Covert Action

Copyright © 2023 by Jack Gatland / Tony Lee All rights reserved. This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems without written permission from the author, unless for the use of brief quotations in a book review. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, places of learning, events or locales is entirely coincidental. * * * Published by Hooded Man Media. Cover design by L1graphics First Edition: May 2023 PRAISE FOR JACK GATLAND ‘This is one of those books that will keep you up past your bedtime, as each chapter lures you into reading just one more.’ ‘This book was excellent! A great plot which kept you guessing until the end.’ ‘Couldn’t put it down, fast paced with twists and turns.’ ‘The story was captivating, good plot, twists you never saw and really likeable characters. Can't wait for the next one!’ ‘I got sucked into this book from the very first page, thoroughly enjoyed it, can't wait for the next one.’ ‘Totally addictive. Thoroughly recommend.’ ‘Moves at a fast pace and carries you along with it.’ ‘Just couldn't put this book down, from the first page to the last one it kept you wondering what would happen next.’ There’s a new Detective Inspector in town… Before Tom Marlowe had his own series, he was a recurring character in the DI Declan Walsh books! An EXCLUSIVE PREQUEL, completely free to anyone who joins the Jack Gatland VIP Reader’s Club! Join Here! Also by Jack Gatland DI DECLAN WALSH BOOKS LETTER FROM THE DEAD MURDER OF ANGELS HUNTER HUNTED WHISPER FOR THE REAPER TO HUNT A MAGPIE A RITUAL FOR THE DYING KILLING THE MUSIC A DINNER TO DIE FOR BEHIND THE WIRE HEAVY IS THE CROWN STALKING THE RIPPER A QUIVER OF SORROWS MURDER BY MISTLETOE BENEATH THE BODIES KILL YOUR DARLINGS ELLIE RECKLESS BOOKS PAINT THE DEAD STEAL THE GOLD HUNT THE PREY FIND THE LADY TOM MARLOWE BOOKS SLEEPING SOLDIERS TARGET LOCKED COVERT ACTION COUNTER ATTACK DAMIAN LUCAS BOOKS THE LIONHEART CURSE STANDALONE BOOKS THE BOARDROOM AS TONY LEE The Playing Card War 01: KNAVE OF SPADES Standalone DODGE & TWIST * * * For Mum, who inspired me to write. For Tracy, who inspires me to write. * * * CONTENTS Prologue 1. Shovelling The Dirt 2. Streets of San Francisco 3. War Stories 4. Raise A Glass 5. Gun Fight 6. Special Ops 7. Open All Night 8. Stowaways 9. Don Corleone 10. Lockbox 11. Homecoming 12. The Matrix 13. The Forger 14. Sleeping Soldiers 15. Paris Alleys 16. Swanky Parties 17. Black Tied 18. Corridor Confrontation 19. Stately Homes 20. Interrogation 21. Drone Ranger 22. Misdirection 23. Magic Box 24. Helen Of Troy 25. The Streets of London 26. Pile Up Epilogue Acknowledgements About the Author PROLOGUE It was supposed to have been a simple job. Rexxon Industries was a multi-national corporation, with each sub-department based in an unfamiliar area of the country. For example, the oil and gas departments were still based in Texas, but the renewable energy buildings were in California. And, as Marlowe had recently arrived in California with a few days to kill, he thought it was a good idea to take the job on. The contact had been a man named Karl. Marlowe had worked with him a couple of times over the years, mainly when Karl was running small, inter-agency gigs that MI5, or, rather Emilia Wintergreen’s Section D – the department in Whitehall Marlowe was a part of until recently – had a vested interest in. Karl didn’t have a surname, at least he didn’t have one Marlowe had ever heard spoken, and Marlowe didn’t even know where Karl’s loyalties lay; all he knew was there was a very strong chance Karl wasn’t even named Karl, and was someone high in the NSA. Either way, Karl and Marlowe had worked together several times over the years, and now Marlowe had been burnt by MI5, cast out into the wild and allowed to sink or swim, Karl had been one of the first people to contact him, which in itself was an impressive feat, offering Marlowe gigs if he was ever in a part of the world Karl had a vested interest in. Places like Los Angeles, for example – in particular, a high-rise office block off the Sunset Strip. It wasn’t the usual kind of location for such a business, but then at the same time, Marlowe didn’t need to enter the offices of the actual business. His job, given to him by Karl, was to pass on a message, nothing more. Or, more accurately, pass on a message in the most terrifying way possible. Really hammer the message home and make sure the person getting it didn’t think for one second there was any kind of confusion about it. The message was simple. We know who you are We see you always You need to back down – or suffer the consequences It was a little stalkerish, but from someone who worked for the NSA and had terrifying powers at his disposal, to have such a message from Karl was a whole different level of worrying. Marlowe didn’t know what the message meant, or even why the target was receiving it, but that didn’t matter, as Marlowe was being paid handsomely for the gig. And, more importantly, in this situation, he was doing something for a man who could, down the line, help him get his life back on track. He wasn’t naive; he knew the chances of MI5 allowing him back into the Security Service were small, but at the same time he was currently a nomad, a man with no protection. Anyone with a grudge, from tin-pot dictators and Somali pirates up