Page 10 of Savage Reckoning

She shakes her head. “That’s it so far.”

“Okay. So, this flesh auction that we gather is scheduled for the day after tomorrow…”

This is the first I’ve heard of a flesh auction. My ears prick up. This is just the sort of shitshow I’m interested in.

Jack goes on. “I organised surveillance over the last week or so. There’s been plenty of coming and going, men and girls. Our intel suggests maybe a dozen women are on the site at this time, with five guards. There could be more still to arrive.”

“Girls or men?” one man wonders.

“Either. Both. We have an issue now, though, around our own manpower. With Ethan and Aaron both out of action, we’re thin on the ground. Our priority has to be tracking down the fuckers who shot our chopper down. Disrupting the auction might have to wait.”

Not if I have anything to do with it. “You have me on the team now,” I say, my voice rising above the general racket. “I can make up the numbers.”

My offer is met by ripples of ‘Who the fuck is that?” and similar sentiments.

Jack raises his voice above the general muttering and levels his steady gaze on me. “And why would you want to get involved?”

“Trafficking women for sex? That’s dirty work by any standard.”

“Again, why would you care?” Jack’s gaze hardens. “If you don’t mind me pointing it out, you’re hardly Santa fucking Claus yourself. A paid assassin can’t have much room for scruples.”

“Who says I get paid? Maybe I just do it for the shits and giggles.”

“And maybe I’m the sugar plum fairy. Seriously, Sawyer, what’s in this for you? Why would you offer to put yourself out there to help us?”

“Let’s just say I like to live dangerously.” I suggest an explanation, though I can tell by Jack Morgan’s ominous glower he’s not likely to buy that.

Sure enough… “I’ve a better idea. Let’s just say you’re a bullshitter who’s wandered a bit too far from home. I don’t know you, Sawyer, and I sure as fuck don’t trust you. Give me a straight answer, or you can take a hike right now.”

We face off, neither of us willing to give ground. The difference is, I know I need him. He only vaguely suspects he may need me. So, I’m the one to compromise.

“Okay. Can we talk?”

“Go ahead.” Jack’s beefy arms are folded across his chest. He waits for me to start.

“I mean, somewhere quiet. Private.”

One blond eyebrow lifts. “Fuck, I don’t have time for this. I’m going back to the hospital. You can come with me. You have until we arrive there to convince me there’s a reason for you being here, otherwise you’re out.”

Sounds fair enough. I nod my agreement.

“Tony, Casey, you two are with me as well.” Jack marches past me, heading for the door.

“Okay. I’m listening.” Jack is in the front passenger seat of the SUV.

Tony drives. Casey and I are in the back.

I don’t beat about the bush. “You’re part right. I am an assassin.”

“Worked that out for ourselves.” This from Tony.

I remember him from Belarus. He didn’t actually witness the ending of Fedor Morozov, that was Ethan and Rome, but he knows first-hand what happened out there.

“So which part isn’t right, then?” Jack demands.

“I don’t do it for money.”

“So you rid the world of scumbags out of the goodness of your heart?”

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