The Soul Stealer. Alex Archer

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СКАЧАТЬ shrugged. “Well, as I was just lying around my loft feeling bored and restless, this is, I suppose, a great way to relieve the boredom.”

      Gulliver nodded. “That’s the spirit I know and love.”

      Annja glanced at Gregor, who was paying more attention to the wood of the bar and very little to the small drink he had in front of him. “Gregor’s not very social,” she observed.

      Gulliver smiled. “He’ll nurse that vodka for hours if we let him. But he’s just doing his job.”

      “Which is?”

      “Well, one part was making sure you got here intact.”

      “And why wouldn’t I?”

      Gulliver sighed. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re young and very attractive. And while I know that you’re more than capable of handling yourself and any trouble that comes your way, the rest of this part of the world does not.”

      Annja grinned. “Sounds like you’re protecting them from me .”

      “Well, using Gregor to ward off any unwanted attention is a smart move. He knows the ins and outs of this region better than anyone else.”

      “How so?”

      “Born and raised here. He was an enforcer for one of the local syndicates but he went freelance a few years back.”

      “And they let him?” Annja asked.

      “You might have gotten the impression it’s not wise to say no to him.”

      “He is imposing.”

      “They thought so, too. He still does errands for them on occasion, but nowadays, he looks out for numero uno.”

      Annja sipped her beer. “And you trust him?”

      “I saved his life,” Bob said. “There’s nothing he won’t do for me.”

      “Now, there’s a story I want to hear,” Annja said.

      “Later. I suspect he might be embarrassed if he knew I was telling you. And embarrassing these guys is never a wise move,” Gulliver advised her.

      Annja finished her beer. “What time are we leaving tomorrow?”

      “Six in the morning.”

      “That early?”

      “Sure.” Bob’s eyes twinkled with glee. “I even got you a bike.”

      “It’s not candy-apple-red, is it?”

      He laughed. “No, but it does have racing stripes.”

      “You wouldn’t—”

      “I’m kidding.” He rose from the booth. “Now let’s see if we can scare up one final good dinner before we head off into the great unknown.”

       3

      By the time dawn poked its head over the gray horizon and lit up Magadan to more of a beige hue, Annja had already been up for two hours. She’d slept fitfully, tossing and turning until some time after three in the morning. She’d finally rolled out of bed and started working on her yoga asanas. Before she knew it, she was relaxed and sweaty, and she felt better than she had in bed.

      She showered quickly, not for fear of being late, but because the hotel—if you could call it that—didn’t have any hot water. Shivering as she stepped into her clothes, Annja warmed herself up by doing some deep breaths and jumping up and down to increase her heartbeat.

      Downstairs, she wolfed down a cup of steaming black coffee and something that was supposed to resemble a muffin. Then she stepped outside and found Biker Bob already there, casually drinking from a Thermos as he looked to the northwest.

      When he saw Annja, he took the Thermos away from his lips and smiled. “Good morning!”

      Annja waved. “Hi, Bob.”

      He offered her the Thermos, but Annja declined as she saw the two bicycles Gulliver had arranged. “What in the world are those?”

      He turned and bowed low, spreading his hand out as he did so with a flourish. “Those, m’lady, are our transportation.”

      “They look like two-wheeled moon buggies,” Annja said.

      Gulliver straightened himself. “NASA should be so lucky as to have such fine chariots as these.” He waved Annja over. “Allow me to introduce you to the very noble and very rugged Yeti 575 Carbon Enduro. The 2006 model. In turquoise, because they don’t have pink with polka dots.”

      Annja pursed her lips. “And because you know I would have kicked the snot out of you if you’d shown up with a pink bike for me.”

      “There’s that, yes,” he admitted.

      Annja ran her hands over the bike’s frame. She could see the front and rear shock absorbers. “It’s good, I assume, for what you have in mind for us?”

      “One of the best. And fortunately for me, Gregor was able to get his hands on them for our travels. These bikes retail for about three thousand dollars. And I only had to pay five thousand for these.”

      “You paid a two-thousand-dollar markup?” Annja asked, shocked.

      Gulliver shrugged. “Cost of doing business in this part of the world, Annja. And besides, it’s tax deductible once I get a dig going on the site we’re heading for. Five grand, ten grand, it makes no difference.”

      “Must be nice having all that cash.”

      Gulliver smiled. “I’m not ashamed of being a trust-fund baby, Annja. At least I spend my money relatively wisely. I could be like those other idiots and charter three-hundred-foot yachts in the Mediterranean for the better part of a million each week. End up on VH-1 and all that ridiculousness.”

      “Your quest is noble, Bob. I’ve never held your family’s money against you,” Annja said.

      Gulliver nodded. “That is precisely why you’re along on this trip. Among other reasons.” He pointed at her bike. “You want to try it out?”

      Annja nodded and climbed onto the seat. The first thing she noticed was how comfortable it felt. “This isn’t like the last time we went riding.”

      “They’ve made a lot of improvements since then,” Bob said. “Comfort and practicality are key. Especially for bikes like this, which are made for all-day touring, mountain climbing and traversing various obstacles.”

      “So, you’re saying my ass won’t feel like a pincushion by the time we end our ride each day?”

      Gulliver grinned. “I have no idea how your ass will feel. I can confidently assure you, however, that my own posterior has never felt the slightest bit injured after a full day’s riding on these miraculous machines.”

      Annja СКАЧАТЬ