CIA Station
Bangkok
Adam Kincade watched the screen stretching for several yards. Surveillance from three locations played. In front of him, officers ten years younger than him worked the computers, wearing headsets and sporadically whispering into wire mikes, sending intelligence, then eagerly waited for confirmation. On the ground, speaking wasn’t an option. Too much chance of distortion. And there were just too many listening devices out there to risk it.
Adam’s concern was the hunt for Silent Fire, schematics for a weapon prototype stolen from a US–British training area. That someone even knew of its existence said they had a traitor within. The US wasn’t going to accuse the Brits and vice versa. You don’t piss off your best allies. But the traitor wasn’t his main concern, he’d leave that to the Pentagon. As a weapon, he’d only heard, it was untraceable. As a danger, it was catastrophic.
He sipped coffee, thinking of other avenues, other options. His people weren’t aware of the real dangers, told only to locate and watch known terrorists. It was a who’s who of the world’s most wanted. Ground intel was the only option now. His gaze moved to the surveillance post on the Chao Phraya River, then flinched when the video feed lit up with a night explosion. For a moment, the night vision lens went white, nothing visible. The room went instantly quiet, and Adam pulled on a headset, then tuned in the surveillance team.
“Show me that, now.”
The officer on detail turned to the camera, using the infrared scope to narrow the focus. “A live one and he’s moving.” Film recorded and Adam watched the jet ski maneuver up the river from the Oriental.
“He’s got a woman on the front, sir.”
“Yeah, I know tits and ass when I see them,” an officer said.
“Keep down the chatter,” Adam ordered, then turned back to the table littered with papers, and pushed some aside. He’d seen that man before and found the MI6 photo log. Same man, he thought, then heard a second explosion.
“Jesus, the place is lit up.” A body was midair, then hit the ground and bounced. “Somebody’s pissed.” The scope swung left.
“They’re headed into the canal, harbor police on their tail.”
“He’s out of our range, start a new recording on the hotel.” Adam wanted to see the aftermath, how they moved.
The video turned it from night vision to day-clarity. The hideout of known terrorists.
“Who the hell has the pull to get the harbor police on the water that fast, sir?” an officer asked.
“Port Authority. They patrol the main tributary, rarely here. Only in the harbor.” It was like a Vegas strip of hotels on the water, and miles away from the port, Adam thought. “Harbor police can’t get that big boat down the canal, he’s long gone.” He looked to the second screen, then called up his field agents and gave them the area. “Intercept them.”
Max and Sebastian slipped away in the chaos of the explosion, and walked casually down the street as Thai police and locals swarmed to see the damage and be nosey.
“You hit hard, Max,” Sebastian said, working his jaw.
“Sorry, it wasn’t meant for you.”
Sebastian cricked his neck and when they were out of sight, they ran toward the black van.
“I saw them get on a jet ski. Headed downriver, south.”
“You see the woman on the dock?”
“Yeah, she had a whole daughter-of-death thing going on with those clothes,” Max said.
“She aimed a small blowgun.”
Max’s expression went slack. “At them?”
Sebastian nodded as they got in. Max tried to raise Sam on the headset. “They’re out of range.” Throat mics were on close-quarters’ frequencies. Sebastian drove south. “Good bomb, buddy.” Three guards went up with the benches, the building untouched.
Sebastian glanced at Max. “The benches and streetlamps they can replace. A hundred-and-fifty-year-old hotel wing, they can’t.”
“Glad to hear you have your priorities straight.” After a few miles, Max tried again. “Outlaw, this is Drac, what’s your twenty?”
Sam directed and Viva obeyed, her fear driving adrenaline up her spine. In the dark, she maneuvered the jet ski between large boats, the wind snapping at her clothes and spraying her with water. The jet ski running light was small and she could barely see more than a few yards ahead.
“Red, you can slow down now.” She didn’t, and Sam covered her hands, prying them off the controls and slowed the craft.
She leaned her head forward on the handlebars, and let out a long breath. “I’m sorry to cause so much trouble.”
“Baby, that’s your middle name.”
She straightened, twisting. “You looked for me.”
The astonishment in her voice cut through to his soul, leaving a mark. Her hand trembled as she touched the side of his face. “You made an impression.”
“As a first-class pain in your ass, sure,” she said, laughingly.
Her smile sent tears down her cheeks and his expression softened. “You’re safe now, don’t cry.” Her tears felt like little slices to his heart. She was so damn strong, resilient, and he admired the hell out of her, and hated that anyone brought her to this point.
“Thank you, Sam.” She brushed her mouth across his and he groaned, sinking deep into her kiss and almost forgetting he was driving. One touch and he was oblivious to the rest of the world, he realized.
When she pulled back, her gaze went past him. “Apparently, it’s not over.”
He twisted. Thai harbor police. “Hold on.”
He gunned it, dodging between pleasure boats and the ferry. Sam knew he could hit debris in the water and end this in seconds. The jet ski bounced over wakes, slamming them down onto the seat.
“Oh, for pity’s sake, Sam!” Viva took control, side-winding around the boats and avoiding the wake of others. He admitted she was better at it than he was.
Then the harbor police fired on them.
“We have to get off the water.” He pointed toward the mouth of the river, and Viva slipped the jet ski sideways into the canal. The harbor patrol was still hot on their tail, maneuvering to get the heavy draft boat into the canal.
“Run it aground.”
“You’re joking!” It was pitch black nothing out there.
“There, run it aground!”
Viva pushed the throttle, trimmed and raced toward the shore. Sam held her tight as he cut the engine a few yards in. The jet ski hit bottom, jerked to a stop, and tipped.
Viva slid off and splashed to the shore, Sam grabbed her up, carrying her over the ground to the street, then set her on her feet. Traffic zipped past and Viva started to put her hand up to hail a cab, but Sam grabbed it.
“They aren’t going to stop.”
“Then we’ll steal one.” She ran up the road to a line of parked cars, and tried each door, setting off alarms. She threw one open, and dove under the steering column.
Sam was there, and saw her pop off the column cover and pull wires. “You can hotwire?”
“Product of a misspent youth.”
“Man, this I wanna hear about.”
Static charges sparked and the engine started. Viva crawled over the console and Sam climbed behind the wheel, handing her the laptop.
“I think the car’s owner is coming.”
He yanked the wheel, pushed the gas, and the car shot into traffic. “We can’t do this for long.”
“Far enough from here is good.” She looked behind, and could see the car owner waving his hands. Oh yeah, buddy, like that helps.
Sam drove with traffic, and glanced and grinned.
“Please don’t tell me you like this outfit.” She wrung out the wet pant legs.
“Under other circumstances maybe, but I was just thinking you certainly have grace under fire, darlin’.”
Viva felt the warmth of his words, and smiled. “How did you know to find me?”
Sam really didn’t want to talk about this now. It w
ould only hurt her. But she’d pester. “Dr. Wan Gai.” She frowned. “He sold you.”
Her eyes flared. “No, you must be wrong.” But the look in his eyes said otherwise. “Why would he do that?”
“The bracelet.”
“It’s just an artifact. Ancient, sure, but not world class.”
“Would he have gone to this extreme if it wasn’t?”
“I guess not.” She sighed back into the seat. “Sold me…the disgusting little bastard. I ought to—”
“You can do what you want to him, I’ll make sure of it.” He grasped her hand briefly and squeezed.
She sent him a look that was downright sadistic. “You won’t want to witness it.” If anything, for the people left in that smelly room.
“Probably not. Drac, Coonass, where are you?”
“Damn man, I was getting worried,” blasted in his ear and Sam winced.
“We’re fine, meet us at the south end of Nerti.”
“You’re driving?”
“Yes, I’m driving.”
“Not very well.” Viva pointed and Sam jerked the wheel.
“Jeez, I hate ground level.”
“It’s not too fond of you. Sam, left, stay on the left.” She banged the dash. “Oncoming headlights give you a clue? Pull over, at least I remember which side of the road I should be on.”
“Too late, our ride’s here.” He pulled to the curb and got out. Viva started to leave the car, then reached over and yanked the wires. The engine stopped.
She was just coming upright when she saw bright headlights barreling toward them. She waited a split second, expecting them to stop. They weren’t. “Sam!” The car swerved sideways, slid and hit, jolting their car backwards.
“Start the engine.” Sam dropped behind the wheel as Viva ducked low, working the wires again. Two men spilled out of the black car, weapons rising to aim. “Bug out, Max. Viva, hurry!”
She struck the wires against each other, got a spark, once, twice.
“We can take them,” Max said.
“Negative, you’re too far away and they have range.” Right at them—or the gas tank. “Viva!”
The engine caught. Sam threw the car in reverse and hit the gas. The motion set her forward.
“Jesus, Sam!”
“Sorry.” Sam drove backwards, swerving and correcting, taking out a vendor’s cart and making the few people out at this hour scatter. “Seat belt,” he warned.
She buckled in. “They’re coming after us.” The two men jumped back into their car.
“Yeah, I figured that.” Who they were was the big question. The men at the hotel were dead or nursing wounds and hadn’t followed by water. So how’d these guys know they were on the road?
“It would be wise to turn this around.” They had the advantage of not traveling backwards. “They aren’t shooting. People around you always shoot.”
“That says something. One of their own is dead, they’d shoot to kill.”
“You think that’s comforting? Oh man, they’re gonna hit again!” She braced herself.
Sam looked forward just as the impact drove them backwards. He braked, but the tires smoked as the other car ground into theirs. “Okay, you wanna play, you son of a bitch!” He jammed on the gas and told Viva to lay on the horn.
“People? People?” she shouted and waved. “Get out of the way. It’s a chase!”
“You tell ’em, honey. Drac, the tiger has our tail.”
“We’re heading them off,” Max said. “Go right down the next street.”
In reverse? “I need a place to turn around, too many civilians,” Sam said.
“There’s an alley.” She pointed. “Back in there, let them pass us.”
“You’ve definitely seen too much TV.” Sam’s gaze shot around and he realized she was right. It was the only one without human congestion and vendors. He jerked the wheel, rear end into the alley. There was a good reason. It was blocked with garbage cans and they collided, trash spilling before he shifted gears and eased out. But the other car was there, stopped, engine revving.
Sam considered shooting out their tires, but aiming would bring gunfire and he wasn’t at an advantage here. “Max, we’re cornered.”
“You can outrun him,” Viva said. “He’s in a Toyota, we’re in a BMW. Go. Go!”
Sam shrugged, gave it gas and made a sharp left, the rear fishtailing as the other car climbed up his ass. “You were saying?”
“So I was wrong. At least you’re not backwards. God, you’re a shitty driver.”
“Max, where the hell are you guys?” He needed to ditch this car. On foot in the tightly packed city, they’d have better odds.
“West, Rajprarop Road and oh yeah, the Thai police are coming.”
“Great.”
Suddenly, the car stalled.
Eleven
Viva’s gaze snapped to the wires. They’d uncurled and she bent to try again. The other car pushed from behind. Tires squealed. Sam had both feet on the brake.
“Viva, get out!” Drunk people were in front of them, just staring.
“I almost have it.”
When the car backed up to ram them, Sam opened his door. “No, now!” He pulled her upright.
They rear-ended them, her shoulder hitting the dash. She grabbed the laptop and shot from the car as Sam rolled over the hood, taking the computer from her and grabbing her hand. Sam ran, pushing between people who should be in bed, and hurried her into a bar, moving swiftly between the drunks and pole dancers. Her bare feet slapped the cement floor. A waitress shouted, a man came to defend her, and in one motion, Sam turned, shielded Viva, and aimed his gun. The guy threw his hands up and sat, and Sam headed out the back, checked the area. They went left. The street was half as wide as the avenue, clothes hung from lines strung between the buildings. A drunk sat in a doorway, and watched them run past.
“Max, Max, get to Rhaiji Street, east end.” Sam looped the sling over his head and shoulder.
“It’s one way,” came back with static.
Viva glanced back as the two men spilled into the passage, looking left and right. Instantly she grabbed Sam’s shirt and pulled him down an alley. “They’re here.”
He moved ahead, the alley so narrow his shoulders brushed the walls. At the end, he stopped short and Viva plowed into him. A rickshaw hurried past.
Sam’s gaze followed it, then he grasped her hand. This is gonna hurt, she thought as they took off after it. Viva called out in Thai and the man slowed the small motorbike. Sam jumped in, Viva tried and hopped a few feet, wincing, and he grabbed her by the waist and yanked her in.
“Your life is painfully exciting.” She sank down on a sigh.
Sam held her tightly against him as he peered behind through the carriage hood. The two men were searching, parting in two directions. They had radios.
“We lose them?”
“For now.” He sighed into the seat, both breathing hard.
Sam spoke to the driver. The man twisted a look over his shoulder, frowning.
Viva smiled. “You just told him to take you into the river.” She spoke quickly, directing him toward the river market streets.
“Max, head to the market, east end.”
“Thai police have the streets blocked. And they’re doing a search.”
“For what?”
“Well, since they’re grabbing anyone with the slightest shades of red hair, I’ll give you one guess.”
“Wan Gai pulled some strings?”
Viva looked at him sharply.
“I meant to tell you that.”
Sam pressed the earpiece tighter to hear over the noise in the streets. “What?”
“I looked into his background. He’s part of the Thai royal family.”
“Oh, hell.” He told Viva, and her eyes rounded.
“Maybe that explains the Thai police, but over a bracelet?”
“He’s covering his back. With you locked in a Thai prison, he won’t have to worry.�
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It was the worry part that had her confused. Wan Gai’s actions were extreme and unnecessary. It told her the bracelet was more than a really great archeological find.
The rickshaw stopped and Sam inspected the area carefully before getting out. He paid and he and Viva walked quickly toward the docks, the crowd thinning out.
“Sam, slow down, I’m barefoot.”
His gaze darted to her feet, then he gave her his back, adjusting the laptop in front before squatting. “Hop on.”
Viva leaped on his back, and he pulled her legs around his waist and trotted.
“A monkey on your back. Sorta says something about our relationship.”
“Gee, I just can’t see it.” She nipped his earlobe. “There they are.”
The van slid to the curb, and the door popped open. Sebastian stuck his head out. “Come on, we’ve got company.”
“Again?” She glanced. Blue lights of Thai police cars were headed toward them, but the people traffic held them up. “Why aren’t they after the other guys?” she said as she slipped off his back. Sam hurried her into the van.
“Glad to see you’re okay, Viva.” Max grinned in the rearview, waving as he pulled into traffic.
“Nice to be alive. Thank you. Good backup this time.”
“Any idea who the rabbit was?” Sebastian asked.
“They were determined, but sloppy. CIA?” They snickered. “They didn’t want to kill us, just stop us.” There were a lot of badasses in Bangkok this week, Sam didn’t doubt the intelligence community of several nations were out there watching and waiting to make a move. Hunting them though, said they didn’t have any more of a clue than Dragon One did.
Sam lifted his gaze to Viva. “You okay?”
On her knees, Viva pushed her hair back and the longer she stared, the more the tears welled in her eyes. His throat felt thick, and he couldn’t decide if he should stay clear of this woman, or drag her into his arms and say the hell with it.
She solved that for him as she launched into his arms, covering his mouth with hers. He devoured her, his fear and rage at the past twenty-four hours bleeding into desire as he kissed her and kissed her.
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