Read Online Vital Force by Trevor Scott - Free Book Online Page B

year,” came a soft voice from behind. Nearly perfect English. But something unexpected.
    He hesitated to turn around. “Isn’t it a little cold this time of year. I heard it was like Siberia.”
    â€œMr. Adams,” the voice said. “We must go. Our train leaves in ten minutes.”
    He turned now to view a young woman of perhaps twenty-five. She was nearly five-six, with the most stunning facial features he had seen since his arrival in China. She embraced him firmly like a long-lost lover, and he did the same, lingering and perhaps wishing it were true.
    When they pulled apart, she said, “Sir, we really must go. I have our tickets.” She produced them and then slipped them back into her pocket. She was wearing a backpack larger than his, that seemed to be stuffed to capacity.
    He smiled. “Lead the way.”
    She shuffled back outside, and Jake kept pace with her purposeful gait. When they got onto the train, she pushed her way through the crowd like an angry porter.
    He followed her toward the back of the train, through the cheap seats, the more private second class compartments, and into a first class sleeper. During the day trips, most of those remained empty because of their price and the fact that most didn’t need to sleep during the day. One side of the room had a bench and the other had a bunk bed. Below the window was a small table.
    She slung her backpack to the floor, quickly closed the drapes, and turned toward him. Then she reached inside her jacket and pulled out a gun.
    â€œTake off your clothes,” she demanded, her expression serious, and her eyes not blinking.
    When a woman who looked like her made a firm command like that, he usually complied. The problem was, she had a gun pointing at him. And, although that might be kinky to some, Jake had had a gun pointed at him too many times to count. It never lead to anything sexual.
    â€œListen,” Jake started. “We barely know each other. Maybe we should start off with names. You know mine. Now, what’s yours?”
    She stood firm, and Jake had a feeling she wasn’t messing around. He took off his backpack and started taking off his clothes. When he was down to his socks and underwear, he stopped.
    â€œI haven’t had a chance to work out for a few weeks,” he said, trying a smile.
    Her gun was still pointed at him. “The rest,” she said, her gun swishing back and forth at his groin.
    He shrugged and slipped off his underwear. Luckily the room wasn’t too cold.
    â€œWhat’s this about?” he asked.
    â€œTurn around,” she said.
    He did what she said, making sure she didn’t move toward him at that moment. Instead, he heard his clothes scrape across the floor. She was checking out his I.D., he realized, but these were strange methods.
    â€œOkay,” she said. “Get dressed.”
    He turned around, and she had lowered the gun. Her eyes now shot down toward his crotch. She raised her thin eyebrows. Just as he got dressed, the train pulled away from the station and started picking up speed.
    â€œWhat was that all about?” he asked her.
    She was seated now and her gun back under her jacket.
    â€œI was told you had a small tattoo on your right cheek. A picture of rabbit.”
    â€œHey, that’s not just any rabbit. That’s Bugs himself. A moment of weakness.” He thought for a moment. “You could have just had me pull down my pants.”
    â€œWhat fun would that be?” She smiled now, showing imperfect teeth but a true warmth.
    â€œYou were checking for wires,” he said.
    â€œCan’t be too careful.”
    He sat down on the seat next to her. “You wouldn’t happen to have an extra gun. Something a little more reliable than that Russian knock-off of yours.”
    She smiled and shook her head. “You insult my gun and then ask for one. Typical.”
    â€œActually, I asked for one and then insulted