Once Dead by Richard Phillips

Author:Richard Phillips [Phillips, Richard]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, Thriller, Adventure
ISBN: 9781477824108
Google: gDbJoAEACAAJ
Amazon: B00IAYG68I
Barnesnoble: B00IAYG68I
Goodreads: 20917820
Publisher: 47North
Published: 2014-08-05T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 52

Jacob Knox knew all about patience. It was the key difference between a professional hunter and a rank amateur. Amateurs beat the bush, seeking to frighten hiding game into the open. Even when this tactic worked, the amateur found himself poorly prepared and poorly positioned for the kill shot. The professional studied his prey, learned its patterns, and positioned himself to wait for the game animal to come to him. Jacob was a patient man. But it didn’t mean he liked waiting.

His just-finished phone conversation with Nolan Trent hadn’t helped that. Either Roskov or Koenig had tried another hit on Gregory, this time in the Bavarian Alps. Once again the attempt had failed and once again, Gregory’s subsequent whereabouts were unknown. Jacob wasn’t particularly worried that one of these hits would succeed, thus robbing him of the satisfaction of killing The Ripper personally. He didn’t think these amateurs had it in them. But they were screwing up his setup. Every one of these attempts distracted and delayed Gregory from following the trail that led to Jacob.

The added delay was more than irritating. The whole point of this operation was to ensure that Gregory didn’t interfere with Rolf Koenig’s space launch, but as long as The Ripper was alive, that remained a distinct possibility.

He’d completed his analysis of security at Roskov’s Kyzylorda warehouse complex. Surrounded by an electrified chain-link fence with triple concertina razor wire along the top, a total of six warehouses provided temporary storage and loading for a variety of goods, some more legitimate than others. Day and night security cameras monitored every entrance as well as the driveways between buildings. Four backup generators protected the facility from external power loss. A tunnel connected Warehouse Five to another warehouse, five kilometers to the southwest, to allow cargo to be shipped out without being seen. Right now the primary purpose of the other warehouses in the facility was to mask the activity in Warehouse Five.

In addition, Vladimir Roskov employed a security detail that consisted of three shifts, each with two guards at the entry gate, two guards at each building, and a rapid reaction squad of five.

Jacob knew that if he wanted to get in, none of these precautions would matter. He didn’t think they would bother The Ripper either. But when the attack happened, they would funnel him to Jacob and that would be sufficient. Before any of that could occur, he had to get Gregory back on target.

By the time Jacob’s call was patched through to Vladimir Roskov, his irritation had come to a low boil.

“What’s the problem?” The growl in Roskov’s voice didn’t improve his mood.

“I want to know why your people are screwing up my operation.”

“Your operation?”

“Damn right. Trent didn’t send me here to sit on my ass. I thought The Ripper had already made it abundantly clear that he’s out of your thugs’ league. I’ve gone to significant trouble to put him on a trail that ends in a kill zone in Kyzylorda. The last thing I need is your people delaying his arrival while they get themselves killed.

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