Theatre of War (Matt Drake 28) Tenth Anniversary Novel by David Leadbeater

Author:David Leadbeater [Leadbeater, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-05-17T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

As the last of the crimson sunset coated the majestic, ragged curve of the Grand Canyon, the SPEAR team approached the five immobile figures they thought might be the Relic Hunters.

Drake advanced as incongruously as he could but—since they were the only people on the small outcropping—it wasn’t easy. Especially, he thought, with the big Swede and Mano Kinimaka at his side. The Hawaiian staggered between rocks on the ground as if on purpose, and soon all five figures standing on the rim had turned.

Drake saw the body language. The fighting stances, the wariness, the sense of flight. There was no point trying to be stealthy.

“Guy Bodie?” he asked the only male.

“Don’t come any closer,” Bodie said, his accent English.

Drake saw how he moved to stand in front of his team as if to protect them. Drake approved. “We only want to talk.”

“Who are you?” one of the taller females asked. Drake guessed they were about twenty feet from the other crew now but, due to the lighter backdrop, found it hard to make out faces.

Then, as he inched forward, changing angles, the dying light fell on her face. Cassidy Coleman’s long red hair was unfettered, burnished by sunset. Drake saw a tall, muscular, confident woman who knew how to handle herself.

“Drake,” he said. “Matt Drake.”

Alicia was at his side, Dahl and Hayden beyond her. To the right was Kinimaka and Mai. Drake guessed the only reason Bodie and co. hadn’t run yet was because they were effectively cut off.

“No trouble,” he tried.

“Unless you want some,” Alicia added. “Then we’re all up for that.”

Drake gritted his teeth, caught between wondering if their adversaries were carrying weapons and reaching for his own.

Guy Bodie stepped forward. “Look, guys,” he said. “We’ve had a really big couple of weeks. How about you back off and give us a break. You’ll never understand what we just did for you.”

Drake winced, knowing the big Swede would be all over that.

“Hey, pal,” Dahl said. “When you’ve saved the world as often as we have, you can join our big boy club. Until then...”

Alicia dug him in the ribs. “Big boy club?”

“Umm, do you want to be called a big girl?”

Drake hissed at them as Alicia frowned in uncertainty.

Hayden took the lead. “Listen, Bodie,” she said. “No matter what you’ve been doing you must have noticed the state America’s in at the moment. We’re trying to prevent it getting any worse...” She paused.

“What does that have to do with us?” Cassidy asked.

“Your names appear right at the top of a bad guy list of thieves,” Drake pressed. “The best in the world, apparently. You guys headed for Vegas?”

Bodie stared at him. “You’re not CIA? That’s good. But clearly you’re not dealing with a full deck either. Do we look like we’re headed for Vegas?”

“Bags are packed ready to leave,” Alicia said. “You could be there tonight.”

Bodie nodded as if acknowledging that, but Cassidy stepped forward. “You’d better not have stuck your dirty paws into my bag, bitch.

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