Perilous Wake

Copyright © 2023 by Matthew Rief All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Cover Design by Stuart Bache of Books Covered Line and Copy Editing by Sarah Flores of Write Down the Line, LLC Interior Design and Typesetting by Colleen Sheehan of Bookery Proofreading by Donna Rich, and Nancy Brown of Redline Proofreading TABLE OF CONTENTS Title Page Copyright Also by Matthew Rief 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 Epilogue About the Author Also by MATTHEW RIEF Florida Keys Adventure Series: Featuring Logan Dodge Gold in the Keys Hunted in the Keys Revenge in the Keys Betrayed in the Keys Redemption in the Keys Corruption in the Keys Predator in the Keys Legend in the Keys Abducted in the Keys Showdown in the Keys Avenged in the Keys Broken in the Keys Payback in the Keys Condemned in the Keys Voyage in the Keys Guardian in the Keys Menace in the Keys Jason Wake Novels Caribbean Wake Surging Wake Relentless Wake Turbulent Wake Furious Wake Perilous Wake Join the Adventure! Sign up for my newsletter to receive updates on upcoming books on my website: matthewrief.com ONE Panama City, Panama Dominic Alejo entered the reception area of Panama One News’ headquarters to a chorus of frantic screams. The six-foot-five, two-hundred-and-fifty-pound behemoth held a pistol in his left hand, a thin tendril of smoke snaking out from the barrel. In his right, he gripped a machete, warm blood dripping off its edge and splattering on the sleek tile. Alejo had two men at his flanks, both wielding submachine guns. A trail of security guards lay motionless in their wake as people cried and took cover and scattered out of the space. Alejo kept his eyes forward as he led his men toward a pair of double doors, the future of his nation demanding all his focus. They stormed into the station’s main studio as newscasters scrambled from behind the anchor desk. Alejo had known that speed was the key, and he and his men had reached the room less than a minute after entering the building. Upon seeing Alejo, the news crew rushed toward the back of the space, tripping over cables and knocking over cameras and microphone booms in their rushed escape. They were greeted by four soldiers gripping rifles and forcing them to halt. Seeing there was nowhere to run, they all fell to their knees and threw their hands up. One of Alejo’s men marched over. “The building is secure.” “Keep it that way,” Alejo said. “No one leaves until we’ve finished what we came here to do.” The man nodded, then stepped away and barked orders into his radio. Alejo stood tall and swaggered among the terrified news team. He stopped in front of a clean-cut guy in his mid-thirties who wore a tailored suit and slicked back hair. “Felipe Vidal,” Alejo said. “Your number one source for news,” he added in a mocking tone. “A man you can trust.” Then Alejo gave a thumbs up and a jeering wink. Alejo knelt, grabbed the anchor by his chin, and forced him to look into his dark eyes set into a scarred face. “On your feet, Felipe.” The man trembled in terror. Looked around and then did as he was told. A layer of sweat coated his face, and his eyes were wild with fear. Alejo held up his machete in front of Felipe’s face, fresh blood still sliding off its razor edge. “Get the program back up and running.” He turned his attention to a network producer, then added, “Get it back up on the air in a minute or I start taking heads.” There was a short pause, then Alejo shoved Felipe toward the anchor desk. The producer came to his feet and called out for his team to bring everything back up, and the cameramen, audio engineers, and broadcast technicians took their positions. Fifty-three seconds after Alejo had given the ultimatum, the producer stammered, “We’re ready to broadcast.” Alejo closed his eyes, preparing himself for the most important moment of his life—the moment that would change everything and put into motion a plan he’d been manifesting since he was an impoverished boy. ——— Alejo stood tall and proud in front of the camera. When the producer held a shaky thumbs up, his powerful baritone boomed, “Many of you know who I am. For those of you who don’t, I’m Dominic Alejo, the leader of the Cuevas and the harbinger of truth.” He moved closer to the camera, stopping right beside a terrified Felipe Vidal. “I address you this evening as a servant of Panama. The time has come for change, and it’s all going to start right here and now before the eyes of our nation.” The cold-blooded killer stepped behind Felipe and nudged him in the back. “On your knees.” When the anchor hesitated, Alejo grabbed him by his slick hair and forced him hard to the floor. Petrified, the man winced and begged for his release. Instead