And in the minds of his victim’s families.
A couple of them had kept in touch, probably through sympathy. Others hated her. The rest just didn’t care. Maybe they had moved on.
She needed to move on. The death of Kaleb should have given her some closure. Instead it closed only one door, leaving many others ajar. Her brief time with Drake had eased those worries. There had even been times when she could forget. But recently, it seemed, the darkness behind the doors was calling, beckoning to her with blood-soaked fingers.
Ben ended his call. “Karin wants to help,” he said with a worried look. “I’ve talked her out of it. For now.”
Kennedy, regardless of her mental state, couldn’t hide the sudden grin. “Just a small town girl… livin’ in a lonely world…”
Ben glared and looked bemused, but then actually burst out laughing. “You old bastards and your Dinorock,” he cackled. “I might actually give you that one.”
“She took the midnight train…”
Kennedy heard footsteps approaching quickly. Harrison came into view. “The assaults heading down below decks at a fast rate. Shouldn’t take too long now.”
Kennedy knitted her brow. “You really believe that?”
She didn’t see the men coming up behind Harrison. The men with their guns drawn.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Drake ran down another level to find himself facing a long corridor. A SEAL team were sweeping ahead, firing shots in quick bursts as they cleaned out each room. Drake quickly caught them up, Alicia and Mai close behind.
Stately bedrooms stood to left and right, lavish with gold and oak furnishings. A heavy burst of gunfire sounded ahead, and then two of the SEAL team went down. Drake filled the gap, kneeling and getting off two bursts into a throng of mercenaries who had just appeared ahead.
Behind him, Mai hit the floor, firing between legs. Alicia whistled in mock amazement.
Men were littering the floor up ahead and had stopped being replaced by others. The SEAL team leader saw two more of his own men go down and indicated a retreat into some of the state-bedrooms. Drake slipped in behind him, listening to his words as he thumbed his throat mic.
“Need more numbers down here. Think we’ve found Kovalenko. Repeat, think we’ve found Kovalenko.”
At that moment a grating voice rang out. “Stop! Stop firing!”
For a moment there was silence. The SEAL team shared a guarded look. Then, the same gravel-filled voice came again: “I am an honourable man! Lay down your weapons. Come fight me. Man to man.”
A voice like that sent shivers down your spine. The SEAL team leader eyed Drake. “That the Blood King?”
Drake started, having drifted off for a second and wishing he’d said more of a goodbye to Kennedy. A quick hug and a peck and a “Laters,” hardly constituted a loving departure.
He shrugged. “Think so.”
“Throw your weapons down,” the SEAL team leader said. “Lay flat on the ground.”
“You know that will never happen, little American.” The sneer in Kovalenko’s voice was apparent. “I watch you even now. Yes, I watch you.”
Drake cast about. Mai pointed to a little camera mounted above the far window. “Kovalenko likes to keep an eye on his guests.”
“And you,” the voice grew even more menacing, “you are Matt Drake. Mai Kitano. Alicia Myles. I have been informed of your little group,” a breath, “… and it’s attempts to undo me.”
Drake swallowed heavily despite himself. This didn’t sound good.
“You try to thwart me at every turn. You think you beat me? In the end, it will do you no good, little man. I always win.”
Alicia leaned in. “This prick knows too much.”
“I know everything, Miss Myles. And that’s another needle through your heart. My resources are very good and… very close.”
Drake trusted everyone in their group with this, even Alicia, everyone except… there was one outsider.
“Are you thinking? Are you wracking your brains? No mind. I would not recommend that you survive this day. The rest of your life will be nothing but pain.”
“You won’t exactly be swanning around in luxury yourself, Blood King,” Drake said a little awkwardly.
“Then let me say this. In return for your zealous explorations and in return for your eagerness to accept this mission to capture me I have issued a Blood Vendetta.”
There was a pause. A terrible moment of heart-stopping dread.
“… on every member of your little team. And on every single member of their families. A bounty on all of you, I say! Now that comes straight from the Blood King’s mouth. It has been broadcast through all my channels. The Blood Vendetta has begun.”
Drake thought of Kovalenko’s words. My resources are very close. And another comment slotted in alongside that one. Your eagerness to accept this mission.
How many people knew he’d wanted aboard?
He knew who the insider was. And that person was now taking care of both Ben and Kennedy on board the USS Lake Erie.
“NO!”
He leapt into the corridor, gun blazing.
Kennedy Moore saw the mortal fear shining out of Harrison’s eyes and knew her life was in deadly danger. All obsessive thoughts of Kaleb and his victims fled her mind a she half turned and saw sunlight glinting off the half-drawn weapons of three men coming up right behind Harrison.
Her world span. The Blood King could even reach them here?
No matter. She grabbed Harrison by the shoulders and hurled him towards them, screaming with all the breath in her lungs. Then she grabbed a shocked and sputtering Ben and ran for the nearest cover.
Thinking Damn it all, damn it all, why didn’t I say a proper goodbye to Matt? What am I doing, putting all my compartmentalised shit before the love of this man?
There was no time. Harrison had stumbled among her foes, but they were military servicemen. They soon threw him off and gave chase. Her only chance was to let them fire and hope to God they missed. She had no weapon. Her only chance was to draw attention. Her constant screaming was causing soldiers and sailors to take notice and turn from the railings and their jobs.
The great gun turret stood before her. She ran headlong towards it and threw Ben to the floor a split second later.
The first shot rang out.
A bullet slammed between her shoulder blades.
She pitched forward, now seeing good men running towards her, shouting warning at her assailants. She saw Ben scooting around the enormous base of the turret and wished him luck and safety.
Saved, thank God.
She sensed the Blood King’s men standing over her as her blood pooled on the deck.
Three more shots rang out.
She sensed no more.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Drake fired everything he had, sprinting headlong for the wall of the Blood King’s men. Mai and Alicia backed him up without hesitation. Beyond the curve ahead they could hear the Blood King’s manic laughter, a terrible beacon to guide them.
Drake closed in. The mercenaries who were still alive and kicking reached out to grapple him. The ex-SAS man didn’t break stride. The terrible deadliness had taken over now, the man he used to be eclipsing the civilian as he thought about the Blood Vendetta and all it may mean.