hard target by howard gordon—read an excerpt!

8/3/2019 Hard Target by Howard Gordonread an excerpt!

1/23

Visit Howard Gordons

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3/23

also by howard gordon

Gideons War


4/23

HARD TARGET

Howard Gordon

A TouchsTone Book

Publihed by simo & schuter

new York Lodo Toroto sydey new Delhi


5/23

ucteA Divii Sim & Scute, Ic.1230 Aveue te AmeicNe Yk, NY 10020

Ti k i k cti. Nme, ccte, pce, iciet eitee puct te ut imiti e ue ctitiu. A eemcet ctu evet ce pe, ivi e, i etie ciciet.

Cpit 2012 ek Le Pucti, Ic.

A it eeve, icui te it t epuce ti k pti tee i m teve. F imti e ucte Suii Rit Deptmet,1230 Aveue te Ameic, Ne Yk, NY 10020.

Fit ucte cve eiti Ju 2012

OUCHSONE cp e eitee temk Sim & Scute, Ic.F imti ut peci icut uk puce,pee ctct Sim & Scute Speci Se t1-866-506-1949 [email protected].

Te Sim & Scute Speke Bueu c i ut t u ive evet.F me imti t k evet, ctct te Sim & Scute SpekeBueu t 1-866-248-3049 viit u eite t .impeke.cm.

Muctue i te Uite Stte Ameic

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Li Ce Cti-i-Puicti t i vie.

ISBN 978-1-4391-7582-8ISBN 978-1-4391-7606-1 (ek)


6/23

For my parents, Bob and Sylvia


7/23

A tp FBI cuteteim ci te ueu ietcce i te iiviu e te tii, tecpiit ut i iecte it te [it-i extemit]up cti i m ce, icti ecie ei t ct e. A i-ki Deptmet HmeSecuit ci e tt it mt impie t tt

eee i te tck, eve i te FBI imt ite up.

Timemzie, Octe 11, 2010


8/23

PRoloGuE

Pocatello, IdaHo

Amie Kim ee t keep e mut ut.

At t, e cut eti ee m tei te tecie ut te epu piit teceu em

e peece e cu ee. But e mte ee tt ue e te t e tke itc et ,e u e tut. S e e ive i te pcece I, e e e e k pemiti it tete me. Te ee ee t k, t e me me i emt t te cu e i ietime. But te mmet Amieteppe t te ze u, e eize tt cmi ee ee teie mitke.

Se i te ete C, i te cit Km, te t ve e tet-e e e ke M-ieu Nzute i te cv ct, pcei te pttike tit me. Te j ite t , tu M. Nzute kt muc u te et e te te i. O e.Citie S Amie et ie, te uet pettiet i i te ct. M. Nzute ve e me tue t

te te. Oe it Citie ce it Amie e,e temi uct eet e t e, me cute te t ie pt e ti. Citieu t t ppeet tt t time te


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2 Howard Gordon

time teut Amie i t ee t e t. Se ue-t.

S e te Ameic ce ime Mieu Cie -ee Citie k i i cv ct i te Uite Stte, e ee Amie t cme it e. A it m pke it t vice, Mieu Cie i e u ee ue tem, p tem ec $3,000 US tee mt k. Wicmet Amie Citie cu etu me it eume t u ue tt tei uie, pep mp tt ct pt p. Te Citie u e

e t p Mieu Nzute i te teet im it eee jut t e tut im.

Te k i I tue ut t e mt exct te me it ee i Km. Amie pete mcie tt tippe te kki m te ite, i e te cv. Cv ee tveete tt ee u it me tt ue t mke e cke, tu te cu e cke ete ike ptte.Te me cu e pcee it tpic, te m e tt

ee mixe it mik me it pui. Amie j equie pee peci ki. Te kie

ke eei te cv t tu t e p tt tete ki m te met. Smetime te cv jmme te m-cie u t ec i itut etti u m et uckeit te p pte. Tt mitke u me ce. Tep u eite te f u m, te ki muce t te e.

S Amie ee ceu. A uck. Se eve e t e i me e pemiti ee , ec e time i e pce. But te e mi i te mie tei ti mt i I, Citie cpee ip u-i it m, e ee i ck i e e Amieke it tt te evi piit evee temeve.

Amie m ee ti ick it cv juice e ce

Citie e. Guit e up iti e ike tie; e uve e Citie.Etee Ou k e e i, Kz.Te te me ce u tem, i cucki


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HARD TARGET 3

tei tue. Kz te iee tt cme ui te ut,e pepe itte t ik, itte t et eie cv.

Sme pepe i tee meti i te cv tt pieu, ut Amie ke tt Kz, ike iee, e te m em ke tei evi pepe.

Mieu Cie i ve meicie, Etee i. I ic im.

N, Amie i. I i ep e. Hep me c Citieck t e uk.

Hep e ? D u ve meicie ike Mieu Cie?

I c ep e t te evi piit.Evi piit, evi piit, u it u evi piit, Etee i,

ci. Yu t e, tki ike tt. Etee jie e cuc e e tki utpepe i t e.

I k t I k, Amie i. Let me t ee uc im.

Ii Amie, Etee picke up te pe. Becue e

te et m tem, Etee ume ki mte u-tit ve te te me, Amie cu i eppe.

Ate e miute Mieu Cie ppee, tmpi i eet ui m i ct. Quest-ce qui sest pass? e ii i ccete Fec. Te me teppe ie ike pt-i cuti, evei te pe Citie, e m et ii i it ec et.

Cie pee i pm it te u i ee, ic ee it pepiti. Kz, e i mptetic.

But u c ep e, e? Etee kei e ikeuke ve.

Mieu Cie ke t Etee. He eeme t e mki upi mi ut meti ee e e. Se e e.But I ee t tke e t te pit.

N! Te ept m Amie mut ee e cutp it.Wt i it u, i? Etee ppe e e t

e te te me. Hep me et e up.


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4 Howard Gordon

Amie e epe t te te me iteCitie cie e ut it te c. Au tem te tee

ceke e, tei ce eite it . Sme-ee i te et im pitee u, e t te u.Mieu Cie pee te t i pickup tuck. Mieu

Nzute u eve ve pee mceti t e i ke. But Amie ke tt Mieu Cieetue cce empt. Bei i pite mk uke teMbwiri, em pee pepe cue tem t tu pe m. Smetime teMbwirieve ce it t

t et um e pem meu exu ct.Amie et te mt te tuck te me i Citie

iie. Mieu Cie ucke te et et u Citie,tki jut itte t i titei e cte teuce u te et. Te it i evti pe ki itCitie ve k e me e ive. Please, God, tell mewhat to do, e pe. But G et e.

G ck t k, Mieu Cie i ve i ue, i

ti ip expi et m, cke teet.Te te me tte ck t te ct e ve f, ut

Amie t i te c, tci te tuck ippe, ceti tte u eve i ee e ie Citie. O te eetee uet te tut t ppei, tei ti eeeee ii i te i ike tu ke.

De Wimt ti cu t te it . Atu eitte ze peece, uie p, cpte miittemet ve te e, ti eve ee im tite ti. It ette t i . Pt Wimt ieciicme m ki i u evetu muc ieuiece t Ev. Te u e iemite te mei,cutiize ecemet ecie, utimte, jue

it. W it ce t cmpe ti cumet t te Dec-ti Iepeece te Gettu Ae? Ate , it me t jut e m ttempt t expi ime t i ; it c t cti itee t ke te Ameic pepe m te


12/23

HARD TARGET 5

tup cmpcec tt eve tem m e. A tt, e ii t ive up eveti, icui i

ie.He ie tue m te k cmpute cee. Ote eet i m-pee tu u ptp ime ki it peiet pime miite, p-i it quteck cpte tit. Te ptpe m et cece. Beet te tick e i ve te que j, i quick i t u ti mee t mve cmt m te ic peu, ut

cu jut ei ie e, eie eke x, t Wicete ie. Ove te e e me m tuetu time iteet, eti i-citii, tuck-i. He i m, it i , te impei e et m ue t ivi e.

But De Wimt e ecize te m i te p-tp. Te e ptimim tt ce imte i ee imme ve time, uti it ee extiuie, epce

c, iu etemiti. He ecme te t im-e. A te ptp tt ce ipie eei ptitim mcke im, ti t im emie eve i ttut te te me.

Ae uee Wimt, ete te ii i te m. A it it ti. It te ic i ie, te ee p ee e tet-e mt ,e Ev, i t ci, etue m .

He ememee ki te eci ci WteRee, pt m ee u me it ecke ie t ikezmie ee i teevii. He ememee ei met Mj Gee Wiim D. B, em uee imit i ce. We u ee De Wimt, e ki eivee te mt imptt m ite uii. But Wimt peempte te ee ee e cu et

ut . Wee m ?B put ce itee t expe eet i,M. Wimt, eve me temeu tie i u iit t tetu ue i ep tem titi


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6 Howard Gordon

ke me t m . A t mke me k u i.Wimt e it t t i ie. Te emie B-

eemme. Ti , i, B i, ei imm i ce t t te eevt . Te e tete i iece t utee , ee te -e i iecti tem t te u uit.

Te uke teque ptiet Wimt eepi iie tetpet xe tet e eemce t i . Hi ticket t i e, epce mte kucp ctiue. Hi ce-me etue ee eue, i i ip

i e ee mete it ut pe. Te e emi i e temite jut e i kee, i it m ex-tee i e. Hi et m emie itct, -tu ptck u u ee viie tute ce tictei e.

A ii pe pue Wimt m i mem. Te pme pit iiectt uie iee i i ti eput i pe picke up te eceive.

Wt i it? Wimt i.Cie t vice ee. Weve t pem, i.

A e miute te Wimt pue up t i e i i JeepWe, pki eie Cie F-150. Ate Ev eite i tem, Wimt te e, te te -jcet t t empt.

Wimt etee te ii . Te t ee ept ce,ut iie e tem Cie ti ve e te ume e ut ve m Aic. Se i ti,ut-tie mtte tp m ct. He ee ee e uteum, e t Wimt, iet ppei t im ep. He u ime itcte e eut uti Ciepke. Kz, e i.

We e t peete te p, Cie e Wimttt ti mit ppe. He expie tt i te Cee c-tie, te e cie ctie i te cv peete kpce z eve me eu t te mcie ite.


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HARD TARGET 7

Cie i te cu vi txic expue m te me imiti tti tei it, ut e ce miccute.

Wimt tie keepi te iitti m i vice. Wi e ie?Cie e. Pi uu et i te te iiti eizue,euti i epit iue. Cie eitte mmet eee ctiue. But, i, e ct ik tki e t ct.

Yu tik I t k tt? O cue Wimt ke tecut i te i t pit eve i ct t e. Be-cue e cie pii te ct u e cmpee t ept te ce t me puic et evice, t t meti

te immiti utitie. Tei cice ete t ete ie piu ptcte et t e e ufei temeve.

I e it, Cie i.Wimt e i Cie vice me t impe iie

t c ut ti upet ut ece ct; e ee t it.Cie up Wimt c, ee i mte ke uekeepe. We e i i e tee, te u i te tt ee imemee iem-

ee. Six mt te, icvee i m tee, upee ppi k. Eve ck te, Wimt upecte Cie cmmitti te tcitie. N, te petke i te u m ee cme Wimt eieupici.

No.Cie ike, upie Wimt p te.I it me, Wimt i, i vice te ti time. De

Wimt pie ime ietii t eee te e etti it e eciet ipite pie. et exmpe, e ce ke te j ck-tki empee uequet t itee t e -uit. ve i pt, e kie ze Viet C. A e u pe te u m i ee im te ueceiiit i t te it.

He ee ce t te i ce. He m et mee itte m, te tete mptm cie pii. Im, i, e i t. u, I m.

I quick eciive mvemet, e pice e ti ut


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8 Howard Gordon

it i tum ee, cmpe te et i vee mut ci, cvei te e e ce ike muz-

ze. He ee iee, e e t uck ite. Wimtpee e t te mtte it i et m. Se upiit, e ti tu te cie-iuce eke i epete ttempt t peeve ite. He pee e, pi-i e puic e t te mtte it i mive em.

He t ieitive t te exu pect te mmet, tei et mvi eet e ti e, e m ip uckieet i t m. Citie eitce, eve, ve

t eiti, uti e ee te empti t te ceii. Wimt emve i m e ce. Te, tee, e

ee e eei titee e ike e. I t eive ppe ui, e i itut ki t Cie. Guze i. Yu ee pick. A it tt, e et te .


16/23

1

GeorGetown UnIversIty

Gie Dvi cutiize te Wi kt i i e tie ii evie mi e ite te tpit t ce. It ee eit e ice e t i t cm,

ti kt jut e te ki e t. N, ee it it i te mi, e mie i ipmt peieti vie, ee e cucte i uie i e-upiteeve. At et i tuxe cme it cip- tie.

Te it tue ee, Gie tue it f te iett cecte Viii t Wit, DC. Te Mt Cete Iteti Stuie cte i t ecti Gee-t it t ue it i e ipmt

pitici pike m te tuet cut. Gie vete ee te e, te utue te eiet, teiteti v te etut p. But it cke teee pce e te te mi e pi ttt it i ce, Kte Mup.

Eitee mt e eve u ve imie ui Fee-te me i Aexi, Viii. But tt ee

up teit ee e Gie te, im, eize Kte i i, te Oeik, tte--te-t ptm i teSut Ci Se. I t Gie iteveti, te teit u ceti ve ete te i , it it, te tut


17/23

10 Howard Gordon

im icece. Cmi me t te Uite Stte, eve, pve me cmpicte t Gie im. Be-

cue im evice cvet petive ivve meue ei, cupe it mitii te puie eiiit i upei, e ke itut et. F i eft t keepAmeic ecue, e pecute pvii mtei itcet eemie te tte etece t eve tet e t teee upemx pi i Fece, C. A Gie ccee, i te tki te up pie-e ueuct. Gie ie ece i eee ucce-

u petitie te epti peiet t p im. Tep, eve, iite etm citicim, te icm-i peiet, Eik We, ce Gie t ei m te StteDeptmet.

A itte e et ut te Oeik fi, it ei im. Pu, e cme m it it te m t i ie ui te e it m e pe t pe teet i ie. Kte Mup te veiet m Gie

eve met, it uu i ze ee tt metime ke, metime ee, epei e m. Ate e e-ce iteti tueti, Gie e t ette. It i tue tt Kte ee t ve im.

We e pue it te pki pce eeve im e tec, eve, e t tiki ut te Oeik. Ite e ei ut te ime-ee Imp tt e tice ii mi, tt ticki t i e. Me it jut

pi, ut te c eeme t e e i me evetu ei im e te cme f te ie tete.

He cke te L Rve ke Tit-evetSteet. At e e ue tcut t et t te c, etue it. I i peipe vii e cu ee mee tckii mvemet. He ke cm, itut ui, uti e cme tte e ei ee e uu ut i uc. He ucke

it te ite.Witi tet ec i ite u ppce ci m ppe cup. Hi e ivee ctt, i ci te e mu. He e kki ptpe vet, kki c


18/23

HARD TARGET 11

pt tt ppe u i emcite e, ck -it pu e tt ve im vue miit k. Gie

ecize te tete i i icti: metmpetmie.Hi ut ce ve, it e e etei eceeke. A e pe, Gie ptte te ump ue i etm. It t e pett e piece .357 me eve .44.

Gie teppe m i ii pce put te u i ui-tie eck. He eette i cti immeite. A u mecme f te m , ike me ki cemit expeimete , te tcc-tie iv i te Dixie cup pie

t Gie e.Wt te uck, te m pee.Gie quick ime te m te u .357, e

teue it, te tufe it ck i te m ue -te. Wt te uck ue, e i. W e u i me?

I jut t t tk t u.Te m ie i Gie ip ike ke . Gie

eee im, te m kittee ck e tume

it pi tuet.Im t iit, i te m. I k I t k it, ut

Ive t imti t t t me.Gie ke t i tc. Hi c tte i te miute. I-

mti ut t?We te m it e it , Gie k i e

tte pt im.A ttck US i. A i-vue tet.

Gie ike, i te teke cim. Te e tueu ce te m.

Te pepe Im ei it? Tee tki m cutie te t u. But ee I te u ti ee, I t ue tu , c Ameic.

Yuve t te u, i Gie. I t mke e ie it teke. I uve t tt ki imti, tk t

te FBI.Te FBI, te m i iiu. Buc cktiueuct. I ct tut tem.

But u c tut me?


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12 Howard Gordon

Yu tik it cciet Im cmi t u? A ee -ce cue i ip. Yue te M Pece ite.

A peci ev t me Peiet At Di, Gie metime ee eee t i te mei te M Pece, mike e t te.

I ct pek t te ite ptI e te Iteet u temite tet tie ui

tt i-i peti. M Pece. Tee me e i u,t u tik?

Atu te m ze v, i ue

ete e. Te temi , te ctt ci teiz, te evu titc i i ceek. He eite metteke, pi mptm i icti.

I ti t uet ue cmi t me, Gie i.Yu pitic m e miuie, ut u eem ike mee I

c tut t te it ti. Ate te te vemet teteu, u cuve e ueu, ut ue ee, peci tepe t u ut. Yu e tue ptit.

Te te m i it, it it u ike ti. Butit tue tt eve tu te peiet upt imieim m puic evice, Gie emie eicte t i cut.Me e ve, ut e eieve ceti picipe ee tti : tut, jutice, emcc. Te cut it pem,ut e t e t it i tc tem ete.

W e u? e ke.Evi Mix. He cee i tt pt e pem

te pvemet. I ike t tik me eece ctituti-it. Nt me eek i iv te, I me -. Sec Amemet te it te pepe t keep e m t e ie. Simpe pe. Det te it tepepe t keep e evve t e ie. Det te it te pepe t keep e u-tt--t-ce-e-u-pu-te-tie t e ie. Pi, impe

Ei . A iiviu t t ptect i me etit uppee u-ut MP-5 umcie u, tt i c-tituti it. I ck up m eie uppi ike-mie


20/23

HARD TARGET 13

iiviu it pecit item tt u ct pcue t u cu p.

Oe m cutme i u me VeveCe JimVeve. Live f te i i piece up i WetViii. Gie met mii it te e; it eei te im ette ice i eee m pi. Mixctiue, Veve t u e i i miiti,me tem ivuc i ppet i tie cmpe. Mt tee miiti u Nzi tt tk t mck, ut tte e te tee t iteete i etti e i

eiu cpcit. But e it I tee ut mt , Ivee Veve ie pe cveti . . .

He eitte mmeti ee ii eexive t iet. I i k etit, Gie ecme i expet tei ete pepe ee i t im t e te. Oe te impet iict te te iecti pe eeet te mki ttemet. A k t tei it ee memee i ctucti ime ui te ,

iie k t tei et ee me te e ememe-i meti tt ctu ppee. O cue, it t p, et-e pepe, te iecti metime evee.But Mix u tee it-e pe, e ke et ee e eume i t. Im t tki utte uu e-tti uit. He ue eiu.

Mei t? Gie i. Wt i u e?Sme ve pecic peti eti.

G .See, ee t ppci te juctue ee I ee me t

jut ie.Bck up miute, Gie i. Becue tee meti I

t uet. Yu ve -ti pte eti-ip it ti u Veve. S e u tti im ut?

Mix mut tite itte. I ve me ve pei

etive ci ee. Wteve Im mki m m uieit Veve it eu t cve tt.A ue i eep e, Gie i.


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14 Howard Gordon

Lk t me. I k t I m. Ive ee te-c ctmet ict te e. O e Ive me it ti i

ecue I ue tp-e pmceutic-quit ct. Yu tikte ive tt it ? S e, Im i me exticme. I ke Veve up t meti tt t jut queei. S I cme pepe. A ue t? I cut M -m Dick.

Wt Veve pi t ? Set f uke i DuptCice? Gie teti im, eei i e veec mke iicuu cim.

D I k ike ? Wee u uc eeck miitiu et uke? But ti i t me e um ti t ek Gck it cmpi i Pittu ecue i ie etve im me. Ti i ize cpic ve eiupet. A i u t et tem ue-quick, tee it execute tei mii.

A u expect me t c me pepe te tem t tutte t epete teke?

N. Tt Ive t p.P ?A eci Veve ie te cveti. Pt it

.Let e it.Mix et ut eez tti u tt met t e

u. Nt uti I ee me c.N Gie i t e te. But tee meti

ut Mix i t tt te i tut.H i u ec it?Zm H4.Wt ki mic?Ei 37D. Wiee.Gie ti t tip im up, t et im t eve me

i impvitiki up i te i ie e tik-

i, ci i t i mitem, ci expei, ip-ppite mii ti tt tue. But i Evi te,Gie t ptte it et. I ct, te imt it mi


22/23

HARD TARGET 15

et e et t ecie i et eti e ece Ve-ve cveti.

A t i e ?Mix ke u utive, te pue iit ecem i jcket pcket. Ti i jut ippet, uet? I te USvemet t t e te e tpe, tee i t ve tp tt piviee. Mix pee utt, te ecie t p. It ctc, ece m me itt mic-pe, ut te ee uie eu.

Yeah.Te m vice peum Veve. We have the

target isolated and surveillance established . . . Well wait for your in-structions.Te eci tppe, Mix ke up t Gieexpectt.

Atu e it eize it t t, Gie et tt excitemet ii up iie im e itee t te eci. Butti t i t, t i j me. Hi e cee iti im ut u ue , it ut iteve. A Gie ke e tte m Mix tt e

ii t e.I c mke c, i Gie. Smee i te FBI I c

tut.Oe pe. A me, Im e.Mix e Gie cp ppe. Ti i ee Im t-

i. Tee ppi m ut mie te . Meet metee t ix.

I e tee.

G, i te teke. Yu cut i cuti u.


23/23
http://www.howardmgordon.com/http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/hard-target/id427556805?mt=11http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Hard-Target/Howard-Gordon/e/9781439176061http://www.amazon.com/Hard-Target-ebook/dp/B004T4KRBU/http://books.simonandschuster.com/Hard-Target/Howard-Gordon/9781439175828http://www.powells.com/biblio/62-9781439175828-0http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781439175828http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Hard-Target/Howard-Gordon/9781439175828?id=5194720105498http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hard-target-howard-gordon/1102322811http://www.amazon.com/Hard-Target-Novel-Howard-Gordon/dp/1439175829/

hard target by howard gordon—read an excerpt!

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