received a call and headed towards the exit. Drake shrugged at Ben and followed. Outside they met up with Kinimaka and waited on the sun-blasted corner whilst the CIA agent finished.
It didn’t take long. With a jab of frustration she turned to them. “Still not one single shred of information leading to the Blood King. The guy’s harder to find than a damn ghost.” She took a moment to breathe. “Ed Boudreau however, is extremely well known. High on the watch lists, even higher on the wanted lists. The world and its dog wanna hump this guy’s leg all the way to jail.”
“Mercenary? Ex-military?” Drake guessed.
“Most of them are as you know. Boudreau appears to have one extra thing going for him though - his connections. For some reason he has his claws into some very powerful organisations.”
Drake’s own phone sang out an old Dinorock number, specially selected for Ben. School’s Out by Alice Cooper.
“Hello?”
“Drake, my friend.”
Mai’s soft, sensual tones filled his senses once more. Drake steeled himself before answering. “Hello, Mai. Do you have information for me?”
Ben turned to stare. Kennedy raised an eyebrow, privy only to the smallest details of the Japanese superspy, but aware much more was hidden away.
“I have concluded my business in San Francisco. My government want me to take an interest in the Blood King conspiracy. Various American arses are currently being . . . greased? I told them I might join a team that was already on the ground.”
“Us?” Drake blurted before he could stop himself. “You want to join us?”
“Could you handle it?” The barest suggestion of laughter.
Drake coughed to gain a little time. The question was accurate and fully loaded. Could he? Mai Kitano – codename Shiranu in tribute to some deadly video game character who was big in Japan - was a fantastic operative; a woman who never failed to get what she wanted. An advantage that could sometimes turn certain things into a huge problem.
“I guess we could use you.”
“Ah, there’s the sweet talking Drake I know. I’m heading over to Miami on the next flight out. Call you when I land.”
The connection went dead. Drake let out a deep breath and gestured wildly. “Let’s go find a damn computer.”
*****
“Calico Jack and Anne Bonny did have a child together. Born in Cuba, it was quickly taken to sea. It started its life in battle as Jack attacked several Dutch merchant vessels . . .” Ben paused, reading on. The others were all stood around him like a team of bodyguards, taking up most of the tiny cafe on Marlborough Street.
“Child’s not spoken of again for some time. When Calico Jack was captured, Anne Bonney spoke at his trial, saying the immortal line - if he had fought like a man, he need not be hanged like a dog.’ ” Ben whistled. “Nice woman.”
“Be warned . . .” Hayden said with half a smile.
“After the trial Bonnet claimed to be pregnant, an act which gave her a stay of execution. Her trial was halted and then . . . then she was spared execution.”
“So they had two kids?” Kinimaka was frowning as if all the information hurt his brain.
“The trial was in Jamaica,” Ben lectured. “If Bonney was pregnant then she probably settled there.”
“You said Calico Jack was born in Jamaica,” Drake said. “Ironic that he was hanged there too. But what if Bonney - the lonely, pregnant widow - was taken in by Rackham’s old family and brought her two kids up in his old house?”
“Makes sense.” Ben nodded. “And the historical records should be right here.”
Drake slapped his friend’s shoulders. “Were Bad to the Bone, matey. Bad to the Bone.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
The Blood King, man, myth and psychotic killer, stood at the prow of his boat, gazing out to sea. The sun was fading in the sky, sinking low towards the far mountains, and it was that time of day when he felt the need and the deep desire to preserve his
It didn’t take long. With a jab of frustration she turned to them. “Still not one single shred of information leading to the Blood King. The guy’s harder to find than a damn ghost.” She took a moment to breathe. “Ed Boudreau however, is extremely well known. High on the watch lists, even higher on the wanted lists. The world and its dog wanna hump this guy’s leg all the way to jail.”
“Mercenary? Ex-military?” Drake guessed.
“Most of them are as you know. Boudreau appears to have one extra thing going for him though - his connections. For some reason he has his claws into some very powerful organisations.”
Drake’s own phone sang out an old Dinorock number, specially selected for Ben. School’s Out by Alice Cooper.
“Hello?”
“Drake, my friend.”
Mai’s soft, sensual tones filled his senses once more. Drake steeled himself before answering. “Hello, Mai. Do you have information for me?”
Ben turned to stare. Kennedy raised an eyebrow, privy only to the smallest details of the Japanese superspy, but aware much more was hidden away.
“I have concluded my business in San Francisco. My government want me to take an interest in the Blood King conspiracy. Various American arses are currently being . . . greased? I told them I might join a team that was already on the ground.”
“Us?” Drake blurted before he could stop himself. “You want to join us?”
“Could you handle it?” The barest suggestion of laughter.
Drake coughed to gain a little time. The question was accurate and fully loaded. Could he? Mai Kitano – codename Shiranu in tribute to some deadly video game character who was big in Japan - was a fantastic operative; a woman who never failed to get what she wanted. An advantage that could sometimes turn certain things into a huge problem.
“I guess we could use you.”
“Ah, there’s the sweet talking Drake I know. I’m heading over to Miami on the next flight out. Call you when I land.”
The connection went dead. Drake let out a deep breath and gestured wildly. “Let’s go find a damn computer.”
*****
“Calico Jack and Anne Bonny did have a child together. Born in Cuba, it was quickly taken to sea. It started its life in battle as Jack attacked several Dutch merchant vessels . . .” Ben paused, reading on. The others were all stood around him like a team of bodyguards, taking up most of the tiny cafe on Marlborough Street.
“Child’s not spoken of again for some time. When Calico Jack was captured, Anne Bonney spoke at his trial, saying the immortal line - if he had fought like a man, he need not be hanged like a dog.’ ” Ben whistled. “Nice woman.”
“Be warned . . .” Hayden said with half a smile.
“After the trial Bonnet claimed to be pregnant, an act which gave her a stay of execution. Her trial was halted and then . . . then she was spared execution.”
“So they had two kids?” Kinimaka was frowning as if all the information hurt his brain.
“The trial was in Jamaica,” Ben lectured. “If Bonney was pregnant then she probably settled there.”
“You said Calico Jack was born in Jamaica,” Drake said. “Ironic that he was hanged there too. But what if Bonney - the lonely, pregnant widow - was taken in by Rackham’s old family and brought her two kids up in his old house?”
“Makes sense.” Ben nodded. “And the historical records should be right here.”
Drake slapped his friend’s shoulders. “Were Bad to the Bone, matey. Bad to the Bone.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
The Blood King, man, myth and psychotic killer, stood at the prow of his boat, gazing out to sea. The sun was fading in the sky, sinking low towards the far mountains, and it was that time of day when he felt the need and the deep desire to preserve his
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