearly how that ended.
“Obviously, since the era of Bob Clark began, we don’t get into bed with such unsavory characters. But alarm bells were ringing nonetheless.”
He moves over to his car and leans against the door as he talks. I’m standing with my arms folded across my chest, waiting patiently for the part that explains why the last few days have gone to shit.
“We kept a close eye on the movements of these people, using the vast array of technology at our disposal. This was about a year ago, and there’s been very little to go on until the last couple of days when, you guessed it, you got involved!”
He laughs as I shrug innocently. “Hey, I didn’t ask for this,” I say.
“I know, I know… this shit just kinda finds you,” he replies with another knowing smile. “So anyway, we track these people all over the world—they’re on some mad recruitment drive, hiring the best and the baddest killers, mercenaries, scientists… you name it.”
“What for?”
He holds his hand up. “Ah-ah-ah, save the questions for later… I figured it was only a matter of time before they tried to recruit you. I mean, you’re the best assassin there is.”
“Was…”
“Whatever. Point is, retirement or not, these people knew where to find you and, in keeping with tradition, asked you to join them and tried to kill you when you said no.”
“Okay, Josh, the FBI has already told me something along these lines. A terrorist network nobody seems to know anything about has been going around recruiting people to work for them, for reasons unknown. The first three guys who came to me were apparently linked to someone called Yalafi Hussein. They were found dead in their rental car parked at the side of the interstate. Nothing to do with me, by the way. But they then sent two hit squads to kill me, and those guys I killed without prejudice. A real mixed bag of assholes, too, from all over the place. What’s going on, Josh?”
He sighs and looks at Schultz, who shrugs. “Just tell him,” he says.
Josh nods and looks back at me. “We do know who they are… they call themselves the Armageddon Initiative. They’ve got active cells all across the globe and seem to run what we think is their main base of operations from somewhere in Ukraine. Every time we try to track them via satellite, they disappear completely. We’ve got it narrowed to a thirty mile radius, but…”
“That doesn’t sound all that narrow,” I observe. “Are they underground?”
“That’s what I think, yeah.”
“So what do these guys want? What’s their plan?”
“We don’t know. That’s why I’m here. To ask you a favor.”
I take a deep breath. I can see what’s coming. “You want me to sign up with these assholes, don’t you? Be the man inside?”
Josh smiles. “That was my original plan, yeah. But that went to shit when you started killing them.”
“So what can I do? I just wanna be left alone, Josh.”
“I know, and I hate asking you… but we have a bead on Hussein. We have reason to believe he’s going to be in New York in the next twenty-four hours. We know he’s not in charge, but we think he has access to the people who are.”
“You seem to have the same information as the FBI—I wonder if they know where he’ll be tomorrow? Why don’t you just
Similar Books
