Overthrow (A James Winchester Thriller Book 2) (James Winchester Series) by James Samuel (the gingerbread man read aloud .TXT) 📕

James ducked underneath a hanging vine. The road became less and less visible. He felt like the trees were pressing in. Like the very forests wanted to crush them. He took in a gulp of the stifling air and powered towards Preap, coming side-by-side with him.

“What’s going on?” said James in a low voice. “We’re losing the road now.”

“These areas are remote. Not many people come through here. We’re well within Khmer Rouge territory now.”

“How far from the base?”

“Hard to say.”

“That’s not good enough. You’re supposed to be our guide.”

“I haven’t been here in decades, but I know what to look for.”

“Oh yeah?”

“You don’t trust me?”

“You’re being very evasive.”

“Now who’s the one being evasive?” Preap paused. “There’s a small clearing below a rockface here. We can rest there for a few moments.”

James felt Preap hardening. His warm Khmer spirit had grown cold. Every instinct screamed at him to turn back and find another way. Beyond the visible foliage, he sensed the bear trap threatening to snap tight around his ankle.

The path and trees suddenly parted to reveal the rockface Preap mentioned. A sheer overhang prevented him from spotting the true top. The clearing had a perfect view of the only trail leading onwards. He imagined how the Khmer Rouge must have fortified it against the Vietnamese as their gains were rolled back.

Preap and James stopped under the cliff. They looked back as the rest of the team emerged into the clearing. Blake came in the middle, followed by a nervous-looking Dylan. Adam, as steel-faced as ever, took up the exposed rear-guard position.

With sighs they all melted out of the trees, thankful to be away from nature’s prying grip for a moment.

Adam climbed over a fallen log and stumbled. He regained his footing with a curse. A click echoed through the mountains. It came louder than any animal, more deafening than any gust of wind. Everyone froze. A mine.

“Don’t move,” said Preap at last. “Nobody move.”

Adam’s mask of horror told the story. One misstep had cost him. Only Preap approached him. The mercenary trembled. Nobody needed to announce what had happened. They all knew it.

Preap rested his hands behind his head. “I told you to stick to the trail. No shortcuts.”

“Help me,” Adam pleaded. “For fuck’s sake, help me.”

James stepped forward. “Preap, you’ve worked with them. Tell us what to do.”

Preap looked at James with a shake of the head. “He’s triggered a mine. We can’t do anything for him now.”

“There must be something,” James cried.

“There’s no way now.”

James’ breathing came short and fast. He barely knew Adam. A rival. But a man of good character. He couldn’t let him die like this. He wouldn’t.

“One movement and he’s gone. It can’t be disarmed. Why do you think foreigners use robots for landmines?”

Adam looked down at the fateful place his right foot had touched. The old landmine had been banned for use in war for a reason. Everyone knew these weapons weren’t meant to have a reverse setting.

“James,” he said. “It’s my fault. It’s my fucking fault. I should have stayed on the trail.”

“We’ll get you out. We can dig around and disarm it. It might take a bit of time, but we could do it. There are four of us.”

“And if I sneeze there’ll be none of you. You go on. Listen to Preap. He’s seen us alright so far.”

James fumbled for a retort. A reason to save Adam’s life. As he viewed Adam, so accepting of his fate, he knew they couldn’t take the risk. One slight movement from any of their untrained hands would blow them all to pieces.

“Here.” Adam took his gun and his bullets out of his pockets and tossed them into the clearing. “You might need them.”

Dylan swept them up. “Adam —”

“I don’t need your pity. You’ll do alright. I’m sure Sir Richard will give you your due when all this is over and done with. Come here.”

Dylan crept close to Adam. “What is it, Adam?”

“I’m not into being soft.” Adam fist-bumped Dylan. “Get off, you lot, and let me die in peace.”

“I’ll send a message to your family. I will. I promise,” Dylan stuttered.

Adam returned with a weak smile.

Preap and Blake moved on without another word. It took a couple of seconds for Dylan to turn away with tears in his eyes and disappear around the corner. Only James lingered longer than anyone else, still convinced there had to be something he could do.

“Remember what I said to you about Harrison,” Adam hissed. “That man’s trouble.”

James nodded.

“Now go on. You’re wasting time, and I don’t want anyone here when this goes off.”

James backed away, never taking his eyes off Adam. He gave him one final look, recording the image of the man who would die alone in the middle of nowhere. No body to bury. No face for his family to mourn over. No grave to mark with a bouquet of flowers.

And it could have been him.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Sihanoukville, Preah Sihanouk Province, Cambodia

Shao felt nothing for the death of Qiu. The life he’d taken with his own hands. No medals and no promotions would come from Beijing. Only faint praise sent from the Chinese Communist Party. Those who lasted within the party were humble, modest, and expected nothing in the way of recognition.

He reclined in a large leather chair in his office at the shipyards of Sihanoukville. General Narith had already arrived. Shao peered out of the window to see the military convoy. A long black car hummed between a couple of combat vehicles in front and behind it. A machine gun attached to each and a masked soldier manning it exuded power as the general