Deadly Intent: An Action Thriller (Adrian Hell Series Book 4)

by Sumner, James P.

  I’m breathing heavily and my back and arms are aching from dragging Jericho’s motionless, almost dead, body across the ground.

  Another few seconds pass, and then a deafening explosion sounds out. The ground shakes, and the force of the blast knocks me off my feet. I land maybe twenty feet away, hitting the ground hard. My head ricochets off the concrete, sending me momentarily dizzy.

  Ah, shit!

  Lying on my back, I look over at the plane, which has disappeared in a ball of fire and smoke. I feel the heat from the blast stinging my skin, and I struggle to catch my breath, as the rapid increase in temperature has sucked all the oxygen out of the air around me.

  I lie still for a moment, staring at the blackening sky; my ears ringing loudly and my back screams from the impact.

  “Oh man, that sucked,” I groan.

  I look over to my right and see Jericho’s body still motionless nearby. I did what I could for him, so my conscience is clear. But, to be honest, given the head wound he has, I doubt he’ll last the night. He might get lucky, and someone might call the fire department or something.

  Having said that, I’m on an abandoned airstrip somewhere in Colombia… I doubt anyone that could’ve heard the blast is likely to care all that much.

  I roll over on my stomach and push myself up on all fours, looking ahead of me at the building. I can’t see anyone, so I’m guessing the team sent to kill me has left the area. That buys me a little time at least.

  I take the bag off my shoulders and open it, retrieving my cell phone—which is thankfully still in one piece. I check the screen and see I have a weak signal. I dial Josh’s number, taking one last look at Jericho’s body before walking slowly toward the building ahead. He answers after three rings.

  “Adrian! Are you alright? Why aren’t you back home yet?” he asks.

  “Long story,” I say. “Short version is the jet was hijacked. I’m in Colombia, and the jet’s all blown up. I’ve just survived a run-in with a pretty deadly special ops unit—don’t know whose books they’re on, but the guy who took the plane just shot his unit leader and assumed command.”

  “Jesus… why?”

  “I don’t know. The leader was a guy named Jericho—not sure if it’s a codename or not. He wanted the laptop I stole from Hussein, said it was government property.”

  “How did they know about that?”

  “Not sure, but it must have something to do with the four-star who was at the meeting. My guess… whoever he is, he’s important and doesn’t want his involvement with terrorists being public knowledge. He, or someone he works with, sent that team to kill me, using the laptop as justification. The leader started asking questions when I told him who I was, and the next thing, his second-in-command shot him in the head. Said something about Alpha Protocol, if that means anything to you? Anyway, the guy’s still alive, but barely. Nothing I can do for him.”

  “Holy shit, Adrian! This is just getting bigger and bigger… look, just get your ass back to Texas, alright?”

  “Yeah, about that… where the hell am I, Josh?”

  The line goes quiet for a moment, and then I hear muffled voices in the background.

  “Josh, is everything alright there?”

  “Adrian, look, I’m sorry, but I kinda got something going on here. I don’t want to say any more over an unsecure line, just… just get back to Texas and wait for me there, okay?”

  He hangs up before I can say anything, leaving me standing here, staring at my phone. I put it away and then sling my bag back over my shoulder, looking around for any clue as to where to go from here. I’m not going to get anywhere until morning, so I head over the abandoned building. I just hope the fire doesn’t attract any unwanted attention before I can get out of here…

  17.

  03:09 COT

  I managed to get some sleep underneath a desk in the old control tower, on the second floor of the building, overlooking the airstrip. A commotion outside woke me up, so I’m peering out the window at the scene. Fire crews and ambulances blast their sirens, dealing with the immediate situation. There’s an EMT checking on Jericho, who’s now gesturing frantically at his colleagues for a gurney, so he must still be breathing.

  Tough bastard, I’ll give him that.

  While much has changed in the last few years, especially the relationship between North and South America, I’m still not sure it’s worth heading out there. The drug trade around these parts might be a legitimate business nowadays, but that doesn’t mean crime and corruption don’t exist anymore. No police down there, though, which tells me all I need to know.

  I’ll wait for everyone to clear out before trying to find my way back stateside as soon as possible.

  Five minutes or so pass. I hear a noise from outside the airstrip, and a moment later, three convertible Jeeps come racing through the gates, all of them rusty, battered, and full—four men in each; one driving, three armed with an AK-47. They all do a lap around the scene before screeching to a halt next to the fire engine. There are three firemen I can see, plus three EMTs, so they’re out-numbered.

  So who the hell are these new guys? All the cartels have either disbanded or gone legit, thanks to President Cunningham’s influence. There’s no rebel activity in this part of the world that I’m aware of… they could be local militia, I guess. But would this kind of situation warrant military intervention? Even in Colombia?

  I should go down there. It doesn’t look like the EMTs and firemen are going to survive otherwise, plus I might be able to convince the guys with guns I’m an ally, which might lead to me getting out of here… Granted, me going down there might result in everyone getting shot, too, but I can’t just sit here with my thumb up my ass waiting. God knows what Hussein and his powerful friends are up to right now, and the longer I’m out of the game, the more chance they have of disappearing and carrying out whatever it is they plan to do if they manage to get their hands on Cerberus.

  I massage my temples and take a deep breath, trying to focus my mind on the task at hand and forget everything else for the time being. With that done, I stand, gather my bag and head for the door. Instinctively, I touch the barrels of both Berettas, holstered at my back.

  Just in case.

  I walk out of the building, holding my arms in the air. Time to play my part and get the hell out of here.

  “Hey, guys!” I shout. “I need your help here!”

  Everyone turns to look at me, all the guns immediately aiming in my direction. One of the men shouts back, but it’s in Spanish, and I don’t understand him. I make sure my palms are facing him, and my arms are wide, giving the impression I’m on the defensive and not a threat to them.

  “Does anyone speak English?” I shout again as I approach.

  A man on the right of the group gestures at me violently with this rifle. “American?” he shouts back.

  “Yes, American,” I reply, sounding grateful. “Do you understand me? Can you help me?”

  The man quickly translates to another in the group, who I assume is in charge. He then says something to me, which the first guy interprets.

  “Who are you?” he asks. “What are you doing here?”

  “I’m an American. That was my plane,” I say, pointing to the flaming ball of metal behind them. “It was hijacked, and I was brought here. I managed to escape, but I need to get back home urgently.”

  He explains what I just said to his boss, who eyes me wearily. He lowers his rifle and walks toward me, a few of the group following him. He shouts something to me again, and I look to the first guy for clarification.

  “Who hijacked your plane?” he asks.

  I shrug and reply, “I don’t know. But they were also American. Definitely military. Possibly special forces.”

  This causes urgent murmuring among the group, finally silenced by the man in charge, who says something. His friend translates once more. “You will come with us. We will talk more.”

  I nod. “Thank you. Do you in
tend letting these people go?” I ask, pointing the firemen and EMTs.

  “What’s it to you?” he asks after a moment of discussion.

  ‘I just don’t want anyone getting hurt because of me. I’ll come with you and answer your questions, if you agree to let these people go about their business and leave here unharmed.’

  The man smiles. “And what if we don’t agree?”

  I take a deep breath, preparing to go for my guns if I need to. “Then we’ll have a big problem,” I say. “There are people looking for me—important people, with lots of resources. I don’t want to have to tell them you were anything other than accommodating. That would be very bad for you.”

  A tense silence falls on the scene, as a hushed discussion ripples through the group of armed men. The firemen and EMTs look nervous, glancing at each other, and at me. I remain calm. I’m not too worried—whoever these guys are, I suspect we’re simply on their turf and they want to know why. Any kind of local presence will operate on fear, but I doubt they’ll want to kill anyone they don’t have to.

  After a few moments, the boss shouts to all the firemen and EMTs in Spanish. They all nod, quickly get into their vehicles, and drive away. I watch until they’re gone, leaving twelve, armed, unidentified hostiles, and me...

  “So,” I say. “Where are we going?”

  The one who speaks English walks over to me and, before I have a chance to react, raises the butt of his rifle and hits me on the side of—

  08:13 COT

  I open my eyes slowly, my head banging from the impact earlier. I’ve got no idea how long I’ve been out, but it’s light outside, so I’m guessing a good few hours. I look around and see I’m sitting in a room filled with expensive décor. There are six men around me, covering the exits and windows—all of whom I recognize from the airstrip. I’m in a comfortable, cream armchair in the center of the room. There’s a nice rug underneath my feet with a glass table on it. There’s a matching chair opposite me, and a large sofa completing the set to the right.

  In front of me, along almost the entire wall, are tall windows overlooking the ocean, with trees just outside. The ceiling is high, and made up of wooden beams. Works of art and expensive ornaments adorn the sides of the room and the other walls.

  I’m pretty confused, but I remain silent and seated. I figure it’s best to say nothing and wait for the owner of whatever mansion I’m sitting in to introduce himself.

  I don’t have to wait long. A man walks in from the left, tall and probably on the rough side of fifty. He’s got short, black hair and a thick mustache, both flecked with gray. He’s wearing an orange silk shirt, white trousers, and sandals. He’s smiling at me, which is a little weird, but at least he’s not likely to kill me in the next five minutes, which is a bonus.

  “I’m sorry for the way in which you were brought here,” he says to me, sitting down in the chair opposite. His accent is thick, but his English is good.

  “Beats getting shot,” I say to him with a weak smile, rubbing the base of my neck, which is feeling stiff.

  He laughs loudly, looking around the room at his men, who all join in on cue.

  “Tell me, my friend, have we met before?”

  I look at him, genuinely trying to remember him… but I don’t. “Not that I know of,” I say, shrugging.

  “Hmmm. You look familiar to me… tell me, what is it that you do for a living?”

  My eyes narrow as I try to figure this whole thing out. Does he know me? Is he playing with me? Am I in any immediate danger here?

  “I own a bar in Texas,” I reply after a moment, deciding there’s no harm in being honest.

  He laughs. “Excellent. A businessman, like myself. But, please, indulge me... what did you do before you owned a bar in Texas?”

  Now I’m suspicious. I look at him again, doing my best to remember him from somewhere, but the throbbing in my skull is making thinking difficult.

  “Why the interest in my life story?” I ask, evasively.

  His smile fades slightly. “Because I like to know who’s trespassing in my domain.”

  I relax into the chair a little, casually glancing at the armed men in the room. There’s a palpable tension in the room now, and I know I’m not getting out of here by fighting.

  “Okay,” I say. “My name is Adrian Hell… I’m—”

  The guy claps his hands and laughs, looking around for an audience. He shakes his finger at me, as if he knew all along who I was, he was just waiting for me to admit it.

  “I knew you looked familiar!” he exclaims. “An old friend of mine hired you once, many years ago.”

  I smile uncomfortably. “Huh… small world.”

  “I’m Carlos Vega—welcome to my humble home.” He gestures to the room around us, which is anything but humble. “What brings you to Colombia, my friend?”

  I shrug. “It’s a long story…”

  Vega turns and looks at one of his men, saying something I don’t understand. The guy disappears, returning moments later with two bottles of beer, dripping in condensation. He hands me one and his boss the other.

  “Drink—tell me,” Vega says.

  I’m not one to turn down a free beer, even if it is for breakfast, so I take a long, refreshing swig and explain—as vaguely as possible—what I’m doing in Colombia.

  “My plane was hijacked by a small military unit and re-directed to the airstrip where your men found me. I was flying back from New York, where I’d been working a contract. I’ve retired, but it was a favor for an old friend, so I felt obliged, y’know. Anyway, my target managed to escape, annoyingly. I was heading home to plan my next approach. These soldiers accused me of stealing something from the U.S. government—which I hadn’t. We argued, and then they killed their own leader and blew up my plane, leaving me for dead.”

  Finishing his beer and putting the bottle carefully down on the glass table, Vega regards me silently for a moment before replying.

  “That is... quite a story, my friend,” he says. “Tell me, why would they think you’d stolen something if you hadn’t?”

  I shrug. “You got me.”

  “It’s just they don’t sound like the kind of people who would make a mistake about such things… they must’ve been pretty certain you were their man, no?”

  I try to play things as innocently as I can.

  “Maybe there’s more to my contract than I realize?” I say, as if discussing the situation with a colleague. “My friend that I’m doing the job for has always been somewhat questionable, as far as his business dealings are concerned.”

  Vega is silent for a few moments, and then he stands and smiles. “Well, my friend, you can relax. You are my guest here, and I will help you as much as I can.”

  Taking my cue, I stand also, extending my hand, which he shakes.

  “I appreciate that, Carlos, thank you,” I say. “I don’t suppose you’ve got my bag, have you? I could do with making a call, and my phone’s in there.”

  “But of course,” he says, nodding at another of his men, who leaves the room without a word. “Though I must warn you, there are eyes everywhere here, and I have a jamming system in place, stopping any signal coming into my house. Your phone will not work here, Adrian Hell.”

  “Bit extreme, isn’t it?”

  “I simply value my privacy.”

  The man returns holding my bag, which he hands to me. I throw it over my shoulder and notice immediately it’s a lot lighter than I remember. Vega must’ve seen the look of confusion on my face, as he holds his hands up and smiles.

  “My apologies,” he says. “We did search through your belongings, purely as a security measure. Your weapons have been confiscated while you’re a guest in my house. I have no issue returning them to you when you leave.”

  I give him a curt, understanding nod. “That’s fair enough,” I reply, although I’m quietly annoyed that I don’t have my guns close to hand. There’s something not quite right here, but I can’t put my finger
on it. But typically, in my limited experience of such things, men who live in Colombia in big houses surrounded my armed bodyguards aren’t usually this friendly toward strangers…

  He smiles. “Come, my friend, let me show you around.”

  He places his right hand on my shoulder, gently guiding me toward the door on the left, facing the chair I woke up in. I’ll play along for now. Besides, I don’t really have much choice—I’m unarmed, completely surrounded, and cut off from the outside world. I just hope an opportunity presents itself soon for me to get the hell out of Dodge.

  We walk out of the room side by side. His men don’t follow us, and as we walk down a wide hallway, I can see why. Vega has men everywhere. Large windows fill the right hand wall, offering a stunning view of the ocean, as well as the forestry on the property. On the left wall, opposite, there are various doors—all closed with a man stationed outside, holding an AK-47 loosely at their side.

  “You get much trouble in these parts?” I ask, gesturing to the men as we pass.

  “Not so much nowadays,” he confesses. “But one must keep up appearances all the same. I run a very profitable business here, Adrian. And sometimes people get jealous of what they don’t have, you understand?”

  “I do,” I reply, nodding slowly.

  We walk into another large living room, which looks as equally opulent as the last one. Four bikini-clad women sit huddled together on a large, brown leather sofa in the middle of the room. There’s a rectangular block of silver foil on the table in front of them, sliced open with a knife—the cocaine spilling out of it. The women are all laughing and look up as we enter.

  “Ladies, I want you to meet my guest,” says Vega, walking over to them and gesturing to me. “This is Adrian Hell.”

  They all look over at me, smile and wave coyly, and then whisper among themselves, giggling and glancing back at me. I want to say they’re checking me out, but they’re speaking so fast, and so Spanish, I honestly have no clue what they’re saying. I wave reluctantly at them.

  “Hi, ladies,” I say.