Lady Death by Brian Drake (good e books to read .TXT) 📕

teams of two in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Weapons and explosives had been delivered, and each pair began scouting targets.

Los Angeles: a local television station.

Chicago: the Cloud Gate sculpture at AT&T Plaza.

New York City: a section of the subway.

The teams took photos and videos and reviewed the material carefully. They needed places to plant their bombs. They wanted the bombs to create mass casualties and push survivors in a desired direction. Into the muzzles of their automatic weapons. The plan called for bombs first, mass shooting second.

Escape routes were up to each team.

They worked independently, unaware of the others’ assignment, and without connection to Horn, Tanya, or Berlin.

The plan had been Tanya’s, refined with the help of her father, with instructions delivered to the mercenary teams by Horn and Yarvis.

The countdown to zero hour was on.

9

Raven and Misty landed at Antwerp International Airport. Clark Wilson at the CIA promised somebody Raven knew would meet them. He didn’t want to waste time with silly contact protocols.

Raven’s chartered jet taxied to a hangar not far from the main terminal. It was one of a line of private hangars, all of which were busy. The jet wasn’t noticed. He glanced out one of the cabin windows. A black SUV with a man standing at the driver’s door waited. Raven smiled. Wilson had sent an old pal named Mike Cutter.

Raven exited the plane with Misty and shook Cutter’s hand. “Long time, Mike. Good to see you.”

Cutter smiled back. The grip of his rough hand was strong. “Likewise. Glad I could be here to help.”

Cutter matched Raven’s height and looked wiry with a thin face. Raven and Cutter first met in the early years of their respective CIA careers. Both worked for the paramilitary branch. They’d never served in the same units, but Raven knew Cutter was a top operative. He had several intelligence awards in his classified file.

“Wilson pulled me from another mission to meet you,” Cutter said.

“How much do you know?”

“Everything. And we have a team on the way too. Get your gear in the vehicle and I’ll explain.”

Cutter checked with Wilson at HQ while Raven and Misty took their luggage from the plane. The suitcases fit it in the back of the SUV with room to spare. Raven rode up front with Misty in the back.

The expanse of the runway and open green space beyond presented Belgium in its best light. Further in the distance, the city itself. Cutter drove off the airport property and through a cluster of quiet neighborhoods.

Cutter said to Misty, “Your chief wants you to check in. I guess you haven’t been answering your phone?”

“No,” she said.

“I think they want you to come home.”

“Tough,” she said. “I’m staying.”

“Better call in anyway.”

She said nothing more. Raven added nothing either. He watched the passing houses. He wouldn’t say so, but he wanted Misty gone. She’d been a big help with Doyle and Stathoti, but they’d learned Operation Triangle didn’t involve the UK. She didn’t need to be there any longer.

He’d lucked out with Hannah. If he lost Misty, it would be a tough one to overcome.

Maybe her chief at MI6 would demand her return. Raven felt it was for the best.

He said to Cutter, “What’s the plan?”

“Two teams on the way. The priority is capture and interrogation.”

Raven laughed. “They don’t want a repeat of what I did in Berlin.”

“Correct.”

“How long before the teams get here?”

“Tonight. I’m prepping the staging area. We’ll hit his house. At the same time, we’ll go for his number two, John Yarvis. I have a team covering Yarvis. I need you to keep an eye on Horn. Make sure he sticks to routine.”

“Which is what?”

“He likes to party and go home with younger women.”

“Who doesn’t?” Raven grinned.

“Hey!” Misty said.

“If he deviates,” Cutter said, “use your best judgement.”

“And take him alive.”

“Exactly. This won’t be a walk in the park. And the clock is ticking.”

Raven didn’t argue. “What kind of security do they have?” he said instead.

“Horn has two bodyguards,” Cutter told him, “and Yarvis is alone. Both are carrying sidearms.”

“Odd Yarvis is alone,” Raven said. “I don’t know much about him.”

“Former Marine,” Cutter said. “Been in the mercenary community for decades. Plugged in with Horn a few years ago and became his second-in-command.”

“What is it with Americans,” Misty said, “who go on their own and end up on the bad side?”

“I could ask the same thing of Brits, Misty,” Raven said.

“Touché.”

“Way of the world,” Raven said.

“It stinks,” she said.

Raven agreed. But those inclined only toward wealth and power always found a way to achieve their goals. Such was the case of Dante Horn and John Yarvis.

But they’d crossed one line too many. Raven intended to make them pay for their choices.

No amount of money would save them.

Cutter dropped Raven and Misty at their hotel and said he had somebody on the way to deliver their rental. He provided Raven with the office address of Horn’s company and other pictures. Cutter reiterated Raven had to keep an eye on Horn until the strike force made their move.

Raven didn’t appreciate the micromanaging. He said so to Misty as the elevator carried them to the hotel’s fifth floor. They had adjoining rooms.

“Consequences of being a cowboy, Sam.”

“If I didn’t have a personal stake in this, I’d leave.”

“No, you wouldn’t.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I know you, Sam.”

Raven scoffed. “I suppose you’re right.”

She winked. “I know.”

“Don’t let it go to your head, Watson.”

They reached their rooms. Raven suggested twenty minutes to refresh before they hit the street to find Horn.

Misty Watson double-locked her door and set her suitcase on the bed. It was a king and looked comfortable, but she didn’t think she’d spend any time there. She pulled out her cell phone and called headquarters. After passing through the verbal confirmation checks, the HQ operator patched her through to her chief.

Sir Miles Montgomery said, “It’s about time, Miss Watson.”

Montgomery was a gruff bear of a man who ran MI6 with an iron fist. His