Hunting for Honey - THE SPECTER SERIES [book one]

Chapter FORTY NINE:The Showdown

Archer West

The ground crunches beneath my boots as I walk across the dry grass toward the vacant lot..

Thanks to Honey's constant warnings over the past few days there is an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach..

The air is charged with electricity, like before a thunderstorm and the hair on the back of my neck bristles as my eyes sweep across the landscape.. There's nobody here.. But I'm a few hours early..

I pull my coat tighter around me to stave off the evening chill that has settled in, my breath coming out in puffs of white fog now.. I reach a small leafy tree and slip in behind it, leaning against it for support, settling in for the wait..

. . . . .

After the night sets in hours later, I see two black sedans with tinted windows pull up across the road, two solid looking guys get out of them and make a beeline for the field l..

I crouch down in my position behind the tree, between it and the thick darkness that has set in its unlikely they can see me.. And even if they can, my hand is already ready, resting on my pistol.

Suddenly flaming red light ignites in the air, engulfing the lot in an orange glow.. I duck even lower, pressing my chest to the ground now.. The men have ignited distress flares and thrown them into the center of the open feild..

Shit.. I know an ambush when I see it.. I already knew this was likely to be one when I walked into it, that's why I left O'connor and Ford behind.. But any doubts I had are now confirmed by a familiar distant chugging sound..

A chopper..

I have a decision to make.. Get out now and risk losing Bexley.. Or stay and possibly get shot by a crazy I.T geek with a bad boy complex.. Neither are ideal options..

I watch as the men return to their cars, knowing my window for escape closing rapidly.. "Fuck it.." I whisper to myself.. I've already come this far, there's no way I'm letting that montherfucker Flynn Bexley disappear.. I couldn't allow a sadisc fuck like him to escape,he has too much to answer for..

I would also like to have a little chat with Nikita Drackov...

Honey had acted strangely when I asked her about him.. And I want to know why.

The thudding of the chopper blades grows louder until it roars in my ears as the wind whips around me. Preparing myself for whatever may climb out of that helicopter I suck in several deep breaths and pump myself up for the fight..

The skids of the chopper touch down on the dewy grass next to the now smouldering flares.. Two large flood lights on the side panelling flash on, illuminating half of the lot.

Three more guys - two about the size of me and one a bit smaller - jump out of the now open side door.. They hold their pistols ready as they jog out and begin their sweep of the perimeter..

There is limited cover, so it's only a matter of time before they zero in on my position.. I plant my palms into the dirt and push up to my feet in one swift movement.

The element of surprise is all I have right now, so drawing my gun I sprint out from behind the tree, veering to the left, flanking the smaller of the hostiles and wrapping my arm around his neck.. One of the bigger perps notices me and begins to call out, but hes too late..

- - BANG - - BANG - -

He's several feet away, an easy shot.. For me. I lift my pistol with my free arm and fire off three rounds.

The guy's body jerks twice, one for each hit, red spurts from his chest and neck and he crumples to the grass as a rattling gurgle escapes him..

I drop to one knee, bringing the hostile still in my choke hold down over the other. A cringe-worthy snap cracks through the air, audible even over the sound of the slowing whirr of the blades.. I break his neck in that single quick motion, standing back up and letting his body fall to the ground.