Counterpart (Connor Reed Series Book 5) by Quentin Black

Author:Quentin Black [Black, Quentin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Trachinidae Publishers
Published: 2021-03-29T16:00:00+00:00

19

Andrei remained quiet throughout much of the journey until the castle appeared.

“I appreciate your faith, Hasan. I might not have been so patient given the evidence you have been presented.”

Hasan smirked. “You’re the most patient man I know, Andrei. You would have given your oldest friend the benefit of an afternoon.”

“I thank you anyway.”

“Besides,” said Hasan, “if you wanted to kill me, you could have arranged it while I slept.”

“A man who kills those who risk bringing him hurtful truths will eventually hear nothing but soothing lies.”

With a vague sense of déjà vu, they alighted from the Bentley, walked into the castle and the conference—all the members present and seated in the same positions as before.

Tefik rose and smiled. “Kyre Faja, have you grown tiresome of being chauffeured in the Bentley yet?”

Andrei answered, “I believe it might take many a full moon to pass before that happens.”

He turned to Hasan, whose smile mirrored the rest and said, “I wonder if I’ll enjoy it more when I am the one driving on the way back.”

Hasan’s face scrunched into puzzlement just before the tip of a ten-centimetre spear punched into the point where his jawline met the neck. Andrei gripped the back of his neck as he ragged the switchblade from side to side, before pulling it free.

Blood drained through his clasping fingers, leaving a mask of anguish.

Andrei spoke, “You forgot your honour for money.”

His friend opened his mouth to speak but instead collapsed.

As the pool of dark claret expanded, the face lost its expression, before freezing into a chalky mask. That the blood spread so far it began to stroke the shoes of the closest Kyre did not elicit any response from them. Instead, their expressions conveyed faint approval.

Andrei cleaned off the blade on Hasan’s face and clothing, before retracting it and putting it back in his jacket pocket.

Tefik rose. “Betrayal in our brotherhood is mercifully rare. Some say tolerance is a mark of a civilised society. That may be true, but it is also an insidious sign of weakness. This committee recognises your strength in extinguishing this traitor’s life.”

Andrei answered, “I’ve known him for many years. I do not know how I did not see the signs. His actions have led to the deaths of people close to some of you—indeed, when one of us is taken, it hurts us all.”

Tefik waved his hand dismissively. “You are young. You have had this position thrust upon you. Other harsh lessons will await you, as they do even the most experienced of us. Oso Xhelli was amongst the wisest of us, and even he fell prey to being too trusting. You have dealt with it.”

Tefik gestured to the empty chair. “Please, take your seat amongst us and tell us of your findings and proposals.”

Andrei nodded and sat. He felt the blood of his friend drying on his face. The young Kyre presented the ‘evidence’ of Hasan’s ‘betrayal’ that had been requested through his digital backchannel to Connor Reed. What he received had been so convincing that for a moment he wondered if it was true.

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