The whirring of the cannons sounds loud, but quickly fades as the firing stops. I wait a few moments and then stick my head out to look around.
I raise an eyebrow. “Sweet Jesus…”
The place looks like a warzone. Remember the lobby scene in The Matrix? When Keanu Reeves brings all the guns through the metal detector, and half the world tries to shoot him? And when it’s over, all the walls are destroyed and chunks of plaster and marble are scattered everywhere?
Well, this entire suite kind of looks like that, only a million times worse!
I walk out and hold my gun with both hands, keeping it low, but ready. I scan the whole room, opting to ignore the chopper for a moment. I’m assuming whoever’s in there is on my side.
I hear a shuffling behind me. I spin around and see a guy crawling slowly toward me across the floor. Half his right leg is missing, and the trail of blood behind him is… significant, shall we say. His face is a mess. He’s looking up at me, trying to speak, but there’s no sound. His mouth is just—
BANG!
One side of his skull disappears in an explosion of deep crimson. I spin around, raising my gun. The chopper has turned side-on, and the door is now open. Pierce is standing there, holding on with one hand, and still aiming his pistol in the other. He smiles at me and signals with his weapon for me to head up to the roof.
I nod, tuck the gun in my waistband behind me, and walk quickly toward the doors in the far corner. I pull them open, brushing two piles of rubble aside as I do. I walk through and head up the small metal stairwell to the fire door at the top. I push it open and step outside. Despite the temperature, at this height there’s still a cold wind, made even more prominent by the blades of the chopper that’s slowly landing in front of me.
As the wheels touch down, Pierce steps out and makes his way over to me, ducking slightly as he passes under the blades. I’ve not seen the guy since back in Vietnam.
“Heard you could use some help,” he says, smiling.
I tuck my gun behind me. “Yeah, thanks.”
“C’mon, get in.”
He turns and I follow him over to the chopper. Seeing it hovering outside before didn’t give me a clear sense of how big this thing really is. The design is flawless. It’s a flying fortress, heavily fortified, and could probably win a war single-handedly. I don’t know where they got this kind of machine from, but I’m glad it’s on my side.
I climb aboard, and we’re airborne before I even sit down. The interior is deceptively spacious, with enough room for ten people, easily. I know that, because in addition to me and Pierce, there are eight people sitting down. One of them is Lily—she’s sitting on the far left, nearest the opposite door. I sit with my back to the cockpit, and Pierce moves next to me. He pulls a gun and jams it into my ribs, and then reaches behind me and takes mine. He casually tosses it to another guy sitting across from him. Everyone except myself and Lily are armed.
Pierce leans close. “Sorry, Adrian—orders from on high. See, unlike you, I actually obey the rules I’m given.”
I turn and stare into his eyes. “You gonna kill me so soon after saving my ass?”
He shakes his head. “No. Horizon wants to see you both. I’m just here to make sure you don’t do anything stupid on the way there.”
“Now what makes you think I’d do something stupid…?”
He smiles humorlessly, but doesn’t say anything.
“Oh, and Pierce? Just so we’re clear, when all this is over and the dust has settled, me and you are gonna have words about you pulling a gun on me. Understand?”
He remains impassive, smiling the same smile and staying silent.
I turn and look at Lily. Her large brown eyes are full of regret and apology. I nod at her. “You okay?”
She nods back. “For now, yes.”
I sit back in my seat and stare at the riveted chrome floor.
I think this is one of those times where shit’s going to get a lot worse before it gets better.
15
13:27 AST
We’ve been flying for about an hour. No one’s said much since we left Abu Dhabi. Lily’s barely looked at me. I don’t want to say she seems afraid, because I don’t think she even understands the concept of fear, but there’s definitely some concern there. And judging by our current predicament, I’d say any concern was completely justified.
I look around the cabin. I recognize the rest of Pierce’s team from Vietnam, and they’ve brought along three more guys for good measure. This is a big unit to send after two people. Even if we are elite assassins, you could argue this is overkill, considering how well trained these guys are. It says a lot about how much they respect both of our abilities. I guess I should be flattered, but I’m not. I’m trying to figure out what’s coming next, and I’ve no idea.
We bank left and I feel the chopper begin its descent. I lean forward slightly and gaze out the window. I see the outline of the Burj Al Arab Hotel below us, getting closer with every second that ticks by.
You have to hand it to them, The Order sure knows how to treat its employees.
I feel Pierce’s hand on my shoulder as he forces me back in my seat. “You’ve done so well—don’t go getting any ideas about misbehaving now, asshole.”
I glance at him before staring at the floor again. I try to make it look as if I’m completely dismissing him as a threat. I’m not—far from it—but there’s no harm in having him think I’m underestimating the trouble I’m in. But right now, I’m more concerned about what’s waiting for us both down there.
The Burj Al Arab is quite easily the most opulent and luxurious hotel in the world, and sits about six miles east of the man-made Palm Island in Dubai. It’s shaped like a huge, three-dimensional sail, and as we fly low and circle around to approach the helipad that juts out from the peak, I’m given a pretty good view of the place.
Clear blue seas surround it, and the glare of the scorching sun is blinding as it reflects off the copious amount of windows. I can make out a small group of people standing on the helipad, all dressed in black.
Another welcoming committee. Great.
I stretch my leg out and tap Lily’s foot with mine. She looks over at me and I smile, trying to look calm and reassuring. “You alright?”
She nods vacantly, but doesn’t say anything.
“It’ll be okay, Lily, don’t worry.”
One of the guys sitting across from me chuckles. “You keep telling yourself that, hero.”
I look at him for a moment. He’s not one of the guys Pierce had with him in Vietnam. He looks young, but the network of scars on his face say otherwise. He’s smirking at me, comfortable in his own arrogance.
Prick.
I lean forward and rest my elbows on my knees. “Hey, buddy, just so you know, the only reason I haven’t killed you and all your friends here already is simply because I’ve chosen not to. That’s it. You need to appreciate that doing something like that is well within my skillset. You also need to understand I’m not somebody you want to piss off. Next time you think about opening your mouth, compare the importance of what you’re about to say with the sensation of falling head-first out of a chopper, and decide if it’s worth it.”
Pierce nudges me in the ribs with his gun. “Sit back and shut up. There’s no need to turn this into a pissing contest. We were asked to bring you in, so we are doing. Maybe the only reason you’re so uptight is your own guilty conscience…?”
I glance over my shoulder at him for a moment, and then sit up straight against the back of the seat. I turn to look at him. “I’m not uptight, and I’m certainly not guilty. What I am is slightly aggravated and running low on patience. I don’t appreciate being summoned back and forth like this. Feel free to tell your boss that.”
Pierce shrugs. “Tell him yourself—I could care less. I know who you are, Adrian. I’ve read your file. Shit, I was one of the people who insisted we made our move to recruit you when we did. But don’t for one sec
ond think you intimidate me. You’ve been a big fish in a small pond for a long time. You’re good, but you’re out of your depth here. The Order will make you disappear in a heartbeat if they want to. And I’m the guy they’ll send to do it. So I’ll say again—shut your goddamn mouth and relax.”
I hold his gaze for a few seconds before looking away.
I don’t like him, but I’ll let him have his moment.
The chopper touches down on the helipad, and one of the men to my right slides the door back and steps out, ushering everyone else out after him in a loose formation. Pierce gestures to Lily, who reluctantly stands, walks past me without looking, and climbs down onto the clean blacktop of the helipad. I follow her out, stretching and looking up to the sky, closing my eyes and feeling the cold wind brush across my face, countered by the intense heat.
There are six guys waiting for us, all wearing identical black suits. They move efficiently and surround us in a wide circle. Pierce and two of his men step inside it and form a triangle around Lily and me, completely trapping us. He takes point, with his two men behind us. Everyone starts walking, leaving us little choice but to do the same. We’re moving toward a large brick square near the far edge of the helipad, with a set of double doors in the middle.
I feel Lily slide her hand into mine and squeeze gently. I look across at her. She’s walking tall, like she’s regained some of her confidence.
“I’m sorry I dragged you into this,” she says, without looking at me.
I smile for a moment, appreciating the sentiment. “You didn’t drag me into shit. I walked beside you, willingly, just as I am now. We’ll be fine.”
She doesn’t respond, which makes me think she doesn’t agree.
Two men break away from the circle and stride quickly over to the doors, pushing them open and holding them for the rest of us. We walk through and down a short flight of stairs to a small lobby. In keeping with the rest of the hotel, the area is decorated with eye-popping extravagance. The burnt-orange carpet underfoot is thick and clean. The walls have mahogany paneling on them, with thin-framed gold light fixtures spaced evenly along both sides. At either end is a set of double doors, but I can’t tell where they lead. Seems a bit much for them just to be stairwells.
Ahead of us is an elevator. Pierce steps through the outer circle of men and presses the button to call it.
I glance around at the lavish decoration. “Hey, Pierce, tell me something—The Order’s meant to be this big, secretive organization that’s been around forever, right? Yet they’re not particularly big on discretion, are they? I mean, look at this place…”
Pierce half-smiles. “There are degrees of wealth and power, Adrian. Someone like you, you probably chose to hide in plain sight, spending a fraction of your fortune so as not to draw attention to yourself, right?”
I shrug, but say nothing.
“Then you have the people who frivolously spend their millions, living a life many people only dream of, and relishing the attention that kind of lifestyle brings them. Finally, you have the people who are so rich… so powerful… they go beyond the materialistic pleasures of money, living in a way that isn’t dissimilar from people like you. The Order operates in a world beyond normal men and women, where their level of wealth and power actually affords them unparalleled freedom and anonymity. We can go anywhere—we can do anything.” He squares up to me, moving so he’s only a few feet away. He looks me in the eye. “I hope bringing you into this world wasn’t a mistake, Adrian.”
I take a deep breath. I’m doing my best not to rise to him. I’m doing my best not to feel threatened here. I’ve done nothing wrong, I simply did what I had to in order to survive. Anything they criticize me for is nothing more than a learning experience. For the sake of every man here, I’m trying very hard not to feel as if I’m in danger.
I shake my head. “I’m not here to rock the boat, Pierce. I’m here to live out the rest of my life doing something I’m good at. That’s all.”
Behind him, the elevator arrives with a ding, and the doors slide open. He nods at me and smiles. “Good.” He gestures behind him with his thumb. “Now, get in.”
The carriage is surprisingly spacious, and we all fit inside comfortably. I can’t see what button is pushed, but the doors close, and mechanisms rumble into life, and we begin our descent. I glance sideways out the corner of my eye at Lily. She’s tapping her foot and cracking her knuckles.
She’s worried about something.
The elevator slows and stops with another ding. The doors slide open and everyone files out, sticking to the same relaxed formation. We’re in another lobby. It’s a modest square, smaller than the last one, but still decorated with the same luxury. A single hallway stretches away before us, lit subtly by strip lights overhead.
The group starts walking. We pass a couple of doors on either side. It reminds me of the Jumeirah hotel back in Abu Dhabi. Less doors means bigger rooms. I can only imagine what lies behind some of these…
We’re maybe halfway along. Pierce steps to the side and turns to face us. His two men take a few more paces past him and stop. The men behind hang back. They’re giving us space, but making it perfectly clear there’s nowhere to go except where they want us to.
Pierce knocks twice on the door. “Go on, he’s expecting you.”
I glance back at Lily, who nods. I reach for the handle, but Pierce puts his hand up. “Just remember, hero… this is the only way in or out, and we’ll be waiting here for you. Don’t do anything stupid.”
I roll my eyes and open the door, pushing it as I step inside. I hear Lily follow behind—
Holy crap…
The suite is incredible! And I mean, really incredible! The first thing I notice, away to my left, is a large statue of Ganesha, the Hindu Elephant God. It’s maybe nine feet high and made of marble. It’s colorful, adorned with jewels that must cost a small fortune. Lights in the floor illuminate the base from below.
I let out a low whistle as I gaze around in genuine awe. The wall opposite is all windows and offers a stunning view of the ocean. The room itself is like a lounge area, split into sections by groups of seating and low tables. In the far corner is a spiral staircase. Straight ahead is a large double door, standing slightly open and leading into what looks like a bedroom. To the right is—
“Oh, c’mon… I don’t need to see that!”
There’s a huge oval hot tub against the right wall, with thin pillars leading up to the ceiling. Sitting in the middle of it, with his arms stretching out to the sides, resting on the edge, is Horizon. He has a woman either side of him, pouring water over his exposed chest from a decorative bowl, and then rubbing him down with a cloth. Each woman looks—
Yup… they’ve just stood up.
They’re completely naked.
I look away. Not because I feel awkward. Not because I’m trying to be polite. And certainly not because they’re not amazing to look at. But because I don’t want to associate two wet, naked women with a wet, naked Horizon. That kind of mental image stays with you forever.
I hold my hand up as I would if I was shielding myself from the sun. “Jesus Christ, Chief… Can you at least get dressed for your meetings?”
Lily strides past me into the room, and I hear the door close behind me. I watch her look around. She doesn’t seem as impressed as I am. She glances briefly over at Horizon, but simply rolls her eyes and turns her back on him, casually pacing toward the statue of Ganesha.
I get no response from Horizon. I look back over at him to see—
“Oh, seriously! For fuck’s sake!”
He’s standing up in the hot tub. The two women are patting him down with a towel. I’ve just seen things that are the stuff of nightmares. I might never be the same again…
I turn my back and walk over to Lily.
I lean toward her slightly. “I didn’t realize the guy was a naturist.”
She leans into me and smiles. “He’s not. He just doesn’t give a sh
it.”
I nod. “Ah, I see… Neither do I, but you don’t see me—”
I stop because Lily’s looking at me with an eyebrow raised.
I frown. “What?”
“What were you wearing when we first met?”
Oh yeah.
I shrug. “That was different. I wasn’t parading myself around or anything, I’d just stepped out of the shower.”
She smiles. “Uh-huh…”
“What? It was totally different! Besides… I’m better looking.”
She makes a point of looking me up and down. She shrugs. “Huh… I guess.”
She turns around and walks slowly back over to Horizon, who’s now wearing a white robe and standing in the middle of the room with his arms around the two women. They’re still naked and dripping water on the carpet. They’re both cozying into him with a hand on his chest and one leg slightly bent, resting against him—possibly in an effort to hide some of their modesty.
Which isn’t working, I might add.
“Thank you for coming, both of you,” he says.
I walk over to join Lily. “Not like you gave us much choice.” I gesture to the room with my hand. “Nice place though.”
He nods. “This is the closest thing I have to an office. And you two are the first assets ever to come here.” He looks at each woman in turn, then moves his hands down and grabs their asses. “Go wait for me in the bedroom, okay?”
They both nod and giggle and trot away toward the double doors holding hands.
I look at him and raise my eyebrow. “When I get as old as you and need a care home, remind me to ask for the sponge bath service you just had.”
He smiles for a moment. “Just a little perk I occasionally allow myself. Now, Adrian, if you would take a seat, I’d like to discuss a few things with my dear Lily.”
I look over at her. “You gonna be okay?”
She nods. “It’s fine.”
I walk over to one of the sofas in the middle of the room. It’s a large U-shape, and could easily seat thirty people. It’s a deep purple, with red and gold cushions arranged across it. I sit down heavily and watch.
Good Intentions - Adrian Hell #6 (Adrian Hell Series) Page 14