The Spy Devils by Joe Goldberg (top rated books of all time .TXT) 📕

Bridger knew the intel came from May. It was good information that led to them tracking air and hotel reservations, car rentals, and movements of the enemies the Chinese had targeted for assassination. Without it, finding the Dragon Fire team would have been impossible—as impossible as trying to find the Spy Devils.

So how did Li Chu find us? Why did he kill Beast?

Beast. The physical pain caused by the ambush had temporarily made him forget the mental pain caused by the news that someone had killed his man. The chance that the someone was a few feet from him re-energized Bridger and refocused his plan. He had to keep control.

The moment will come. It always does. Usually just once, and only for an instant. I have to recognize it and be ready.

Bridger ran his tongue along his teeth and felt blood stuck to some of them.

“How did we locate you? I call it good old fashioned espionage by us and bad tradecraft by you. You were sloppy.”

Li Chu pondered the appraisal of his tradecraft. He started a small pattern of pacing a few steps, then turning. Repeat. Repeat. He shook his head.

“No. No. We were not.”

“Okay. To be fair, we had some good intel. Great intel. You didn’t stand a chance. The MSS has been penetrated, and they have been reporting on you like a 24-hour news channel.”

Li Chu walked to the patio door. He thought about this as he looked over the patio and yard. “That is more likely. Who?”

Bridger was peering out the window, too. The midday sun was glaring off the glass. Bridger had an idea—a guess. If he said the name and was wrong, no harm to him. The problem he had at this moment, zip-tied to a chair, being interrogated by a Chinese assassin in Kyiv, was if he was right, and he was reasonably confident he was, he wasn’t sure of the ramifications. Right now, it was best to say nothing.

I will deal with that later. I have to kill this guy first.

Li Chu grabbed the bag.

“What is in this case?”

“I got no problem telling you. It’s called Hillcrest,” Bridger said.

Do it.

“What is it? Bio-weapon? Gold? A suitcase nuclear weapon?”

Open it and find out.

“Open it and find out.”

Li Chu unzipped the bag, reached in, pulled out the case, and set it on the table.

You just made the mistake.

46

The Stuff Dreams are Made Of

Lebedevka Village, Ukraine

“Say, I might have missed it. Who gave you this address?” Bridger cocked his head and painfully raised his eyebrow. “We both know you couldn’t find out for yourself. So, who helped you?”

Li Chu jammed the Devil Stick into Bridger’s chest. He spasmed and gripped the chair with his purple left wrist, sending even more pain through him. The sweat rolled off his face as his eyes leered at the man.

“Admit it, you made too many mistakes. As we say, you sucked,” Bridger poked Li Chu with a laugh.

Li Chu waved the weapon in Bridger’s face. The glare of anger in his eyes.

“I am not the one tied in the chair.”

“I can’t argue with that.”

It was Li Chu’s turn to laugh. “You will soon be ruined, and we will be gone, with this.”

Good. Good. The case. Keep going, idiot.

“Jack, I must thank you for one thing. You have shown me the value of social media as a powerful weapon.” Li Chu stood in front of Bridger with his mobile phone camera pointed at Bridger’s face. “I planned on killing you, but I think you value your anonymity more than life. The secret and mysterious Spy Devils.” His voice was filled with sarcasm. “When we are done here, I will send your image to the world and make you as famous as you made us. So, I will kill you, so to speak, as you killed us.”

“Now that is bad news.” By sending Bridger’s image to the world, he would seriously harm Bridger’s entire life and the Spy Devils' operational activities—maybe permanently.

“That would be disappointing,” Bridger said a few seconds later, with the pain still pulsating in his chest. When he recovered, he fixed his eyes on the Chinese assassin. “Why did you kill my person?”

Li Chu looked genuinely confused.

“What? I haven’t killed anyone. As I said, I do not plan to kill you either, Jack.”

His spinning head didn’t help him sort out the confusion caused by Li Chu’s comment. Would there be a reason for the leader of the Dragon Fire to lie to him? Spite. Hatred. Okay, that he would accept. But he didn’t show any of that.

“Right. You didn’t touch him. Is that what you are saying?”

“I am not a liar. I would not deceive you. I hate you as an enemy, but I can respect you as an opponent. Let’s not be petty.”

“I appreciate that, buddy. I’ll send you a card for your birthday.” Bridger tried to wiggle his numb fingers.

Li Chu gave him a quizzical look, not exactly sure what to make of this man secured to a chair. He continued with his interrogation.

“Where am I?” A weak voice. Peter. His face was pale and damp. Blood dripped from a cut over his left eye.

“Peter. You are alive.” Bridger winced in pain as he turned his head.

“What have I missed?” Peter spit some blood from his mouth, then he looked around the room.

I just need to keep delaying. When the time comes, we make our move.

“Well. The Chinese are about to kill us. No, he isn’t going to kill me. I am not sure what he plans for you. I think that sums it up.” Bridger’s tone was between mocking and serious as he stared at Li Chu. “Does that about cover it?”

“I’m…well…that is…not good.” Peter struggled against the restraints. Then he stopped and straightened his body in a moment of recall. “Hillcrest?”

All eyes turned to the sunlight-splattered silver case lying on the table.

“What is in it?” Li Chu said to Peter.

“I hope it is lunch. I am hungry.” Bridger shrugged his