BooksBarbecue
Back The Neighborhood Save as PDF
Chapters (59)
  1. Part I Reconnaissance
  2. Chapter One
  3. Chapter Two
  4. Chapter Three
  5. Part II Incursion
  6. Chapter Four
  7. Chapter Five
  8. Chapter Six
  9. Chapter Seven
  10. Chapter Eight
  11. Chapter Nine
  12. Chapter Ten
  13. Part III Under Siege
  14. Chapter Eleven
  15. Chapter Twelve
  16. Chapter Thirteen
  17. Part IV Course Correction
  18. Chapter Fourteen
  19. Part V Balance of Power
  20. Chapter Fifteen
  21. Chapter Sixteen
  22. Chapter Seventeen
  23. Chapter Eighteen
  24. Chapter Nineteen
  25. Chapter Twenty
  26. Chapter Twenty-One
  27. Chapter Twenty-Two
  28. Chapter Twenty-Three
  29. Chapter Twenty-Four
  30. Chapter Twenty-Five
  31. Chapter Twenty-Six
  32. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  33. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  34. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  35. Part VI Spy versus Spy
  36. Chapter Thirty
  37. Chapter Thirty-One
  38. Chapter Thirty-Two
  39. Chapter Thirty-Three
  40. Part VII Winds of War and Flame
  41. Chapter Thirty-Four
  42. Chapter Thirty-Five
  43. Chapter Thirty-Six
  44. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  45. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  46. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  47. Chapter Forty
  48. Chapter Forty-One
  49. Part VIII Strong to the Finish
  50. Chapter Forty-Two
  51. Chapter Forty-Three
  52. Part IX Spy Games
  53. Chapter Forty-Four
  54. Chapter Forty-Five
  55. Chapter Forty-Six
  56. Part X What Goes Around
  57. Chapter Forty-Seven
  58. Chapter Forty-Eight
  59. About the Author

The final curve in the road blurrily swam into view, a dark tunnel of gray surrounded by the blackness of the woods that turned to the left. Almost there.

She held up the iPhone. Still no signal. How far do these jammers work? Mr. Chambers had told her about the vans, as well as his intention to disable them if he could. But if he wasn’t able to, the burden was on her.

She hit the curve and flew around it, increasing her speed in hopes of escaping the dark embrace of the woods. Her mood soared slightly at the sight of the road, natural illumination, and a light pole, out of sight, guiding her way.

A few seconds later, she stood on the side of the road, putting her hands over her head to catch her breath, careful to make sure the barrel of the Glock was pointed away from her—which was when she saw the darkened Falling Rock SUV parked thirty feet away on the left side of the path, facing her. Oh no.

Movement to her right, from behind her, stopped her dead in her tracks and froze her blood, panic gripping her stomach tightly.

“Do not move. I see the gun and the phone. If you make any sudden moves, I will shoot you, and since my weapon is suppressed, no one will hear it, not that it will matter to you, as you’ll be dead.” The voice was calm, clear, and confident, which told Sam that the man who had been lying in wait at the end of the path would do exactly what he said.

He had her literally dead to rights. That’s twice in one night. Then again, being some kind of assassin wasn’t exactly her full-time job. She’d only been doing it for less than an hour. There was nothing for her to do but comply.

“What do you want me to do? You’re one of them, aren’t you? Just don’t kill me, please,” she said, and then for no rational reason, added, “I’m only seventeen.”

Her hands were still on top of her head. She wasn’t foolish enough to make any sudden moves. When her father had been teaching her to drive, he’d said to her in terms clear enough that even a teenager enthusiastic to get her license could understand: “If you ever get pulled over, do exactly what the officer says, no matter what. Do not argue. Don’t move quickly. Nothing. Do you understand?” And she had. While the man holding her at gunpoint wasn’t someone whose job was to serve and protect, the same rules applied.