Hunter Killer - Alex King Series 12 (2021) by A BATEMAN (mind reading books .txt) 📕

that if Thorpe hadn’t seen, then she would have willingly used it to take the weight off her leg. Both legs had been broken in the incident, but there had been extensive surgery to her right leg with multiple plates and pins and her recovery had been slow.

“You really should use that stick of yours…” Thorpe said somewhat unsympathetically without looking up from the screen.

“Yeah, I might well do that…” she replied, imagining her smashing it against the woman’s windpipe.

Durand read out the message, despite the three of them already reading it over his hunched shoulders. “Contact made…”

“He’s sent it,” Thorpe said, eyes transfixed on the screen.

“That’s it?” Durand asked quietly.

Ramsay took out his phone and dialled. He watched the screen as it rang, then switched the phone onto speaker. “Dave, it’s Neil. Where is Milo Noventa?”

“Right in front of me, not going anywhere.”

“You’re with him? You were meant to keep him under surveillance.”

“What’s the point? The man has been given an ultimatum. I’m just making sure he does what he’s told. Besides, it was hot in the car and the man makes a damned fine cup of coffee, too. He’s got one of those steam machines baristas use…”

Ramsay scowled and shook his head despairingly. “So, we’re seeing he’s sent the email.”

“That’s right.”

“Look, it makes sense not to divulge too much,” said Caroline.

“Why?” Thorpe asked briskly.

Caroline shrugged. “Fortez has to think he’s in control. If Noventa throws a recommendation at him too hard, then he may get spooked. Noventa is on a commission, but if he seems biased, then Fortez may think there’s more to it. He’ll assume that Noventa is on the take. Sharing the contract with the assassin.”

“That’s what I said,” Big Dave’s voice echoed out of the phone in Ramsay’s hand. “Slowly, slowly, catchy monkey…”

“Okay, it makes sense.” Ramsay paused. “Are we sure Noventa isn’t under surveillance from Fortez? As an insurance policy?” He looked at Thorpe and said, “Sally-Anne, get round there immediately and keep watch. Dave, when you leave, be friendly with Noventa. Make it look like two friends having a catch-up.”

Caroline beamed a grin. “The file shows that Noventa is actually a practising bisexual and not currently in a relationship,” she mused. “Give the guy a kiss when you leave, Dave. Make it look like you were there for a reason…”

“Fuck off…” Big Dave jeered.

“No, it’s a good idea,” said Durand. “It will look convincing if Fortez has surveillance on him.”

“And you can get fucked as well. You Frenchmen may go in for all that kissing each other, and you can keep it…”

“It’s called taking one for the team,” Caroline chided.

“Well, make sure he’s not under surveillance first,” replied Big Dave. “Sally-Anne, get around here quick smart!”

“No, good surveillance can always be missed,” Ramsay said firmly. “That will teach you to go off-piste.”

“You’re bloody enjoying this…”

Tell me more… The words appeared in the text box and everybody simmered down, except for Sally-Anne Thorpe, who was getting the car keys and checking her phone battery as she readied to leave.

“I’ll get round there now,” she said, but only Ramsay nodded.

Noventa: A man and a woman. The woman seems to be in charge. The man is huge. They said there was a sniper covering them.

Fortez: You have met them?

Noventa: They found me and used that skill as part of their interview. Impressive.

Fortez: Or a trap…

Noventa: No, I doubt that. If they were law enforcement, then they would have enough on both of us by now. They are far from the type, anyway.

Fortez: What do you mean by both of us?

Noventa: If they could find me, then they can certainly discover who you are and find you.

CONNECTION BROKEN

“Merde!” Durand cursed. “He’s scared him off!”

Ramsay held up a hand. “Dave, the connection has been lost. Watch Noventa and make sure he doesn’t leave.”

“On it.”

“Sally-Anne is on her way to check on the area around Noventa’s place for any physical surveillance.”

“I’m not kissing this dickhead…”

“Well, you shouldn’t have gone beyond your remit.”

“Bugger off…”

“He’s back.” Durand paused. “User Man Child, that’s Noventa, and user Orcus, that’s Fortez.”

“What the hell is Orcus?” Ramsay frowned.

“Roman god of the underworld. The Greeks had Hades, the Roman’s had Orcus,” Caroline said matter-of-factly.

“Oh,” Ramsay said tersely.

“Delusions of grandeur, I think,” Durand commented. “Considering he was spared and has been exiled. Consequently, he cannot see his grandchildren or either of his daughter-in-laws. Hardly a god of anything, let alone the underworld…”

“I imagine it could be taken a number of ways. You may see the underworld as meaning he is a god of organised crime, deviousness and anything that pushes against the system.” Caroline paused. “Or, he could be living in purgatorial Hell, so much so that he is god of the place. The ultimate person living such an existence.”

“Oh.” Durand shrugged. “Okay, I like your one better…”

Fortez: What guarantees can you make that this is not a trap?

There was a minute before the response, with all three staring at the screen, waiting impatiently. Caroline realised she was gripping Durand’s shoulder, but he hadn’t seemed to notice. She released her grip, embarrassed that she didn’t really know him that well. Ramsay’s phone rang and he ignored it. It must have gone to answerphone but rang again instantly. Ramsay sighed, fumbled for the phone, and stared at the screen.

“It’s Dave,” he said, but nobody was taking any notice. “Hello, Dave… what the hell’s going on with Noventa’s response?”

“Thank god! I was shouting down the phone, but you can’t have heard me. I rang a couple of times, too. Look, I’ve got a bit of a situation here…”

“What?” Ramsay switched to speaker for everyone’s benefit. “Tell Noventa to get his response sent. And tell him