Head of the Serpent

by Allen Manning

  CONTENTS

  Copyright

  Chapter - 1

  Chapter - 2

  Head of the Serpent

  Chapter - 3

  Chapter - 4

  Chapter - 5

  Chapter - 6

  Chapter - 7

  Chapter - 8

  Chapter - 9

  Chapter - 10

  Chapter - 11

  Chapter - 12

  Chapter - 13

  Chapter - 14

  Chapter - 15

  Chapter - 16

  Chapter - 17

  Chapter - 18

  Chapter - 19

  Chapter - 20

  Chapter - 21

  Chapter - 22

  Chapter - 23

  Chapter - 24

  Chapter - 25

  Chapter - 26

  Chapter - 27

  Chapter - 28

  Chapter - 29

  Chapter - 30

  Chapter - 31

  Chapter - 32

  Chapter - 33

  Chapter - 34

  Chapter - 35

  Epilogue

  Did You Like This Book?

  Scott Maverick - Chapter 1

  Scott Maverick - Chapter 2

  Also from Action House

  Join Our Reader Group

  About the Manning Brothers

  Head of the Serpent

  by Allen Manning & Brian Manning

  Cover by Allen Manning

  Copyright © 2018 Allen Manning

  All rights reserved.

  CHAPTER

  1

  Eight months have passed since the United States government decommissioned the Hostile Response Division. Under the supervision of the US military and critical personnel in the Department of Homeland Security, the HRD was a joint task force, responsible for combatting domestic threats with international ramifications.

  Pryce Windham was one such man, attempting to acquire a prototype weapon, capable of defeating the most sophisticated encryption, to engage in cyber warfare. Pryce was on the verge of shifting the balance of power in the global theater of war, selling his talents to the highest bidder.

  Recruited by the HRD at that time, John Stone lent his talents to the team to track down and stop Windham. For John, it went beyond the mission. He had a personal stake in the matter, tracking down the men responsible for murdering his friend, Frank Colt, and kidnapping his goddaughter, Emily.

  During that time, John found himself accused of committing acts of domestic terrorism. The Secretary of Defense relieved Marvin Van Pierce, the Director of the Hostile Response Division, of command. The Hostile Response Division took on a new mission: find and capture John Stone.

  On the run, and hunted by two opposing forces, John eventually stopped Pryce Windham, revealing evidence that linked him to specific government officials in direct command of the HRD. With the help of his friends still in the HRD, it was more than enough to clear John of all charges.

  DHS spearheaded an investigation to uncover the depths of corruption within the government. The aim was to identify and remove the people responsible for infiltrating the Hostile Response Division, and any other branches and organizations compromised by the treasonous acts.

  John felt the investigation would be fruitless, with corrupt influence still holding sway over crucial positions of power conducting the investigation. It would be years before the cancer could be rooted out, and he no longer had the desire to work for the Hostile Response Division, or any organization similar. John stepped away and returned home to his previous his life of peace.

  * * *

  Great Falls, Montana

  The sun rose through the clear blue sky, radiating its early afternoon heat. A late spring breeze blew defiantly against the arrival of the coming summer. John Stone wiped an arm across his forehead as he stood to admire the repairs he made to his porch railing. He found himself away from his home for much of the past year, but now that he was free, he spent his days fixing the place up.

  The hammer clanged into his toolbox as John dropped it before flipping the lid closed with his boot. He hoisted the tools up as he looked off in the distance. The sound of a car approaching reached him before he could actually see it. A dark sedan drove past the surrounding trees into the clearing and pulled up the long dirt road to his estate. It was no surprise to John, as he lived in a somewhat secluded area, and any car around here would be heading to his house.

  The car slowed to a stop on the driveway, tires crunching along the gravel, and the driver side door swung open. A fit man with a light brown complexion stepped out. He kept his hair cut short, but was currently sporting the stubble of a beard that was only now starting to show a little gray. His easy-going expression was a contradiction to the authority he could exude with little effort. The man smiled, revealing a set of straight white teeth, set into a square jaw.

  “It’s been a while, huh John?” he said.

  “Not long enough to have to see your ugly mug again,” John said.

  Marvin Van Pierce gave him a look of mock offense.

  “Son, if you were half as good-looking as me, you would shave that mustache off so everyone could see your face.”

  After a moment of intense stares, both men erupted into laughter.

  “Come on in. I’ve got some beers in the fridge,” John said, as he gestured to invite the man into his home.

  * * *

  The interior of John’s mountain cabin was sparsely decorated, yet comfortable. Though not minimalist, everything inside had its purpose and was sturdy in design. Its utilitarian nature reminded Van Pierce of the precision of a military barracks but done with warm wood colors and plenty of natural light from the cabin’s windows.

  John led Van Pierce to a small, round oak kitchen table. Marvin took a seat, and John pulled two bottles of beer from the fridge. He twisted the tops off and slid one across the table as he sat down. Marvin took a long swallow of the ice cold drink and let out a sigh. The two men sat at the table like they were about to share stories of the good old days, but both of them knew that’s not why the former HRD Director would have driven all this way to visit.

  “Any progress on the investigation?” John asked.

  “You don’t waste time, do you, John? Always a straight shooter,” Van Pierce said.

  John took a sip of his beer but said nothing.

  “As a matter of fact, the investigation is still ongoing. The reports say they found one or two people involved in the lower level government positions. They have yet to find any evidence implicating any officials at a higher level.”

  “Why am I not surprised?” John asked.

  “Hey, there’s nothing we can do about that right now. Let’s be thankful that you were found not guilty of any wrongdoing, and just move on.”

  Marvin took another sip from his bottle. “Besides, that’s actually not why I’m here.”

  John raised an eyebrow, curious.

  “I’m consulting,” Van Pierce said. “I help other people catch bad guys now. Got a job working with a counterterror task force in France.”

  John nodded, twirling a bottle cap between his fingers “Sounds lucrative.”

  “It pays the bills. If you want to come with me, I can make a call―”

  “No. I’m done,” John interrupted.

  Marvin’s expression didn’t change. He knew John would refuse.

  “Figured you wouldn’t be interested, but I needed to toss the offer out there anyway. If you ever change your mind, just say the word and you’re in,” Van Pierce said.

  John didn’t speak, instead lifting his bottle and tilting his head in a thanks for the offer gesture. He was really settling into this quiet, peac
eful part of his life right now.

  They finished the rest of their beers, admiring the serene view out the window and sharing some casual talk to catch up. John stood up as Marvin prepared to leave.

  “It’s been nice seeing you again, old man,” John said with a grin.

  Marvin laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. They shared a firm handshake between two tough old soldiers.

  “Goodbye John.”

  “Goodbye, Marvin.” John watched the man head out the door. He was not as tall as Stone, but Van Pierce projected an authority that many were not capable of.

  John stood on the porch giving one last wave as the dark sedan pulled away, and back down the dirt road. He contemplated the offer, tempted to feel that rush again, but the feeling left as fast as it came.

  The quiet life was all he wanted now. John finally turned and walked back into his house.

  CHAPTER

  2

  Lyon, France

  Three days after his meeting with John Stone, Marvin Van Pierce was in France, coordinating with the elite tactical unit of the French National Police. Known as RAID, the Recherche, Assistance, Intervention, Dissuasion unit was responsible for counter-terrorism operations within the major cities of the country.

  With the recent deactivation of the Hostile Response Division and the reassignment of its active military members, Van Pierce became a highly recommended consultant, by close contacts that he maintained with the United States government. His knowledge and experience battling terrorist groups and investigating acts of terrorism over the past 40 years made him a formidable asset.

  On his current assignment, Van Pierce lent his knowledge and experience to the French government, coordinating with them to help locate and stop a new terrorist group that had splintered from ISIS. Though the group went active less than one year ago, they’ve already claimed responsibility for three public terrorist attacks throughout Europe, the last one occurring only a week ago. Now, Van Pierce sat in a small meeting room with Maurice Ouvrard, the General Secretary for Administration in the Ministry of the Armed Forces, Lionel Gavreau, the RAID task force leader, and his second-in-command, Christopher Brassard. A computer analyst and a language translator also sat in the room, to help out when needed.

  Various photos plastered one wall of the room. Shots of French landmarks and government buildings covered part of it, while persons of interest filled another section. Passport pictures, or other official ID photos, and surveillance shots of unsuspecting suspects were packed and overlapping every available space.

  Whiteboards, covered in hand-written notes about the terrorist group and its members, sat on an adjacent wall. The sloppiness of the writing on the boards, and his being rusty reading French made the information all but useless to Van Pierce.

  The RAID task force leader stood at the front of the room and briefed everyone. He spoke mostly French, while the translator relayed the information to the American consultant. Though his reading was rusty, Marvin still had an ear for the language and was able to follow most of it without the help.

  “The mission of this new group, known as The Four Serpents is, for all purposes, the same as ISIS, but we believe they are attempting to escalate the levels of conflict,” Gavreau said.

  “What does that mean?” Ouvrard asked.

  “Tracking all known and suspected members, we are finding evidence, through captured emails and phone conversations, that show an interest in increasing the size of their targets and the number of casualties.”

  “How many members have you found so far?” Van Pierce asked, also speaking French.

  “As far as confirmed members, our analysts have discovered these three,” Gavreau said, pointing to three photos lined up at the top of the photo wall.

  “This is Baasim el-Nazar. He was a known lower-ranking member of ISIS. His move to join the Serpents may have come with a promotion.” The photo was a surveillance shot, slightly blurry from being enlarged and zoomed.

  “Abdul Ghani al-Basher is an engineer, with a Masters degree in chemistry. We strongly suspect he has built explosive devices used in past terrorist attacks, also for ISIS,” Gavreau continued.

  The translator continued to speak to Van Pierce as if he didn’t understand French, but the American focused on the three photos while listening directly to the RAID Commander.

  “Finally, this is Azhaar bin Hashim. He has declared himself the leader of The Four Serpents and has made no attempt to hide his intentions. The problem, however, is that we have almost no information about bin Hashim’s past. He has no known connection to any past terrorist activity or group.”

  Van Pierce narrowed his eyes at this information, and he studied the passport photo.

  “Are you sure he’s the leader and not just a puppet?” the American asked.

  “Unlikely he’s a puppet,” the computer analyst blurted. “So far, we haven’t traced any outgoing signals of any type from bin Hashim that go to anyone other than the lower ranking suspected members.”

  Van Pierce eyed the young analyst. “Son, there are still effective ways to communicate that are older than cell phones and email.”

  “Again, unlikely. The amount of coordination to pull off the attacks the Serpents have done in the past, and the ones they are possibly planning in the future, require exact planning and constant communication. We’re confident that Azhaar bin Hashim is the head of the serpent.”

  Van Pierce stared at the arrogant computer analyst until the man glanced down into the reports on the desk in front of him, then Gavreau continued.

  “Our analysts suspect Baasim el-Nazar will meet with someone believed to have financed past terrorist attacks in Europe. We have no identification on this person, except for his alias, Matthias Keppler, which we have learned with the aid of Mr. Van Pierce’s US contacts.”

  Everyone in the room was now studying the notes in front of them, to learn what little they could about the mystery financier.

  “There is a high probability that the meeting will take place in the Place des Terreaux, in Lyon, tomorrow. If we can spot el-Nazar and follow him to the meeting, we may be able to identify the financier,” Gavreau said.

  “It’s a very public location. Many tourists,” Ouvrard said. “I can’t stress the importance of not letting this situation get out of hand.”

  “Rest assured, sir, we plan to handle the entire operation covertly. Our operatives will be undercover, and will not escalate the conflict unless absolutely necessary,” Gavreau said.

  Ouvrard still looked a bit nervous but nodded his approval. I guess that’s a universal attitude for all government suits, Van Pierce thought.

  The last few minutes of the meeting were spent giving a general plan the RAID team would take before Gavreau dismissed everyone.

  “It all goes down tomorrow, gentlemen. Let’s all get some rest,” Gavreau said.

  * * *

  Marvin Van Pierce rubbed his index finger along the bezel of his watch as he checked the time. 09:00 hours. He sat in the passenger seat of a two-door silver Peugeot, parked on the street, one block southwest from Place des Terreaux, between the Saône and Rhône rivers, in Lyon. The crowds grew thicker as more people arrived in the square.

  Van Pierce was there that day as an extra set of eyes, and as a consultant to assist if the situation went sideways. It was made very clear to him, by both Maurice Ouvrard and Lionel Gavreau, that he was not to have any physical involvement with today’s operation. Being a foreigner, and not an official member of any French police or military organization, they weren’t interested in the possibility of an international incident.

  In the driver’s seat, Simon Boudet, a RAID team member, was radioing updates. Van Pierce didn’t have his own radio, so he listened to the responses coming in over Boudet’s. Nearly a dozen RAID members positioned themselves in and around the Place des Terreaux. They dressed in civilian clothing and blended in almost entirely. A few blocks away, in a nondescript panel truck, a RAID unit sat in
full operational gear, prepared to move in if the situation spun out of control.

  Two hours into the operation, radio chatter picked up. A couple of the undercover RAID members spotted Baasim el-Nazar entering the southeast side of the square. Gavreau’s voice came in over the channel, advising all teams to keep their eyes open.

  Radio communication, from three different undercover operatives following covertly, described the path el-Nazar took through the square. Responses from the other RAID members followed, giving their current position and status.

  This continued for the next few minutes, as Marvin glanced up the street toward the Place des Terreaux, even though he wasn’t near the radioed positions. He scanned everyone, looking for postures or behaviors that might appear suspicious. It was a habit he gained from many years in the field and was now second nature for him.

  It was because of this awareness that a face in the crowd triggered an alarm in his head. A man, with a jagged scar that across his cheek, walked right passed the silver Peugeot, and into a crowd of tourists.

  Van Pierce snatched up his smartphone and scrolled through the photos from yesterday’s briefing. His fingers froze on an image of a man with the same scar and intense eyes. It was Zain al-Aman, someone the French government suspected of being a member of The Four Serpents, but they couldn’t verify. His appearance in this place at this time was just too much to be a coincidence.

  “That man there,” Van Pierce said to his partner in the car. “That’s Zain al-Aman. We need someone on him now.”

  Boudet nodded and radioed in the request. Van Pierce tried to keep a visual on his target, as the radio responses came.

  “This is Unit Two. I can be there in three minutes.”

  “That’s not fast enough. He’s gonna disappear in that crowd,” Van Pierce said, knowing how far they were positioned from the square.