Page 94 of An Epic Voyage

The helo was hovering above the yacht when he reached the roof.The only one waiting for Abdullahi was Zisk, who looked ill at ease.Griffin stayed out of sight and watched as the copter landed and the engine powered down.As soon as the blades stopped rotating, the door opened, and two brawny men jumped out.They turned and helped the African drug lord from the aircraft, followed by a smaller, bespectacled Asian man, nervously clutching a bag to his chest.Two more behemoths climbed out behind them, armed to the teeth.One was holding a large briefcase.Had to be cash for the exchange.

Zisk shook Abdullahi’s hand and gestured for the group to follow him.One of the first men off the helicopter stayed behind while the others filed onto the elevator.He walked to the edge of the roof and relieved himself into the ocean.Cretin.He could’ve used one of the dozen or so bathrooms on board.

Nevertheless, it provided the perfect opportunity.Griffin came up behind him, wrapped his forearm around the man’s beefy neck, and choked him unconscious before he could realize what hit him.He zip-tied the man’s hands behind his back and then his feet before slapping a strip of duct tape across his mouth.Griffin dragged him behind a half-wall and separated him from his weapons.

The pilot was next.Griffin leaped into the opening and came up behind the man.He’d removed his headgear and was drinking from a thermos.Griffin stuck a gun in his face, and he sputtered, spewing liquid across the control panel.Griffin ordered him to unbuckle and stand.He came out of his seat looking for a fight.Griffin gave him one, but it was over before it started.A swift knock to the temple with the butt of his gun and the man collapsed unconscious to the floor.Griffin handcuffed him to the base of the chair and tied his legs together before covering his mouth with the tape.

Two down.Now, to get to Indigo.

Griffin hopped out and flew down the stairs.He turned a corner and almost slammed into one of Abdullahi’s guards coming out of the men’s room.Griffin shoved him back inside and landed on top of him.He cracked the man’s head against the floor, and he was out.Griffin tied him up, removed his weapons so he couldn’t get to them, and checked the hall before exiting.

There were now two guards with Abdullahi, plus the other man, who, now that he thought about it, was most likely a scientist to verify the authenticity of the nuke.Counting Van Houten, Zisk, and Garcia, that meant there were seven people he and Indigo had to take down.

He liked their odds.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Indigo followed Garciaas he led her to where the meeting would take place.She’d used makeup to highlight the bruising on her face instead of covering it.That, along with the swollen eye, was not a pretty look.Now she wondered if Van Houten would kill her on the spot because she was hideous and no longer of use to him.

She shouldn’t have worried.He looked like something the cat dragged out to the scorching desert, ate, and then puked up.Five days ago.

“Benny?You don’t look good.”

Understatement.He was as pale as a ghost, his usually pristine hair was unkempt, and sweat coated his forehead and clothing.

“I’m sorry you have to see me like this, Ind ...”He frowned.“What on earth happened to you?”It came out as a croak.

“What do you mean?”

“Your beautiful face.”

“Didn’t your men tell you?”

He looked from Zisk to Garcia, neither of whom would make eye contact.

“Gordon attacked me and tried to rape me.”