“Is that really necessary?” Hawk asked.
“Was it really necessary to storm this compound and shoot a bunch of fellow former soldiers?”
“Sometimes when you’re auditioning for a job—”
“That was no audition,” the guard said. “That was an assault, and you know it. But I’ve heard all about you, Mr. Pearl.”
“Good things, I hope.”
“Just shut up and walk. I don’t really want to hear the sound of your voice.”
“Don’t be so quick to judge,” Hawk said. “We’re on the same team now. We’re gonna be working together.”
“Working together, my ass.”
“That’s what the scuttlebutt around the water cooler is.”
“You better hope that Ackerman isn’t planning on paying you back.”
Hawk shook his head and kept walking until they reached the office entrance. The guard nodded toward the door, and Hawk opened it before receiving one final jab in the back from the guard’s rifle.
“Do you treat all your fellow co-workers like this?” Hawk asked as he stumbled forward.
“Only the ones who shoot me in the neck. Now sit down and wait for Mr. Ackerman.”
Hawk settled into a chair as instructed and watched the guard march back to his post, kicking rocks along the way.
“That one’s got a temper on him, doesn’t he?” Hawk quipped to the man sitting behind the receptionist’s desk.
“Can’t say that I blame him for how he feels.”
“You should be on my side,” Hawk said. “I didn’t even shoot you.”
The man ignored Hawk’s comment.
“Let me see if Mr. Ackerman is available.”
He then picked up the phone and dialed a number. “He’ll be down in just a moment.”
Less than a minute later, Ackerman galloped down the steps and clasped his hands together upon seeing Hawk.
“Chuck, I told you we’d find something for you to do here,” Ackerman said.
“You didn’t have to try and kill me to see if I was suited for the position,” Hawk countered.
“Oh, yes, I did. That’s kind of a rite of passage around here. Or more like a sign that you have what it takes.”
“For those who don’t have what it takes?”
“We help usher them into retirement sooner, if you catch my drift.”
Hawk nodded. “It’s a brutal business you run.”
“It’s a brutal world out there. And our clients expect to be kept safe. We can’t very well do that with subpar guards, can we?”
“I suppose not,” Hawk said.
“Say, Chuck, why don’t you join me upstairs in my office so we can finish going over the details of your assignment?”
Hawk followed Ackerman up the steps and into his office where the two men settled into plush chairs in a seating area in the corner of the room.
“These chairs are far more comfortable than anything you’ll find out in the field,” Hawk said as he squeezed the arms. “You’re going to make your men soft by sitting in these things.”
“I’m anything but soft on the people who are seated in front of me, no matter how cushy the chairs are,” Ackerman said.
“So, let’s get down to business,” Hawk said, rubbing his hands together and leaning forward. “Ray tells me that you’ve got a pretty big job for me.”
“Did he tell you the pay?”
Hawk nodded. “That’s a hefty payout. Kind of hard to turn down.”
“That was what I was hoping for anyway. So, now that I’ve got you here, I need to fill you in on all the details.”
“Please do.”
“In two days from now, you’re going to Khabas, a small port city in the northern tip of Oman where you’ll handle an exchange for me.”
“What type of exchange?”
Ackerman pursed his lips and turned to look pensively out of the window before refocusing his gaze on Hawk.
“It’s probably best that you didn’t know, at least for your own sake,” Ackerman said.
“Plausible deniability?” Hawk asked.
“Something like that. It’s just a simple exchange. You’ll have some cargo that they’ll want to inspect. You allow them to check it out. They will give you the money and it’s over. They’ll haul off anything they want to keep and load it onto their boat and you’ll never see one another again. It’s that easy.”
“Doesn’t sound too difficult. But do you really need someone of my caliber to handle such a simple operation?”
“I can’t have any of my guys getting fingered for this if something were to go awry,” Ackerman said. “I usually hire independent contractors like yourself to take care of these transactions. It’s better for everyone involved. You get a big payday and—”
“And you avoid getting tied to a potential scandal in case everything goes sideways.”
“That’s the idea. However, you won’t be alone. I’ll be sending a small team of men to help provide you with cover in case they attempt to get away without paying or if they decide to harm you in any way.”
“That’s comforting,” Hawk said.
“That’s the gig—take it or leave it. But I don’t think you’re in a position to leave it, are you? If you’re stealing from your friends, you might not want to pass up this offer, the likes of which you may never see again.”
“I think I can handle this. Who will I be meeting with at the exchange?” Hawk asked.
“You don’t need to worry about that right now,” Ackerman said. “One of their representatives from the organization will be there to guide you through the whole thing. Names aren’t so important.”
“I know, I know. The whole the-less-you-know deal.”
“Exactly. So are you on board now?”
“A hundred percent.”
“Now one more thing before you leave,” Ackerman said.
“What is it?”
“You’ll know who these guys are when you see them, but no hero stuff, okay? Make the exchange and get out. If you do that, everything will be fine. No need to upset the apple cart, understand?”
Hawk nodded. “Got it.”
“Good. Now, let’s get you downstairs to fill out some paperwork so you can get paid. Half up front, half upon completion.”
An hour later, Hawk walked across the compound and exited the grounds. The guard sneered at Hawk as he left. He had agreed to work for Ackerman, but he
