Cosega Shift (The Cosega Sequence, #3)

by Brandt Legg

He flailed in the shallow water, coming up in a pool of blood. Suddenly, rough hands were on him, pulling his shirt, dragging him, and dropping him on the dusty shore. He rolled over and saw a shotgun pointed at his face, then looked into the eyes of the man who’d been dogging him every step since he’d found the Eysen. “I was beginning to think you might not really exist Gaines.” Rip realized he hadn’t been hit. The blood and guts, now mostly washed off his body, were Leary’s, who lay dead a few feet away. “In case you haven’t guessed, I’m Special Agent Dixon Barbeau with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.” Rip nodded and sighed, happy to be alive, and almost relieved it was finally finished. “For the world’s most wanted man, there wasn’t one reliable sighting of you until now,” Barbeau said. “Where’s the girl?” “I’ve got nothing to say,” Rip said. “Aren’t you going to read me my rights?” “You know professor, there’s a lot I don’t understand about this case, but one thing I do know for sure is that if I arrest you, it’s the same as if I’d let Leary over there kill you . . . you’ll be dead before the end of the day.” Rip looked at Barbeau, confused. “I’m not saying I won’t still be after you, I’m just saying today isn’t the day I arrest you,” Barbeau said frowning. “You’re letting me go?” “First, I need to know more about what’s really happening.” “You’re letting me go?” Rip repeated, looking around. “This case isn’t about a self-important, paranoid, half-crazy archaeolog...