Today’s excerpt is from Assassin
I Am, a standalone book featuring new characters Fred Dupree and
Rosemary Williams, as well as Hector Garcia, Jim Scott, and some other old
friends. After winning a bet with Fred,
he agrees to Rosemary joining him on his mission. Enjoy and have a great day.
m.j.
“I served in the
Corps myself for six years. But I never
got a chance to see any action—the Marine Corps made a computer geek outta
me. Knowing I’d never get a chance to
get any revenge on Muslims for killing my dad and brother, I went for the big
bucks when the government recruited me for my computer skills. I’m actually employed by the Justice
Department as sort of a roving computer anti-hacking fixer-upper.”
“Okay, that
explains a lot. You did, however, win
our bet fair and square—though I still don’t understand how a little bit of a
mite like you could best me. You can go
with me, but on the condition I laid down earlier. You follow orders…to the letter. I do have another question, though. Have you ever killed anyone?”
“No—but will be
happy to kill any Muslims you track down.
Was up to me, we’d line up all billion and a half of ‘em and gun down
the lot. I promise not to puke, the
first one I kill.”
“Okay, you
go. But for now, go workout or
something, while I call my boss and get chewed out.”
“Workout where?”
Fred jerked his
thumb upward, stood, and walked to near the corner, where the windows covering
the entire expanse of the living room met the wall behind where they had been
sitting. There was a door there, which
he opened. Behind it was a
staircase. “There’s a room on the
roof. It’s set back about ten feet from
the front of the building. Have fun.”
Rosemary turned
around and sped into their bedroom.
There she changed clothes and came out wearing sweats and tennis
shoes. Fred looked at her. “I thought the black outfit was the last
one.”
“Oh, these don’t
count. They’re just for working out, or
walking. Make your phone call. But I gotta warn you—working out makes me
horny.”
“Good—if you’re
horny on our little trip, it’ll keep you on edge and we might both stay
alive. If you’re wanting any more action
from me, forget it. I’m too old to go
again, so soon after last night and this morning…actually twice this
morning. How you accomplished what you
did before we got up, I don’t know—except to say you’re damned good.”
Rosemary pouted,
but went to the staircase leading up through the roof. Fred watched her leave before he dialed
Harvey’s number. Harvey answered,
“Well?”
“Well, I notice
there wasn’t anything about a phone dump on the cop.”
“Nothing of
interest. I’m betting on a burner phone
for the type of call he’d have made to take you out on the plane. How do you think you’ll proceed?”
“I’m going to
St. Louis and nab him tonight, since he isn’t working. You got a plane I can use, since mine got
blown up? And what about pilots—I mean
ones as vetted as my guys?”
“Your plane
should be landing at Luke in the next hour or so. Sorta figured you’d be heading that way yet
today. The pilots are not vetted…at least to the extent your
last crew was. They do work for Homeland
and should have better sense than to get nosey, but keep conversation with them
to a minimum. There’s a few other small
airports in the area where you can land.
Let me know and I’ll have a car waiting for you.”
“God, I hate
being so predictable. I’ll be about two
and a half hours getting to Luke.”
“Should leave
you enough time to get to St. Louis before it gets too late—especially if you
have to do any follow-up work. What
about Miss Williams.”
“She’s going
with me.”
“Bullshit—no
way. Are you out of your mind?”
“You found me a
backup yet?”
“Oh—you’re
crazy, Frederick!”
“Harvey, her
father and brother were Marines…both killed in action. She was in the Corps for six years. Is a computer genius that Justice
more-or-less insisted she leave the Marine Corps to work for them, fixing
computer problems…hacking problems. Oh,
and did I mention she and I had a little bet.
If she could outshoot me, she could go along; if not she stays
here. She outshot me…by more than a
little. She’ll be fine.”
“Horseshit! No, you ignorant jackass.”
“Harvey, just
have my plane waiting for me at Luke, and a car in St. Louis. I’ll let the pilots figure out where they
want to land, and one of them can call you with the location. Goodbye.”
Before Fred put
his phone down, he turned it off.
Harvey was fuming—mostly at Fred, but partially at himself
for not having found someone to work with Fred.
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