The Deadly Alchemist

PRAISE FOR R.J. PATTERSON SIGN UP for R.J. Patterson's newsletter and stay up to date on all new releases, deals, and special projects: Click here to sign up “R.J. Patterson does a fantastic job at keeping you engaged and interested. I look forward to more from this talented author.” — Aaron Patterson, bestselling author of SWEET DREAMS "Patterson has a mean streak about a mile wide and puts his two main characters through quite a horrible ride, which makes for good reading. " — Richard D., reader "Like a John Grisham novel, from the very start I was pulled right into the story and couldn 't put the book down. It was as if I personally knew and cared about what happened to each of the main characters. Every chapter ended with so much excitement and suspense I had to continue to read until I learned how it ended, even though it kept me up until 3:00 A.M. — Ray F., reader DEAD SHOT "Small town life in southern Idaho might seem quaint and idyllic to some. But when local newspaper reporter Cal Murphy begins to uncover a series of strange deaths that are linked to a sticky spider web of deception, the lid on the peaceful town is blown wide open. Told with all the energy and bravado of an old pro, first-timer R.J. Patterson hits one out of the park his first time at bat with Dead Shot. It 's that good. " -Vincent Zandri, bestselling author of THE REMAINS "You can tell R.J. knows what it 's like to live in the newspaper world, but with Dead Shot, he 's proven that he also can write one heck of a murder mystery. " — Josh Katzowitz, NFL writer for CBSSports.com & author of Sid Gillman: Father of the Passing Game DEAD LINE "This book kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I didn 't really want to put it down. R.J. Patterson has hooked me. I 'll be back for more. " — Bob Behler, 3-time Idaho broadcaster of the year and play-by-play voice for Boise State football DEAD IN THE WATER "In Dead in the Water, R.J. Patterson accurately captures the action-packed saga of a what could be a real-life college football scandal. The sordid details will leave readers flipping through the pages as fast as a hurry-up offense. " — Mark Schlabach, ESPN college sports columnist and co-author of Called to Coach Heisman: The Man Behind the Trophy ALSO BY R.J. PATTERSON Titus Black series Behind Enemy Lines Game of Shadows Rogue Commander Line of Fire Blowback Honorable Lies Power Play State of Conspiracy The Patriot The President's Man The Haitian Assassin Codename: Killshot House of Cards Brady Hawk series First Strike Deep Cover Point of Impact Full Blast Target Zero Fury State of Play Seige Seek and Destroy Into the Shadows Hard Target No Way Out Two Minutes to Midnight Against All Odds Any Means Necessary Vengeance Code Red A Deadly Force Divide and Conquer Extreme Measures Final Strike Cal Murphy Thriller series Dead Shot Dead Line Better off Dead Dead in the Water Dead Man's Curve Dead and Gone Dead Wrong Dead Man's Land Dead Drop Dead to Rights Dead End James Flynn Thriller series The Warren Omissions Imminent Threat The Cooper Affair Seeds of War CONTENTS Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Chapter 40 Chapter 41 Chapter 42 Chapter 43 Chapter 44 Chapter 45 Chapter 46 Chapter 47 Chapter 48 Chapter 49 Acknowledgments Newsletter Signup About the Author THE DEADLY ALCHEMIST THE PHOENIX CHRONICLES | BOOK 7 R.J. PATTERSON For Aaron, the best brother a man could have CHAPTER ONE BLACK FOREST | GERMANY Brady Hawk mopped his brow and then glanced down at a picture of the target. With a full moon overhead, he didn’t need to use his flashlight. Hawk raised his binoculars and peered through them at the small farmhouse nestled into a hill deep in the heart of the Black Forest. A single light lit the kitchen, where a man in a white tank top sat at a table devouring a bowl of soup as he read a book. After a grueling hike, Hawk had found Burt Painter. “Take a look,” Hawk said as he handed the binoculars to Alex. His wife and partner at the Magnum Group nodded in agreement. “That’s him alright. That tattoo on his left bicep is distinct.” Hawk took the binoculars back one last time to confirm. The red dragon with a bow drawn was unusual, but it was the Latin phrase “Ad honorem et gloriam” etched beneath the art that ensured they’d found their man. Hawk slung his rucksack over his back and stood. “Ready?” Alex nodded. “Let’s find out what this bastard knows.” The pair worked their way closer to the house, careful to avoid the floodlight sensors. After a couple of minutes, they split up to take their positions—Hawk at the back and Alex at the front. He listened for the broken glass and then waited for the flash bang to go off. The moment it did, he kicked in the back door and was met by Painter charging toward the exit. Hawk dropped low and then launched upward, driving his shoulder into Painter’s chest and knocking him backward. Painter landed on his back and groaned as he looked up at Hawk. “I don’t know what you want, but I don’t know anything,” Painter said, raising his hands in the air in submission. “I’m sure you’ll forgive me if I don’t take your word