THE SECOND MAN: A near-future action and adventure technothriller (John Gatlin Series Book 1) by Filip Forsberg

Author:Filip Forsberg [Forsberg, Filip]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-08-31T16:00:00+00:00

30

Guatemala City, Guatemala

"Needs must when the devil drives." John and Ezekiel swiftly dragged the lifeless guard into an adjacent room. When they returned, they found Skylar and Dominic unzipping their backpacks, their hands rapidly unearthing the tools concealed within. John glanced around. They occupied a living room in an old, dilapidated apartment. A door nearby led to the kitchen, now doubling as a makeshift morgue for the fallen guard. A large, once-grand fireplace stood opposite. The apartment would have been considered elegant once, but time and neglect had stripped it of its glory.

Turning to Skylar, he asked, "All right, what's next?"

Working in tandem, Skylar and Dominic retrieved sleek, dark boxes from their backpacks. Dominic cracked open three of them, removing components and assembling them into a sturdy tripod, which he positioned in front of the window. Skylar, meanwhile, unveiled a high-tech, high-sensitivity infrared camera from the remaining boxes and then mounted it onto the tripod. After a quick check of the settings, she gave a nod of approval, stepping back from the assembled equipment.

"Should be good to go," she confirmed.

Dominic set up an iPad on a nearby table, connecting it to the camera with a cable. The screen turned on, offering a monochromatic view of the building across them, the black, blue, and grey hues replacing the natural colors.

John peered at the screen with intense curiosity. "What's next?"

Slowly, Skylar panned the camera along the row of windows on the opposing building, but the screen on the iPad remained ominously dark. Seconds ticked away, each one a blow to their hopes. Finally, she shook her head.

"No signs up top, at least not on this side."

She lowered the camera to the level below, and suddenly, three bright, humanoid figures appeared on the iPad, moving languidly through the building.

Dominic frowned. "Guards. Looks like they're patrolling a corridor or something."

As they watched the screen, the three luminous figures continued their slow progression through the house. John's brain churned, his heart pounding. He turned to Skylar.

"What exactly are we looking for here?"

A crease appeared on Skylar's forehead. "Ideally, a stationary figure with a couple standing nearby. That's our best guess."

John gave a nod of understanding and replied, "Got it."

Skylar shifted the camera again, but there was no sign of a captive. All the figures they spotted were paired up or in groups of three. After a few fruitless minutes, she shook her head, picking up the camera and relocating it to the other window. She swept the floors again, and this time, her fist clenched in triumph.

"There! Top left. Looks like a seated figure with three standing next to it."

John's gaze was locked onto the screen. The seated person was notably smaller than the three towering figures standing beside it. A chill ran down his spine. He was confident it was Olivia. It had to be. Under his breath, he whispered her name.

“Olivia.”

The sudden roar of a helicopter flying nearby rattled the walls, pulling him back from his thoughts. He looked at the others, determination etched on his face.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.