Crouch mouth was open in shock, his jaw dropping. Caitlyn had a fist in the air, cheering. The figure was Cam, and he was destroying both Elyse and Marco with ease.
As Marco fell back under the onslaught, Cam flung Elyse aside and leapt feet first on Marco. His boots struck chest and face, slamming in hard. Next, he came down with his knee then double elbows. Marco covered up but couldn’t stop the fury of the attack. Cam’s punches were devastating, honed through years of practice, and Marco felt the full force of a wrecked gypsy’s fury.
Elyse tried to stand. Crouch found his feet and approached her. Caitlyn headed for the wheel. Cam leapt from Marco’s frame to Elyse’s, smashing her across the cheekbone and laying her out stone cold unconscious with one blow.
He then spun and slammed Marco once more as the Englishman tried to sit up. Marco went down hard, out faster than a candle in a storm.
Crouch picked up Caitlyn’s gun. Caitlyn collected Marco’s. They were both aware of the ocean darkness pressing them all around. The boat had been running blind for entire minutes.
“Thank... you...” Crouch said to Cam. “You don’t know how much good you’ve done.”
“I did nothing,” Cam muttered.
“You helped save comparative strangers. People you don’t know at all.”
“My family is dead. Murdered on that beach back there. Alicia is my family now. She saved my life.”
Crouch clammed up, unsure what to make of that. Even more unsure of how Alicia would react to it.
“Guys,” Caitlyn said worriedly. “I think we have a problem.”
Crouch hurried over to her, Cam at his side.
“What do you see?”
She tapped the radar. “I guess this is Chase.” She indicated a green blob over to the right. “And this is Akhon.” Another green blob to the left. “The trouble is, Akhon is right next to us.”
Crouch looked up from the radar dial, out the front window and to the port side. At first, he saw nothing, then realized Akhon was running with no lights. Under the stark stars, a great, sharp bow appeared, a nightmare shadow manned by demons, nosing toward their boat.
Crouch’s phone rang.
CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR
Alicia hit the bottom of her Zodiac, and was fired on from front and back. Bullets thudded into the craft and passed overhead. She rolled over so that she was on her back, gun held horizontally to her body. When the gunfire stopped and the yells started, she sat up.
Russo hit the other Zodiac. Not with bullets; he struck it in the rear quarter. Men were thrown in all directions, hands out, faces frozen in expressions of shock, as they came thumping down into the ocean. The Zodiac spun. Russo righted his own and fired immediately, killing all those that remained aboard.
Alicia turned to the skiff in front of her. She’d already killed half their number, but now someone was standing in the prow holding a rocket launcher.
Fuck!
Alicia swerved her boat so sharply she almost went overboard. She just managed to grab a rope with her right arm. She did lose her rifle, but that didn’t feel so bad when the RPG exploded into the place where she’d been. A great plume of water surged into the air. Alicia used it to hide her next move—a full on charge at the side of the skiff.
She emerged from the cascading water like a vengeful sea banshee, face grim, knuckles white on the rudder control, body set for just about anything. The men in the skiff noticed her at the last moment but there was nothing they could do to stop her.
The Zodiac slammed into the skiff side-on and lifted, skimming right over the top. Its prow smashed one man in the shoulders, practically obliterating the top half of his body. Alicia had dived free, seconds before the Zodiac hit, using the craft’s forward momentum to leap through the air, into the skiff, and land on top of a man. She hit hard, sending him sprawling. His head hit a wooden bench and he knew no more. Alicia rolled off him, came up against the other side of the boat, and spun.
Two men were on their knees, watching her Zodiac plunge back into the water on the other side of their boat.
Alicia scrambled across the bottom of the boat, grabbed one man around the neck, and squeezed. He struggled and clawed at her arm but was never going to break her hold. When his colleague turned, surprise in his eyes, he opened fire. Alicia thrust her captive right into the bullets, moved her arm and plucked a handgun from his belt.
She fired. Four shots center mass. Now both her enemies were dead. The skiff was hers.
Russo came up to the starboard side. “You good?”
“Let’s move.”
Quickly, they started back in the direction of Crouch’s boat, swinging wide so they could check out the scenario as they approached. The light wasn’t particularly good now, with black clouds scudding across the stars and moon, forcing them to take it steady.
Alicia saw their vessel first and let out a yell. Then she saw Akhon’s boat approaching, coming up to Crouch’s port side. Not for the first time, Alicia wished she had a means of communication. Usually, her teams carried comms but not today.
Russo was waving frantically at her. Alicia could barely make him out but, in irregular patches of light, she saw him standing tall, arms flapping.
Alicia made a fast decision. Russo couldn’t see what she could see, but he wouldn’t be gesturing so agitatedly for nothing. She goosed the skiff over to him, coming up alongside.
“What is it? Akhon’s approaching Crouch.”
“How long before they’re together?”
“Minutes. Why?”
Russo pointed out a dark shadow off to the right. “Another party crasher. That has to be Chase, right, waiting for Marco and the treasure?”
“I’d say so. Marco contacted him with coordinates somehow. They’re planning to take the treasure and leave us with our pants down.”
Russo looked anxious. “Do you think we have time to neutralize Chase?”
“We do,” Alicia said. “ ’Cause we’re that good.”
Minutes later, they were drifting up behind Chase’s vessel. The boat was running blind, drifting, waiting. Alicia assumed it was awaiting Marco’s approach, which made her worry from Crouch, Caitlyn and Cam. Still, those three should be able to handle it. But a knot of worry twisted near her heart.
Using oars rather than engines, they moved to within a few feet of Chase’s stern. Alicia picked up a handful of weapons, including the RPG and three shells, and balanced on her own prow for several seconds before making the leap onto Chase’s boat. Russo did the same.
“Got our own arsenal now,” Alicia said.
Russo carried four AKs and two Glocks, all with spare mags. “A soldier can’t have too many weapons.”
“Wow, that’s so my thinking. We’re so connected, Russo. Why didn’t we ever shag?”
“Because I don’t like you.”
“But why would that stop us?”
Russo ignored the question and stayed low. Alicia stared through a pair of glass doors, inside the boat. The light beyond the pane was faint, but she could see Chase’s figure, gazing out to sea, standing near the wheel.
“Don’t forget he’s ex-military,” Russo whispered.
Alicia nodded. Russo chose his own HK and a Glock from the pile of weapons and crept around the boat’s port side. Alicia chose her semi-auto and Glock. They were creatures of habit, it seemed. Using the profound dark that fell every time the stars and moon were blocked out, she crept down the starboard side.
Soon, she came to a door. She waited for Russo, eyes locked on the unmoving Chase. They were a team. Five seconds later, she heard a noise—Russo banging on the far wall. Chase turned that way and started to move. Alicia kicked open the door in front of her.
“Move and I’ll shoot your traitorous ass.”
Chase froze.
“Turn around,” Alicia said.
He turned slowly. Russo came in the far door, Glock trained on Chase’s skull. Chase was fuming, face twisted like a dog’s that wanted to pounce and te
ar something apart. Alicia covered him whilst Russo tied his hands behind his back and then shoved him into a seat.
“We have them all,” Alicia said. “The four that stole the treasure. And we have the treasure too. Akhon has to set Duggan free.”
Russo studied her. “You believe that’s what will happen?”
“What can we do?”
“I’m no leader.” Russo watched her. “But I hear you are.”
Alicia’s eyes glinted. “Listen up.”
CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE
Crouch took a breath, picked up his handgun, and walked out of the boat’s cabin and onto the open deck. The confrontation he was about to have was the culmination of all his efforts to save Duggan. The boat rose gently amid the swells, the deck undulating beneath his feet. Crouch grabbed hold of the rail and made his way to the boat’s prow.
In the cabin, Caitlyn had control of the engine and the wheel. Cam watched over Marco, Elyse and Ralston, making sure they didn’t move an inch, let alone try to untie themselves.
Crouch waited, head up, staring over at Akhon’s dark, higher boat. It appeared to be a motor launch, though Crouch’s knowledge of sailing craft was as thin as the veneer that covered them. His features were intermittently illuminated by the sweeping clouds. His heart raced. He was tempted, so very tempted, to just do the deal that Akhon wanted.
The four thieves and the gold for Duggan. You couldn’t weigh a good man’s life against criminals and treasure. Crouch had to fight off the base urge to make the exchange an easy one.
“Do you have everything I asked for?” Akhon asked.
The voice seemed disembodied at first, but then Crouch saw a shadow standing in the other boat’s prow, mimicking him.
“Akhon?”
The figure nodded. The two men studied each other, separated by several feet of water, each taking the measure of the other. Crouch saw the oddest image—a large, wide figure wearing a Stetson and all black. Crouch was forced to look up at him due to the size of the boats.
“Where is Duggan?”
“He is here,” Akhon acknowledged. “What do you have for me?”
“Thieves and gold.” Crouch shrugged. “As you asked.”
“Now that’s good. Wasn’t as hard as you thought, eh? Bring me some proof.”
“Let me see Duggan. The gold’s gonna take some lifting. It’s downstairs.”
In the light cast by the sudden appearance of the moon Akhon narrowed his eyes, perhaps thinking Crouch was joking.
“I’m no good with this boat jargon,” Crouch said.
“Show me the pigs that stole from me. Show me the pigs that I’m gonna hurt, day after day, for the rest of this year.”
Crouch turned and beckoned Cam. The young man dragged Marco to his feet and pushed him outside. Akhon studied him through dark and light.
“He’s their leader.” Akhon nodded. “But where are your soldiers? Alicia Myles and Rob Russo?”
Crouch knew Akhon would have heard the distant gunfire. “Sorting out some trouble back on the beach. There’s a big illegal set-up there as I told you.”
“I saw that briefly. They spotted you?”
“Only at the end. We have all the treasure.”
Akhon rubbed his hands together. “Then I guess we’re dealing.” He nodded over his shoulder. “Bring the prisoner forward.”
Crouch kept his face emotionless but flinched inside, dreading to see what these animals had done to Duggan. There was a small commotion on the other boat, a shuffle of feet, and then a figure was dragged forward between two men. Duggan couldn’t walk, couldn’t hold his head up. Crouch saw a blood-encrusted head and hair, and what looked like at least one broken leg. He saw fingers misaligned.
“You fucking rodent,” Crouch hissed. “That man could never hurt you in any way.”
“Which is why this happened.” Akhon nudged Duggan. “I despise weakness.”
Crouch fought everything inside him, everything that rose up and wanted revenge. It was a fiery and bitter pill to swallow. But Duggan was far from safe yet.
One man had a knife to his back. Another held a handgun against his head. Akhon laughed. “We’ll start with the thieves,” he said.
Crouch breathed, feeling tense. Where the hell were Alicia and Russo? He couldn’t keep this charade going much longer.
Maybe you can...
“It’s gonna take some effort to get all four of them across to you. What did you have in mind?”
He figured he’d buy another ten minutes with this, or until Akhon figured out that Chase was missing. It was a shock then when Akhon waved a dismissive hand.
“I can’t be bothered with all that now. Stand that asshole up at the front of the prow. I’ll blow his head off from here.”
Crouch’s face fell. He’d thought Akhon wanted possession of Marco and his crew, not to kill them standing at the bloody prow of the boat. He bit his lip, momentarily at a loss. What could he do?
“They don’t have the treasure.” Marco growled as he studied Crouch’s face. “Did they show you any treasure yet?”
Akhon stiffened. Crouch took the moment to hold up his hands, silently thanking Marco. Of course, Marco was still looking out for himself, but what he said had bought them some time.
“Bear with me for two minutes,” Crouch said. “I’ll show you.”
Akhon gestured at Caitlyn, standing in shadow in the cabin. “Make her go get it. I want to see her close up anyway.”
Crouch shuddered for Caitlyn on hearing that tone. It didn’t bode well. With a gesture he ordered her to fetch a small piece of the treasure up to the deck. Then, he turned back to Akhon, feigning compliance, all the time looking out for Alicia and Russo.
“Nice boat.” Crouch nodded at the motor launch.
“Stole it. Killed the crew.”
Crouch bit his tongue. Akhon was one of those vile creatures that should never have lived, the type of evil normal people hear of and wonder how the natural order of things would let such a piece of shit survive whilst good men, women and children around the world succumbed to terrible diseases and died in freak accidents. Crouch agreed with them. He’d dealt with more than his fair share of human monsters. When he left the SAS, he’d thought those days were behind him.
But you are never done. When you touch that dark world, after you walk in it, there is no shedding the filth it taints you with.
Caitlyn reappeared in the cabin and headed for the deck. Crouch stayed where he was, standing between Akhon and Marco. Caitlyn walked to the prow and held up something clutched in both of her hands.
Akhon leaned forward, staring. “Is that jade?”
“Pure,” Caitlyn said. “So heavy I can hardly hold it. There are more like this down there, plus gold and Ming vases. You could say it’s priceless, but I guess you know men that would put a price on it.”
Crouch, watching Cailyn, saw Cam leave Elyse’s side and step out onto the deck, positioning himself almost opposite Akhon as the boats drifted closer. Akhon studied the jade and then Caitlyn.
Minutes passed.
“I shouldn’t be surprised the thief lied to save his own life,” Akhon grated. “Gained yourself a few minutes there but it won’t make any difference.”
Crouch stepped back as Akhon waved the gun at him.
Marco glared back into Crouch’s eyes. “This your plan all along?”
“Pretty much.” Crouch smiled.
“You absolute fu—”
Akhon took aim, exaggerating the process, laughing and sticking his tongue out. But before he could pull the trigger, before anyone could react, Russo appeared out of the darkness alongside Akhon’s boat, a loaded rocket launcher balanced across his right shoulder.
“Hands up!” Russo cried.
Akhon and his entire crew glanced to their right. Russo didn’t wait. He let the rocket fly the moment his words were finished. The grenade flew true, straight into the side of Akhon’s boat, and exploded.
Cam raced forward,
pistol in hand, firing at the enemy boat.
Crouch leapt onto the rail that circled the prow. “Duggan!” he cried. “Get down!”
CHAPTER THIRTY SIX
In the dark, using Akhon and Crouch’s confrontation as a distraction, Alicia had swum over to Akhon’s boat and boarded it via a ladder at the stern. Then, she’d embraced the shadows, waiting for Russo to get into position. Carefully, she put two men in her sights and thought about what she was going to do.
It would be tight.
Russo fired the RPG. The grenade exploded and the boat rocked. Timber, glass and plastic detonated everywhere as the blast exploded walls, windows and parts of the deck. Alicia was protected by a wall but parts of it still blew out in front of her, sending her down to her knees and making her clench her fists. But she didn’t remain motionless for long. She shot two men in the head as she rose. She saw Akhon and other Assyrians further forward, picking themselves up off the deck and ran at them.
She smashed among them like a hurricane, kicking, shooting and using her gun as a club. Eight men surrounded her in varying positions, from lying prone to staggering upright. She sent two headfirst into a bulwark, one overboard, and another through the gap Russo’s grenade had opened up. Akhon looked up at her. Duggan was beside him, flat on his face. Alicia leapt forward.
A man pushed into her from the right. A second grabbed at her shoulder but caught her hair, pulling it back. Alicia felt her head jerked to the left. She dropped and spun, allowing herself to be pulled, bringing her gun up and shooting point blank into her opponent’s chest.
“Only a few men in this world are allowed to pull my hair,” she breathed. “And you aren’t one of them.”
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