3

I want you to follow a man, I want to know as much as possible about him. There’s no time limit. I just want to get some sort of profile on him. Report back to me in one month.

Strange request from Don Gambrina. But as head of Police, it was his public duty to check on people.

                                  11

The storm was due to hit at midnight heading into the fourth of July. Strangely apt. The chopper would drop him three miles from the target. It would sit for two hours, no longer. Blending into a sandstorm didn’t pose any problems. Running through a sandstorm was plain insanity. Time was not on his side. Planning was near impossible. But insane jobs were what they were, insane.

The target was in sight. He was right, only fools walk about in sandstorms. Everyone had taken cover. He couldn’t believe his luck. He quietly dug under the sand into the tent, slowly entering at the far corner. Two guards, both asleep. Now permanently asleep.

If there was such a thing as opulence in a tent, this was it. Though this was not the time to admire it. He watched him for a while. How many had died at the hands of this man? It felt strange as his hand began choking the life out of him. In a way, it had all started with him.

He had thirty-six minutes to run three miles back to the chopper. This was one flight he wasn’t going to miss.

                                   12

Jack Malone had worked damn hard to get to the top.

He had now been in charge of the CIA for ten years.

In that time he had made them accountable.

The days of hidden wars were over with. He still had a budget that would probably run some countries. But this money was used differently. Ten million dollars was worth the price to get rid of this one man. It would send a message to the rest of them. We will hunt you down and kill you. This film was proof of that.

The President was silent for a time. The assassin is he American.?

Yes, he’s American.

A very rich American. Do we give him a medal as well?

Well, we haven’t for the previous ones.

There’s been more.

Seven before. This is his first on your watch.

Well, Jack, I don’t know where you got him, or if you trained him. But I want to congratulate you on a job well done. Your old boss gave me one bit of advice when I took up the Presidency. He told me to put my life in your hands. He also said you were the most powerful man in America. I’m beginning to understand what he meant.

I work for you, sir. 24/7.

He said you would say that. Thanks, Jack.

I would also like to shake the hand of that man of yours.

Jack Malone thought long and hard for a while. Sometimes this business really grated every living part of him. Just knowing that Sir would be enough for him.

Reviews

[AJNJ]

Loved this read! Reminded me of that book called No Easy Day where a US Navy Seal wrote a first-hand narrative about the mission which led to him shooting dead the al-Qaeda leader in Pakistan in May 2011. Like that book, this is quite gripping and I feel the guys working so stealthily behind the scenes to protect and uphold values like liberty and democracy are to be really saluted. I’m hoping for a sequel to this. Nice to make your acquaintance, sir Paul :)

[Paul Bell]

I thought in lockdown I would have had this finished, sadly the other 200 jobs I always managed to avoid couldn't be avoided. Lol. Also, nice to make your acquaintance.

[Dave Brown]

Hmm. I've been missing some good stuff
Next you'll be into movies

[Betty Hermelee]

This reminds me of the old show, Dragnet, maybe before your time. I love the style, and like the character Jack Malone. The writing is straight forward, like the theme. Enjoyed it.
Best, Betty

[Paul Bell]

I'll need to finish this sometime.

[light and ashes]

Good writing. Enjoyable..

[Corset]

loved every bit down to the last line which I am unclear on, didn't understand the context of it. but i'm sure the lines that would come after would clear that all up for me :D

[Paul Bell]

Yeah, the story seems to have come out of sequence, though that might be the way the cafe puts it out.

[alanwgraham]

I like the style Paul and it suits the subject. It's tricky taking an extract like this but you've given enough. I wonder whether it might work better if you signal the dialogue by spacing or using punctuation. No need to go down the old - he said - route. I'm sure you'll find plenty of readers!
Take care.
Alan

[Paul Bell]

Not sure why this keeps coming back on chapter 3.
I'm going to finish this at some point. lol

[Pennywriter]

Punchy and nervy writing style. straight to the point. Fantastic.

[Paul Bell]

Someday I'll finish this. lol

[Pennywriter]

You should keep on adding to this story and create a new action hero. The pacing of the narration is good. I just noticed that at line 35, (located in the chapter 12), you forgot a question mark at the end of "the assassin is he American".

[Einstein Noodle]

ok...now i have to find chapters one and two ;) i particularly like the Jake Malone characterization .. just his name makes me think of Sam Spade and Mike Hammer type characters.
E.

[Paul Bell]

Loved Mike Hammer, Mickey was one of my favourite authors.

[Einstein Noodle]

me too ... they are especially suited for TV representation .. so very much "bigger than life"

[Paul Bell]

You having a rest from writing, or is nothing coming through in this lockdown era.

[Einstein Noodle]

yeah ... just not motivated .. i have one in the oven but not sure it will cook up much good ;} thanks for asking ... i'll have to get on it and see if i can make it work somehow ... peace bro!

[Paul Bell]

Four in the morning for fermenting.

[Einstein Noodle]

:))))))))))) worked on it and posted .. just a bit of fun ... fermented long enough ;}

[Miss Sharon]

Since I've not read this post from the beginning I feel as though I'm coming in to the middle of the play, but what I do know is that you have a way with words and paint a clear and vivid picture for your reader! ~Sharon

[Paul Bell]

Not sure why this always comes up, since it's chapter 3. Actually, I must bloody finish it. lol

[Marie-Louise.]

You have painted well a dark world which ordinary people do not see, but I suspect for me, being an ordinary person, it is all out there in the shadows.