Read Online Deadly Intent: An Action Thriller (Adrian Hell Series Book 4) by James P. Sumner - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: James P. Sumner
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work with them?”
“Because GlobaTech has its own army, its own weapons, and its own planes. We don’t answer to the government because we’re in the private sector and, consequently, not funded by them. As long as we work under the radar, we’re very good at doing whatever we want. The government tends to make things like this public so they look good killing terrorists. But we both know that killing them doesn’t always stop them. We’ve got no one to impress, so we’ve taken it upon ourselves to lend a hand.”
“So you want me to go to New York and capture this Yalafi Hussein?”
He nods. “And bring him back in one piece to one of our sites for questioning.”
I sigh heavily. I’m retired—I don’t want any part of this. But I appreciate that a large, well-funded terrorist organization that hasn’t yet made it known what their plans are isn’t the best thing to leave unchecked. And I know Josh wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t necessary.
I think about my bar. I’ve got no business to run for a while, so I’ll only be sitting around with my thumb up my ass anyway…
What about Tori? She needs me, and I don’t want to leave her.
I wonder if Josh knows about her?
“I own a bar here, called The Ferryman,” I say to Josh, changing the subject. “It’s very recently been closed, pending some much-needed renovation. A bunch of terrorists shot the place to bits trying to kill me. You can still see it, though. Plus, there’s someone I want you to meet. Come on.”
I walk back to my truck, get in, and drive out of the police parking lot, with Josh and Ryan Schultz following behind me.
10:22 CDT
I arrive back at my bar as the chaos is winding down. The FBI crime scene team is still on site, but Sheriff Raynor and his deputies have gone, save for one who’s standing outside deterring anyone who tries to find out what’s happened by giving them the official, ‘There’s nothing to see here…’ line.
I walk around back, with Josh and Schultz in tow, and head up the stairs that lead to the main entrance to my apartment above. We walk inside and see Tori sitting on the sofa, hugging her knees to her chest. She turns as I enter and smiles. Her usually sparkling eyes are red, and tired from crying.
“Hey,” I say. “How you holdin’ up?”
“I’m fine,” she lies. “You alright?”
“I’m okay.” I smile and walk over to her, lean down, and kiss the top of her head. “I wanna introduce you to someone.” I take her hand, stand her up, and move her round to face the others. “Tori Watson, this... is Josh Winters.”
She smiles and extends her hand. “So you’re the famous Josh, are you?” she says, showing signs of her old self again. “Adrian’s told me a lot about you.”
He smiles and takes her hand. “Whatever he told you is either a lie, or I was drunk at the time...” He looks at me, smiling. Like a proud father would look at a son. “I’m happy for you, man. You have a good life here. All you need is a dog and a white picket fence, eh?”
Tori starts to cry and walks off, slightly embarrassed. I sigh and smile apologetically.
“Shit… something I said?” he asks.
I shake my head. “I actually had a dog,” I explain. “A stray wolf dog I called Styx. He’s under a blanket downstairs. He was with me nearly two years, and he caught a bullet in the attack earlier and died in my arms. I loved that dog, Josh.”
“Jeez... I’m sorry, Adrian.”
I glance over at Tori, who’s sitting on the edge of the bed across the room, staring at the floor. I turn back to Josh. “It’s alright, you didn’t know. Listen, I don’t know if I can help you with this,” I say. And it hurts me to say it. “I’ve got a life away from all that now. I can’t leave her, Josh. I love her.”
He nods, understanding and respecting my decision. “We’ll do what we can to keep you out of it from now on,” he says. “You have my word.”
“Thanks.”
Schultz steps forward
“Because GlobaTech has its own army, its own weapons, and its own planes. We don’t answer to the government because we’re in the private sector and, consequently, not funded by them. As long as we work under the radar, we’re very good at doing whatever we want. The government tends to make things like this public so they look good killing terrorists. But we both know that killing them doesn’t always stop them. We’ve got no one to impress, so we’ve taken it upon ourselves to lend a hand.”
“So you want me to go to New York and capture this Yalafi Hussein?”
He nods. “And bring him back in one piece to one of our sites for questioning.”
I sigh heavily. I’m retired—I don’t want any part of this. But I appreciate that a large, well-funded terrorist organization that hasn’t yet made it known what their plans are isn’t the best thing to leave unchecked. And I know Josh wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t necessary.
I think about my bar. I’ve got no business to run for a while, so I’ll only be sitting around with my thumb up my ass anyway…
What about Tori? She needs me, and I don’t want to leave her.
I wonder if Josh knows about her?
“I own a bar here, called The Ferryman,” I say to Josh, changing the subject. “It’s very recently been closed, pending some much-needed renovation. A bunch of terrorists shot the place to bits trying to kill me. You can still see it, though. Plus, there’s someone I want you to meet. Come on.”
I walk back to my truck, get in, and drive out of the police parking lot, with Josh and Ryan Schultz following behind me.
10:22 CDT
I arrive back at my bar as the chaos is winding down. The FBI crime scene team is still on site, but Sheriff Raynor and his deputies have gone, save for one who’s standing outside deterring anyone who tries to find out what’s happened by giving them the official, ‘There’s nothing to see here…’ line.
I walk around back, with Josh and Schultz in tow, and head up the stairs that lead to the main entrance to my apartment above. We walk inside and see Tori sitting on the sofa, hugging her knees to her chest. She turns as I enter and smiles. Her usually sparkling eyes are red, and tired from crying.
“Hey,” I say. “How you holdin’ up?”
“I’m fine,” she lies. “You alright?”
“I’m okay.” I smile and walk over to her, lean down, and kiss the top of her head. “I wanna introduce you to someone.” I take her hand, stand her up, and move her round to face the others. “Tori Watson, this... is Josh Winters.”
She smiles and extends her hand. “So you’re the famous Josh, are you?” she says, showing signs of her old self again. “Adrian’s told me a lot about you.”
He smiles and takes her hand. “Whatever he told you is either a lie, or I was drunk at the time...” He looks at me, smiling. Like a proud father would look at a son. “I’m happy for you, man. You have a good life here. All you need is a dog and a white picket fence, eh?”
Tori starts to cry and walks off, slightly embarrassed. I sigh and smile apologetically.
“Shit… something I said?” he asks.
I shake my head. “I actually had a dog,” I explain. “A stray wolf dog I called Styx. He’s under a blanket downstairs. He was with me nearly two years, and he caught a bullet in the attack earlier and died in my arms. I loved that dog, Josh.”
“Jeez... I’m sorry, Adrian.”
I glance over at Tori, who’s sitting on the edge of the bed across the room, staring at the floor. I turn back to Josh. “It’s alright, you didn’t know. Listen, I don’t know if I can help you with this,” I say. And it hurts me to say it. “I’ve got a life away from all that now. I can’t leave her, Josh. I love her.”
He nods, understanding and respecting my decision. “We’ll do what we can to keep you out of it from now on,” he says. “You have my word.”
“Thanks.”
Schultz steps forward
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