Book of Bravery: A Novel 2,000 Plus Years in the Making

CHAPTER X

In The Shade of The Crow

It was mid-afternoon, and the Crow was parked in a quiet corner of the Reno Tahoe International Airport. Marx was outside it, standing in its shade while talking on his cellphone. He was busy cajoling Kristen back in New York City in a bid to try and stop her from resigning as his personal assistant.

'Listen to me, I simply can't have you just finish like this,' Marx said sharply. 'I realize you have fears, but you have a job to do and an obligation to me. It's just not acceptable.'

While Kristen replied, he kept an eye on Jack Day's van just some 100 feet away. It was parked beside a hangar. Inside it, Day counted the cash he was given for delivering Vacher and Irfan, who were now up in the Crow.

After a minute, Kristen finished what she had to say. None of it swayed Marx, but he acted otherwise to get what he wanted, so he softened his tone.

'Look, Kristen, I'm certainly not happy. I thought you were made of sturdier stuff, but the best I can do is meet you halfway,' Marx said. 'Which means I want you to come to China with me, with Ivan and some of the team, for the three or so days of business,' he said. 'You won't be in New York in case that rumored earthquake does eventuate, and then when we fly back, I will take you to wherever you want in the U.S., to your family's home, and then you can finish up with no more qualms from me,' he said. 'That's not even a week, very generous considering I'm meant to have a month's notice.'

Kristen's ten-second reply to his offer was noncommittal.

'Fine, think about it some more, Kristen, and get back to me with a freaking proper answer. You have an hour to do so,' Marx said. He ended the call without a goodbye.

Marx looked up as he heard Day's van start and then watched it drive away. One of his mercenaries, positioned on the ground at the front of the aircraft, then alerted him that two other vehicles were approaching from the other side.

A van and an SUV.

It was Alfonso Lazcano's crew.

Inside the van were Quintus and Tina, both of whom were still out cold. They had black bags over their heads and their hands tied with heavy-duty cable ties. Despite some rough handling, they remained unconscious while they were transferred into the Crow.

Mad Man Raving

Quintus was unsure how long he and Tina had been airborne for when he became conscious. He first became aware when someone grabbed his legs and dragged him out from the plane's cargo hold and into the main passenger's cabin.

That someone then pulled the black hood off his head. It was Vacher, his face contorted with loathing. He roughly pushed Quintus into a sitting position on the floor and propped him up against a seat.

Quintus was still woozy and disoriented from the drugs. His hands were behind his back, restrained by the cable ties which bit into his wrists.

Vacher stepped back, and through bleary eyes, Quintus saw someone else, a seated man looking at him. He was dressed in a suit, drinking liquor from a tumbler, but due to his blurred vision, Quintus couldn't immediately make out the man's facial features.

'You've only got yourself to blame, you know,' said the man who, of course, was Marx.

'What the hell is going on?' Quintus asked with a slight slur.

'Speak only when told,' Vacher hissed.

'No, let my old friend have his say. He's earned it in a roundabout kind of way. What's more, he's a senior citizen, so we should show him due respect,' Marx mockingly said.