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Part 34
最終更新日:
2025-04-11 12:58:13
関連チャプター
Drengr Part 35
I settled back against the couch in my living room and opened the package from Bo. I took out the two leather casings and I opened one. I looked at the contents and smiled.I thought back to the file Jack had sent me about William’s mother. I had a plan for her as soon as I got back to Iowa. She was never going to be the mother that William deserved and maybe with this, I could make his life a little better.I wiped everything in the leather casing and walked to my bedroom. The tuxedo was in my closet and I put the invitation in my jacket pocket and went to bed.I didn’t sleep well. I had too many conflicting emotions and thoughts that were going through my mind and eventually I fell asleep at five a.m. It was still a restless sleep because conflicting emotions were something new to me.At ten a.m. I was woken up by my ringing phone.“Yeah?” I answered the phone with my eyes still closed.“Where are you?” Jack asked me in a hushed voice.“What time is it?” I asked him.“Ten a.m. littl
最終更新日 : 2025-04-12Drengr Part 36
“Hi,” I answered my phone.“You clean up nice, little bro,” Jack said and I smiled. His call was right on schedule.“You would hate it. This really isn’t your scene,” I said and he laughed. I could picture him in his dimly lit office in front of his many computer screens, typing away and listening to radio calls and checking camera feeds.“Yeah, I can only imagine the torture of free booze and uninhibited women everywhere. Horrific,” he said as I scanned the room.I saw Lydia walking towards the bar and she glanced at me. Her smile widened when we made eye contact and I smiled back at her.“Is that why you called me?” I asked him.“No. I just called to say that June’s invited you to the kids birthday party on Sunday,” he said.“I’ll let you know. You do realize that I’m already supposed to be alone with the wife,” I said.“Have fun,” Jack said and smiled.I placed our call on hold and I watched Lydia from across the room. I could wait patiently. The perfect timing was when the laughte
最終更新日 : 2025-04-13Drengr Part 37
“Where have you been?” Robert asked me.“I just closed another deal in Greece. Work never stops and that’s why I prefer to stay at home,” I said and Robert laughed.“You should get out more often, live a little. Don’t you get bored working all the time?” he asked me.“Unlike you, Robert, I like to work. Before you know it, I’ll be worth more than you are,” I said and he shook his head.“I don’t think I’d ever hear the end of that,” he said almost bitterly and handed me a drink from the bar.“Thanks and cheers,” I said and we clinked our glasses together.“Hey, I want to show you something,” Robert said as I walked with him.We went upstairs and walked down the same hallway I had walked with Lydia earlier. Robert stopped in front of their bedroom door and smiled at me. I hadn’t planned on Lydia’s body being discovered so soon.“I acquired this in London last month. Tell me what you think,” he said and opened the door. Robert switched the lights on and we walked further into the room.
最終更新日 : 2025-04-14Drengr Part 38
I parked the bike in my apartment building’s parking lot and went upstairs to my apartment. I didn’t even bother to switch the lights on as I took the bloodied clothes off and stepped into the shower. I stood under the scalding water and scrubbed everything off me.I sat down on the edge of my bed and for the first time in my life, I cried. I cried out the guilt of Robert’s suicide because I might as well have killed him myself. I hadn’t felt bad when I killed Lydia, only afterward when Robert found her, did it hit me. His pain had become my pain.Robert Gold had been my friend for ten years and even though most of what he knew about me had been a lie, we’d still been friends. We had spent real time together and I couldn’t be sure that my reaction was due to me never having suffered a personal loss or if I was losing my edge.I got dressed in my riding gear and packed my backpack. I locked up my apartment and drove home to Epworth on the bike. The highway was basically empty but not o
最終更新日 : 2025-04-15Drengr Part 39
I woke up seven hours later to a quiet house. It was too quiet as I walked down the stairs. There was a note on the kitchen table in Charlotte’s handwriting.“Blake,William and I have gone home. I can’t talk to you right now.”I looked at it and threw it in the dustbin. I started laughing. The one time I had told her the truth, and she didn’t believe me. She had believed every lie I had fed her but it was the truth she was blind to. I couldn’t blame her for leaving, it all looked bad. The photo, the text from Nataly, it all pointed to me doing something that I hadn’t.It hurt though, her leaving and taking the kid with her. It hurt. All the feelings hurt. I felt sad and angry at myself and the house was empty once again. The old Blake would have preferred this, but the real me, I was lost somehow. How ironic life turned out to be.My cup stood exactly where I had left it that morning and I looked at it. I picked it up and threw it against the wall of the laundry room. The dogs jumped
最終更新日 : 2025-04-16Drengr Part 40
I took the backpack and the two Jericho’s and headed to the garage. I placed the Jericho’s with their silencers in the compartments and put the backpack on my back. The bike was almost on empty and I drove away from the farmhouse, wondering if I would ever return to it.I felt like I had lost something. ‘It’s just a house. You can rebuild,’ I said to myself as I turned onto the Old Highway and sped up slightly. I had taken the bike because it was faster. The truck could drive further than the bike on a tank of gas, but it also made me a sitting duck if I was found.Protocol calls for agents to report to HQ unless otherwise stipulated. We had safe houses scattered all over the world and I had used a few of them over the years. My problem at this stage was that my address had been leaked. I couldn’t help but wonder what else had been leaked and why. I checked my phone when I stopped for gas in Centralia and I called Jack.“Status?” he asked me.“Almost extracted,” I said and I could hea
最終更新日 : 2025-04-17Drengr Part 41
I dialed Bluebird’s number from the new phone. Jennifer Yang was the most brilliant hacker I knew. She was even better than Jack. She was a silver spoon baby and worked for nobody. We met in college and she did everything for me that I couldn’t do through Jack or didn’t want them to know about.“Hey, Bluebird,” I said when she answered.“Hey Jericho. What do you need?” She was always straight to the point and a no-nonsense type of woman. I smiled.“Phone trace on Charles Huxman, sending his details now,” I said.“I’ll send you everything I find. I assume you want his live location?” dhe asked me.“You know me too well. Send it to this number. I’ll send you four more names,” I said.Jennifer laughed. “You plan on being busy.”“No rest for the wicked,” I said and ended the call. I closed the laptop and put it back in the backpack.“Bo!” I called out to him. He popped his head around the corner, his phone glued to his ear. “Call me with a drop when you’re ready.”“I got you, man,” he sai
最終更新日 : 2025-04-18Drengr Part 42
I heard the garage doors close and then a car door was closed. The car alarm beeped once as he locked it. The door opened and closed behind him. He walked past the doors that were previously closed. First mistake, Charles. Always remember how you leave things. I had left the doors ajar on purpose and he hadn’t even noticed.Charles Huxman was six foot and weighed one hundred and fifty pounds. He was in good shape, combed his blonde hair sideways and liked to chew matches. He didn’t smoke and occasionally he would finish ten beers while watching the football game.On the wall before you reached the stairs, was a light switch and Charles switched it on before he rounded the corner. He stepped back when he saw me sitting on the stairs. I nudged the gun in the direction of the sitting area and he walked toward it slowly.“Take out your gun, put it on the floor and kick it over,” I said to him as he stood in front of the couch. He took out a gun from his shoulder holster and placed it care
最終更新日 : 2025-04-19
最新チャプター
Drengr Part 57
I opened an online account in Charlotte’s name and transferred the nine hundred thousand dollars from my last assignment into it. The card would be sent to her address. It was the least I could do for her so they would be okay.I closed the laptop and looked at William. He was deep in concentration and had eaten two bowls of cereal for lunch. I washed his dishes and walked out onto the porch and looked around. I should consider selling the farm but the idea made me feel sad. If Charlotte and I could communicate the way we had earlier, maybe I could still come back after my treatment. Maybe we could be friends after all. I called Charlotte from my cell phone so that she could save the new number I was using, just in case.“Should I give William dinner or–”“No, it’s okay. He’s used to eating later now. I’ll bring him something from the diner. I can bring you something too,” she said.“No, that’s okay. I’m fine,” I said.“Okay, see you later,” she said and ended the call. I didn’t take
Drengr Part 56
“Do you have cereal?” The look on William’s face was one of innocence despite his hard life and my resolve faltered a little.“I haven’t been to the store yet,” I said and he shrugged.“Charlotte says that a bowl of cereal is good for the soul,” he said and I smiled.“I’m sure she did, but you’re still growing and you need nutrition more than sugar. Your soul will be fine,” I said and he laughed.“Charlotte also says that sometimes a person just needs comfort food and that your body’s not a machine,” he said as I switched the kettle on for coffee.I turned to look at him. He seemed different somehow and I realized it was Charlotte’s influence. A few weeks ago he’d been quoting me and now it was Charlotte.“Essentially your body is a machine, kid. It keeps you on your feet, takes you through the day. You need to take care of it the same as you would a car,” I said and he frowned.“I like Charlotte’s version more,” he said and crossed his arms over his chest.“What else does Charlotte s
Drengr Part 55
Joe Reiner stood outside, looking at my bike. He was leaning in toward the added compartments and I didn’t need him snooping around. He straightened up when he saw me and I got on my bike and drove away from the station.I kept to the speed limit and parked the bike in the garage. I unlocked the kitchen door and immediately noticed the envelope on the kitchen table. It was blank and I tore it open. It was a letter from Charlotte.I put the letter back on the table and opened the fridge. It was almost bare and someone, I assumed Charlotte, had cleaned out all the perishable food. It seemed like something she would do.I went upstairs and unpacked the backpack and noticed that she’d taken all her clothes, everything that was hers were gone. I felt a sudden sadness as I sat down on the bed in the quiet house. Strangely enough, I also felt more relaxed than I had in the past three weeks while waiting to hear about my diagnosis.I went back downstairs with the cleaning kit and looked at Ch
Drengr Part 54
On a whim, I decided to get on the bike and drive the three hours to Epworth. There were some things I needed to get since the apartment in Chicago was usually just for weekend stays. I would also have to make more permanent arrangements with Quince about the dogs.I opened the throttle and raced down the highway and it felt good. It felt good to drive down this road and know that tonight I would sleep in my own bed. Chicago also had my own bed but it was different in the farmhouse, it felt more like home to me.The flashing blue lights up ahead made me slow down and I was pulled over by a police officer from Epworth. I didn’t know him and wondered when they had hired someone new. Max had talked about getting some extra bodies and here he was.“Good evening, sir,” he said as I switched the bike off and opened the visor on my helmet.“Evening, officer,” I said and dismounted the bike. I took my helmet off and got my ID and licence and handed both to him.“Do you know how fast you were
Drengr Part 53
I hadn’t exactly lied to Jack. I wasn’t sure what was wrong with me, although I had an idea. I never got sick, I couldn’t even remember ever having the flu or a headache before the other night. I was pretty certain that my initial diagnosis on myself was correct.I went to see my GP, who was surprised by my visit because he really did see me once a year for a physical. We socialized as well but that was different. We had also gone to college together and he had known Robert too.“What brings you in, Blake?” Charles Roberts M.D asked me. He had a thing about the M.D behind his name and he got constant flak from all of us about it.“Swollen lymph nodes, pain in my neck, trouble swallowing every now and then, it’s not persistent but I’ve had a cough for the last two days,” I said as he looked at me, taking notes of my symptoms. “I’m thinking thyroidism.”Charles gave me a physical and then sat on the edge of his desk and looked at me. “I think you should go see David.”“You think it migh
Drengr Part 52
I started the bike and took my time driving to HQ. Even though it was past midnight, I knew Lynda would be there. She was always there. She would know the moment I swiped my card at the gate and drove into the basement.I went up in the elevator and Lynda stood there in the hallway when the doors opened. She looked relieved, angry and concerned all at the same time. She nodded and started walking toward her office. I stepped off the elevator, thirty pairs of eyes following my movements.“Jericho!” Jack called as he came running down the corridor. He grabbed me in a bear hug and I felt his body relax as he hugged me.“It’s good to see you too,” I said.He let go of me and punched me. His fist connected with my cheekbone and it stung like hell. “Don’t ever do that to me again!” He hugged me again and I wrapped my arms around him.“I have to go face the music,” I said and turned away to Lynda’s office.I walked inside her office and closed the door behind me and was immediately engulfed
Drengr Part 51
I sat down on the couch, the flashback of all these memories haunting me. Memories of when life was less complicated and Jennifer still lived in Chicago and Robert had still been alive. The living room light went on and John Gold stepped inside the room.“Blake?” he asked questioningly as he walked toward me.“Hi, John, we need to have a conversation,” I said.“It’s the middle of the night, Blake,” he said and I took the Jericho from the holster. “What the—”“Sit.” I pointed to the couch with the gun and he sat down reluctantly, watching me with his beady eyes.“Have you lost your mind? What’s this all about?” he asked me, raising his voice slightly.“I’m glad you at least had the decency to bury Lydia with Robert,” I said and he looked away.“It wasn’t my first choice,” he said and I nodded. I knew that to be true.“You broke something inside,” I said and he stared at me, clearly confused.“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said.“When you killed Robert, it broke somethin
Drengr Part 50
I made my way back toward my bike and entered the building. I went up to the penthouse and picked the lock. I opened the door and stepped into the dimly lit foyer. I walked to the living room and opened the drinks cabinet. I had been here so many times that I could almost call it my second home.When I had met Robert in college, I thought he was a spoiled rich brat but I soon realized he had depth to him. He disliked his father immensely and he brought me home with him on our first break. I’d had a falling out with Peter, who didn’t approve of me taking time off to get a degree. I wanted to experience normalcy and it took him only four months to draw me back in again and do part-time assignments.I could relate to what Robert felt for his own father, who dismissed any ideas he had as idiotic and wanted him to fall in line and do as he was told. Sure, we didn’t always do the right thing and a few times we screwed up, not that they ever knew about it. The worst thing we did together was
Drengr Part 49
“I’m not armed,” she said from behind the wall. I wasn’t aiming the gun in her direction but kept it in my hand on my lap.“Neither am I,” I said. She looked around the corner of the wall and something in her eyes changed. “Let’s talk.”She moved to the closest couch and sat down. “How did you figure it out?” The despondency in her voice might have made me feel something if she hadn’t tried to kill me.“It wasn’t that hard, but I knew for sure the moment Dillinger and Mendez came for me,” I said.She lowered her head. “They’re dead.” Her voice was softer now, almost like she was talking to herself.“You always were the sly one,” I said to her. “The fox in the chicken coop.”“It is what it is,” she said and looked up.“Why though?” I asked her. “We’re supposed to be a team.”“The fucking rejection, Jericho! Everyone else always being in your shadow, pick one!”“What rejection? You were always part of the team!” I said angrily.“I was good enough to sleep with after Nataly, and then the
