“This should be good enough,” Hawk said.
He moved toward the location Alex gave him, utilizing the trees again for cover. After a minute, he sought more specific direction.
“Am I close?” he asked
“There’s a big boulder about five meters away,” she said. “He’s behind that.”
Hawk crept around the corner and was nearly bowled over. Diving to the ground, he rolled aside to avoid absorbing a head-on collision. When he gathered himself, he looked over to see a large deer prancing off through the forest.
“Alex, that was a buck,” Hawk said. “I know you know the difference between those two heat sigs.”
“He must’ve been lying down,” she said. “I thought maybe it was Paxton.”
“Then we lost him?” Hawk asked.
“No, wait. I see something else moving along the ridge.”
Hawk looked up and peered into the distance and saw the back of Paxton hustling along a trail. “I see him now.”
He broke into a dead sprint, gaining on Paxton but at a slower than preferable rate. Once Paxton realized he was still being pursued, he kept looking over his shoulder to see how close Hawk was. While Paxton was glancing back to check on his lead, he tripped and tumbled, skidding along the ground.
Hawk dug deeper and increased his speed yet again. However, Paxton scrambled behind a tree and sat there.
“You’re almost there,” Alex said.
“I know where he’s at,” Hawk said. “If he starts to move, let me know.”
Hawk eased to within ten meters of the tree providing a marginal amount of cover for Paxton.
“Senator Paxton, we need to talk,” Hawk said.
Silence.
“I know you’re back there,” Hawk said. “Our surveillance cameras are following you. There’s no way for you to escape.”
“Who are you?” Paxton asked.
“I’m just a friend, someone who needs some information from you. There’s a girl’s life in danger, and I think you might be able to help save her.”
Paxton laughed. “That’s not why you’re really here, is it? Who sent you?”
“Just come out and let’s talk,” Hawk said. “I’m putting my weapon down now. You can peek around the corner and see. I’m not here to harm you. I just want to have a little conversation.”
“Then why did you come dressed like that?”
“I was a Boy Scout,” Hawk said. “I’m always prepared for the worst, but I—”
“Plan for the best, yada, yada, yada. I know, I know. It’s a boring way to live.”
“At the moment, it’s keeping me alive,” Hawk said. “And I happen to think that’s a good thing.”
“In that case, you really don’t know what you’re getting yourself into, do you?”
“Senator Paxton, I haven’t even told you why I’m really here. But I guess I don’t have to tell you, do I?”
“I never wanted them to take that girl, but you just don’t understand how they work.”
“How who works?” Hawk asked.
“Them, the real enemy, the people you should be pursuing instead of me.”
“That’s what I’m trying to do, but I need your help. Call them and tell them to let her go.”
“You’re on a fool’s errand. You’re going to die if you don’t stop what you’re doing.”
“That’s my call, not yours.”
“You’ll be like me, forever haunted, forever chased. I can’t even find true peace up here on this beautiful mountainside.”
“Your peace shouldn’t be dictated by your circumstances,” Hawk said. “You can find peace anywhere, even in the midst of a violent storm.”
“This isn’t a storm I’m in,” Paxton said. “This is hell, the real live version of it. And there’s only one way to stop it.”
Hawk took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He could sense he was losing Paxton but wasn’t about to give up.
“Don’t do it,” Hawk said. “There are people who love you and people who can protect you from Obsidian.”
“No, nobody can protect you from Obsidian. They’re everywhere, and they will continue to wrap their tentacles around every part of your life until there’s nothing left to do but succumb to your fate. It’s what they do to each person they involve in their schemes—and it’s what they’re about to do to the entire world.”
“What kind of scheme are you talking about?” Hawk asked.
“The kind that you can’t stop.”
“Senator Paxton, you can still help us. I’ll fight against them even if it’s the last thing I do.”
Paxton chuckled before answering. “It most certainly will be the last thing you do. And this is the last thing I will say.”
“No!” Hawk screamed.
But it was too late. The gunshot echoed through the forest as Hawk watched Paxton’s body slide along the tree before hitting the ground with a thud.
“Hawk? What’s your status?” Alex asked.
“I’m fine, but Paxton isn’t. Self-inflicted gunshot to the head.”
Hawk walked over to inspect the body. Something on Paxton’s wrist caught Hawk’s eye. Kneeling down to inspect the marking closer, he recognized it as it came into full view.
“Paxton was bought and paid for,” Hawk said. “He had an Obsidian tattoo on his wrist.”
“Hustle back,” Alex said. “With Paxton out of the picture, we’re going to have to storm the facility. There’s a team outside right now just waiting on the word.”
“Send them in,” Hawk said. “I’ll meet you back at the van shortly.”
* * *
ALEX TYPED IN a few commands on her computer screen, which quickly transformed into a portal showing four windows with different live body armor video feeds. Thurston stuck his head next to hers in an effort to catch a glimpse.
“I’m not sure it’s a good idea for you to watch this,” Alex said. “You might see something you’ll later regret. And I can promise you that there are some things you just can’t un-see, images that will stick with you for the rest of your life when you close your eyes at night.”
“I have to watch this,” Thurston said. “I have to know if Maya is okay or not.”
“You might rather just hear a report first before you see any video of what’s happening. If it’s ugly—”
“Just give the command. I’m going to watch.”
Alex shrugged, resisting the urge to continue her pleas. Thurston would see the image—for better or worse—in a matter of moments. She hoped it wouldn’t be the latter.
“Move in,” Alex said into her microphone, giving the command to the SWAT team positioned outside the Seattle warehouse.
She watched as the team used a battering ram to blast through the door. Agents swarmed inside the facility, which was dark. Their infrared video feeds captured the various rooms. Most were used as storage, filled with broken chairs and desks, symbolic of the dashed dreams once held by the company that occupied the building.
“What is all that?” Thurston asked.
“The team is just clearing each room,” Alex said. “We know someone was operating out of this place, but no guarantees that she’s being held captive here as well.”
Just over a minute into the operation, one of the agents stopped and cursed under his breath.
“What is it, Wilder?” the team leader asked.
“You need to come see this,” the agent responded.
The body cam on Wilder was directed at the far wall.
“What’s in there?” Thurston asked as he leaned over Alex’s shoulder.
“I don’t know,” she said, trying once more to dissuade him from looking. “Maybe you don’t want to see this.”
Thurston gasped as the image came into view.
Maya Walker was dead in the corner—and looked like she’d been that way for at least several days.
CHAPTER 19
Washington, D.C.
THE NEXT MORNING, Blunt watched as Haw
k and Alex trudged into his office and slumped into the chairs across from him. Blunt folded up his copy of the morning newspaper and placed it on the corner of his desk. Leaning back in his chair, he interlocked his fingers behind his head and took a deep breath.
“Cheer up, you two,” Blunt said. “If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve thought your spouses died.”
“Yesterday was rough,” Hawk said as he rested his forehead on his right hand.
“The Undertaker757 turned out to be a dead end in more ways than one,” Alex added. “Hearing him wail in agony as he realized his girlfriend was dead was my least favorite part of yesterday.”
“And that only just behind watching Senator Paxton take his own life in the woods,” Hawk added.
“So it was a rough day at the office,” Blunt said. “What you’ve been able to accomplish so far has been greeted warmly by many members of congress.”
Hawk huffed a soft laugh through his nose. “Of course it has,” he said. “We’ve kept some of their skeletons in the closet—for now. Why wouldn’t they be happy?”
“Don’t be so cynical, Hawk,” Blunt said. “Everyone hides skeletons. It’s just that most people don’t have some nefarious group combing through their garbage to find a shred of damning evidence that will result in public embarrassment and possibly even loss of a job.”
“But Obsidian is still out there, pulling the strings with whoever they can coerce into doing their bidding,” Alex said. “And that’s something we’re not happy about.”
“Neither am I, but we have to celebrate the wins when we can,” Blunt said.
“I don’t consider yesterday a win by any stretch of the imagination,” Hawk said.
Blunt nodded. “Perhaps, but you’ve managed to contain a situation that had this town teetering on the edge of chaos.”
“I’m not sure I feel like we’ve done a good thing then,” Hawk said.
“Scandals are relative,” Blunt said, “especially when the media is the one involved in trying to air everyone’s dirty laundry to benefit the party of their constituents’ choice.”
“Still,” Alex said, “we feel like we’re fighting an uphill battle. We’re no closer to making a dent in Obsidian than we were a week ago.”
Linda knocked on the door, interrupting their meeting.
“What is it, Linda?” Blunt asked.
“Titus Black is on line two for you, sir,” she said. “He said it’s urgent.” She spun around and returned to her desk.
“This ought to be interesting,” Blunt said before selecting the button and placing the call on speaker phone.
“Good morning, Black,” Blunt said. “I’ve got Hawk and Alex in the room with me. What do you have for us?”
“Something that’s going to make your day,” Black said.
“You have news on Admiral Adelman?” Blunt asked.
“Sure do. Tracked him to the South Pacific in Vanuatu, a place with no U.S. extradition.”
Hawk grinned. “Good thing we’re not trying to extradite him then, isn’t it?”
“Do you want the honors?” Blunt asked.
“No,” Black said. “Let Hawk and Alex go. I heard they never really got the honeymoon they always wanted. Besides, I need to take some time off and rest. Tracking him down was quite a chore.”
“Consider it done,” Blunt said before ending the call. “Well, you two, it looks like you’re headed to the South Pacific.”
CHAPTER 20
Port Vila, Vanuatu
TWO DAYS LATER, Hawk and Alex strolled onto the docks used primarily for Vanuatu’s private sailing vessels. The flight from the day before was long, and they had decided to get a good night of sleep before attempting to apprehend Admiral Adelman. A light breeze and the smell of salt water in the South Pacific made Hawk pine for a real vacation with Alex, one where they could truly unwind. But he knew such longing would only result in temporary satisfaction.
Hawk looked at Alex and took her hand in his. She glanced up at him and smiled.
“Seems kind of strange that we’re on an operation right now, enjoying a nice walk near the shore in such a beautiful place,” she said. “We even have a private jet at our beck and call.”
“This is nice,” Hawk said. “But I think we both know how quickly we’d get tired of this.”
She nodded knowingly. “At least we can share a moment like this while working. Not many people can say that.”
“Not many people can say a lot of things about the life we lead.”
Hawk approached one of the attendants and inquired about locating a particular vessel.
“Do you know if the boat has been here for a few days?” the man asked.
Hawk nodded.
“Go talk to someone in the office,” the man said. “We have a register that must be signed by everyone who docks here. But that information doesn’t come cheap. We’re very serious about the privacy of our guests.”
The man winked and smiled before resuming his task.
“Got any cash?” Alex asked after they turned away.
“Think a Benjamin will do the trick?” Hawk replied.
She shrugged. “Let’s go find out.”
They walked over to the office and entered. A brass bell clanked against the glass door as it fell shut. A balding portly gentleman with a thick Polynesian accent greeted them as he walked from behind the counter.
“Welcome to Vanuatu,” he said. “What can I help you with today?”
Hawk scanned the area to make sure no one was within earshot as he and Alex approached the man.
“We’re looking for a boat,” Hawk said.
The man chuckled as he walked back behind the counter. “You’ve come to the right place. We have many boats for sale.”
Hawk shook his head. “I mean, we’re looking for a specific one that’s docked here at the moment.”
The man shrugged. “Sorry, but I cannot help you. That information is private. However, you are free to wander the docks on your own.”
Hawk pulled out the hundred dollar bill and slid it across the counter.
“We’re kind of short on time and were hoping you might give us a better idea of where we might be able to find a catamaran named Lesson Learned.”
The man stroked his chin for a few seconds before divulging the information.
“Now, don’t let anyone know you heard it from me,” he said with a smile.
“Don’t worry,” Hawk said. “I’ll keep this between us.”
“Good luck,” the man said as he waved.
Hawk and Alex exited the office and headed toward the boat Black linked Adelman to.
Lesson Learned was a 45-foot catamaran, dwarfed in the harbor by larger luxury yachts. Tucked away near a portion of the dock reserved for smaller ships, Adelman was hosing down the deck when he looked up and made eye contact with Hawk and Alex. Trapped for making an escape on land, he sought a different route. The boat next to him had a raft with an outboard motor attached that was tied up. Adelman loosened the ropes and then yanked the starter. The engine sputtered to life.
Hawk and Alex both sprinted toward the boat as soon as they saw Adelman dart for the raft. Realizing that Adelman was too far away to reach, Hawk searched for an alternative. Nearby was a makeshift jet ski rental company manned by a guy sitting in a lawn chair who swiped listlessly at his phone.
Hawk handed his credit card to the man and dashed toward the water. Alex joined him, quickly settling onto one.
“What are you doing?” the man asked as he stood and scowled. “You have to sign a release waiver and some other paperwork.”
“I’ll do it when I get back,” Hawk said as he hurriedly untied the rope from the dock cleat.
“That’s not how this works.”
Hawk ignored the man and backed up in the water. Alex was right behind him.
The attendant rushed over to make an effort to stop Hawk and Alex, but it was a feeble attempt. Yelling some threats toward them, the man threw his
hands in the air as Hawk and Alex roared after Adelman.
Though he had a good head start, Hawk and Alex spotted him preparing to leave the harbor and get out into the open water. Hawk shifted in his seat as he assessed the situation and determined the best strategy for catching Adelman. With scores of nearby islands, Hawk’s greatest fear was losing Adelman. Trying to find him on one of the islands after he vanished would be a daunting task—and likely a failure. Catching Adelman in the open water also proved challenging given the head start that he had. But Hawk was counting on his more nimble craft to navigate the ocean better than Adelman’s raft.
Adelman remained about two hundred meters off shore, frequently checking over his shoulder to see where Hawk and Alex were. As they circled the island, a large cruise ship chugged into the harbor, blocking Adelman’s path and creating a massive wake. Upon seeing his dilemma, Adelman veered away from shore, giving Hawk and Alex the angle they needed to catch him.
In less than a minute, Hawk roared up just behind the raft. Adelman drew his gun and started firing as he bounced along the choppy waters. Hawk and Alex ducked as the bullets flew harmlessly past. With the ocean liner’s wake fast approaching, he decided to take it head on.
Adelman smashed into the wave and kept going but lost some of his speed. Hawk careened over the top, going airborne but managing to maintain momentum. Seconds later, Hawk pulled up next to the raft and dove inside. He landed hard but rolled over quickly to face Adelman. Using one hand to drive his watercraft, Adelman tried to steady his aim on Hawk. But Hawk darted to his left and then kicked Adelman’s hand, knocking the gun over the side.
Adelman took his hand off the motor’s throttle as the raft slowed down. Alex eased up next them and winked at Hawk.
“It’s over,” Hawk said.
“You can’t take me back,” Adelman said. “There’s no extradition agreement here.”
“I’m not here to take you back. We’re here for the truth.”
Adelman shook his head. “Trust me. You don’t want to hear the truth about Obsidian.”
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