The Cain Deception Read online

  The Cain Deception

  By

  Mike Ryan

  Maverick Spur Publishing

  Copyright © 2013 by Mike Ryan

  Cover design by Melody Simmons

  Formatting by Polgarus Studio

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the author.

  This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously

  If you enjoy this book please consider leaving a review on the site you bought it from to help others in deciding to purchase. Good reviews are critical to an author’s success and are much appreciated.

  Chapter 1

  It’d been a year since the confrontation between Eric Raines and Matthew Cain on a Jakarta bridge in Indonesia. Cain and Shelly Lawson stayed for a week trying to get confirmation that Raines died that night. No body ever was pulled from the river though and there were never any reports of an American man going to the hospital with a gunshot wound. The Project Specter agency went forward with the belief that Raines was still alive. Director Sanders would not allow the file to be closed on Raines until his body showed up dead. Finding him again would prove to be problematic though. As he had done six months before, he effectively disappeared. There were no sightings, no chatter among informants, and no signs of where he went. He dropped off the grid.

  Knowing that Raines was somehow involved with Andrei Kurylenko, the decision was made to put more pressure on Kurylenko and put him out of business. In doing that, if Raines was still involved with the Russian arms dealer, then he would eventually turn up along the way. In the year they followed Kurylenko there was never an indication that Raines was still in the picture though. The agency got wind of a meeting that was to take place, courtesy of an informant, between Kurylenko and leaders of a Syrian rebel group near the Israeli border. He was trying to sell them several million dollars worth of weapons. When the agency first heard of Kurylenko he was a small player in the game. In the year since then he had increasingly upped his standing in the arms business. It was quite the rapid ascension for the Russian, who used a mix of intelligence, money, and violence to aid in his rise to the top.

  It was decided that since there were still no leads on Raines that the time had come to eliminate Kurylenko. The assignment for killing him fell to Cain. His mission was to stake out the building that the meeting was going to take place in. If the shot was there, he was to take it. The caveat was that he was only to take the shot if he was sure he could escape. There were likely to be a lot of men on both sides. Kurylenko wasn’t wanted badly enough to put an agent’s life at risk if the odds weren’t completely in their favor. His profile had been raised enough that they were sure they’d get eyes on him soon enough.

  As the meeting drew closer, Cain took his position on the roof of a nearby building. There was a black tarp that he snuggled under, concealing his position. The meeting was going to occur in a building directly across from him. He waited for an hour before the two sides started to appear. First the Syrian rebels showed, the leaders going inside to wait, as some of their men stood guard at the door. About five minutes later, a group that included Kurylenko appeared. He got out of a jeep and stood next to it as he talked to a few of his men. Cain surveyed the situation and knew he could take the Russian out fairly easily. He counted the rest of the men and didn’t think he would have much of a problem. He figured he could take out between ten and fifteen men before they even realized where the shots were coming from. Cain looked through the scope on his rifle as he took aim. He suddenly pulled his head up and looked past the rifle, trying to look at the scene with his own eyes. He looked back through the scope and took his aim away from his target and located another man a few feet away from him. A weird feeling came over him, startled to see that Eric Raines was there. It was a complete shock to find him.

  “Talk to us, Cain,” Lawson said from her remote location in Israel. She was watching a satellite feed of the situation in her hotel room, along with Sanders who was watching and listening back in The Room in New York.

  “I’ve got eyes on Kurylenko,” Cain responded.

  “Can you take him?”

  “Yes.”

  “Take it when you’re ready.”

  “There’s a complication,” Cain informed her.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Raines is here.”

  Sanders quickly interjected the conversation. “Are you sure that’s him?” he asked.

  “Positive. He hasn’t changed a bit.”

  “Hold off on Kurylenko,” Sanders said. “Wait for Raines. If you get a clear shot, you take it. If you get the opportunity to get Kurylenko after that then go ahead. If not, no big deal, we‘ll get him some other time. Raines is now your new target.”

  “Roger that.”

  Cain shifted positions and put his sights on Raines. He couldn’t believe that he was actually there. Sweat started pouring off Cain’s head, who wiped it off with his sleeve. He put the scope on Raines as he walked behind a few cars. Cain waited a few seconds to get a clear shot on him. Lawson started biting her nails as she waited for Cain’s voice to tell them the mission was a success. Getting confirmation that Raines was still alive sent her for a jolt. Ever since that night on the bridge she clung to the belief that he was killed. She wasn’t totally positive he was dead but wanted to believe it more than she actually knew it. She thought she had gotten all the emotions over him out of her system but they quickly flooded her system once more. She just wanted it to be over quickly.

  Cain steadied himself as he peered through the scope. His eyes started feeling heavy though, like he was starting to fall asleep, and he began feeling sick. He tried to shake it off, continuing to look at his target. A vision appeared through the scope as he was about to fire. At the other end was a bunch of kids playing around in a back yard. It appeared to be a birthday party as they had party hats on and there was a cake on a picnic table. The same boy as he saw before was blowing out the candles as he received a kiss on the cheek from the mysterious blonde. A few seconds later the vision was gone and he tried to get himself right again. His eyes quickly closed and he slumped forward, his rifle falling from the roof, causing slight panic from the group below.

  “Cain, what’s happening?” Sanders asked.

  He waited a few seconds before he tried again.

  “Cain, what’s your status?” he asked.

  “Cain, what’s wrong?” Lawson beckoned.

  Through the satellite feed they could see the men on the ground start running for the building Cain was at. They could see Cain was lying still and knew something had gone wrong. Lawson started running her hand through the top of her hair, very concerned about Cain’s condition.

  “What just happened?” Sanders asked to nobody in particular.

  They could see men dragging a body away from the roof of the building. A few seconds later the satellite feed went down. Everyone in The Room hysterically worked to figure out what was going on.

  “Shelly, find out what’s going on,” Sanders asked hurriedly.

  “I’m on it,” she frantically replied, shuffling papers around on her desk, grabbing her phone, and typing on her computer.

  “Let me know if you get anything.”

  “Right.”

  She started finding all the contacts that she knew of in that area that might be able to help figure out where Cain was being taken. She knew she had to work quickly or else they would most likely never see Cain again. Even if they didn’t wind up killing him, Sanders would never authorize a rescue attempt. All agents and personnel knew t
hat if they were ever captured they would be left behind, with no exceptions.

  After a few minutes with no updates The Room got eerily silent, some people still looking at the blank TV, wishing what they just witnessed didn’t really happen. Sanders tried to lift the mood to get them back into work mode.

  “Everyone listen up,” Sanders stated. “We have an agent, Matthew Cain, down in the field. What his status is right now is uncertain. He’s a very resourceful agent who’s been in some tough spots before. Let’s not assume the worst. His handler’s on it and will do what it takes to get him out if possible.”

  “And if it’s not possible?” an analyst asked.

  “Let’s pray it doesn’t come down to that,” he replied before leaving the room.

  Lawson called every contact that she knew in the area and had those contacts get in touch with people they knew. She used any resource that she possibly could to get a lead on where Cain was. After two hours of calling or texting everyone in the area, or anyone who might know someone else in the area, she tossed her phone down on the desk in disgust. She was no closer to finding Cain than when she started. It seemed nobody knew where they might be taking Cain. Her surprise over the reappearance of Raines was now replaced by her concern over her agent. If there was any hope in reaching him they’d have to get a trace on him within a few hours while the trail was still hot. Once the days started going by they could go almost anywhere. Lawson tirelessly worked throughout the night, sleeping for only an hour or so, and barely eating. The rush of trying to find Cain kept her going. Sanders called her the next morning to get an update.

  “What’ve you found out?” Sanders asked.

  “I’ve got nothing,” she replied, frustrated.

  “No leads?”

  “Nobody knows anything. It seems he’s disappeared.”

  “Seems to be what Raines excels at.”

  “Either nobody truly knows or they’re afraid of Raines or Kurylenko finding out they said something,” Lawson said.

  “Or they’ve been bought off.”

  “I’ll keep working, but I don’t know how much more I can do. I’ve basically run out of people to contact.”

  “Stay on it a few more days then head back to New York,” Sanders told her.

  “Sir, if I get nothing else in the next few hours then I’d like to try and personally find him.”

  “How do you aim to do that?”

  “I’d like to go into Syria myself.”

  “Absolutely out of the question.”

  “What other options are there?”

  “We may have possibly lost one agent out there but I am not about to allow losing a handler on top of it. He’s not your only agent that you’re in charge of. You have to think of your other agents and commit to them. I can get you another agent. I can’t just instantly get another handler.”

  “Cain deserves whatever chance we can give him,” she said.

  “And he’s getting that right now by what you’re doing.

  “I can’t just give up on him.”

  “You’re not. You’ve got three days to come up with something. If not then you are to return to New York, do you understand?” Sanders responded.

  “Yes,” she begrudgingly replied.

  Lawson spent the next three days doing the exact same things she’d already done. She contacted the same people hoping someone would’ve heard something by then but it was no use. She’d gotten nowhere. Out of leads and time, she knew she had no choice but to return to New York. There was nothing else she could do. The entire plane ride home she obsessed over losing Cain. Only one other time had she lost an agent, other than Raines, but at least there was closure with that. The agent had died in a gun battle and there was a finality to it. With Cain she didn’t know if he was alive or dead or what was happening to him. She felt like she was giving up on him even though she knew there was nothing else she could do.

  New York, one week later—Lawson was working in her office on missions for her other agents when her phone started ringing. She looked at the number but it was unfamiliar to her, and it wasn’t in her list of contacts. She picked it up hoping that maybe it was a connection to Cain. It was, but not in the vain she was hoping.

  “Hello?” Lawson asked.

  “Is this Michelle Lawson?” the woman asked.

  “Yes. Who’s this?”

  “Umm, I’m Heather Lloyd. I’m sure you remember me.”

  “Uhh, yes, I do,” Lawson replied, shocked to her voice.

  “Yeah, I know I’m the last person you’d expect a call from, and I’m sorry to call you, but I really didn’t know who else to turn to.”

  “It’s OK. What can I do for you?”

  “It’s about Matt. I’m getting kind of worried about him,” Heather said.

  “Oh,” Lawson replied, thinking of what she should tell her.

  “He’s been gone almost two weeks and I thought he’d be home by now. I’ve been calling and texting his phone but he’s not answering. Do you know where he’s at?”

  “Yeah, I do.”

  “Oh. Is he OK?” Heather asked.

  “How’d you get my number?” Lawson wondered. “Did Cain give it to you?”

  “Oh, sorry. No, he would never do that. He never tells me anything about what he does. One time you called I grabbed his phone for him. Before I gave it to him I memorized your number in case I ever needed it for something,” Heather revealed.

  “I see.”

  “I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t have and I probably shouldn’t have called you but I was just getting worried.”

  “No, it’s OK,” Lawson told her.

  “So you said you know where he’s at and he’s OK?”

  “Umm,” Lawson stuttered, struggling between telling her the truth or covering it up and keeping her in the dark.

  “Is something wrong?” Heather asked, starting to worry.

  “Would you like to meet me somewhere?” Lawson offered.

  “Uhh, why, what’s wrong?”

  “Let’s just meet somewhere where we can talk. How bout the Starbucks on 73rd?”

  “Sure. That’ll work.”

  “OK. Meet you there in half an hour?”

  “Yeah, I’ll be there,” Heather replied.

  Lawson immediately wrapped up what she was working on and left the building. She still wasn’t sure what she was going to tell Heather but she was leaning on telling her the truth. Or at least some version of it if not the exact truth. She could tell that Heather loved him. The pain in her voice over not knowing his whereabouts was quite obvious to her. Cain had always told her that Heather was just a friend but she could see that Heather did not share that notion. As soon as Heather put her phone down she got a bad feeling about what was going to happen at this meeting. Usually people liked to meet in person, instead of saying something over the phone, when there was bad news. Like death. She feared that Lawson was going to tell her that Cain was dead or near dead. She left for their rendezvous with butterflies churning in her stomach. She got to the Starbucks a few minutes after Lawson did, who was already sitting at a table waiting for her.

  “Hey,” Heather nervously said, sitting down.

  “Hey,” Lawson replied, almost as nervous as her visitor.

  “So you wanted to talk about something?” Heather asked, barely able to get the words out, hoping not to hear what she feared.

  “I did,” Lawson replied.

  Any doubt Lawson had about Heather’s feelings for Cain were now erased. Her eyes were close to producing tears, she was fidgeting with her hands, and she could hardly sit still as she waited for the news about Cain. Those were the actions of someone who could barely function thinking about life without someone that they loved.

  “Before I say anything I need to know a few things first,” Lawson said.

  “OK?”

  “Are you two intimate?”

  “What?” Heather asked, surprised at the question.

  “I know it’s a
rather loaded question but I need to know before we go any further.”

  Heather looked down, then away, before answering. “No, we’re not. We’re just friends.”

  A half-smile came over Lawson’s face. “That’s surprising.”

  “Why is that surprising?”

  “Because you love him. Don’t you?” Lawson asked.

  Heather didn’t reply, unsure what this line of questioning was about. She didn’t see what these questions had to do with anything.

  “You’re in love with him, aren’t you?” Lawson repeated.

  “Yes,” she finally revealed.

  “I thought so,” Lawson smiled. “I could tell without you saying it. Does he know that?”

  “No. At least I don’t think he does. What does this have to do with anything?” Heather asked, clearly uncomfortable, starting to believe she was wasting her time. “I came here about Matt, not to have my feelings analyzed.”

  “It has everything to do with it. You know we work for a top secret agency. Everything that I would tell you is highly classified. I couldn’t discuss this with just a friend,” Lawson said, trying to justify what she would say in her own mind, in case she ever needed to cover for herself. “But someone who’s closer is a different story.”

  “Just tell me where he is,” Heather pleaded. “Is he OK?”

  “The truthful answer is I don’t know.”

  “Oh my God,” Heather said, putting her hands on her head, shaking. “You said you knew where he was.”

  “I know a general location. Exactly where I don’t know.”

  “Where is he?”

  “He was on a mission in Syria,” Lawson stated. “He was close to completing his assignment when something went wrong. We lost contact with him and haven’t been able to pick up any leads on him yet.”