Sword Of God Read Free

Upon his retirement from the military, he became a private detective, setting up shop in Payne’s office building, a way for the best friends to grab lunch whenever possible. Unfortunately, the life of a Pittsburgh PI was not nearly as glamorous as Jones had imagined, especially compared to the missions he ran for the MANIACs. How could taking pictures of cheating spouses ever compare with killing terrorists or blowing up bridges?
    Payne, on the other hand, was more reluctant. He wasn’t fully comfortable in the corporate world, opting to donate most of his time to local charities instead of living at the office the way his grandfather had. But that didn’t mean Payne was willing to risk it all. If he was killed without an heir, he knew Payne Industries would be dismantled, piece by piece, and sold to the highest bidder. And that was something he couldn’t let happen. He loved his grandfather way too much to dishonor his life’s work by doing something reckless.
    Still, Payne felt a similar obligation to his military career, an unwavering devotion to his country and the men he trained. If one of them was in trouble, he knew it was his duty to help—whether that was as a behind-the-scenes resource or as an expert in the field. Hell, he couldn’t live with himself if he opted to sit on the sidelines while one of his men needed him. In his mind, that would be far more irresponsible than risking his own life to help.
    “Okay, Colonel. We’re willing to lend you a hand. What do you need us to do?”
    “I need you to come with me. We’ll have plenty of time to talk en route.”
    “En route?” Jones asked. “To where?”
    Harrington stood from his chair. “Korea.”
    Payne winced. He wasn’t expecting such *a long trip. *”North or South?”
    “Does it matter?”
    “Of course it matters. I need to know how much ammo to pack.”
    Harrington smiled an all-knowing smile. “Don’t worry, Payne. Packing
won’t
be an issue. I already sent some men to your homes. Your clothes are waiting at the airport.”

3
    The plane departed from a cargo hangar at Pittsburgh International Airport, far away from the main terminal. It was a nonstop flight to Los Angeles followed by trips to Hawaii, the Marshall Islands, and Japan. Harrington would accompany them to California, briefing them on the way. After that, Payne and Jones would travel overseas on their own, which was the Pentagon’s way of ensuring deniability.
    Payne got comfortable for the long trip, changing into a gray Naval Academy sweatsuit that accommodated his 6-4, 240-pound frame. He had played two sports (football and basketball) at Annapolis, yet made his name in a different arena: kicking ass. It didn’t matter if he was facing ninjas or Nazis, Payne had the innate ability to isolate his opponent’s weakness and exploit it, using a combination of strength, quickness, and leverage. He had refined his skills over the years, training at Fort Bragg, Naval Base Coronado, and several dojos around the world. Yet none of them could take full credit for turning Payne into a warrior. That particular gift was a blessing from God. A part of his DNA , just like his brown hair or hazel eyes.
    He made his way to the back of the plane, where a conference area had been assembled. Four first-class chairs surrounded a wooden table, cluttered with three laptop computers, several manila folders, and a thermos full of coffee. Harrington sat on the left, growling into his cell phone, telling someone to do something ASAP or he was going to kill the guy’s mother. Meanwhile, Jones sat on the right, staring at his computer screen.
    “Anything interesting?” Payne asked as he buckled himself into his seat.
    “Not really. The colonel blocked every porn site on the Internet.”
    Harrington hung up at the mention of his name. “What was that, Jones?”
    “I told Jon that you’ve been keeping important details to yourself.”
    He knew Jones was lying but wasn’t going to press it.