Shadow Knight's Mate Read Online Free PDF Page A

said, “Unfortunately for you, he is occupied.”
    Jack looked back past her, folded his arms across his chest, and smiled himself. “Unfortunately for you, he’s not.”
    She didn’t believe him. That was clear from her continuing confident smile. But her eyes were no longer fully on Jack, and neither were her ears. When she heard the swish of movement behind her she turned quickly, moving her head to the side. She still got clipped, though, by the small three-legged stool Chun had thrown from ten feet away, where he was just wrapping up his own opponent. The stool caught the woman on one of her cheeks. She gave to lessen the blow, bending back.
    Which gave Jack the opportunity to roll suddenly to the ground and through her legs. A sort of rolling tackle, not legal in any sport, but effective. The woman went down and hit the back of her head on the concrete floor. This cracking sound was even louder than the last one. She didn’t move.
    A moment later Chun stood beside Jack looking down at her. “Who is she?” Jack asked.
    Chun gave him a strange look. “No idea. She is not Korean, though. Neither is the man.”
    â€œWell—”
    â€œYes.” The North Korean government certainly worked through agents of other nationalities. So did other organizations.
    Chun looked at the broken stick in Jack’s hand. “You used a weapon.”
    â€œNo, I failed to use a weapon. That’s a game rule, Chun, not one when somebody’s trying to kill you. Anyway, you used the little stool.”
    â€œYes, but it was a found object. I didn’t bring it with me.” Chun smiled.
    They walked away without bothering to search the attackers’ clothes. They wouldn’t be carrying any identification, at least no accurate ones. Maybe they would still be unconscious when security came to get them.
    At the curtain, Chun turned and looked back. “You know,” he said quietly, “when I slipped away, neither of them followed me. They both continued to come after you.”
    â€œProbably thought you were still with me or close by. Wanted to take me out first the way they took out your guards.”
    â€œMmmm,” Chun murmured, then shook his head. “I don’t think they were after me, Jack. I think they were after you.”
    Jack continued to look at the bodies on the floor, avoiding his new friend’s eyes. “Really?” he said.

CHAPTER 2
    Jack seemed to spend the next twenty-four hours on planes and in airport terminals. Only a couple of the news channels mentioned the addition of Libya to the upcoming World Summit, and those two only in crawls at the bottom of the screen. It wasn’t big news, except to Jack. But he didn’t take the pleasure in it he would have if he’d done it on his own, as he’d planned.
    He no longer sensed pursuit, and by the time he reached LAX he felt as secure as anyone could in that place. Jack continued to exercise habitual caution, though, catching a flight to Salt Lake City and renting a car to drive to Denver.
    The drive through the beautiful, nearly empty landscape helped clear his head. He gave a great deal of thought, of course, to why he had been attacked in Malaysia. Had they intended to capture him or kill him? The latter, he thought. Those two attackers hadn’t appeared to be holding back. They could easily have used a tranquilizer dart or a spiked drink in that crowd if they’d just wanted to take him hostage. No, someone had hired them to kill him. Jack had no idea who would want him dead, although he was very much afraid it was one of his best friends. Maybe all his friends.
    His shoulders relaxed as he drove and no one pursued, but another sort of tension began to build in him, the kind a child feels in the days before Christmas. The group meeting. Jack couldn’t help grinning.

    The medium-sized old hotel had been built a few miles east of downtown Denver, in what turned