Blackfire: Hawke and Stryker Series, #1

By Ty Patterson

Introducing New York's toughest PIs, former special forces operatives Axton Hawke and Kael Stryker

 

When a routine corporate espionage case lands on their desk, Ax and Kael expect it to be just another day at the office.

They aren't going to be sniffy about such cases. They have bills to pay.

But what starts as a seemingly mundane investigation takes a sinister turn when their client's life is threatened.

And mysterious lethal hitmen target them.

They soon find themselves entangled in ruthless cartels, corrupt politicians and crooked cops.

When they uncover the international political conspiracy, they realize it can change global conflict.

The case is no longer about corporate espionage.

It is about who they are and what they stand for ... and for Ax and Kael, their moral code comes first.

Even if they lose their lives.

Buckle up for a high-octane thriller in USA Today Bestselling Author Ty Patterson's trademark action and humor that will leave you breathless until the very last page.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ty Patterson
• Release date: Sep 20, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223742678

Book preview

1

Four am in Central Park. Sweat was dripping down Axton ‘Ax’ Hawke’s face as he went through his katas. Fast and slow, slow and slow, fast and fast, until his arms and legs felt like they would rip out of their joints.

He cooled down with his routine of asanas, stretching his muscles, and then lay on the grass watching the sky.

The park belonged to him that early. Other than a few joggers and cyclists, it was empty. The enormous green space in one the busiest cities in the world was where he came for his workouts.

He didn’t like gyms. They were too crowded and filled with self-obsessed people. The park was his go-to. In the solitariness of the morning, he could perform his katas, some of which weren’t taught in most dojos. He could remove his tee and wipe his chest without curious glances at the scars on his torso.

Ax lay for a long time on the grass while the planet rotated and it became lighter, and then got to his feet, took a long suck of water, and went to the exit.

Kumar, the newspaper vendor on Columbus Avenue, had his daily read folded. He brushed his mustache and eyed Ax. ‘It’s not healthy.’

‘What isn’t?’

‘Your coming out this early.’

‘Lots of people are. You are!’

‘This is my business.’ Kumar squinted at him. ‘But you … going to the park that early, it’s not safe.’

Ax grinned. The man always had something to grouch or remonstrate about. He paid the vendor. ‘Anything interesting happening?’ He nodded at the newspaper.

‘Interesting?’ Kumar snorted. ‘ChatGPT, climate change … we will all die in fifty years.’

Ax left him on that cheerful note. He unfolded the newspaper and read as he went down the sidewalk. He went down the subway stairs and that was when he spotted the tail.

The man was in a dark overcoat, a scarf around his neck. He had a thick beard.

Ax had seen him as he went to Kumar’s but hadn’t paid any attention then.

He checked out commuters on the train and shrugged when he didn’t see the man. False alarm.

He got out at Eighth Street. He strode down the sidewalk, breathing deeply, inhaling the unique smell of New York. Gas fumes, odors of cooking, clean air, the perfume from a passing woman, all of it uniquely capsulating his hometown.

He wouldn’t have noticed the tail if he hadn’t been idly looking at a store window.

He caught the man’s abrupt turn in his peripheral vision.

It’s him!

2

Can’t lead him to where I’m going , Ax thought rapidly. He pictured Greenwich Village in his mind as he walked.

The city was just waking up, but New York was an early riser. The streets were already bustling with delivery trucks, honking cabs, and impatient drivers, while the sidewalks were filled with people rushing to work.

He went to Bleeker Street and went up to a poster on a wall. An advertisement for a pop band. He read it without paying it much attention and looked around casually at a loud honk.

Yeah, Tail was still there. About a hundred yards behind him, speaking into his cell phone.

Ax resumed his stride. He went past a line of restaurants and used the cover of a passing couple to duck into a familiar narrow alley.

It was used by the establishments to stow their garbage. Dumpsters lined its grimy walls, the stench of waste stronger as he went deeper.

He confirmed he was alone and returned to its mouth and waited.

Office goers passed. A couple debated the merits of various restaurants and disappeared. A skateboarder was next.

And then Tail came into view, hurrying, his eyes searching the street.

‘I’m here,’ Ax called out softly.

Tail whipped his head around.

Ax lunged forward, caught his collar, and dragged him into the alley. He punched the man in his soft belly and hauled him up.

‘Who are you? Why’re you following me?’

Tail doubled over, clutching his stomach. He charged forward to headbutt with an angry grunt but Ax sidestepped his move, pivoted on his heel, and threw him against the rear wall.

Tail cursed savagely as he crashed against the unyielding brickwork. His lips split.

‘Who are you?’ Ax repeated. His right hand struck out in a finger jab when four men rushed into the alley.

Baseball bats! They aren’t friendly.

Ax reacted instantly. He twisted around and shoved Tail at them. He had his Glock beneath his gym jacket but didn’t want to draw it. He searched around desperately for a weapon while Tail body-slammed into the intruders.

One thug edged past the shadow and swung his bat.

Ax caught it with his left hand, yanked forward and jammed the base of his palm in the man’s throat. He swiveled, felt a shadow move and ducked but he was too late.

Another hitter struck him on the shoulder, a blow that jarred him from head to toe.

With a furious roar, he freed the bat from the first thug, jabbed it like a spear into the incoming heavy, withdrew it and was making to swing at a third man when he slipped on debris.

He stumbled backwards into a garbage bin.

He was off balance for a moment and saw the triumphant gleam in the attacker’s eyes.

They charged.

He was backed up against the wall, with the bin behind him. There was no room for him to maneuver in.

He jabbed the first thug, ducked to evade another hitter’s blow and got struck on his temple. He fell to his knees, his hands pistoning as he kept using his bat like a spear but the numbers were against him. Another brutal blow on his back felled him to the ground.

Ax grabbed the garbage bin and swung it around with all his strength but that too wasn’t enough.

A shadow loomed over him. A thug with his bat raised.

The man hesitated when a siren wailed close by.

‘Let’s go,’ Tail growled.

‘COME ON,’he repeated angrily when the thugs hesitated.

They hurried out at his command.

Ax slumped against the wall and sucked lungfuls of air until the pounding in his chest had eased and his pulse had returned to normal.

He assessed his injuries. His body hurt, but no limbs or ribs seemed to be broken, nor were any joints dislocated.

Got lucky. He hauled himself to his feet and checked the ground. Nope. Neither Tail nor the thugs had dropped anything in the attack.

His lips thinned as he emerged onto the street.

Whoever Tail was, he had made it personal.

Ax drifted through the streets of the village until he was confident he had no more shadows, then went to Green Street, where he entered a well-maintained building. He took the stairs to the fourth floor, punched the code into the electronic lock and entered the quiet apartment.

He went to the kitchen, wet a paper towel, and wiped his face and hands. He looked at his reflection on the polished cabinet door. He looked presentable. No sign that he had brawled with five heavies.

He brewed coffee. Jamaican Blue Mountain. Poured it into three mugs, took one and went to the living room. He went to the window and peered out onto the street while he sipped.

A sixth sense warned him.

He turned slowly to see a man with a gun.

3

‘J eez, Ax,’ Kael exclaimed and lowered his gun. ‘Would you mind announcing you are here? I nearly shot you thinking you were an intruder.’

‘Nope, you wouldn’t have.’ His friend smiled and handed over a mug.

Kael took a sip and inspected his visitor over the rim of his mug.

Ax was clean-shaven and had bronzed skin and sharp features. His dark eyes took in everything and his black hair, slicked back, caught the morning sun that came through the window. He was in his tracksuit, his jacket falling loosely around his muscled chest.

His friend had the one of the most intriguing backstories he had ever come across. Born to a mother from the Comanche Nation in Oklahoma and a white man, in Lawton. The father deserted his mom before his birth and his mother died during childbirth.

Ax went into the foster-care system with a clerical error. His mother was recorded as Hispanic.

It was when he joined the army that he traced his roots and embraced his Native American ancestry.

‘When did you get back?’ Kael asked.

Ax had the habit of entering Kael’s apartment unannounced, even after long trips.

‘Late night.’

‘How was your holiday?’

‘Good.’

Kael grinned. Any other person would have burst out, telling how great their European vacation had been. Not Ax. His friend wasn’t verbose. Heck, he smiles and laughs only when he’s with friends.

To the outside world, Axton Hawke presented an impassive façade. Only Kael and those in his trusted circle knew how giving and warm he was beneath that seemingly forbidding exterior.

‘Tuscany was relaxing?’ he tried again.

Ax cocked his head. ‘I helped the Italian police bust a people-trafficking ring. There was a shootout in Pienza. A couple of the mobsters died.’

‘I thought you were on vacation!’

‘I was. The smugglers were in RVs close to my hotel. I—’

‘You got involved.’

‘Yeah.’

‘Did you manage to get any R and R?’

‘That was my R and R.’ Ax frowned as if it was obvious. ‘Tuscany in the summer is hot but beautiful. You haven’t had any trouble?’

‘Nope. It’s been quiet. I finished the paperwork on our last case. Got paid for it. Why do you ask?’

‘I was attacked this morning.’

4

Kael stared at him. He lowered his cup and made a tell-me-everything gesture.

‘How badly are you injured?’ He asked sharply when Ax had finished.

‘Bruised, nothing broken.’

‘We need to take you to a—’

‘Kael.’ Ax didn’t raise his voice. He seldom did. His tone and look were often more than enough to stop someone in full flow.

They stopped Kael, who shook his head disgustedly. ‘Those thugs ... can’t remember seeing them from your description. Why didn’t you call the cops?’

‘You think they’ll go out of their way to help us?’

‘There are good cops, Ax. Gina and Peyton—’

‘Are feds.’

Kael sighed. Gina Difiore and Peyton Quindica were FBI Special-Agents-in-Charge, their friends. Peyton led the FBI-NYPD Joint Task Force, JTF, while Gina was her deputy. They were two of the few LEOs that Ax was close to. He knew his friend didn’t really think all cops were crooked or were out to harass them. His partner preferred to have as little engagement as possible with those he wasn’t friendly with, however.

‘Nope. Don’t remember seeing any of them before. We aren’t working on any case at the moment. No reason for anyone to follow me or you.’

Kael went to the window and peered out.

‘They aren’t there. I checked. I made sure I wasn’t followed.’

‘If they could find you, they already know where you and l live.’ Kael went to a monitor that was discreetly mounted in the living room’s wall and scrolled through the security cameras’ feeds outside the building. He had gotten the co-op’s permission to install several of them to cover the outside street, the entrance lobby, elevators, and the hallway leading to their door. The residents had readily agreed since they too benefitted from the added security. He had equipped the apartment with motion-detection sensors, intruder alarms and armored windows.

Ax’s apartment two blocks away was similarly outfitted.

‘Clear,’ he said after going through the videos. ‘I don’t see anyone of that description outside our building.’ The cameras were hooked into a powerful artificial intelligence engine that could run facial recognition. He grinned. Zeb’s system. We use Werner for our security as well as for our case work.

Zeb was Zeb Carter, their friend, a former Delta operator. They had served together in the special forces. Zeb and his team worked in the Agency, a covert US outfit. Werner was their proprietary AI engine that powered their intelligence analysis and logistics. It had hooks into several national and international databases.

Zeb’s team included Beth and Meghan Petersen, twins, who maintained Werner. They had given Kael and Ax secure access to specific functions of the software and had helped them with the security at their apartments and their office.

‘We have several enemies. Criminals we have helped put away,’ his friend reminded. ‘Those thugs could be from any of them.’

‘None of them will beat us up. They’ll want a more permanent solution to us.’

Ax bobbed his head in acknowledgement.

‘The cops would have checked if there were any nearby cameras that caught them.’

‘We can do that as well,’ Ax countered.

‘NYPD’s forensics could—’

‘I brought the baseball bat the thugs left behind.’ Ax jerked his head towards the door where he had propped it against the wall. ‘We can get it checked for prints. Beth and Meg know a lab that can process them. Werner is plugged into the same databases that NYPD is. More, in fact. We can identify those men if they are in the system.’

Kael sighed. Before he could speak, a woman came up from behind him. She was blond, blue-eyed, tanned and had a model’s body. She could have graced the cover of any magazine, and when she was younger, she had.

Olivia Navarro, Kael’s girlfriend, former model and now owner of a fast-growing modeling agency, exclaimed in delight and hugged their visitor tightly. ‘Ax! When did you get back?’

‘Late last night.’ He grinned and returned her embrace.

She stepped back and inspected him critically. ‘You look relaxed. Tuscany must have been fun.’

‘It was—’

‘Why wouldn’t it be?’ Kael snorted. ‘He got to take out a criminal gang.’ He smirked at his friend’s irritated frown.

‘What—’

‘It was nothing,’ Ax interrupted Olivia quickly. ‘Kael’s making it out like it was a big deal. It wasn’t.’

She eyed him thoughtfully and then changed the subject. ‘You meet any women?’

‘Not in the way you mean.’

‘Ax.’ She put her hands on her hips. ‘I can introduce you to many of my friends. They’d love to know you.’

‘We aren’t having this conversation.’

Kael chortled as Ax escaped from the apartment. ‘Most lethal man I know,’ he called out after Ax’s retreating back, ‘runs at the first mention of a date!’

Olivia took the third mug of coffee and kissed him on his cheek. ‘Will he be forever alone?’

‘You know what happened to him, right?’ Kael hugged her with one hand and sipped his beverage.

‘Yes.’ She shuddered. ‘His wife and their unborn child... The incident with the Mexican cartel... but it’s been years, Kael.’

Kael nodded, setting down his mug and turning to face her fully. ‘You know what he did after he lost them? He hunted down every single one of those cartel members.’

‘Yeah, but that doesn’t mean he has to spend the rest of his life alone.’

‘Alone?’ Kael smiled. ‘Ax isn’t alone. He isn’t like most people. He’s one of the few who’s truly content in his own company. And he has us.’

5

Kael strolled to their office, a block away. A brick building in the heart of Greenwich Village, on Bleecker Street. Ten in the morning. No case on their hands. There was no urgency to get to the office.

His garb was standard Kael for the summer: printed shirt over jeans, shades concealing his green eyes, brown hair smartly styled, with a jacket folded over his left arm, discreetly hiding his Glock.

He stopped at a bakery and emerged with pastries in a takeout bag.

He paused for a second to admire the brass plaque outside their office building. Hawke and Stryker Investigations. It was one of many that listed the building’s occupants, but he felt theirs stood out. I’m biased. He smirked, went inside the lobby, nodded at Bob the security officer, and took the elevator to their fourth-floor office.

He stepped into the empty office; Ax hadn’t shown up yet. His partner had gone to his apartment after visiting him in the morning.

Kael made his way to the kitchen and brewed two cups of strong black coffee—one for him, one for his friend, the aroma filling the office space.

He settled in his chair with his feet on the polished wood table and sipped. Bliss.

It was mid-morning when the buzzer sounded. He removed his feet from the table, tidied up his files and pressed the release button.

He went to the door and opened it for their visitor.

The woman stepped out of the elevator and strode towards him confidently. He took her in discreetly.

Tall with a deep tan and black hair with vibrant streaks cut stylishly to frame an oval face. A hint of lipstick, no other makeup that he could tell. Her nails were short, practical, while her outfit was smart, a well-tailored suit.

‘I’m Louisa Difiore.’ She held out her hand confidently, her gray eyes studying him. ‘Cutter Grogan might have mentioned me.’

‘I’m Kael Stryker, ma’am. Kael. He did.’

‘Drop the ma’am, please. I’m Louisa.’

‘Coffee?’ he asked after he had led her inside.

She didn’t answer. He followed her gaze as she took in their office.

Two polished oak tables dominated the space, separated by several feet. They were old, scratched and had a well-worn look. He and Ax had bought them from a thrift shop in the village and had polished them to their current sheen.

His laptop and files were on his table, along with a framed photograph of him with Liv. Ax’s table was starkly bare.

Her gaze swept the room. Comfortable visitors’ chairs in front of the table, a couple of couches in the sitting area, their licenses from New York’s Department of State on the wall.

Her eyes lingered on the photographs around the room. Kael and Ax in various countries. Only one image of them from their military days. A teakwood shelf filled with books and magazines, the large window overlooking Bleeker Street.

Olivia had designed the interior of their office, giving it a professional yet warm look.

‘Coffee?’ he repeated when she turned to him finally.

She sniffed the air as she settled on one couch. ‘If that’s Jamaican Blue Mountain that I smell, yeah!’

He grinned, poured her a mug, brought the pastries over on a tray, and offered them to her.

She waved the delicacies away, made a blissful face when she took her first sip and turned when the door opened behind them.

Ax entered the room silently. He wore a crisp white shirt, full sleeves rolled up to his elbows, exposing strong, tanned forearms. The shirt was neatly tucked into well-worn blue jeans, emphasizing his lean waist. Over it all, he wore a lightweight jacket, which he removed to reveal a shoulder holster that he unbuckled. He removed his shades, folded them in his pocket and nodded at them.

Kael stood up and introduced them. ‘Louisa DiFiore, this is Ax, my—’

‘I am his bodyguard.’

6

Kael frowned at him. ‘We are partners in this agency.’ He smiled at their visitor.

‘I protect him,’ Ax continued, expressionlessly.

Louisa put down her cup.

‘He thinks he’s funny,’ Kael said quickly. ‘He’s not.’ He shot a look at his friend. Don’t scare her away.

Ax seemed to take the hint. He went to the kitchen counter, returned with his mug and dropped next to Kael.

‘Before we start,’ Kael began, ‘maybe we should tell you about ourselves.’

‘Kael Stryker, Axton Hawke. Former US Special Forces officers. You both did tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. You have received awards several times. Your files are full of commendations. You set up your PI practice several years ago. You often take pro-bono work, don’t take on is-my-husband-or-wife-cheating cases. You are close friends with NYPD Commissioner Bruce Rolando and FBI Director Bart Jamison. The cops either think highly of you or hate you depending on who you ask. You are known for your unorthodox methods and have shot and killed several criminals during investigations. All of those were justifiable and you were cleared. You both own your apartments. No mortgages on them. You have a long lease on this office. You made your money legally. A billionaire whose daughter ended up in a trafficking gang. He was not your client but when you rescued the women, he paid you. Kael, you’re in a long-term relationship with Olivia Navarro, whom you live with. Axton, you are single. How am I doing?’

Kael blinked. He stifled a grin when he found even Ax looked surprised at Louisa’s narration. ‘You have done your homework,’ he admitted. ‘But the financial part …’ he trailed off.

‘Gina Difiore filled me in. I’m her distant cousin.’ Louisa smiled. ‘I considered several PIs before short-listing you. She and Cutter recommended you.’

‘How can we help, ma’am?’ Ax asked.

‘Louisa. First names, please. I’m chief counsel for Lumina—’

‘Is that the biotech company that’s always in the news?’ Kael’s eyes narrowed. ‘You were the first to develop a Covid vaccine, weren’t you?’

‘Yes, that’s us.’ Louisa nodded. ‘Our vaccine was the first to be approved in our country. We are known for our cutting-edge research and breakthrough medications.’

Kael waited when she paused. Her poise seemed to desert her momentarily. ‘Whatever you tell us will remain with us … unless we suspect you of criminal behavior.’

She smiled briefly. ‘I have never gotten even a speeding ticket in my life.’ She took a deep breath. ‘It’s our CEO. Nathan Banks. I think he’s selling our research.’

Kael blinked. ‘You mean he’s selling the research without the board’s knowledge or approval?’

‘Yes.’

Ax sat up straight. ‘The CEO involved in corporate espionage? At his own company?’

‘It’s not his company anymore. He sold it to Genovita, a Chinese firm, two weeks ago. That was all over the news. It was highly controversial, with several DC politicians opposed to the sale. They said Lumina was an America success story and should remain American.’

‘I read that.’ Kael grunted as he got up to refill their mugs. ‘Nathan was a biotech researcher himself, wasn’t he? He was a majority owner in Lumina.’

‘That’s correct. He was at John Hopkins, where he developed a new drug for diabetes. That brought him onto the public’s radar. He set up Lumina, raised capital and then the Covid success happened. The politicians urged CFIUS to get involved when Genovita came along. That’s the Committee