Drake Sisters 03 - Oceans of Fire

there’s a possibility this team exists and that Ilya Prakenskii is a part of it. When I saw those photographs, it occurred to me that Prakenskii would be a perfect recruit for such an international force.”
    There was a small silence. Jonas broke it first. “And it follows that if he were on that international force and was here, he’d be working undercover. That’s where you’re leading with all of this, isn’t it? You’ve suspected for some time, but you don’t know.”
    “No, I don’t know. If I’m wrong and he’s really Nikitin’s muscle, I’ve wasted several opportunities to kill him.”
    “And if he is following a cell of terrorists and he’s come here, then that means my county has a major problem.” Jonas hit the steering wheel with the palm of his hand. “And if he’s undercover, he handed me Chernyshev because he found out Chernyshev murdered Danilov. Chad Kingman was worthless to him.”
    “And he got us out of his way.”
    “Does he have backup?” Jackson asked.
    “I doubt it. I’ve never known him to work with anyone. He wanted me to get Abbey out of the bar the night we went to the Caspar Inn. She challenged him to a game of truth or dare and he was very uncomfortable.” Aleksandr peered out the window. “We must be getting close. We don’t want them to see us if they have a guard.”
    “Don’t worry. I know the area,” Jonas said. “Let’s say, just for the hell of it, that you’re right and Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    Prakenskii is on some hotshot international antiterrorist team that he can’t admit to. He wouldn’t be out at sea watching them make the drop, would he?”
    “No, he wouldn’t.” Aleksandr’s voice was grim. His gaze was already searching the high places above them. “He’ll be sitting up somewhere above that cove with a scope and a rifle and he’ll take them all out.”
    Jonas pulled the car into a tangle of overgrown brush on a small side road. “We walk from here.”
    “I’ll go high,” Jackson said. “You’ll have to give me a few minutes to work my way into position, especially if I have to worry that he’s out there.”
    “In my country, a knife blade is often coated with poison so a single cut, even a shallow one, will kill you.” Even with the cover of the brush, Aleksandr crouched down and kept his voice low. “Prakenskii can attack with equal skill with either hand. I’ve seen few expert enough to go up against him in close fighting.”
    “I’m not hunting him,” Jackson said. “I’m protecting you and Jonas.”
    “If you have to shoot, he’ll see the flash and track it right back to you.” Aleksandr didn’t know how to shake the deputy up, to make him aware just how dangerous Prakenskii really was. Jackson’s eyes were black, flat and cold and empty. There was no expression on his face and nothing the Interpol agent said seemed to alarm him. Aleksandr recognized the look all too well. When Aleksandr looked in the mirror, those same dead eyes stared back at him.
    “Jackson knows what’s he doing.” Jonas handed him night glasses. “You might need these.”
    “Thanks.”
    “I’m going to hit them with the light when they’re all well away from the boat,” Jonas said, holding up a powerful floodlight. “Wait for me to identify myself and tell them they’re under arrest.”
    “I have no problem with that.”
    “Let’s go, then,” Jonas said.
    Jonas knew the terrain, so Aleksandr dropped back to allow him the lead. They stayed in the shadow of the foliage, keeping out of the moonlight as they made their way over the uneven ground to the fence.
    They went over the wire one at a time, keeping their actions slow and fluid, trying to blend with the moving shadows. The wind accompanied them, riffling the vegetation, keeping it in constant motion to help confuse the eye of any watcher.
    Jonas crouched low as the ground began to swell, moving faster now to cover more terrain and get into position. Aleksandr split off and went left as they dropped down on the other side of the small hill. The cove came into view, nestled between two rising cliffs. Windswept cypress covered the tops of both cliffs, although one rocky shelf fingered out toward the sea, sheltering the cove from prying eyes. The entire area was wild with an explosion of flowers and shrubs and trees. Waves washed up onto the sandy, rock-strewn shore. Twisted pieces of driftwood lay scattered across