The Gray Man (Gray Man, #1)

by Mark Greaney

A meager measure of pay-back would be righteous, but it would set off a bigger shit storm than he was prepared to deal with.

He thought for a moment about his friends who had died in the Chinook and felt a sadness muted by disbelief. The sadness dissipated quickly as he looked up at the man sitting above him in the truck bed. Ricky’s dead friends were the lucky bastards. He was the unfortunate one. He and Cleveland, if the dude ever woke up, were going to get their goddamn heads chopped off on TV.

“Bro, what are you worried about? They’d give you a medal or some shit for this.” “They’d give me some shit.”

When I left the agency, I took out a little insurance policy. I saw what happened to you and a few other men. I knew what barbarity the politicians who run the company were capable of when a heretofore successful operation falls out of favor with the men and women who have to testify before Congress. I told myself, ‘Lloyd, you’re too smart to go down like dumb old Court Gentry and the others.’ So I did what I had to do to ensure my survival.” “You stole secrets.” “Like I said, I’m a survivor.” “You’re a traitor.”

“Monsieur, I do not know what you do for a living, and I do not want to know. But whatever it is, I think you should find some other type of job.” Court laughed a little, setting fire to the stab wound. “My skill set is not conducive to honest work.”