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Chapters (124)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. Acclaim for Frank Gardner’s Luke Carlton thrillers
  4. Also by Frank Gardner
  5. Dedication
  6. Epigraph
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. 68
  75. 69
  76. 70
  77. 71
  78. 72
  79. 73
  80. 74
  81. 75
  82. 76
  83. 77
  84. 78
  85. 79
  86. 80
  87. 81
  88. 82
  89. 83
  90. 84
  91. 85
  92. 86
  93. 87
  94. 88
  95. 89
  96. 90
  97. 91
  98. 92
  99. 93
  100. 94
  101. 95
  102. 96
  103. 97
  104. 98
  105. 99
  106. 100
  107. 101
  108. 102
  109. 103
  110. 104
  111. 105
  112. 106
  113. 107
  114. 108
  115. 109
  116. 110
  117. 111
  118. 112
  119. 113
  120. 114
  121. 115
  122. Epilogue
  123. Acknowledgements
  124. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING

The two assailants were facing him square-on now, lurching and shifting as they readied themselves to deliver the next strike. Yet Luke felt strangely in control. Up there in the police chief’s office, handcuffed and flanked by armed men, he had been helpless, trapped with no means to fight back. But down here in this grubby cell he was back in the game and in with a chance. Luke knew exactly what he had to do. He would exploit the momentum of their coming attack against them. It was what he had been trained for. When he saw the arm with the knuckle-duster come shooting out towards him he didn’t parry it away. He stepped back and grabbed it with both hands. In the same moment he twisted his body round and yanked the man’s arm so hard he forced it behind his back. The man’s cry of pain was surprisingly high-pitched, but Luke was already pressing home his advantage. He had the man in an armlock now, and as he wrenched it upwards he pushed his captive hard against the larger man, upsetting his balance. ‘Fuck you,’ he grunted, as he gave him a final, powerful shove.

Luke was still working out what his next move should be – the big guy wasn’t going to go down easily and he almost looked like he was enjoying this – when he heard shouts from the corridor. The guards had rushed back and he could see them frantically juggling with keys in the lock. Luke had no idea what they were shouting in Lithuanian but they seemed very angry. Had things not gone the way they had planned?

He released his grip on the man with the knuckle-duster. The largest prisoner backed away, trying to look all defensive, pointing down at the third man still groaning on the floor, then back at Luke. The remaining two prisoners, who’d been fast asleep when this all kicked off, clung to each other, staring in bewilderment. The guards had got the door unlocked now and they poured into the cell, still shouting at everyone. Luke saw them coming straight for him. He didn’t resist when they grabbed his arm and pulled him out of there, pushing him roughly down the corridor.

‘Now – extra charges,’ one said to him grimly, as they shoved him into a cell of his own.