Read Online Gorgon: An Alex Hunter Novel by Greig Beck - Free Book Online
Authors: Greig Beck
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easily.
He couldn’t make out any unusual bulges or indentations on either man that might have indicated weaponry, but given what he knew of the HAWCs that didn’t mean they weren’t armed with something that could deliver unconsciousness or death instantaneously. Alex shook his head. Now I’m being paranoid , he thought. If Hammerson wanted me dead, I wouldn’t be breathing. He sucked in a deep breath and stood. Time to join the party.
Hammerson stood at ease, his hands behind his back, as Alex approached, but Alex heard his soft aside to his companion: ‘Heads-up.’ Sam Reid moved to stand at Hammerson’s shoulder. Alex could feel their apprehension, but no fear.
He stopped about six feet from them and looked from Jack Hammerson to the large HAWC behind him. ‘Sam Reid.’
Immediately the large man’s face broke into a grin, and he seemed about to step forward and shake Alex’s hand.
‘Stand fast, Reid.’ Hammerson’s eyes were like lasers.
Alex returned the unwavering gaze. ‘You said you’d come alone.’
‘I said I’d bring what I need. Sam’s my left arm now … and besides, I couldn’t have kept him away if I tried. You still have friends you know, Alex; people who want to see you, who believe in you … and want you to return to us.’
Hammerson kept his eyes on Alex’s face as he spoke, no doubt searching for anything that might indicate instability. Alex conducted his own examination, reading the older warrior for signs of nerves, discomfort, a drip of perspiration on the forehead, a slight elevation in breathing, heart rate or body temperature – anything that might indicate deception.
‘Not sure what you want or expect, Jack. You handed me over to the Israelis, remember. They tried to kill me.’
Hammerson’s eyes were unwavering. ‘I did, and they took a huge risk taking you in. But they panicked when you ran. Bottom line: they saved you when we couldn’t. You were infected with a lethal necrotizing bacteria – I couldn’t do anything for you here, so gave you into their care. You survived, intact. Everyone else that got infected wasn’t so lucky.’
‘Intact?’ Alex shook his head.
‘That’s right.’ Hammerson took a step forward. ‘I know you lost a lot, and your memory’s been fragmented. But I’m here to tell you that we’re your friends. We can help you rebuild.’
‘Adira said the US medical division wanted to cut me up –’
‘Adira Senesh is gone,’ Hammerson cut in. ‘She caused some pain – to all of us. But she’s home now, safe and sound. Forget her.’
‘My own people wanted to pull me to pieces to see what makes me tick,’ Alex finished. He still had nightmares about being tied down in a sterile white lab on cold stainless steel.
‘I’ll never let that happen, son. Circumstances have changed – one reason we’re here today. I swear, you can trust us.’
‘Alex looked up. ‘And can you trust me?’
‘I think so,’ Hammerson said.
‘That’s why you wore body armor.’
Hammerson half-smiled as he tapped the plating under his shirt. ‘Hope for the best, plan for the worst.’
The three men stood in silence, the seconds stretching.
Sam broke the quiet. ‘It’s good to see you again, boss.’
The big HAWC took a few steps forward and Alex looked down at his legs, his eyes narrowing slightly. The sound was almost imperceptible to normal hearing, but Alex had picked up the slight whine that accompanied the movement of turbo hydraulics.
‘Did I do that?’ he asked.
Sam shook his head. ‘No. You saved my life. You sent what did this to me straight back to hell. But the mission went to shit, for both of us. I lost my legs, and you … you lost a lot of your life.’
Alex nodded. ‘I remember you … in the jungle.’
‘You’re back,’ Sam said. ‘That’s all that matters.’
‘Not yet.’ Alex slowly turned his head to scan the street, the buildings and other potential areas of concealment. Satisfied, he turned
He couldn’t make out any unusual bulges or indentations on either man that might have indicated weaponry, but given what he knew of the HAWCs that didn’t mean they weren’t armed with something that could deliver unconsciousness or death instantaneously. Alex shook his head. Now I’m being paranoid , he thought. If Hammerson wanted me dead, I wouldn’t be breathing. He sucked in a deep breath and stood. Time to join the party.
Hammerson stood at ease, his hands behind his back, as Alex approached, but Alex heard his soft aside to his companion: ‘Heads-up.’ Sam Reid moved to stand at Hammerson’s shoulder. Alex could feel their apprehension, but no fear.
He stopped about six feet from them and looked from Jack Hammerson to the large HAWC behind him. ‘Sam Reid.’
Immediately the large man’s face broke into a grin, and he seemed about to step forward and shake Alex’s hand.
‘Stand fast, Reid.’ Hammerson’s eyes were like lasers.
Alex returned the unwavering gaze. ‘You said you’d come alone.’
‘I said I’d bring what I need. Sam’s my left arm now … and besides, I couldn’t have kept him away if I tried. You still have friends you know, Alex; people who want to see you, who believe in you … and want you to return to us.’
Hammerson kept his eyes on Alex’s face as he spoke, no doubt searching for anything that might indicate instability. Alex conducted his own examination, reading the older warrior for signs of nerves, discomfort, a drip of perspiration on the forehead, a slight elevation in breathing, heart rate or body temperature – anything that might indicate deception.
‘Not sure what you want or expect, Jack. You handed me over to the Israelis, remember. They tried to kill me.’
Hammerson’s eyes were unwavering. ‘I did, and they took a huge risk taking you in. But they panicked when you ran. Bottom line: they saved you when we couldn’t. You were infected with a lethal necrotizing bacteria – I couldn’t do anything for you here, so gave you into their care. You survived, intact. Everyone else that got infected wasn’t so lucky.’
‘Intact?’ Alex shook his head.
‘That’s right.’ Hammerson took a step forward. ‘I know you lost a lot, and your memory’s been fragmented. But I’m here to tell you that we’re your friends. We can help you rebuild.’
‘Adira said the US medical division wanted to cut me up –’
‘Adira Senesh is gone,’ Hammerson cut in. ‘She caused some pain – to all of us. But she’s home now, safe and sound. Forget her.’
‘My own people wanted to pull me to pieces to see what makes me tick,’ Alex finished. He still had nightmares about being tied down in a sterile white lab on cold stainless steel.
‘I’ll never let that happen, son. Circumstances have changed – one reason we’re here today. I swear, you can trust us.’
‘Alex looked up. ‘And can you trust me?’
‘I think so,’ Hammerson said.
‘That’s why you wore body armor.’
Hammerson half-smiled as he tapped the plating under his shirt. ‘Hope for the best, plan for the worst.’
The three men stood in silence, the seconds stretching.
Sam broke the quiet. ‘It’s good to see you again, boss.’
The big HAWC took a few steps forward and Alex looked down at his legs, his eyes narrowing slightly. The sound was almost imperceptible to normal hearing, but Alex had picked up the slight whine that accompanied the movement of turbo hydraulics.
‘Did I do that?’ he asked.
Sam shook his head. ‘No. You saved my life. You sent what did this to me straight back to hell. But the mission went to shit, for both of us. I lost my legs, and you … you lost a lot of your life.’
Alex nodded. ‘I remember you … in the jungle.’
‘You’re back,’ Sam said. ‘That’s all that matters.’
‘Not yet.’ Alex slowly turned his head to scan the street, the buildings and other potential areas of concealment. Satisfied, he turned
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