Alicia Myles 2 - Crusader's Gold Read Online Free PDF

the second. Perhaps it was time for Plan B.
    “So you’re what? Another bloody stalker?” Alicia played for time. “Believe me, I’ve had more than my fair share of those recently.”
    “I bet. But you can call me Kenzie, and we’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other during our treasure hunt, I’m sure. Though you might hate the chains.”
    “Oh, I don’t know . . .”
    “Now hurry up. I’ve already had to kill one of my men today and, despite his infinite ineptness, the death of a paid employee always festers in my gut.” Kenzie spread her hands. “I mean, what happens to all that dead money in his bank account? Dead merc equals dead money and a waste of resources.”
    Alicia couldn’t stop fleeting shadows of surprises sweeping her features.
    “Yes, yes.” Kenzie waved it away. “He failed me twice. I beat him, shot him in the gut, watched him bleed out. No fun in that. The coach is that way, blondie.”
    Alicia studied her adversary, not quite able to recall the last female criminal she or any of her teams had come up against. Was there one? To keep the woman happy she backed up a few steps, still with Russo and Healey at her side. Soldier’s intuition told her they would be waiting for her move; an intuition not only born of expectation but also of mutual respect and experience gained from fighting together during the Aztec escapade. Naz already stood by the coach, Caitlyn and Crouch a meter to his left. Every second they stalled gave rise to the possibility that a distraction would present itself.
    The driver of the lead coach leaned out of his half-open window, sleepily asking if he could help them out, and Alicia sensed the whole dynamic change. Kenzie’s concentration shattered, leaving her irresolute for a short moment. Her men grew cautious, all of a sudden aware of how public they were.
    Alicia had lived her life seizing the moment, and this one was no different. Striking hard, she bruised Kenzie’s cheek, then sent her stumbling away with a jerk of her big coat.
    Spinning past, she engaged her first crony, a man wearing a long leather jacket. His gun, secreted beneath, was instantly clasped between her hands and wrenched away. Above his shocked visage the extensive dome of Hagia Sophia loomed large, reminding her of their setting. Alicia doubled him over with a well-placed knee and threw his gun under the bus.
    To her right and left Russo and Healey were backing her to the hilt. Russo smashed an elbow with the force of a boulder into one man’s face, sending him into instant oblivion. Healey wrestled with a more competent foe, both men struggling for control of a weapon.
    Alicia took another usurped Uzi and tucked in close to Kenzie. No one would dare fire on her now, even if they were mad enough to try out here. And these were not fanatical terrorists bent on destroying a larger world they had been brainwashed to hate; these were paid mercs intent on securing a larger pay day. Kenzie had said as much, betraying her hand. And though eyes now swiveled murderously in her direction all noted the presence of Kenzie mere inches away . . . and paused.
    Russo threw a man against the side of the nearest coach, the impact itself turning a few heads. Healey slipped and scrambled away, pursued by his adversary. Crouch disappeared around the vehicle’s blind side, drawing a contingent of mercenaries after him.
    Alicia smashed a man on the bridge of the nose, watched him wobble before crashing to the ground, then rubbed the back of her spine against Kenzie’s.
    “Hey girlfriend. You ain’t gonna shoot anyone out here. You’ve been outplayed.”
    Kenzie didn’t move. “No. Not now. But I do see this treasure hunting game as a way of making money, far better than my previous drab existence of looting in the Middle East and fighting over a slab of ancient fucking rubble. And I will pursue you hard. Next time, you won’t be so lucky.”
    “I don’t need luck.” Alicia pushed away from