I found him on the third floor, watching TV while he smoked his cigar and enjoyed his booze. The entire room was full of smoke because he inhaled the cigars on an hourly basis. The white color permeated the room, and it was difficult to breathe. I enjoyed a cigar once in a while, but that habit died when Vanessa made it forbidden.
I watched him for a moment, finding it ironic that his drapes were closed to secure his privacy. If they had been open, his guards would have been able to see what was happening. I had to get in and out of there as quickly as possible, so I approached him from behind with my blade drawn. Before he even realized what was happening, the knife was against his throat, and I slit it with one quick move.
He fell to the couch, dead in seconds.
I wiped the blade on the couch before I sheathed it in my belt. It was a quick kill, and now my only job was to get home. I moved back down the hallway toward the stairs, and that’s when I came face-to-face with someone who shouldn’t have been there.
His son.
Twenty-five and next in line for the throne, he stared at me with his ferocious brown eyes. He was unarmed, but he had something worse. A large horn that could be heard throughout the entire palace.
I pulled out my pistol and shot him.
But not before he hit the button and made a loud noise that shook the walls.
My bullet pierced him in the chest, and he was down.
But the damage of the horn was irreparable. Men were shouting and footsteps were pounding.
I had to get out of there—now.
I made it out of the palace and back into the mountains. There were too many men chasing me, so I drove the Jeep over a cliff and moved on foot, getting deeper into the mountains and into a location they wouldn’t be able to find unless they were on foot too.
The trail was dangerous, and I hugged the rocky outcropping until I was completely on the other side of the mountain. In the pitch darkness, it was dangerous. It was far more dangerous than murdering a powerful man.
When I made it to the other side, I called Max.
“What happened?” he asked immediately.
“His son saw me and sounded the alarm. They chased me for a while. But I ditched the Jeep into a gorge and climbed the mountain until I found a place where they can’t follow me. I mean, they can, but it’s unlikely.”
“Shit. I’ll send in a chopper.”
“Wait until morning. They’ll be looking for me all night, and if they see a chopper, it’ll be easy to figure out where I am.”
“It’ll be even easier during the daylight.”
“They’ll probably give up by then.”
Max listened to what I said and debated to himself for a moment. “It’s too risky, Bones. I’ve got to get you out of there.”
“It’s too risky for the pilot. You need to wait until tomorrow night.”
“That will put you back in the schedule by an entire day.”
“It’s the safest move—for everyone.” I would have to stay on the mountain for an entire twenty-four-hour period, but I could tough it out. I had water and food. It’d be cold, but I’d been in worse situations.
“The target is dead?”
“Yes.”
“What about the son?”
“Got him too.”
“Alright. We’ll do it your way. I have your coordinates on GPS. I’ll use the satellite feed to keep track of the people around you. If anyone comes close, I’ll know about it.” His fingertips typed against the keyboard in the background.
“Thanks, man.”
“Sleep if you need it. I’ll be awake.”
“Alright.” I wasn’t sure if I could sleep right now, not when all this adrenaline was pumping in my veins. “You need to tell Vanessa. But emphasize that I’m alright. I’m still coming back. It’ll just be a little longer than we planned.”
“Do you want me to tell her what happened?”
I didn’t want to lie to her. Lying wasn’t in my nature. And I didn’t want to mislead the woman I loved. But knowing her, it would kill her inside. She would panic and break down. “No. Don’t tell her. Just tell her that my target moved so we had to make a new plan before we went in.”
“You’re sure?” he asked, knowing I never lied to anyone.
“She’ll lose her mind, man.”
“Yeah, I know. It’s probably the best idea.”
“Then do it.”
“Alright. Will do.”
Seven
Conway
It was impossible to sleep when Sapphire was tossing and turning all night. Left to right then right to left, she moved back and forth, unable to get comfortable because her stomach was so large. The baby had been kicking a lot lately, keeping her up all night and in pain during the day. There was nothing I could do to help except stay quiet and not complain about my lack of sleep.