Chapter 26

CHAPTER 26

CAPTAIN CAL SAVAGE IV watched from the bridge as the chopper touched down. Lial stood beside him, stone-faced. By now, Savage could read her moods clearly. He had trained her himself. She was still irritated about not getting the assignment in Chicago—and newly irked about not getting the assignment on the island. But Savage stood by his decisions. An operative like Lial was too valuable to risk in a fight. He needed her for more nuanced work. Mind, not muscle.

On the platform below, the cockpit door opened. Four black-clad men jumped out onto the deck. From what Savage had seen from their body-cam feeds, the mission had gone flawlessly—all six targets slain silently in the night, with Doc Savage left to take the blame. The captain could not have been more pleased.

"You know what this means?" he asked.

"I do," said Lial curtly.

Savage told her anyway. "It means the end to the Doc Savage saga once and for all. Once news of this crime spreads, the world will remember the Doc Savage name only for its dark side. Mindless cruelty. Sociopathic violence. As it should be."

Lial responded with a tight smile. "You're right. What could be worse than a child killer?"

"And look," said Savage, pointing toward the chopper. "There's the bonus."

The rear door of the helicopter slid open. Two of the men grabbed their prisoner and pulled her down onto the deck, feetfirst.

Savage glanced at Lial. He could see her eyes widen as she tried to control her excitement.

"She's taller than I thought she'd be," Lial said.

One of the men cut the cables around Kira's legs and torso, then pushed her forward along the deck. Even after her ordeal, she looked fit and strong, thought Savage. Plenty of fight left in her. Which was exactly what he needed.

"You're looking at the best operative our alma mater ever produced," said Savage. He rested one hand lightly on Lial's shoulder. "No offense."

She shrugged his hand away. "None taken."

Savage could tell that Lial was more impressed than envious. And with good reason.

It's not every day that you meet a legend.