The Hugo Xavier Series: Book 1-3

by Filip Forsberg

  He shrugged. He hadn’t checked it. He pulled out the phone again and browsed the icons. He found what he was looking for and pressed the icon. The screen flickered, and a map appeared. He held his breath and cried out when a small, red dot started flashing at it.

  “Yes!”

  Hugo peeked closer to the screen as the map zoomed in on the dot. It was a little more than eight kilometers away, but it didn’t matter. At the moment, everything went as it should. The tracker was on the Spaniard, and he was on his way after his team.

  A sign slipped by. Three kilometers to the airport. Hugo quickly approached it. He texted Mikko to tell him he was on his way. After less than a minute, he drove off the highway and up to the terminal for arriving flights. He swiftly navigated the taxis that filled the road outside the airport. He braked in at the far end and stopped in front of two women and a man. He jumped out of the car and ran around to Mikko, Freya, and Sussie.

  “Finally!”

  9

  He who waits for something good always waits too long. Hugo rushed up to Mikko and threw his arm around him. The great Finn stumbled backward.

  “Hugo, good to see you!” he chuckled.

  Hugo released Mikko and punched him on the shoulder. “It’s good to see you too, Mikko. Really good.”

  Sussie and Freya came forward, and they hugged, almost as they did before kickoff in American football. A huge sense of relief rolled through Hugo when he had his team. They were almost like an extension of him.

  “Thank you for coming so fast. I appreciate that,” he said.

  Sussie smiled. “Of course, Hugo. When things are burning, we’ll be there. You know that.”

  Freya nodded. “One for all, all for one.”

  Hugo met their eyes in turn. Somewhere behind them, a taxi was honked, but Hugo ignored it.

  “Okay, let’s get your stuff in the car, and I’ll tell you what’s going on when we get away.”

  Mikko lifted two bags, went back to the trunk, and put the bags inside. Freya and Sussie only brought their backpacks and got them into the car. Mikko and Sussie sat in the back, and Freya jumped into the passenger seat. When everyone was in the car, Hugo adjusted the rearview mirror.

  “Okay, let’s go.”

  They drove away from the airport and got up on the highway. Hugo grabbed the phone and handed it up to Freya.

  “I managed to get a tracking device on the Spaniard when we fought. We can see his movements here. He is currently a little over fifteen kilometers away.”

  Freya took the phone and studied it. “And so we’re talking about the legendary assassin the Spaniard? The one who murdered dozens of people over decades and who was never caught. This dot is him?”

  Hugo chuckled. “I know it sounds incredible, but yeah, that’s just the way it is. His child died during an experimental medical treatment, and his wife killed herself when her daughter died. He’s on the lookout for the doctors who handled the experiment.”

  Sussie leaned over and took the phone when Freya handed it back.

  “But why did he fight you? Why isn’t he looking for the doctors instead?”

  Hugo swerved past a couple of cars and got back into the right lane. “I think he doesn’t know where they are. I think he’s on the lookout for someone who knows. And I think he’d meet with whoever knew. A kind of trade.”

  Mikko frowned. “What kind of prey?”

  Hugo shrugged. “I don’t know. He must have something he can use as trade with those who know where the doctors are hiding. It’s the only opportunity I can see,” he said.

  Sussie sank back in the seat. “Just wondering what it might be.”

  They sat quietly for a few seconds when Freya shrugged. “Maybe it’s something to do with past killings,” she wondered. “About some old, unsolved murder a long time ago?”

  “Yes, that’s a possibility. But why now?”

  Sussie leaned forward. “What do you mean, Hugo?”

  Hugo shrugged. “It must have to do something with the attack he carried out on the house that I stumbled upon. He killed five people there. You don’t do that for fun. Even if your name is the Spaniard.”

  Mikko scratched his chin. “Maybe there was something there that he stole. Some kind of information or something?”

  Hugo thought. It will be more likely that the Spaniard wanted something hidden in the house. Something powerful, something secret that he could use to trade for the information he wants.

  Freya looked at Hugo. “Yes, something special that was just kept in that house. He had to get it to use it.”

  She hit him on the shoulder. “Smart.”

  He frowned. “If that’s the case, we won’t know until we get to him. And he’s still thirteen kilometers away. And given that the Spanish police are after us, I don’t want to set the highest speed here on the highway either.”

  Freya looked at him. “What did you say?”

  Hugo met Freya’s gaze. “Didn’t I tell you that?”

  Sussie leaned forward. “Didn’t tell you what?”

  Hugo chuckled. “The Spanish police are after me,” he said.

  ***

  Better late than never. Madeleine Singh got up and drew near to the window. The familiar view from the window reassured her. Far away in the distance, Turning Torso rose. The sun broke through the cloud cover, and a flock of birds took off far away and flew across the sky.

  A shiver went through her, and the hairs on her arms stood up. Hugo was playing a dangerous game. If he were arrested in Spain again, Madeleine would have to call in many favors. It wasn’t going to be easy, but she could do it. It was just annoying that she might be forced to use favors that it had taken years to build up. She turned around when there was a knock on the door.

  “Come on in.”

  The door opened, and Fredrika came in. Her bright hair was set up in a ponytail, and she repeatedly pushed up the glasses that slid down on her nose. “Maybe we have something here.”

  Madeleine waved at her to come in. “Okay, tell me.”

  Fredrika walked up to the conference table and pulled out a small black memory card. She put it down on a large built-in screen that covered half the table. It flashed, and about a dozen files slid up on it. Fredrika put her hand over the folders and came up with communication. She clicked on it, and it opened. The folder opened to a list.

  “Here. We’ve been able to track most of the calls connected through Pacculi. We have combined those lists with the ones we obtained from the village where the murders took place.”

  Madeleine leaned forward and saw hundreds of phone numbers slide up the screen.

  “What can we get from that?”

  Fredrika smiled and pointed to three numbers in red. “These three. These phones were in the village where the murders took place, and they were also in Pacculi when Hugo was there.”

  Madeleine smacked her lips. “Smart. Do we know whose numbers they are?”

  Fredrika shook her head. “No, not yet. We’re working on it.”

  “Good job, Fredrika.”

  Fredrika smiled. She was also relatively newly hired but had, together with Adem, made a good impression on Madeleine. It was the new generation. It was forward, efficient. It boded well for the future. She looked at Fredrika.

  “Anything else?”

  “No, not really. We’re trying to get more information about who received calls from those numbers. Still, it will probably take some time before we know.” She hesitated. “But—”

  Madeleine raised her eyebrow. “But what?”

  “We have indications of intense communication from a place where one of these numbers was located.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Fredrika pulled another folder to the screen. She pointed. “Here, see. This number was thirty kilometers away. According to the data streams in that area, there was a high-intensity communication that required huge amounts of bandwidth. Whatever it was they were talking about, it was highly encrypted. That�
��s the only explanation.”

  Madeleine leaned forward. “Is there anything we can use? Can we break the encryption?”

  Fredrika grimaced. “Maybe if we have time. But it looks like it’s militarily encrypted, which means it’s way above the usual security level. If we were able to succeed in the next few hours, it would be pure luck. Normally, it would take several days.”

  Madeleine nodded. “See if you can get something fast. A couple of days is too late. Hugo and the others are on the lookout for the Spaniard at this moment, and we need to give them all the help we can.”

  “Copy that.”

  Madeleine got up. “Well done, Fredrika. Let me know as soon as you know more.”

  “Of course.”

  Fredrika collected her things and left the room. Madeleine got up and went to the window again. Outside, a couple of trucks drove by. They were on their way down to the recycling station.

  She knew what she had to do now. And that would require her to call in a favor. It wasn’t something she liked, but it had to happen. She picked up her phone, scrolled through the contact list, and found what she was looking for. She pressed the name. Four signals went through.

  “Inspector Paulo.”

  “Paulo, it’s Madeleine Singh from Malmoe.”

  “Madeleine. So glad to hear your voice! How are you doing?” Paulo was deputy police chief of northern Spain.

  Madeleine chuckled. “Great as ever—the summer is coming, and everything is as it should be. How’s it going with you?”

  “It’s going great. The children are fine, and my eldest daughter is getting married this summer.”

  “She is? So much fun for you, Paulo. You must be immensely proud.”

  Paulo chuckled. “Yes, she has met a good man, a doctor. It’ll be a good marriage, I’m sure,” he said.

  “Lovely, Paulo. Congratulations.”

  “Thank you.” He paused for a few seconds. “And now tell me, Madeleine, why are you calling? I can hear in your voice that you need something.”

  Madeleine laughed. “I’ve never been able to lie to you, Paulo.”

  “Nope, you haven’t.”

  She took a deep breath. “I need some help. There is a situation in Spain, and one of my employees is involved.”

  “One of your employees? In Spain?”

  “Yes.”

  Madeleine told him what had happened until then. When she fell silent, she waited for Paulo to say something. But the seconds went by. Finally, he spoke.

  “Madeleine, this is serious. I just came from a meeting where we went over the situation that was happening in Pacculi. If the man who escaped is your employee, we have a problem.”

  The jovial atmosphere from the past was blown away.

  “But Paulo, listen to me. That’s what I’m trying to say. One of the men who escaped is my employee, but the other, the Spaniard, is not.”

  Paulo gasped. “Where did you hear that name?”

  Madeleine’s voice got sharper. “Paulo, we’re in the same business. We know perfectly well that it was the Spaniard who fought Hugo. And we also know who the Spaniard is. A legendary assassin. It was pure coincidence that Hugo walked past the house at night and heard the shots.”

  Paulo giggled. “Doubt that was a coincidence.”

  “Paulo! He was out with his wife and child at night for a walk to get his daughter to fall asleep. That’s when he heard the shots and decided to take a look.”

  Paulo hesitated. “He was out with his wife and daughter?”

  “Yes.”

  “I didn’t know that,” he said.

  “No, but now I’m telling you. Hugo Xavier is my employee, and he is on the hunt for the Spaniard. Could you please call your officer Sánchez back? He’s got it in his head that Hugo is somehow involved in the murders.”

  After a few seconds of hesitation, he said, “Just because it’s you, Madeleine, and because you’re asking me to. I’m going to call him and talk to him.”

  Madeleine sighed. “Thank you.”

  A certain sharpness slid again into Paulo’s voice. “But if it turns out that you lied to me, Madeleine, we’re going to have a problem. A big problem.”

  “Paulo. I’m not lying. When this is all over, you’ll see I’ve never lied to you.”

  “Okay, Madeleine, that’s good.”

  He ended the conversation. Madeleine’s hands trembled easily as she put the phone down.

  “There you go, Hugo. Hope that helps,” she whispered.

  ***

  How could it go so wrong? Adnan Kosh banged the steering wheel as he swerved past two trucks. He swore. How had things gone so wrong? He didn’t get it. How could the police be so quickly on the scene? The questions swirled around in his head as he forced himself to ease off the accelerator. If he got caught now, it was all over. He had to regroup, to gather himself. But he couldn’t give up the hunt for Leonid. He had the information about where the two doctors were, and if he couldn’t get to him, all this was in vain. Then he would have to live without getting his revenge.

  Sweat ran down his forehead, and he wiped it off. Something had changed within him from the time he was working as an assassin. Back then, he’d been a machine, an infallible killer who always iced his target. But now . . .

  He shook his head for some clarity. Someone was to the right of him, and he turned left. He was on the highway heading northeast. Just over a hundred meters in front of him, a red Mercedes accelerated. Leonid was in it.

  “Come on now.”

  The red Mercedes picked up speed and drove out into the middle lane. Adnan speeded up and put four cars behind. He couldn’t allow himself a hunt now. He had to follow at a safe distance and strike when Leonid got out of the vehicle. He grabbed the phone and scrolled down through the call list. Three signals came out before a voice answered.

  “This is Tommy.”

  “Where are you?”

  “Where you left me, in Pacculi.”

  “Okay, go ahead and fly northwest. I’m on the freeway, and I think I could use you soon.”

  The whispering sound of the engine increased.

  “All right, I’ll see if I can get away. There’s a ton of policemen down in the village. When I leave, I’ll probably get a cop helicopter on my tail.”

  Adnan swore. He’d forgotten about the police helicopter. “Okay, do the best you can. If you can shake it off, do it. Then fly northwest. I’ll call you when I need you,” he said.

  “Okay.”

  Adnan ended the call, and a shiver went through him. It had been a long time since he’d been on a mission, and he’d forgotten how much he loved it. Chaos. Killing. But that life was a young man’s life. He’d left for a reason. He had felt the age come insidiously. He had felt his reflexes become slower, how his muscles reacted a fraction of a second slower than before. All that stuff that needed to work optimally had deteriorated. He swore. But he still had power in him. He’d beaten that Hugo easily. And he would do it again if needed.

  The red Mercedes stayed in the lane, and Adnan followed. After a couple of kilometers, Leonid left the highway, and Adnan did the same. They drove off the highway and came down to an industrial area. A couple of concrete factories were on the right and a scrap yard on the left.

  The sun was high in the sky, and the warm air sizzled as they drove out onto a road that slithered through the area. Dust swirled across the street, and the Mercedes slowed. Traffic was sparser here, and Adnan had to put almost four hundred meters between him and the Mercedes. It continued until it drove into the driveway and disappeared.

  Adnan picked up speed and drove up to the driveway. They were in some kind of warehouse area. Abandoned loading bays stretched out to the right. But the dust cloud after the Mercedes went in another direction, around the building. He followed, and when he got around the corner, he saw the red Mercedes parked at a side entrance.

  He stopped and peered around. Was it a trap? Adnan hesitated. He used to control all eventualities
in a mission, but he was rusty, and now he hesitated. No. Leonid had escaped, and it couldn’t be a trap. It sounded too far-fetched.

  He drove up to the red Mercedes, parked right behind so it wouldn’t be able to reverse. He opened the door and stepped out. The heat hit him like a wall. It was soon lunchtime, and the sun was approaching the zenith. He studied the old office building. It was a three-story building with closed windows on each floor. Graffiti covered most of the façade. A cat ran along the wall, frightened by all the commotion. Adnan took a deep breath. The old rhythm inside him caught up, and his pulse slowed. This is what he was a master of. Hunting.

  ***

  It is when the hunt is at its most intense that the hunter feels most alive. Hugo swerved past two cars and slid again into the right lane. He picked up speed a little bit.

  “How far?”

  Mikko studied the phone. “Seven kilometers.”

  Hugo nodded. “Good.”

  They drove on and veered off the highway when Mikko shouted, “Take the exit here.”

  Sussie typed on a laptop. “We’re approaching an industrial area,” she said. “What do you think they’re doing here?”

  Hugo clenched his jaw. “The Spaniard is on the lookout for the man who can tell us where the two doctors are. If the exchange between them went wrong and the man escaped, the Spaniard is surely in search of him.”

  “Okay, that sounds plausible.”

  They passed a couple of factories and continued the dusty road ahead. Worn road signs stood at irregular distances, and the sandy sidewalks looked abandoned.

  Mikko gazed through the side window. “Not a popular place, this.”

  Hugo shook his head. “There are tons of places like this in Spain that are still struggling to get on their feet after the crisis. And now that the coronavirus is raging, it’s getting even harder to come back,” he said.

  “True.”

  They continued until they got to a crossroads. Hugo stared at the different roads.