Stalin's Hammer: Cairo: A novel of the Axis of Time Read online

  He spat the last word at Harry, with a gob of phlegm.

  Julia tried to make sense of the scene. Viv was down. Fontaine was down. Paul… No, Peter, his name was Peter, lay a few feet away, his body contorted into the sort of impossible attitude she’d seen on many battlefields. Half of his face was missing.

  And Charlie?

  Charlie was missing too.

  Mister al Nouri’s killer seemed to read her expression.

  “She will not long evade us,” he said, before adding, “a woman.” As if that explained why she would not long evade them.

  “Why?” Harry asked, slowly getting some breath back. He was still doubled over, holding his ribs.

  “Sometimes betrayal is its own reward.”

  They both turned to the new voice.

  A Russian accent. Guttural and harsh with the bitter cold tones of the steppe.

  “Your Highness. Ms Duffy. My name is Skarov and if you would be pleased to join me aboard my ship, I will save you the trouble of searching for Professor Bremmer.”

  He smiled at the man who had betrayed them. It was a wintry expression. A crack in the permafrost of his face.

  “You have done well, my friend. I hope you will do as well in your endeavors for Mr Hilton in the future.”

  The Turk regarded him warily.

  “You have taken care of everything else.”

  Skarov nodded.

  “The house of al Nouri has fallen. Even now its elders and chiefs are in custody or running from their fate.”

  Skarov’s death’s head grin turned back to Harry and Julia.

  “Treating with foreign powers. With Communists indeed.”

  He sighed as if he himself could not be more disappointed.

  “King Farouk is a very cautious ruler. He moved swiftly against the traitors when evidence of their treachery made its way to his spymasters.”

  Neither Harry nor Julia said anything.

  Viv groaned and tried to sit up, but Skarov put an end to him with one bullet.

  It was not silenced.

  This is the end of Stalin’s Hammer: Cairo.

  Prince Harry will return and the story will conclude in Stalin’s Hammer: Paris.

  If you would like a free book, and early warning of discounted releases in future, join me at my book club: www.jbismymasternow.com

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  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  As always, this book was a collaborative effort. Thanks to my Beta readers, to my editor Deonie Fiford for cleaning up the original manuscript, and Patricia Lye for proofing the final.

  The cover art is by William Heavy and formatting by Guido Henkel.

  And thanks to you, for taking the time to read. I do appreciate it.

  LICENSE

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. JB will be your new best friend if you do. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then it’d be so much cooler if you bought your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Table of Contents

  STALIN’S HAMMER

  PROLOGUE

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  LICENSE