Esther Mitchell - Project Prometheus - In Her Name, Angielskie [EN](4)(2)
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In Her Name
1
Project Prometheus
In Her Name
By
Esther Mitchell
ADVANCED READER COPY: DISCLAIMER
This Advance Reader Copy is the property of Esther Mitchell. The Advance Reader Copy
may not be sold, rented, loaned, or copied.
This is an uncorrected copy and may differ slightly from the final published novel, which will
be available from Triskelion Publishing in July 2005
This work is copyrighted as of 2005 by Esther Mitchell.
Esther Mitchell
2
Prologue
Temple of Ishtar, Syria, Thirteen years ago
Mukamurra
Alzena Binte Samirah, High Priestess of Ishtar and now Revered Mother of the
Poet-Priestess, smiled fondly at the dark-haired girl sitting beside her. This child had been reared to take
her place, until the day, six years ago, when the Temple Oracle had declared young Manara to be
destined for something greater. Now, the girl was asking questions Alzena had both expected and
dreaded ever since Manara’s destiny had been revealed. Reverently, Alzena touched the clay on the low
table and sighed.
“There is a reason for everything, my daughter. These tablets contain prophecies, handed down
through our line since the days of Sargon.” She reached to clasp one of the girl’s slim hands, marveling
at the beauty already apparent in Manara. “Your birth fulfilled many of those prophecies. You were
born with a special purpose, my darling, and you must be protected from those who would thwart that.”
Manara’s expression was neither kind nor accepting as she fingered the edges of the tablets.
Alzena sighed. Rebellion appeared to run in the blood. First the girl’s brother, now her.
“But why must I wait so long, Mother? Most of my age-mates already serve in the public
temple! You cannot mean to hold me back because of a few old stories!”
Alzena smiled sadly, glancing at her own reflection in the mirror above the table. Already,
Manara had surpassed her own beauty, and that would mean danger for the girl as she grew to
womanhood. She would be a temptation hard to resist for any man. For all their sakes, the girl had to
be kept away from men.
“Darling girl, even stories have power, if you believe in them with all your heart. Sargon may be
dead in the flesh, but his spirit walks closely with your own. Legend says that once a century is born a
man capable of channeling Great Sargon’s spirit and that he is a man capable of waging war most
terrifying and vowing love most enduring. And he will come for you, my child. You will be his link to
the justice he seeks. When you most need him, he will be your strength and your solace.” She reached
In Her Name
3
to stroke the girl’s cheek, sadness and fear creeping into her eyes. “But, my darling girl, beware. Of all
men, only he will have the power to break your heart.”
And, as the girl pondered her mother’s words, her deep gray eyes narrowed. If such a man did
exist, and if her mother was right, then she would have to be careful. She would guard her heart with
her very life, and no man would ever hurt her.
Esther Mitchell
4
Chapter One
Lebanon, January 2 (Present Day)
The noonday sun glinted off of the Mediterranean Sea in sapphire and diamond shafts, reflecting
light into squinted hazel eyes. Salty seawater sprayed up against the prow of the sleek speedboat,
carrying with it the pungency of fish and seaweed as it speckled the driver’s gray windbreaker. His jaw
clenched as he shifted gears, watching the shimmer of approaching land dance in and out of view like a
desert mirage.
Sidon.
Matthew Raleigh felt his stomach clench with bitter memory. He was well acquainted
with the deceptively quiet Lebanese city. He’d been here too many times in a past he’d just as soon
forget, as a Navy, Sea, Air, Land operative on prowl-and-growl missions. His lips curved in a wry
grimace. He wasn’t a SEAL anymore–there was at least that much mercy left in the world. Not that
what he did these days brought him much peace, either, but he wasn’t looking for peace, anymore. He
only wanted to deaden the pain in his soul. So he’d formed Project Prometheus, a special mercenary
unit dedicated to ending terrorism. A futile enough cause. He scowled. The men who’d hired
Prometheus mercenaries had business in Lebanon. Matt’s hazel eyes narrowed, anger darkening them.
Scum was still scum.
That
never changed.
Matt pulled his mind from the dark thoughts creeping in, forcing himself to concentrate on the
mission. Was the team ready? He’d brought them in under the cover of night, yesterday. He hoped
they’d made it to the pre-arranged safe house, but he had no way of being sure. They were on radio
silence, and he couldn’t go to find them until he was ready to join them, for safety’s sake. Matt glanced
at his wristwatch. Besides, he was already on his way to meet with the CIA operative, codenamed Star.
Matt had no trouble admitting it made him uneasy that no one at Langley had ever actually seen
Star. They’d had no picture, not even a physical description, though Langley had claimed Star was a
miracle worker. Matt scowled. He didn’t believe in miracles, or miracle workers. From the little Matt
knew, he surmised that Star was an important figure in Lebanon, well connected and with an extensive
In Her Name
5
knowledge of the local area. Matt also guessed that, whoever Star was, he was likely connected to arms
sales to terrorists, or some other dubious operation. Great. Just what they needed: a contact they
couldn’t trust.
Matt pulled the speedboat smoothly into dock and cut the engine, then secured the vessel and
leapt gracefully to the pier, his eyes searching for a spy.
No one,
Matt realized as he surveyed the docks grimly. The din on the pier was maddening;
orders and insults thrown around in coarse Arabic, and men jostling about like fish in a barrel. Not even
one with the sophistication he’d been led to believe was Star’s style.
Sunlight glinting off polished metal had Matt whipping his gaze to the left.
There
. Beyond the
dock master’s digs. A large, black sedan, gleaming with a fresh coat of wax, sat brazenly in the midday
sun, oblivious to its high visibility.
Matt shook his head in disgust. Some spy. Cautiously, he approached the vehicle, aware that he
could be watched easily, here on the docks. As he drew near, the rear window slid smoothly down,
revealing the face of an older gentleman with sharp, dark eyes and aquiline features. His beard and
moustache were neatly trimmed and more silver than black. Dark eyes fixed sharply on Matt’s face.
“You are late.”
Matt’s gaze flashed to his watch. It was exactly twelve-hundred hours.
“No, I’m not.”
A smile twitched at the old man’s lips. “You are careful. Very wise.”
“Star?”
The man inclined his head briefly in affirmation. “Come. Get in. We have much work to do.”
As Matt opened the sedan’s door, a flash of white caught his eye, pulling his gaze to the dock as
a woman in swirling white robes slid from a sleek white horse. Blinking in disbelief, Matt climbed into
the car and closed the door, but continued to watch the woman. Slowly, her dark, unveiled head turned,
and he caught a glimpse of startled gray eyes as the car pulled away. Then, the car was speeding away
from the docks, and Matt had the unsettling sensation of danger, reflected in a pair of haunting eyes.
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In Her Name
1
Project Prometheus
In Her Name
By
Esther Mitchell
ADVANCED READER COPY: DISCLAIMER
This Advance Reader Copy is the property of Esther Mitchell. The Advance Reader Copy
may not be sold, rented, loaned, or copied.
This is an uncorrected copy and may differ slightly from the final published novel, which will
be available from Triskelion Publishing in July 2005
This work is copyrighted as of 2005 by Esther Mitchell.
Esther Mitchell
2
Prologue
Temple of Ishtar, Syria, Thirteen years ago
Mukamurra
Alzena Binte Samirah, High Priestess of Ishtar and now Revered Mother of the
Poet-Priestess, smiled fondly at the dark-haired girl sitting beside her. This child had been reared to take
her place, until the day, six years ago, when the Temple Oracle had declared young Manara to be
destined for something greater. Now, the girl was asking questions Alzena had both expected and
dreaded ever since Manara’s destiny had been revealed. Reverently, Alzena touched the clay on the low
table and sighed.
“There is a reason for everything, my daughter. These tablets contain prophecies, handed down
through our line since the days of Sargon.” She reached to clasp one of the girl’s slim hands, marveling
at the beauty already apparent in Manara. “Your birth fulfilled many of those prophecies. You were
born with a special purpose, my darling, and you must be protected from those who would thwart that.”
Manara’s expression was neither kind nor accepting as she fingered the edges of the tablets.
Alzena sighed. Rebellion appeared to run in the blood. First the girl’s brother, now her.
“But why must I wait so long, Mother? Most of my age-mates already serve in the public
temple! You cannot mean to hold me back because of a few old stories!”
Alzena smiled sadly, glancing at her own reflection in the mirror above the table. Already,
Manara had surpassed her own beauty, and that would mean danger for the girl as she grew to
womanhood. She would be a temptation hard to resist for any man. For all their sakes, the girl had to
be kept away from men.
“Darling girl, even stories have power, if you believe in them with all your heart. Sargon may be
dead in the flesh, but his spirit walks closely with your own. Legend says that once a century is born a
man capable of channeling Great Sargon’s spirit and that he is a man capable of waging war most
terrifying and vowing love most enduring. And he will come for you, my child. You will be his link to
the justice he seeks. When you most need him, he will be your strength and your solace.” She reached
In Her Name
3
to stroke the girl’s cheek, sadness and fear creeping into her eyes. “But, my darling girl, beware. Of all
men, only he will have the power to break your heart.”
And, as the girl pondered her mother’s words, her deep gray eyes narrowed. If such a man did
exist, and if her mother was right, then she would have to be careful. She would guard her heart with
her very life, and no man would ever hurt her.
Esther Mitchell
4
Chapter One
Lebanon, January 2 (Present Day)
The noonday sun glinted off of the Mediterranean Sea in sapphire and diamond shafts, reflecting
light into squinted hazel eyes. Salty seawater sprayed up against the prow of the sleek speedboat,
carrying with it the pungency of fish and seaweed as it speckled the driver’s gray windbreaker. His jaw
clenched as he shifted gears, watching the shimmer of approaching land dance in and out of view like a
desert mirage.
Sidon.
Matthew Raleigh felt his stomach clench with bitter memory. He was well acquainted
with the deceptively quiet Lebanese city. He’d been here too many times in a past he’d just as soon
forget, as a Navy, Sea, Air, Land operative on prowl-and-growl missions. His lips curved in a wry
grimace. He wasn’t a SEAL anymore–there was at least that much mercy left in the world. Not that
what he did these days brought him much peace, either, but he wasn’t looking for peace, anymore. He
only wanted to deaden the pain in his soul. So he’d formed Project Prometheus, a special mercenary
unit dedicated to ending terrorism. A futile enough cause. He scowled. The men who’d hired
Prometheus mercenaries had business in Lebanon. Matt’s hazel eyes narrowed, anger darkening them.
Scum was still scum.
That
never changed.
Matt pulled his mind from the dark thoughts creeping in, forcing himself to concentrate on the
mission. Was the team ready? He’d brought them in under the cover of night, yesterday. He hoped
they’d made it to the pre-arranged safe house, but he had no way of being sure. They were on radio
silence, and he couldn’t go to find them until he was ready to join them, for safety’s sake. Matt glanced
at his wristwatch. Besides, he was already on his way to meet with the CIA operative, codenamed Star.
Matt had no trouble admitting it made him uneasy that no one at Langley had ever actually seen
Star. They’d had no picture, not even a physical description, though Langley had claimed Star was a
miracle worker. Matt scowled. He didn’t believe in miracles, or miracle workers. From the little Matt
knew, he surmised that Star was an important figure in Lebanon, well connected and with an extensive
In Her Name
5
knowledge of the local area. Matt also guessed that, whoever Star was, he was likely connected to arms
sales to terrorists, or some other dubious operation. Great. Just what they needed: a contact they
couldn’t trust.
Matt pulled the speedboat smoothly into dock and cut the engine, then secured the vessel and
leapt gracefully to the pier, his eyes searching for a spy.
No one,
Matt realized as he surveyed the docks grimly. The din on the pier was maddening;
orders and insults thrown around in coarse Arabic, and men jostling about like fish in a barrel. Not even
one with the sophistication he’d been led to believe was Star’s style.
Sunlight glinting off polished metal had Matt whipping his gaze to the left.
There
. Beyond the
dock master’s digs. A large, black sedan, gleaming with a fresh coat of wax, sat brazenly in the midday
sun, oblivious to its high visibility.
Matt shook his head in disgust. Some spy. Cautiously, he approached the vehicle, aware that he
could be watched easily, here on the docks. As he drew near, the rear window slid smoothly down,
revealing the face of an older gentleman with sharp, dark eyes and aquiline features. His beard and
moustache were neatly trimmed and more silver than black. Dark eyes fixed sharply on Matt’s face.
“You are late.”
Matt’s gaze flashed to his watch. It was exactly twelve-hundred hours.
“No, I’m not.”
A smile twitched at the old man’s lips. “You are careful. Very wise.”
“Star?”
The man inclined his head briefly in affirmation. “Come. Get in. We have much work to do.”
As Matt opened the sedan’s door, a flash of white caught his eye, pulling his gaze to the dock as
a woman in swirling white robes slid from a sleek white horse. Blinking in disbelief, Matt climbed into
the car and closed the door, but continued to watch the woman. Slowly, her dark, unveiled head turned,
and he caught a glimpse of startled gray eyes as the car pulled away. Then, the car was speeding away
from the docks, and Matt had the unsettling sensation of danger, reflected in a pair of haunting eyes.
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]