Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 36646 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 147(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36646 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 147(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
“You stayin’ with her, Pops?”
Mike nodded. “Yeah. Thought I might.”
“She’s the real deal. Skilled surgeon and one of the deadliest people I’ve ever met. Don’t fuck with her.”
The grin Mike gave Taz set my teeth on edge. Like this was all a big joke to him. “Fuckin’ with her’s half the fun. I like living dangerously.”
“Just have her back.”
Instantly, Mike sobered. “Always.”
“Will you take my son? Keep him safe?”
“Taz --” I started to tell him to fuck off, but the bastard interrupted me.
“Just until I come back. Once I figure out exactly what this group wants from me, I’ll be better able to protect him. I don’t want to take my only son into a situation I can’t control or predict.”
I wanted to punch the bastard in the taint. But I got it. What he was asking wasn’t unreasonable. “Fine. We’ll take care of him. But you can’t abandon that kid. You have to swear on your life you’ll come back for him.”
“Give me three years, Jo. Hopefully it won’t take that long, but I have a feeling it will.”
“Who are those people?” It wasn’t like I’d know them, but if I could find out, maybe I could help Taz.
“Not here.” He jerked his head to his office. “Gracie, why don’t you let Liam show you around. Son, take her to the room I had the boys get ready. Either one.”
“Yes, sir.” The kid took Gracie’s hand. “Come on, Gracie. This place is really cool.”
I looked at Mike and he nodded, indicating he thought it was safe. I agreed but wanted his input. Why I wanted his input was a pain in my ass. I trusted Mike -- Pops -- with my life. Maybe it was the airport confrontation, but I didn’t think so. He was the first man to ever treat me like he knew my worth. Sure, he tried to protect me when I was perfectly capable of taking care of myself, but I kind of found that endearing.
We both followed Taz to his office where he shut and locked the door. When he turned to us, I could see the strain on his face I’d missed earlier.
“They call themselves the Brotherhood. When they told me what they wanted in exchange for getting me to Jazeera and Liam, I promised them anything they wanted if they’d help me. Now I’m rethinking that promise.”
“The Brotherhood.” I thought back. The name tickled something in my brain, but it was elusive, gone before I could nail it down.
“They go back a long fucking way. Longer than the U.S. has been a country. I don’t know everything -- that won’t come until I’m fully committed. They’re vigilantes, but more on a global scale.”
And then it hit me where I’d heard of them. “That Vietcong general said something about them. The one I killed.”
“The Brotherhood is the reason we won’t win that conflict. They’ve got people deep in both governments pulling the strings and guiding everyone else where they want them to go. They want control over that region. Therefore, the U.S. can’t push the communists out and take over, even with a puppet president. The communists like to keep secrets. The U.S. has a very savvy and efficient press corps that hates secrets as much as the communists like to keep them.”
“So they need Vietnam united, but under communist control.” Mike stroked the scruffy whiskers at his chin as he voiced his thoughts.
“Yes. While money paves the way for every government, the Brotherhood feels Vietnam being under the control of a non-democratic country would better serve their interests. Also, the money trail is less likely to be followed.”
“That’s why the CIA wants me in Nam, isn’t it?” My gut was tightening. While I had the feeling something might come back to bite me in the ass, I wasn’t expecting this. I mean, one didn’t fuck with a general and get away with only a less than honorable discharge. No. Taz was right. I’d given them the excuse they needed to kick me out of the army and be ripe for the picking for the CIA.
“That’s my guess. Understand me, Jo. Under no circumstances can you let them recruit you. It’d be a death sentence, even for someone as skilled and deadly as you are. You do not want to take on these guys. Not for something like this. That country is going to be what it is. The Brotherhood might nudge it in the direction they want it to go for a while, but it’s not something they can sustain. Eventually, the people of Vietnam will govern themselves again. That’s the way it works.”
“I’ll think about it. But I think you’re right on this. Besides, I have no desire to get caught up with the spooks.”
Taz let out a sigh. Relief? “Thanks, Jo.”