Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 91452 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91452 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
“Yeah, I might need to throw up myself.”
The private four-room, one-bathroom, teakwood house was a comfortable place with all the essentials. We all took turns showering and changing since Dante and Arden had been kind enough to bring our things.
There was food and ice water, and Nam’s sister cooked for us, turning essentials into something that tasted even better than it smelled, which was impressive, as it smelled amazing.
Chris had even brought their family cat.
“What?” he asked, squinting at me.
“You brought the cat?”
“It’s their pet,” he said, disgusted with me. “Of course I brought the cat.”
The cat was a pretty gray Korat, with beautiful bright-green eyes. His name was Pickle.
“Why?” I asked Nam.
“He has green eyes. Green like a pickle.”
That seemed reasonable.
My phone rang after dinner. “Hey,” I greeted Darius. “Thank you for the concussion grenades.”
“Yes, well, I aim to get a five-star rating on Yelp.”
I scoffed. “Your man at the dock, I hope he was fine once we left.”
“Absolutely. He’s very good at repeating all the questions he’s asked until people get so annoyed, they walk away.”
I chuckled and groaned at the same time. I needed ibuprofen. Like, a really big dose. I would barely be able to walk tomorrow if I wasn’t careful.
“Oh yeah, brother,” Darius snickered. “Feeling every one of those fifty-six—wait, almost fifty-seven years?”
“Shut up.”
“I must say I’m impressed. So far you haven’t lost anyone. That’s better than most operators can brag about.”
“Don’t jinx me,” I grumbled. “I want it to stay like this.”
“Well, with how hot you all are at the moment, it’s going to get harder.”
“How bad?”
“I can keep the cops off your back, but it’s going to take more than just good connections and favors being called in with the mess you’re making. People will insist on being paid.”
“Pay them. I’m good for it. Tell Hasana. She’ll wire you whatever you need.”
“The money’s appreciated, but there’s more.”
“What?” I felt the air freeze in my lungs. Something about Owen, it had to be.
“The first man you killed today was NIA.”
“Fuck.” The Thai National Intelligence Agency was the equivalent of Britain’s MI6 that served the office of the prime minister. This was above even my paygrade.
“What the fuck is going on?” Darius sounded worried, and I hated that. If he was concerned, that meant I was swimming in the deep end.
“I don’t know yet. But the cover-up started with a Ministry of Interior liaison. A man named Sun.”
“I’ll look into him. Fortunately, they haven’t put all the pieces together yet. My sources tell me Thai SBB has the case.” The Special Branch Bureau division was a unit under the Royal Thai Police Force that handled all threats to national security. Darius said, “You have to try—and I know it’s a big ask—to be less you.”
It took me a moment. “I’m sorry, what?”
“Everything about you has always been big and loud, with explosions and bodies flying everywhere. You’re like a damn Jerry Bruckheimer summer blockbuster, and I need you to be more indie arthouse film about, I dunno, bees or some shit.”
“Bees?”
“You know what I mean!” Darius growled at me.
I did. Yes.
“You’re making it easy for them. You’re lucky that firefight in the street earlier didn’t bring out the military. Restrict your movements, lie low for a couple of days. When they do connect the dots, you’re going to have to make yourself scarce whether you have Owen or not.”
“You know that’s not an option I’m willing to entertain.”
“You’ll have to. The prime minister has broadened the powers of the NIA, as you recall.”
The NIA’s involvement complicated things, making it far more dangerous for us. Thailand’s chief intelligence agency had been awarded carte-blanche powers in case of threats to national stability or security.
“The death of an agent will certainly fall under the agency’s purview to investigate terror offenses,” Darius said, “so if this gets bigger, you will have to go home.”
“So what do you suggest I do?”
“Lower your body count for starters.”
“Are you talking about the boat now?”
“Yes, I’m talking about the boat.” He sounded annoyed. “Lower. Your. Profile.”
“I will do my best. I’m not trying to kill people.”
“Where have I heard that before?” Chris called over to me.
“Listen to me,” Darius said softly. “If you get a text from me that says go to ground, you get to ground immediately, you understand? They round you up, you’re not getting out, Jared.”
“I know.”
“You love Owen, I know that. We all know that, and if it were Efrem in Owen’s spot, I’d expect you all backing my play. But if you’re dead, if your team’s dead, then there’s no hope. You have to stay alive. All of you. I don’t want to lose you, but I don’t want to lose Dante or Chris either. I don’t have a lot of friends, so…yes?”
“Yes,” I agreed. “No one dies or we can’t save Owen.”