Failed State (A James Winchester Thriller Book 1) (James Winchester Series) James Samuel (best book clubs txt) 📖

“Then you understand, Mr. Fen? With Blackwind’s agents and some support from the Cambodian army, it might compromise our plan. General Somnang could stop the coup.”

“Not at all, Mr. Howser.”

The American looked taken aback. “Mr. Fen?”

Shao gestured to a waiter and commanded him in Chinese to bring in the special surprise. He’d already predicted that the Xiphos man would work himself into a flap.

“We need to update our plan, Mr. Fen.”

Shao paid no attention to Dylan as another door opened and two waiters entered. A bound and gagged General Somnang struggled between them. The general still wore his military uniform, but they’d stripped him of any indication of rank and his boots to humiliate him.

Shao motioned down with his palm and the waiters forced him to his knees at the side of the table. Bruises and welts covered Somnang’s head, neck, and arms. His eyes spoke of defeat, his spirit broken by his captivity over the past two weeks.

“How?”

“The how is not important. All that matters is that Somnang will not be causing us any further problems. He is the last nationalist leader within the high command of the Cambodian army.”

“Well… that’s great. Saves us a lot of problems.”

Shao nodded and, once again, motioned to a waiter. The waiter nodded and returned with a sharpened blade. He saw the faces of those around him reflected in its perfectly polished mirror.

“In Asian culture, there is such a thing as ritual suicide. It is a warrior’s death. The Japanese made it famous, but it’s practised widely. I offered Somnang the choice, he refused. Now, I leave the choice to you. I demand your loyalty for I have no love of foreigners. Foreigners have betrayed us before. This falls to you to win my trust.”

“What? No. We always fulfil our contracts. We always have a reputation for doing our best for our clients.”

Shao tightened his jaw. “You will see that the money for the contract has not yet been transferred. This act will tell me if you are as serious as you claim. You can accept or you walk away, and I will find someone else.” He paused. “You wouldn’t want your employers to find out you were responsible for losing a contract of such magnitude, would you?”

Dylan went paperwhite at the choice before him. His Adam’s apple moved up and down as he gulped. He got up without a word, moving over to the fallen general.

Shao rose and motioned for the short blade. It glinted off the light like a shooting star. He turned the handle towards Dylan.

Dylan took it between stuttering fingers. He glanced at Shao as if looking for a reprieve.

Shao folded his arms. “Strike deep and without hesitation. Make it clean.”

“Is this really necessary?”

“The choice before you is clear.”

Shao’s lip curled upwards in disgust. The classic Western mercenary. He could shoot someone with a gun from a distance but the touch and feel of a man’s life force seeping out made his stomach churn.

Long seconds of silence ticked by. Dylan seized the man’s head. His muscles tightened as he held Somnang in place. The general didn’t resist as Dylan snapped his head to the right. He screwed up his face and plunged the blade into his throat. He dragged it from left to right. Skin, tissue, and blood vessels tore and ripped apart like a chasm. Somnang’s crimson life sprayed out of him, soaking the gongfu and staining the cushions. The thick arterial spray lessened to a dribble. Somnang slumped to the side. Dead.

Shao hid his disappointment.