missed some clues that could put Orbits on the right path.
He plugged the address into his GPS and hit the road. Thanks to a bit of traffic, the eighteen-mile drive took over thirty minutes.
The house was located in a nice neighborhood where most of the homes were set back from the road, with lawns of deep green grass running right up to the sidewalk.
“Your destination is one hundred feet ahead, on the right,” the female GPS voice informed him.
Right before he reached the property, he noticed a man walking along the sidewalk in front of the house. The guy hadn’t been there a moment before. Either some of the bushes near the end of the driveway had blocked him from view, or he’d been up at the house.
Another hunter?
Orbits grabbed his phone and switched on the camera. Draping his arm across the other seat and holding the device next to the headrest, he snapped off several pics as he passed the man.
Maybe the guy was no one, but it wouldn’t hurt to have him checked out.
Fifteen minutes later, he had finished his examination of the house and was sitting in his car again. He had seen signs that others had recently been there, but a look inside revealed no one had used the place for some time.
He smiled. The Californians had definitely not found the target here.
He sympathized with the others, he really did. Catching that first scent of a prey was always the hardest part of the job, but for him, it was also the most enjoyable. He was damn good at it. He was Ricky Orbits, after all. The number one hunter in the world.
The brief had mentioned that the woman had been helped in her escape by unknown individuals. Find them and he’d find her.
He pulled out his phone.
“It’s me,” Orbits said.
“What’s up, boss?” Donnie said.
“Got a few things I need you to look into.”
CHAPTER 13
LOCATION UNKNOWN
T HE DOOR OPENED again, and heavy footsteps crossed to where Helen sat. As her new visitor stopped in front of her, Helen caught the distinct odor of cigarettes.
A deep breath was followed by a loud expulsion of air. A second later a stream of smoke hit the cloth bag. The material filtered out much of the cloud, but plenty still got through. Helen tried not to cough but failed.
Her visitor took a step closer. Helen held her breath but there was no second cloud. Instead, the person circled her slowly to the point directly behind the chair.
“We can kill you whenever we want.” A male voice, rough from his cigarette habit. “Is your life really worth protecting someone you’ve never met before?” The steps completed the circle and came to rest back in front of Helen. “You are a foolish woman, Ms. Cho. You have an opportunity to help yourself and yet you act the hero. There is no such thing as heroes.”
Suddenly hands grabbed both sides of her head and tilted her face up. Though she couldn’t see him through the bag, she could taste his sour breath as he squeezed her skull like he was going to cave it in.
He laughed as he finally let go. “This could have been so easy for you. Know that what comes next was chosen by you alone.”
When he walked out of the room, three new pairs of steps entered, accompanied by the sound of rattling wheels. The procession came to a halt a few feet to Helen’s left. There was the clinking and jangling of items being placed on a metal surface. Then silence.
She was about to make a smartass remark when someone grabbed her arm. Though she was already strapped to the chair, the trio wrapped two new restraints around her chest and shoulder, further limiting her ability to move.
After this was done, they left.
The silence lasted less than a minute before Helen heard the familiar clicking of heels.
The woman.
She approached in the same casual manner as she had on her first visit, stopping at the same place the man had.
“My associate pointed out to me that I forgot to introduce myself. I am Nanou Deschamps.”
Helen knew she had heard the name before,
He plugged the address into his GPS and hit the road. Thanks to a bit of traffic, the eighteen-mile drive took over thirty minutes.
The house was located in a nice neighborhood where most of the homes were set back from the road, with lawns of deep green grass running right up to the sidewalk.
“Your destination is one hundred feet ahead, on the right,” the female GPS voice informed him.
Right before he reached the property, he noticed a man walking along the sidewalk in front of the house. The guy hadn’t been there a moment before. Either some of the bushes near the end of the driveway had blocked him from view, or he’d been up at the house.
Another hunter?
Orbits grabbed his phone and switched on the camera. Draping his arm across the other seat and holding the device next to the headrest, he snapped off several pics as he passed the man.
Maybe the guy was no one, but it wouldn’t hurt to have him checked out.
Fifteen minutes later, he had finished his examination of the house and was sitting in his car again. He had seen signs that others had recently been there, but a look inside revealed no one had used the place for some time.
He smiled. The Californians had definitely not found the target here.
He sympathized with the others, he really did. Catching that first scent of a prey was always the hardest part of the job, but for him, it was also the most enjoyable. He was damn good at it. He was Ricky Orbits, after all. The number one hunter in the world.
The brief had mentioned that the woman had been helped in her escape by unknown individuals. Find them and he’d find her.
He pulled out his phone.
“It’s me,” Orbits said.
“What’s up, boss?” Donnie said.
“Got a few things I need you to look into.”
CHAPTER 13
LOCATION UNKNOWN
T HE DOOR OPENED again, and heavy footsteps crossed to where Helen sat. As her new visitor stopped in front of her, Helen caught the distinct odor of cigarettes.
A deep breath was followed by a loud expulsion of air. A second later a stream of smoke hit the cloth bag. The material filtered out much of the cloud, but plenty still got through. Helen tried not to cough but failed.
Her visitor took a step closer. Helen held her breath but there was no second cloud. Instead, the person circled her slowly to the point directly behind the chair.
“We can kill you whenever we want.” A male voice, rough from his cigarette habit. “Is your life really worth protecting someone you’ve never met before?” The steps completed the circle and came to rest back in front of Helen. “You are a foolish woman, Ms. Cho. You have an opportunity to help yourself and yet you act the hero. There is no such thing as heroes.”
Suddenly hands grabbed both sides of her head and tilted her face up. Though she couldn’t see him through the bag, she could taste his sour breath as he squeezed her skull like he was going to cave it in.
He laughed as he finally let go. “This could have been so easy for you. Know that what comes next was chosen by you alone.”
When he walked out of the room, three new pairs of steps entered, accompanied by the sound of rattling wheels. The procession came to a halt a few feet to Helen’s left. There was the clinking and jangling of items being placed on a metal surface. Then silence.
She was about to make a smartass remark when someone grabbed her arm. Though she was already strapped to the chair, the trio wrapped two new restraints around her chest and shoulder, further limiting her ability to move.
After this was done, they left.
The silence lasted less than a minute before Helen heard the familiar clicking of heels.
The woman.
She approached in the same casual manner as she had on her first visit, stopping at the same place the man had.
“My associate pointed out to me that I forgot to introduce myself. I am Nanou Deschamps.”
Helen knew she had heard the name before,
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