Chapter 57

CHAPTER 57

The Arabian Sea, midnight

IN HIS TEAK-PANELED quarters one level below the Prizrak 's bridge, Cal Savage sat at a sleek communications console, monitoring reports and video feeds from operatives in hot spots around the world.

No word yet on the missing Doc Savage, but his entire network was on high alert. Everybody knew that the fugitive was a priority target, with a huge bonus for his capture—and a miserable death for anybody who let him escape again.

It was only a matter of time, the captain told himself. A man like Doc Savage would stand out anywhere.

With the annoying exception of his missing relative, Captain Savage's plans were proceeding briskly. His militias were gaining ground in Sudan. His former crew member Abai was straightening matters out in Somalia. Other operatives were at work in Burkina Faso, Nay Pyi Taw, and other remote locales, fanning conflicts still too obscure to earn a breaking-news banner on CNN.

In bits and pieces, the world was coming apart. And soon the spoils would fall into his hands.

"Cal! Enough! "

Savage swiveled around in his high-backed chair. Lial was lying on her side in bed on the other side of the cabin, her head propped on one hand, her dark eyes flashing.

Beautiful and impatient. As always.

Savage shut down his monitors and stood up. Lial slid over to make room as he undressed. Naked except for his briefs, he slipped under the covers next to her, then grabbed a laptop from the nightstand.

Lial slid one leg slowly over Savage's thigh, but his focus stayed on the screen. "Just checking one more thing…"

Lial put her hand on the laptop lid. "Let it wait."

Savage nudged her away. "Hold on…"

He was scanning a report from a depot in Tanzania where he sometimes sourced his fuel. Scowling, Lial rested her chin on his shoulder and read along.

Kira was in a communications blackout, as they'd agreed before she left. Phone and radio signals were too easy to trace. But she'd promised Savage that he would know what she was up to.

"Trust me, you'll hear," she said before getting on the helicopter.

Sure enough. Texts and fragmentary reports were shooting across the Congo basin about an avenging jungle demon—a she-devil the locals called Shaba. The demon was killing mercenaries near a copper mine. Ten men and counting.

Savage's mouth curled into a twisted little smile.

"I told you," he said, tapping the screen. "Kira Sunlight is a one-woman war."

Lial reached over and slammed the laptop cover down.

Cal stared at her. "Are you jealous?"

"Are you ?" Lial responded. She moved her hand down his bare torso and under the sheet. Savage drew a quick breath. The laptop fell onto the floor with a loud clatter.

Lial slid her head off the pillow, then disappeared entirely beneath the satin sheets. A few seconds later, the captain was gasping—in a good way.

Delicious as this arrangement sometimes was for him, Savage understood that it was nothing but a minor distraction for Lial—a way to occupy her mind and body while she lobbied for her next mission. It was understandable that she preferred a captain's bed to a cramped crew berth. And after all, sleeping with the boss was far from the worst thing she had done in her life.

But they both knew that she would much rather be in the steaming jungle instead of Kira.

Or with her.