The initial plan had been to take the target out when she was outside the riad, but in the time that English had spent in the city he hadn’t seen her once. She was holed up. That wasn’t really a surprise. She had received the same training as he had, and she would have known, without question, that what she had already done demanded a response.

Oliver Spenser.

Joshua Joyce.

Lydia Chisholm.

Bryan Duffy.

The four of them had been assassinated, and they hadn’t managed to lay a glove on her.

She had a list, and there could only be another two names on it.

Himself.

And Control.

They had to strike first.

The roar of the chopper’s twin General Electric T700 turboshaft engines filled the cabin. Little else was audible beyond that and the beating of the rotors. He leaned back and pressed the wax plugs deeper into his ears. He could just make out the shape of the crew chief holding up five fingers.

Five minutes.

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

I am indebted to the following for their help, all above and beyond the call of duty: Lucy Dawson, for her early edits and direction; Martha Hayes, for masterful and thoughtful editing; and Detective Lieutenant (Ret’d) Edward L. Dvorak, Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department and Joe D. Gillespie, for their advice on weapons and military matters.

The following members of Team Milton were also invaluable: Lee Robertson, Nigel Foster, Frank Wells. Gary Pugsley, Brian Ellis, Bob, Mel Murray, Phil Powell, Charlie, Matt Ballard, Edward Short, Desiree Brown, Don Lehman, Barry Franklin, Corne van der Merwe, Dawn Taybron, Paul Quish, Carl Hinds, Chuck Harkins, Don, Bernard Carlington, Julian Annells, Charles Rolfe, Michael Conway, Grant Brown, Rick Lowe, Randall Masteller, Steve Devoir, Chris Orrick, Mike Stephens, Rick Seymour, Pat Kirk, Dale McDonald, Robert Lass, Bill Dawson, Rob Carr, Ian Clarke, Chris Goodson, Jared Gerstein, Roman Pyndiura, Cecelia Blewett, David Schensted, Caleb Burton, Louis Pascolini, Sonny de Castro, John Hall, Matt Bawden, JKP, Richard Stewart, Bev Birkin, Dave Zucker, Steve Carter, Christian Bunyan, Daniel Caupel, Debra Koltveit, George Wood and Linda French.

About the Author

About the Author

Photo © 2014 Tom Nicholson

Mark Dawson has worked as a lawyer and in the London film industry.

He has written three series: John Milton features a disgruntled government hit man trying to right wrongs in order to make amends for the things he’s done; Beatrix Rose traces the headlong fight for justice of a wronged mother and trained assassin; and Soho Noir is set in the West End of London between 1940 and 1970. Mark lives in Wiltshire, in the UK, with his family.