​     Keeleo's headquarters took up an entire warehouse. ​One block wide by three blocks long. He had some sixty "employees" there at all times, henchmen really. 

     And his office was right at its center. 

     There were cameras everywhere. Keeleo was a multi-millionaire, and he made it all illegally. That meant that every law enforcement agency in the world was after him. That's how he looked at it, anyway. He was a total paranoid. He trusted no one, certainly not any of his three wives.

     He spotted Adam on one of his security cameras. Had been expecting him. What he didn't expect was that Adam would be alone. Where was the assault team Keeleo had sent to retrieve Adam in the first place? They were supposed to bring Adam in. Adam wasn't supposed to be able to...oh my God.

     Keeleo got on his com-link immediately. "We're under attack! It's Adam Forwarder! He's coming in at the northwest corner! Kill him quick! Grab every weapon we've got! Kill him! Kill him!"

​     Keeleo grabbed a Glock and a smaller handgun that he always kept hidden under his desk. He wasn't going after Adam himself, no way, he didn't have a death wish, but if Adam did manage to get to him before he was able to make his escape, he wanted an equalizer. He hit the button that opened the secret escape door. It led to a ladder that dropped to a tunnel beneath the warehouse that, in turn, led to a secret garage where he kept an escape vehicle. Sorry comrades, he thought, mentally apologizing to all the people he'd hired to work for and protect him. Dozens. A great majority of them would probably be dead within five minutes. That's how Adam Forwarder was. And all because...because...oh well.

     Keeleo dropped down the ladder, then traversed the tunnel. Maybe someone'd taken Adam Forwarder down with a single karate chop to the neck. Keeleo smiled at the thought, Once he got completely away from the warehouse, he'd put in a call to his second-in-command, Gregor, to get an update.

     He reached the garage.

     Adam waited for him there.

     Keeleo reacted like he'd just seen his dead father, who he himself had a hand in killing. "Abba...abba…"

​     "What are you doing, Keeleo?" Adam asked. "I'd never have had any dealings with you whatsoever unless I thought you had brains." 

​     "How could you have...no one knows about this secret..." 

     "So, what, you've lost all sense of perspective? I am Adam Forwarder. I couldn't track you down whenever I wanted?" 

​     "I...I..."

     "I'll tell you what. I'll do you a favor. I'll kill you quick. That's out of respect for you and the relationship we've had until this moment."

     "Listen...Listen Adam..."

     "That was so stupid, you sending people after me like that. What did you do that for, Keeleo? That's not like you to act crazy like that."

     "I needed...You were the only one who...I was so desperate I..."

​     Adam aimed his pistol at Keeleo's head and pulled the trigger. Keeleo was dead before his skull hit the floor. Now there's something else that's stupid, Adam thought. Keeleo'd had his Glock clutched in his fist during the entire encounter. He never even lifted his arm to aim it at Adam. Some people. Oh well.

     "Any of his minions on their way here?" he asked Claudia.

     "No, uh-uh. I don't think anyone's on to you, yet." 

     "Good. Let's keep it that way. What's on the agenda now?" 

     "There's that...thing." 

     "That..." 

     "Function. Social function. You promised Livia Montcrief you'd go."

     "That's tonight?" 

​     "At eight."

     "Get me to the compound, then. I'm going to want some time to relax."

     Claudia chuckled. 

​     "You laugh." 

     "Because of what you mean when you say the word 'relax'."

​     Now it was Adam's turn to laugh. 

CONTINUE