Scorpion Island by Rob Jones

Author:Rob Jones [Jones, Rob]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-01-21T13:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Hawke worked hard to tolerate the klaxon as it roared over the compound. Looking north, he saw searchlights skidding across the bottom of a low cloud, and dancing through the canopies and trunks of the pines surrounding the main unit. Somewhere much further away he heard the familiar sound of a helicopter’s rotors.

Moments ago, he’d also heard the sound of assault rifles firing in intermittent bursts, but now they had fallen silent. There was no way to tell who had fired the weapons. Maybe his kidnapped teammates had seized some weapons and were making an escape bid. Maybe they had tried to escape and Scorpion’s forces were firing on them instead. Maybe it was just some bored soldiers having some target practice, or shooting at birds, or some other unfortunate creature. For now, all he could do was home in on the location of the gunshots and see what he could find.

“Is it me, or is this place incredibly fucking creepy?” Lea asked from just behind him.

Hawke blinked in the gloom. He’d had the same feeling since crawling ashore. All he knew was, he had to keep going and not look back. That was the only way to save his friends and get everyone home safely.

“It’s very fucking creepy,” Scarlet said from further back. “I’m thinking at least one of us is getting permanently taken out on this island.”

Reaper laughed. “So much positivity. I love it.”

“That’s the Cairo we all know and love so much,” Alex said.

Scarlet doubled-down. “Just expressing a feeling I have, darlings. No need for anyone to get their knickers in a knot.”

“Maybe you’re right,” Alex said grimly. “Think about poor Lexi back in the Congo. No way was she thinking that was going to be her last ECHO mission and look what happened to her.”

Lea spoke up. “Lexi died saving the life of the British Prime Minister.”

“And no one will ever know,” Alex said.

“That’s ECHO,” Lea said. “Sometimes we get credit for our work, sometimes not. In that case, there was too much top secret detail for most of the story to make it to the public, which is why the papers carried the story that the SAS had saved his life.”

“Well, I was there,” Scarlet said. “So, it’s sort of true.”

“The point,” Lea said, still marching through the forest, “is that Lexi didn’t die for nothing, she never gave her life up in vain or any bullshit like that. She died fighting for something she believed in and she knew the risks better than anyone.”

“And my point,” Scarlet said, “is that Lexi wasn’t the first in ECHO to die and neither will she be the last. That’s all I’m saying.”

“It could be any of us, at any time,” Alex said. “We know.”

“Oh, it won’t be me, darling,” Scarlet said cheerily. “I’m getting to the end of the ECHO journey.”

“Still picturing that tropical island, huh?” Alex said with a smile.

“You bloody bet your arse, I am. A tropical island, palm trees, crashing surf, and young, bronzed stallions bringing me my drinks.

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