Shadow Tyrants (Oregon Files 13)

“I don’t think they know anything of use, but we should at least try to find out. We’ll take them on the plane with us. You’ll have plenty of time on the trip to get information out of them.” Carlton turned to them. “She’s very persuasive with a blade.”

The black man finally spoke up in an American accent. “Asad Torkan was here.” The Asian man remained still.

Carlton suppressed a smile at getting him to talk so easily. “So you work for him?”

“No.”

“But you know who he is?”

“Yes.”

“What was he doing here?”

“We’ll show you.”

“You’ll show us?” Taylor said.

The black man nodded. The Asian man continued to stare, still no response.

“Tell us here,” Carlton said.

“We’ll show you,” the black man r

epeated. “We want Torkan as much as you do.”

“Why?”

At last the Asian man opened his mouth. “We know you and Romir Mallik are fighting each other.”

“Interesting. So you’re here to what? Save me?”

The Asian man nodded.

“Where should we take you to show us what Torkan was doing?”

“The dock,” the black man said. “By the generator housing. Your life depends on it.”

Carlton looked at Taylor. She shrugged and said, “We’ll still be well protected in the dockyard.”

“Double the number of guards.” Carlton turned back to the prisoners and leaned down. “If I’m disappointed by what you show us out there, you’re going to die.”

The two men said nothing.

* * *

—

Juan, Raven, and MacD had returned to the rendezvous point, where Tiny picked them up in a van. He found a quiet parking lot where they could formulate a plan to rescue Eddie and Linc from the Colossus 5. The first rays of dawn shone through the windshield.

“We don’t have the manpower to go in guns blazing,” MacD said.

“Then we have to do it quietly,” Raven said. “We’ll make another run at it tonight.”

“No good,” Juan said. “The Colossus 5 is going to set sail today. We can’t wait.”

“How long do you think they’ve got?” Tiny asked.

“Natalie Taylor has a reputation for harsh measures. That’s why she was drummed out of British Intelligence. Rumors say she would have gone to jail if she hadn’t had something on a minister in Parliament. I wouldn’t be surprised if she tortures them until . . .”