The Cover of War by Travis Stone Read Free Book Online Page B

get them back. And Danny, she thought. How will he find
me?
    Under a dim
electric bulb, Amai watched Triet light a small stove, heat the opium bead, and
then scrap it into the bamboo pipe. Amai took the pipe and inhaled. The smoke
tasted hot and sharp. She coughed - and then drew back again.
    'Another?' Triet
said.
    She felt heavy.
'Yes.'
    Triet repeated
the process.
    Amai wanted to
forget everything single thing that had happened today. She wanted to forget
everything from now, until Danny came back. She drew back as much smoke as her
lungs could handle and the effect was immediate and overpowering. She felt
sluggish and lethargic and her arms felt like blocks.
    Xuan An spoke
into Triet's ear and the two men climbed the ladder and left the basement. The
sound of their sandals on the ladder echoed in Amai's head.  
    Thi smiled
casually. 'Where's your handbag?'
    Amai thought
that Thi was dazzlingly pretty: petite, with smooth youthful features, and
sharp darting eyes. 'I don't carry one. Why?'
    Thi held up a
glossy snakeskin purse. 'It's genuine python.' Thi opened the purse, took out a
stick of lip-gloss, and applied some to her lips. Then she said: 'You've still
got the best breasts in the world.'
    Thi's comment
took Amai back six years, to the Ho Chi Minh trail. She recalled her fears as a
naive seventeen year-old: showering in the monsoon rain, as her hands soaped
the curves of her body, she worried about looking different to the other girls.
They all had petite bodies and small, perky breasts; but Amai's body was
fuller, and amongst the girls, her breasts quickly became the source of secret
conversation.
    How stupid, Amai though. I should've been scared of coming here.
    Back then, when
the men ogled her, it had made her feel grown-up. Now she had learned to loath
it - except for Danny.
    The opium made
her head swim. She felt nostalgic; then homesick; and then Danny entered the
bunker. She stroked his windswept hair and the weather-beaten skin of his face;
and then he dissolved into the velvety cloud.
    Thi was smoking
again.
    Amai felt
gravity force her down. She lay close to Thi. Waves of fear rocked her. They're
after me. Everyone's after me. Beads of cold sweat covered her body. I
can't take this. They'll kill me.
    Amai felt Thi's
velvety skin moving against hers; a comforting arm wrapping around her
shoulders. The drug heightened all sensations. Thi stroked her hair and
whispered calming words; her comfort driving out the fear. Amai felt the warmth
of affection and she realized it was what she so desperately needed. Her hand
found Thi's small round shoulder and they held one another.
    Then she felt
Thi's soft lips on hers, kissing her gently. Amai pulled back. Thi followed; the
tip of her tiny tongue licking the tears from her cheeks. Thi's hand slid up
her thigh.
    Amai tensed. What
is she doing?
    Then Thi was
kissing her again.
    Amai felt
detached from reality. I'm drugged.
    Thi sucked her
bottom lip. Amai couldn't stop herself from kissing her back and they began
sucking each others tongues and Amai realized that she was unbelievably wet.
    What am I
doing?
    Thi's hand moved
between Amai's legs and found her most sensitive spot. Amai felt a surge of
sexual desire run through her body, and she realized that she needed something
that she couldn't put into words. Thi seemed to understand her craving and her
fingers slipped in and out of her while her thumb rubbed her in a circular
motion.
    Amai's hips
moved involuntarily.
    Then a tingling
feeling started in the soles of her feet. It spread into her legs, her thighs,
her belly, and her clitoris. Then it came in an intense wave and she let the
ecstasy take her.

8
    T he CIA man's driver wore a tweed suit and drove very fast.
    'They know you're
tailing them,' the CIA man said.
    His partner
backed off the accelerator and the grey Citroen in front of them pulled away,
and then turned left again.
    'Follow
cautiously. Don't loose them completely,' The CIA man said; he wanted