Iron Triangle: A Jackson Pike Novel (Book One of The Iron Triangle Series) Read Online Free PDF Page A

bike's throttle fully opened. He could only hope that the
Mercedes would not catch him before he could access the interstate.
    He pled with the bike for more speed until he realized one
of the stray bullets must have punctured his rear tire. The bike was never
going to gain on the car.
    At least, not today.
    His heart pounded in his chest, and beads of sweat were
beginning to form on Jackson's forehead, but his mind was clear.
    Jackson was no stranger to adrenaline. His SEAL training had
ensured that he could respond to the most difficult circumstances on earth, and
his combat experience had tested this ability to its limits.
    As mentally calm and clear as Jackson was as he hurtled down
the deserted road, he knew he wouldn’t make the interstate.
    The black sports sedan was too fast, its driver's purpose
too evil to be thwarted by the still hung over ex-SEAL on a broken motorcycle.
    Jackson heard the growl of the vehicle’s engine only seconds
before he felt the black convertible impact his bike. The front bumper of the
vehicle narrowly missed Jackson's left leg, instead hitting the flat rear tire of
the formerly pristine bike.
    In an instant, Jackson and the bike veered off the road.
    Jackson fought to control the bike as it swerved dangerously
towards a copse of trees ahead. Somehow, he was able to regain control of the
bike. He continued riding at top speed in the grass beside the road.
    He could see only one option for escape. The
river.
    Jackson caught the steel bridge of the river crossing in his
sights ahead as his bike bumped along the grass on the side of the road. His
pupils narrowed and his breathing quickened. His calloused right hand once more
twisted the throttle of his sports bike. The powerful bike responded, rapidly
accelerating through the grass that led to the water's edge.
    The warm green water approached rapidly in Jackson's vision,
and the former SEAL briefly wondered if he would regret his decision to make
for the algae green water as the love of his sport-bike briefly clouded his
judgment.
    Despite his misgivings, Jackson continued towards the wide
expanse of algae colored water that was laid out like an uncoiled snake across
his path.
    The black car continued to match pace with Jackson as it
approached the sandy shore of the Sumner River. Amazingly, Jackson maintained
control of the bike until the very moment his front wheel impacted the warm
water of the slowly flowing river.
    Jackson took a deep breath and closed his eyes tightly as
the front wheel of the bike impacted the green water of the river and he was
ejected from the black seat of his beloved Harley.
    Almost immediately, the warm water of the lazy Sumner River
enveloped him and his eyes opened. His world was algae green and wet as he
exhaled through his nose and watched the air bubbles rise towards the surface
of the water. His head throbbed as he sought his bearings beneath the water.
    Most people would have been disoriented by being ejected
from the seat of a motorcycle not to mention the rapid impact and submersion in
the murkiness of the algae colored water. Jackson was not.
    Jackson was admittedly disoriented. But it was by a sudden
sharp pain and slow, silent throbbing of his head.
    He must have hit his head on something when he entered the
water, he realized as his hands sought the soft silt of the river's bottom in
the murky opaqueness.
    Despite his head injury, Jackson fought to remain oriented
beneath the water. He forced himself to recall his SEAL training. He knew that
the surface could be found by following the bubbles. So he swam in the opposite
direction, diving deeper into the warm green water of the peaceful Sumner
River.
    Jackson was grateful for his training as he dove deeper
under the water, equalizing the pressure in his ears, his hands seeking purchase
on the silt of the soft river bottom.
    He recalled the drills. He remembered the seemingly endless
course of training in salt, fresh, and brackish water to which the