Lethal Game (GhostWalkers 16)

Malichai shrugged. “I’m a soldier and, yes, I’m a doctor because when I go out into the field to see to a wounded soldier, I want to be able to send him home to his wife and family, not his body in a bag, so yeah, I went to school.”

“I was in the service as well. Army. Lot of years ago, but Recon. Best years. Good men. A few friends stayed in and they’ve made great careers for themselves. I should have done that, but my wife was sick, and she needed me at home.”

“I’m sorry, Billy, that’s tough. I would have gotten out too. Is it okay if I ask—”

“She didn’t make it. She had cancer. She lingered for a long time. Three years, and I spent every day with her and am grateful for each of them. But she died and I’ve been alone since. I spend a lot of time with my online buddies, and my cousins, Tania and Tommy.” He scratched his head. “With all this medical crap going on, you probably missed the hit man story going around.”

Malichai lifted an eyebrow. “Hit man?” He sounded skeptical. Inside he was triumphant.

“Yeah, it was in all the papers. Apparently, a local businessman, a stand-up guy by all accounts, churchgoing, had a wife and kids, was a hit man. But someone offed him. The cops arrested another man, accusing him of being a hit man—”

“Wait.” Malichai held up his hand. “So, two hit men.”

“Yeah, one local. He’s dead. The second one, name’s Rubin Edon.

He’s staying right here in this establishment. If Marie were here, I’m sure she’d kick him out, but Amaryllis, poor girl, doesn’t have that authority. The cops couldn’t hold him. They didn’t have enough on him.”

“That’s crazy,” Malichai said, trying to sound noncommittal. “There’s another guy in the hotel, calls himself Gino. Now, he really looks like a hit man. Italian. I’m sure he’s Mafia.”

“Billy, that’s a jump, just because he might be of Italian descent.”

“You have to see him, then you tell me what you think.” Billy wasn’t backing down.

Malichai shrugged. “Are you here for that peace conference?”

“Fuck no!” Billy nearly leapt out of his chair. “Do you think I’m crazy? A bunch of idiot, hippie-dippie people meditating and smoking their weed and talking all night about how cool it would be if the world would just come together in love? Hell no. They can do their drugs and have their orgies and talk until they’re blue in the face. You ever been to Burning Man? They say it’s all about art. Making a city of art. It’s all about women walking around mostly naked and men’s asses hanging out of their britches. It’s free fucks, free drugs, dirty people doing dirty things. Talk about worthless people. Those are the people you fight for? You almost died for? Makes me want to puke.”

Malichai’s gut knotted tight, setting off his radar. “I doubt most of them are like that, Billy. A lot of people want to find a way to talk to one another, to find a common ground and maybe some understanding of one another’s cultures. You can’t put thousands of people from all those countries together and have all of them be dipshits. A few, yes. Those few are probably the camera grabbers, but the majority are really trying to make a difference in the way soldiers do.”

Billy shrugged. “Maybe, but they shouldn’t associate with drug-addicted hippies.”

“You’ve got a point,” Malichai agreed, switching gears. “You still in touch with your buddies in the Army?” Discreetly he rubbed his leg. “If I get booted for medical reasons, it would be nice to think my friends would still stick by me.”

“The brothers you make in the military are brothers for life,” Billy said staunchly. “You should know that by now.”

Malichai rubbed his leg again, this time openly. “Yeah.” He flashed Billy a smile. “I guess I was just looking for a little reassurance.”

“One of my brothers that goes way back, all the way to boot camp and we served together for several years, is an advisor to the VP. He’s climbed that ladder through service and I’m so damned proud of him. He was best man at my wedding. Came looking for me when I went on a bender and stayed drunk for three months after I lost my woman. Got me sobered up and straightened me out. He’s never forgotten my anniversary. Calls or comes by to see me. If he can’t make it, he sends me a ticket to fly and has me come to him.” He grinned at Malichai. “Been to the White House a few times. Who would have thought?”

“That’s nice to hear, Billy. Makes me feel better. I don’t know what I’d do if I’m not in the military. I suppose being a full-time doctor working on soldiers will have to do, but that doesn’t feel the same to me. I haven’t even lost my leg yet and I’m whining about it.” He pressed his fingers to his eyes briefly. “I worry about what Amaryllis is really going to feel like. I’ve seen so many good men lose everything when they lose a limb.”