Hard Man to Kill (Dark Horse Guardian Series Book 4) Read Online Free Page A

for a while. It was long, horrific, and read like a valid argument for an official war to be declared on the jihadist bastards who called themselves the Islamic State.  The victims’ photos were on full high-definition display in front of the men to help them wrap their heads around the level of evil these men had perpetrated. The screen was the size of a movie theater’s, and as the photos accumulated, they had to be shrunk to thumbnail size, just to fit them all on the screen.  To describe these as crimes against humanity would be an understatement.  Between the mass rapes, mass graves, and wrought-iron fences with decapitated heads on every single spike , this rivaled, and perhaps surpassed, the tyranny of the Nazi regime.
    Fierce determination flooded through Ben.  This was a job that had to be done, nothing more.  Although, he hated these creatures who looked like men, he would not let emotion rule.  He temporarily suspended his ability to feel as he got into the mission. He became cold and hollow, emptied of everything but the focus on what lie ahead.  He was conscious of this necessary transformation.  As his eyes glanced around the room, he noticed every one of his men were going through that very same process as they listened to Moshe’s detailed report.  He watched as their eyes soaked in photo after photo.  There was a palpable silence as he sensed their mental state harden.
    Afterward, they filed to the dining hall and ate.  There were a few hours of reading to do for mission prep.  The men retired to their separate chambers to absorb detailed material regarding the mission.  Ben took a moment, tapped his phone and glanced at the security system at Clearwater Farm.  The house was empty. Einstein was asleep in his dog bed in the kitchen.  He knew that his son was home in Canada by now.  Ben scrolled through the photographs of William on his phone that he’d taken Christmas Eve.  His son was turning into a man.  He thought of calling him, but he was several time zones away.  William would be sleeping.  Instead, he sent him a text, Hi, it’s Dad.  Thinking of you.  Glad we got to be together for Christmas. Love you.
    He couldn't even think of Lara. He would be too strongly tempted to get on the first plane back home.  Ben flopped onto his bunk in private quarters and turned on a small reading light.  He read for an hour, memorizing every detail.  Mock-ups and work-ups were always the most important segment of the mission plan.  The Dark Horse game was equally as important, as it presented elements of danger the men hadn’t considered during their practice sessions.  Tonight they’d utilize the high-tech software to go through each scenario with enhanced satellite images and chats with human intelligence on the ground.  Updates.   They always changed everything slightly, sometimes for the better.
    But something was gnawing at him.  The hyper-vigilance kicked in, as it often did during mission prep.  Restless, Ben grabbed Moshe out of the war room long enough to check the storage locker. 
    “I’ve already done this, bro.”  Moshe smiled.  “But we can double-check.  I know how you like to do that, just a little bit obsessive-compulsive.” 
    Ben smiled. “Rule number 3, it's not obsessive-compulsion if it works.”
    For the next hour Moshe and Ben went over every pistol, long gun, magazine, laser sight, night-vision equipment, body armor, black face masks and disguises, right down to the cigarettes they’d smoke.  And, as Ben suspected, they were short on a few items.  Sunglasses, for example.  They needed a specific style, and Ben decided on more hypodermic needles, extras just in case one failed. 
    Once he exhausted the list and the additional items were packed, he felt he could relax just a little before the Dark Horse computer simulation began.  He closed his eyes on the bunk for fifteen minutes to take a short nap.  Too short. 
    Elvis woke him.  “Hey Chief,