SHIAM Conspiracy- Book 1 Read Free Page B

out... Well, you can well imagine what that
would do to our defense contracts. The military does not like it
when their vendors allow things that are supposed to be kept secret
to go missing!”
    “Why me when you already have Vennhim?” Zak
asked. His instinct was telling him he didn’t want any part of
this. “I specialize in corporate security now. Before the fact, not
after the deed has been done. I don’t do cloak and dagger anymore.”
    “Dorjan has other responsibilities,” Grimrok
said. He watched Zak’s reaction and correctly deduced that he
wasn’t buying it. “Okay honestly, Dorjan and the boys spent the
last three days looking for clues and came up empty. And quite
frankly, I would just as soon have someone who wasn’t associated
with Grimrok Corporation conduct the investigation. This all needs
to stay as far away from my door step as possible. An acquaintance
of mine suggested you.”
    “You want me to investigate a crime, but not
let anyone know what I’m investigating?” Zak laughed at the
absurdity of it. “That’s going to make it pretty difficult to find
anything out.”
    “I know it is a difficult task to ask,”
Grimrok replied evenly. “But I am impressed with your
qualifications, although there are some aspects of your career that
is quite puzzling. You began training with the Te’n Kha when you
were quite young. That is tradition among the Elves, is it not, to
begin training as a warrior at an early age? Your father insisted
upon it, I would guess?” Grimrok paused only briefly for a response
from Zak. When he didn’t get one his leathery face wrinkled further
with annoyance. “Of course, not all Elves are accepted to train
with the elite forces, the Te’n Kha. That is quite an honor. All
those years training and you simply walked away. Why would you do
such a thing?”
    Again Zak did not respond, and so Grimrok
continued, “You then enlisted in Aragne Special Forces. Remained
there fourteen years and rose to the rank of captain. Four medals
of Honor during the war in Kurr Tak against the Orkensha. Then you
were recruited by the Aragne Special Intelligence Department and
served as a field agent for another fifteen years. And then again,
you just suddenly walked away from the ASID just as you did from
the Te’n Kha.”
    Zak portrayed indifference towards the review
of his career. If Grimrok was waiting for an explanation of why he
did what he’d done, the Dwarf would have a very long wait. Zak
rarely spoke to anyone concerning his personal life and the reasons
for his past actions were his own. Those parts of his service that
was not classified, Grimrok was welcome to.
    “Yes, well anyway...I doubt there is anyone
working in the private sector at the moment that is more qualified
than you for the job!”
    Zak couldn’t help but notice the cold glare
Vennhim gave Grimrok. Knowing the ex-agent, Zak figured that he had
taken that last statement as more than just a small insult. Vennhim
had always believed he was the ultimate Aragne patriot, unequalled
in his ability to defend his nation. Zak conceded that his training
and skills were above the norm, but he knew that Vennhim was not
the super hero he saw himself as. In fact, Zak considered him a
low-life. The man was unscrupulous, vicious, and amoral.
    “I’ve told you, I don’t do that kind of work
anymore,” Zak said patiently. “I’m getting too old for it.”
    “If you were Human, I’d say at age fifty,
perhaps you’re right.” Grimrok’s smile took on a manipulative aura.
“But with Elvish blood running through your veins, you are only
just approaching middle age. And you look to be in a lot better
shape than most twenty year old Humans. Come now, Mr. Harris. This
theft offers intrigue beyond anything you’ve dealt with of late.
It’s an unfathomable mystery how these thieves managed to get past
our security without leaving a trace and I’m offering you the
opportunity to solve it.”
    “That’s bit