“Bloody hell.” Dahl began to blink rapidly. “So what are we waiting for? They could be in danger even now.”
“Webb lost a lot of men in that last assault.”
“Yes, and he flooded his ranks, remember? A pleasingly pliable army.”
Hayden had opened her mouth to speak when Kinimaka came rushing across, his free hand waving for attention. He pointed dramatically at his cellphone.
“Are you okay? What the hell happened?”
Kono’s wavering Hawaiian tones filtered through the speakerphone. “First, I heard noises in the house. Creaks. Little knocks, you know. Like timbers settling. It’s common in wood-frame houses in Hawaii and didn’t bother me. Then I realized I wasn’t renting the wood-framed house that I’m used to. It’s a brand new brick, mortar and concrete build.”
“Could still be rafters.” Kinimaka couldn’t help but correct his sister.
“I realized then that the little knocks and settlings sounded more like stealthy footsteps. I listened. I lay in the dark with my eyes wide open and listened like . . . never before, just staring up at my ceiling with the tiny lamp switched on. Have you ever tried that? Both ears straining so hard you could hear the sound of a feather floating through the air? Time passed. The sounds stopped. I realized I was lying on top of the sheets in just my underwear, cold, tears in my eyes, and that’s when I saw it.”
Kinimaka stared Dahl straight in the eyes. “Saw what?”
“On the ceiling where the main light fitting hangs, holes had been drilled to secure a previous fitting, I think, and one of them blinked.”
“What?”
“Somebody was up in my loft, Mano, watching me through the ceiling and they had been there for a long time. Nobody gained access to the house in the last week, at least since you increased the security detail.”
Kinimaka swallowed. “What happened?”
“The owner of the eye knew I’d seen him. Suddenly, the noises were loud, the sound of somebody standing and moving and then part of the ceiling came down where he miss-stepped. His foot came through. I was screaming, running for the door. The foot was above my head and then I realized he was stamping down, trying to knock me out. The heel of his boot slammed my head, unbalancing me and I ran right into the door frame, falling to my knees. At that point the boot drew away and I just knew he was headed for the hatch. But my head was woozy, my vision blurred. I climbed to my feet, screaming now, hearing the door rattle as the detail entered. But the man was already before me, leaning over, breathing heavily. He was huge and bare chested, sweating and dirty. A monster.” Kono paused, her own breath coming in sharp gasps.
“That’s enough,” Kinimaka said. “It’s enough that you’re—”
“No. I have to get this out. The detail reached him first but he batted them aside. Then he walked towards me, feet stomping so loud my already pounding head almost burst. I slithered down the door frame, not only woozy but scared to death. I’m not strong, Mano, not like you or the women you work with.”
You used to be, Hayden saw the words forming on Kinimaka’s lips and vehemently shook her head.
Not now. Save the interrogation for later.
“The brute grabbed my hair and threw me to the floor, then knelt at my side. His lips were dry and they brushed my ear. He said, ‘We’ll always be watching you.’ Not I. We! Then he grabbed my neck and the detail shot him.”
Hayden blinked. Kinimaka sighed in relief. “So you’re okay?”
“For now.” Kono sounded like she had finally run out of steam. “Where are you? Have you guys found the asshole who’s doing all this yet?”
Kinimaka grunted. “We’re on it.”
Hayden nodded, speaking up. “We have a lead, Kono, and we’re headed out right now.”
Kinimaka mouthed, “We do?”
Hayden held up her phone to show the incoming text:
Mercs seen massing near Silicon Valley. Too many to count. They came in convoys. We need help!
Hayden blanched as she digested the message. They came in convoys? What kind of fucked up assault were they mounting now?
CHAPTER TWELVE
Steeped in overstated luxury, the blacked-out Maybach cruised the busy streets at a leisurely pace. Tyler Webb enjoyed getting out into the world, and into Washington DC in particular. This way, hidden from prying eyes and curious cameras, he could sit forward and feel the adrenalin start to rush through his body; a living, breathing, squirming snake of dark passion, as potential new victims caught the attention of his warped radar. Here, a businessman too involved to notice the enormous pitch black Maybach and waving irritably at the driver who had braked hard to avoid crushing the man’s legs. There, a family of four where the woman struggled with two kids as her husband chatted and gesticulated on his cellphone. Webb immediately snapped the man’s picture—he would make a good candidate for incense and provocation. Elsewhere, a man in an open-top sports car racing between lights whose registration was taken down, and a group of youths laughing at a homeless man.
Webb saw them all as serious applicants. Not because he was by any means a bleeding heart but because these people tried hard to exude confidence. Taking every last shred from them would literally make the hairs on his arms stand up. His mouth would dry out. His toes would most likely curl.
Being chauffeured around for hours didn’t put him in the best of moods. This entire Pythian thing wasn’t going as well as he’d hoped. Here they were, only months into their campaign, and already key personnel were dead or lost and they had been forced to hire a goon army. Not that he didn’t enjoy the expendability of his subjects—sending men to die helped dramatically boost his ego. Sometimes, he did it just for fun.
Earlier that day he had met all three new Pythian candidates—Zoe Sheers was a round-faced, wide-eyed stunner who instantly put him on his guard. The brunette appeared savvy, forward to the point of annoyance and hungry for action. Julian Marsh visibly struggled to contain his exuberance, the clothes he wore didn’t quite match, and his parting was in the wrong place. His watch was on the wrong wrist, his shoes the wrong color. His smile twisted the wrong way. Webb was a little unnerved by Julian Marsh, though he buried such idiocy beneath untold layers of sinful shadow, ignoring it and tasking the man with the very next Pythian event to keep him busy. Marsh’s resultant grin was entirely wrong.
Finally, Lucas Monroe, whom Webb at least knew a little of, was the blandest, quietest and least inspiring of them all. Seriously, Webb thought, if the man stood in a corner for too long people would stick a lampshade on his head.
Not a bad bunch though, and certainly no worse than the last lot. The problem was that now Webb was having serious doubts about how long the Pythians could continue. His greatest goal, the ability to seek out the great treasures of Saint Germain, was at hand.
A few more weeks . . .
And the Pythians might be no more. Maybe even now the group was actually redundant. No mind. Nicholas Bell was off seeking ghost ships and Bay-Dale was with him. Good. It gave Webb time to concentrate on the Saint Germain plan—but first he needed a vital component.
As luck would have it word had recently reached Webb’s ears that the final and greatest arms bazaar hosted by the royal prince of terrorism—Ramses himself—was being planned, and soon. Webb planned to attend with his uber-bodyguard and secure the component. The top-secret guest list was already a terrible who’s-who of international intrigue and terrorism, but once that was done . . .
The world will change.
The car continued to pick its way through the congested streets, courteously, carefully, with precision. Webb turned his mind back to people-watching for sixty seconds and noted one more person—a bouncer pushing a woman to the ground and grinning as he puffed up to his colleagues—before starting to ponder the Z-boxes and their current role. They were essential to the plan, a fortunate addition to Bell’s escapade. Showing America the might of the Pythians would distract its leaders from the true agenda at hand. It
might even cow them for a while, although Webb would have liked a weaker president than Coburn. Still, you worked with what you had. The man’s underlings were more than malleable in every way.
Another thing and another godsend . . . he knew Matt Drake and Co. were wandering around the desert, seeking the ghost ships and trying to determine which electrical facility would be hit next. That gave Webb some wonderful freedoms, though it did limit his stalking capabilities—Hayden Jaye and Mano Kinimaka were off the list, at least for a while. But back to the freedoms—new prey, for example, new hunts.
Pleasure coursed through him.
Take Topless Sports Car Man, for example. If he returned to his car one day to find a sidemirror smashed, what would he do? Put it down to vandals. Then, a present left in the back seat. One of his own discarded belongings. Then the cogs would start to turn. A small snake in the footwell. A mound of ants perhaps. Later, attention would turn to the bank account, mortgage and other financial considerations. A slow leak, a few letters. Life would start heading downhill for Mr. Topless Sports Car. His girlfriend might desert him. Then, embarrassments at work and at the mall. Objects moved around back at the house. A stint in the man’s loft, spying and planning. The game would then grow serious . . .
Webb realized he was breathing too hard, growing too passionate, and let it go. For now, the hunt was enough. It would have to be.
The car’s inbuilt cellphone controls lay just below his right hand. He waited one more moment as his mind flicked over Mai Kitano—the Japanese woman had disappeared. Something about heading to Japan and trying to help her new protégé—Grace—whilst seeking out the young woman she had wronged when she killed her father. That young woman was named Emiko and even Webb had been unable to find her.
Mai Kitano though, he knew where she was right now. Which was a whole lot more than Matt Drake could say.
Webb allowed a self-satisfied, smug grin stretch out his face. Then he tapped a pre-programmed number.
“It’s me.”
“Yes, sir?”
“As soon as you can, kill Drake and send the US back to the dark ages.”
“Yes, sir. That’s the plan.”
“It’s the plan now, idiot. Now that I have given it to you. And not until then, do you understand?”
“Of course, sir.”
“Let’s beg to differ on that, shall we? Just get it done, man. And report. The sands of time are running out.”
“There’s a shitload of sand out here, sir. Not sure it’s ever gonna run out.”
Webb sighed, fighting off a moment’s despair. At least his uber-bodyguard, Beauregard Alain, could hold down a conversation. Not like this prehistoric freak.
“Kill Drake,” he repeated as though addressing a deaf old man. “And use the Z-boxes. Do you understand?”
“Yeah, I do.”
Webb signed off, ignoring the final effrontery since his radar had just honed in on a new victim—the best yet. A tall, thin woman in a black pencil skirt who actually had her assistant following her, clutching cellphones, handbags, sheaves of paper and a small, yappy dog.
Oh, that’s just perfect. This day ain’t so bad after all.
Webb snapped her picture, trusting his powerful facial recognition software would lead him in the right direction later. The woman’s assistant, looking harassed and sweaty almost tumbled, eliciting a grunt of disgust from the tall woman. Webb felt an entire flood of pleasure as the thought of stalking her swept through his body.
To hell with the Pythians, he thought. All I need is Saint Germain . . . and this.
And Matt Drake dead, of course.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Mai Kitano loved Tokyo, it was the one true home that filled her soul, but lately each homecoming had been worse than bittersweet. This one, she knew, might be her last, but the dire knowledge was offset by just one thing.
Chika.
The two sisters stood hugging in the street, Mai experiencing a moment of disbelief that she was able to stand so openly without fear of assault. That was taken care of now—though the final reckoning was coming. Dai Hibiki stood just behind her, an open smile on his face, and Grace stood off to the right, staring into the distance. Some brand new, bright red headphones covered her ears, the wire trailing down and attached to her equally new Android phone. Grace’s head was nodding to an unheard beat, mostly missing the happy reunion.
Mai stepped back and allowed Hibiki a quick hug before grabbing hold of Chika once again. “We never seem to meet under happy circumstances. It is so good to see you!”
Chika spoke into her shoulder. “And you. But what is happening now? Have you heard?”
Mai took her sister by the hand and led her toward the house. “This looks nice. Have you two bought it?”
“We’re renting. But, Mai?”
“You should buy it. I mean, come on, you two should have your whole lives together.”
Chika pulled away as they reached the middle of the garden. The sun flashed past her right shoulder—a hot, glaring light of interrogation.
“The Yakuza are sending their best warrior to settle the score. It is probably not worth ignoring that, Mai.”
The Japanese woman sighed. The road of her past stretched out behind her. The road of her future didn’t stretch anywhere—it lay broken at the edges, shrouded in drifting fogs. Since hooking up with Drake and the SPEAR team during the Blood King exploit her life had developed more meaning, rounding out all the rough edges and finally making sense. She had remained deadly, hard, yet surrounded by caring friends and colleagues, now whole. But life never let you live the way you wanted to. It threw hurdles and complications your way like a gleeful jester performing for its uncaring master. Through their adventures from Hawaii to Germany, from Iraq to North Korea, from ancient Babylon and Sunnyvale UK to Washington DC and Hong Kong and now Japan she had grown more and more accustomed to the new life. It had molded her, and she had happily invited it in.
Then—her parents, Grace and murder. Everything had changed. The knife-edge of life was more dangerous than any opponent she had ever faced. At least Grace seemed to be quickly growing for the better.
Mai regarded Chika now with Grace in the background. Instead of answering her sister she focused on Grace. The young woman had blossomed during this trip and indeed during the danger that came before it. More than the actual danger, Mai knew it was the purity of living life that helped Grace shrug off her old fears and nightmares. It was experience, involvement, interaction. Get dirty, get complicated; immerse yourself in life’s entangled web.
One life, she thought. Live it.
Bloody hell, I’m starting to sound like Alicia!
Maybe Grace’s flourishing good moods were starting to have a positive effect on her. Maybe she could get past all this.
Maybe . . .
Chika thrust her hands onto her hips, the no-nonsense look reminding Mai of a much younger girl and a much more innocent time.
“I love you,” she told her sister suddenly, openly.
Chika’s face crumbled, the sisterly affection shining through. Despite their years apart they were bonded forever. Nothing could ever change that. Grace finally noticed and bounced into their embrace, clueless to what she was interrupting and all the more lovable for it.
“Group hug!” she cried, beckoning Hibiki.
When they broke, Mai turned away and addressed Chika. “I have accepted the Yakuza’s terms and am awaiting notice. It won’t be long now.”
“Shouldn’t you be . . . training . . . practicing or something?”
Mai smiled. “I doubt I will improve my abilities in a day or two.”
“They say he’s their best. He will be no pushover, Mai.”
She refrained from telling her sister that she did not expect to win. “He’s human. I have had nightmares far worse than anything any human could ever do to me.”
Hibiki inclined his head. “Haven’t we all?”
“I guess.” Chika looked bet
ween them as if searching out an answer. “But Dai told me he was a Ninja master, unbeaten. A devil.”
“Everyone’s a Ninja.” Mai faked a laugh. “Or so it seems lately. You would think the brotherhood never really died out.”
“Maybe it didn’t. That is actually the whole point of Ninjas. That you don’t even know they’re there.”
Mai turned away quickly, again surveying the house. “I really think you two should consider buying this place. It’s lovely. And safe—for when the kids come.”
Chika almost choked. “Kids? Whoa, give us chance. I haven’t lived my life yet.”
“There are many who believe life truly begins when your first child is born.”
“And I get that. But, hey, let’s cook supper first.”
Chika and Hibiki led her toward the large dwelling. Grace looped her arm and skipped along, grinning at everything, including a bed of roses. Mai wondered briefly if she had eaten too much chocolate for lunch and then found herself back in the whole “kids” state of affairs. Was she visualizing Grace as her surrogate daughter?
Later that night, she managed to draw Hibiki aside. “Did you hear anything about Emiko?”
The Japanese policeman instantly darkened. “That window has long since closed,” he said. “Where we might save or rescue her. It is many weeks since she vanished from our custody, as you know. I’m sorry, Mai, but I wouldn’t expect to hear anything relating to Emiko again.”
“She could turn up.”
“Do any of them ever turn up? Do you ever hear of children or adults who vanish on the streets—who are sold into slavery or work gangs or forcibly turned dependent on drugs—ever returning weeks or months later? I don’t, Mai, and I’m a cop.”
Mai swallowed down a rising, expanding bubble of guilt. “I wronged her family.”
“Maybe, maybe not. You can’t do anything about that now, so get on with it.”
Mai imagined Drake might say the same. That thought made her think of the two people who had the most impact on her life.
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