Walsh attempted to navigate the boat as he turned back toward Hawk and fired a couple shots. When Walsh returned his focus to steering, Hawk recognized he still had a chance to get onboard by jumping from the dock onto the boat, which was traveling parallel to his position. After racing alongside the vessel, Hawk leaped into the air before crashing hard onto the deck and knocking Walsh forward across the navigational controls. He rolled over into the center of the boat, falling to the floor. Meanwhile, the boat began to spin in a circle.
Hawk reached for his gun, but it must have shaken loose during his landing. Walsh's gun had fallen out of his hand as well and was just out of his reach. Scrambling toward the weapon, Hawk dove on top of Walsh and tried to reach it first. But Walsh pulled the firearm back with his fingertips before clutching it tightly.
Reacting quickly, Hawk grabbed Walsh's wrist and bashed it against the deck to get him to relinquish his grip. When the gun didn't fall free, Hawk tried to hold Walsh's arm in place while punching him in the throat. But Walsh twisted to avoid a devastating blow as the two men rose to their feet while wrestling for the weapon.
After a brief struggle, Hawk moved into a more advantageous position, leaning on Walsh as his back was pinned against the edge of the boat and arms were fully extended arms over the water. The vessel continued to spin in a circle, unsteadying Hawk’s balance. He decided to make another lunge for the weapon. And when he did, it finally came loose from Walsh’s hand before tumbling into the Potomac.
Stunned for a moment by the disappearance of the weapon, Hawk was caught off guard when Walsh used both feet to shove Hawk backward, nearly knocking him into the water. Walsh scrambled behind the steering wheel and pulled the boat out of its spin. Hawk regained his composure and took a flying leap at Walsh, diving over the windshield and toppling him to the ground. The boat veered toward the far shore and ran around a few seconds later while the two men fought.
Walsh seized his chance to escape, jumping out of the vessel and running onto the shore. Hawk followed Walsh along the bank until they reached an inlet that ran up against a nature trail surrounded by a canal on one side and the Potomac on the other. Walsh was fighting his way through bushes and brambles when Hawk made a run at the Obsidian agent.
Walsh spun around and grabbed a knife from his ankle holster and waved it at Hawk.
“You ready to die just like your mother did?” Walsh asked.
Rage coursed through Hawk’s veins.
“Hawk, I lost visual contact with you, but I wanted to let you know that a whole host of law enforcement agents are closing in on your position,” Alex said over the coms.
“So am I,” Black said.
Hawk narrowed his eyes and glared at Walsh.
“So, you are ready to die like her?” Walsh said. He gestured with his hand, bidding for Hawk to come closer.
“We’re going to end this right now,” Hawk said.
CHAPTER 28
HAWK LOOKED AROUND for something he could use to fend off Walsh. A large branch a few feet away had to suffice as Hawk realized he was running out of options—and time. While diving back into the Potomac would help him avoid Walsh, Hawk would be apprehended by the security detail rushing toward his location.
“My contact told me you’d be difficult to eliminate,” Walsh said. “But this is going to be easier than I thought.”
“Yet you didn’t kill me in New Mexico when you had a chance,” Hawk said.
“I didn’t realize my own mother would set a trap for me.”
“A trap? It’s more like she set one for us.”
Walsh shook his head. “Is that why she only told me about you and the woman agent? I could’ve handled both of you, but she didn’t tell me about the third person. I would’ve brought some help. I just had to save myself at that point.”
“So instead you shot your own mother?” Hawk asked.
“I was doing her a favor. She was about to be arrested by the FBI for human trafficking and smuggling. It’s not like she was some paragon of virtue. Besides, she’s the one who made me murder all her husbands for her because she couldn’t bring herself to do it.”
“You don't have to choose this path,” Hawk said. “You can lay down your weapon, and you can help us stop Obsidian.”
Walsh laughed. “You’re never gonna stop them.”
“I won’t if I don’t know who’s behind all this. But you do—and you could assist us in bringing the leaders to justice.”
“Justice? These people own the justice system and everything else.”
“They don’t own me.”
“They will,” Walsh said. “Just give Obsidian time.”
“I won't be co-opted by anyone. That's not how I operate.”
“It won’t matter. You’ll be their slave one way or another—unless you want to fight this. I’ll give you a quick out, probably even your best solution.”
“Never,” Hawk sneered.
He ran straight for Walsh before darting to the side just before reaching him. Hawk avoided Walsh’s blade and then swung the branch at his knee. As Hawk made contact, Walsh let out a scream as a cracking sound ripped through the air. Hawk tumbled on the ground before jumping back to his feet.
Walsh grimaced as he regained his balance then turned to face Hawk.
“None of this is going to matter when the event happens,” Walsh said.
“The event? What was today?”
“Merely the pre-cursor to what’s about to unfold all across the world,” Walsh said. “Obsidian is about to assume control, the likes of which this world has never seen in the modern age. You think
