Beloved Enemy (43 page)

Now Jack was in the center of the entire web, one so immense his mind could scarcely encompass it. It seemed likely, then, that Krofft had murdered Paull because he had compromised Connaston, which he could not tolerate.

Jack, surrounded by an Aladdin’s cave of postmodern riches, sat back on his haunches. He pulled out Gourdjiev’s letter and, in the light of what Gourdjiev had left him, reread the final paragraphs:

I couldn’t trust her with this. Better she believed, as the others who have survived do, that my legacy is a hoax. I made a tactical error in tasking her to take over Iraj’s regime. It’s too late now to reverse myself—she’s in too deep—even I couldn’t pull her out. But I believe you can. Only you. I believe your love for each other is stronger than the Syrian’s power and influence—stronger than anything else you may encounter. If I’ve learned nothing else in my life it’s the power love possesses. It can bring down the most powerful man just as surely as it can be his salvation. Or, in this case, her salvation.

Annika has been severely scarred. You know this, of course, but what you may not know is how deep the scars run. The depravity of her father knew no bounds. A child, Jack! She was just a child! And the things he did to her—they’re unspeakable.

Only love can save her, Jack. Your love.

She loves you. Because of that you can raise her out of the dark void of herself. I fear for her; I have always feared for her—feared that one day, despairing of her past, she would take her own life. Watch over her, Jack. Heal her. With love, it will be easy.

Together you will use the tools I have provided in my legacy. They’re yours now, Jack—yours and hers, if you want—to do with as you wish. I have given you the chance to ascend the great Pyramid, to be more, to be Other.

I trust you to wield the power of these tools wisely. You, better than most, know the corruption that lurks within such enormous power. I trust you to resist it. I trust you to use my legacy to help create a better, brave new world.

B
Y
E
RIC
V
AN
L
USTBADER

THE JACK MCCLURE/ALLI CARSON NOVELS

First Daughter
(2008)

Last Snow
(2010)

Blood Trust
(2011)

Father Night
(2012)

Beloved Enemy
(2013)

THE PEARL SAGA

The Ring of Five Dragons
(2001)

The Veil of a Thousand Tears
(2002)

Mistress of the Pearl
(2004)

THE SUNSET WARRIOR CYCLE

The Sunset Warrior
(1977)

Shallows of Night
(1978)

Dai-San
(1978)

Beneath an Opal Moon
(1980)

Dragons on the Sea of Night
(1997)

THE CHINA MAROC SERIES

Jian
(1986)

Shan
(1988)

THE NICHOLAS LINNEAR/NINJA CYCLE

The Ninja
(1980)

The Miko
(1984)

White Ninja
(1990)

The Kaisho
(1993)

Floating City
(1994)

Second Skin
(1995)

THE JASON BOURNE NOVELS

The Bourne Legacy
(2004)

The Bourne Betrayal
(2007)

The Bourne Sanction
(2008)

The Bourne Deception
(2009)

The Bourne Objective
(2010)

The Bourne Dominion
(2011)

OTHERS

Sirens
(1981)

Black Heart
(1983)

Zero
(1987)

French Kiss
(1989)

Angel Eyes
(1991)

Batman: The Last Angel
(1992)

Black Blade
(1993)

Dark Homecoming
(1997)

Pale Saint
(1999)

Art Kills
(2002)

The Testament
(2006)

A
BOUT
THE
A
UTHOR

Eric Van Lustbader is the author of many
New York Times
bestselling thrillers, including
First Daughter, Last Snow, Blood Trust,
and
Father Night
. Lustbader was chosen by Robert Ludlum’s estate to continue the Jason Bourne series; his Bourne novels include
The Bourne Legacy
and
The Bourne Betrayal
. He and his wife live in New York City and on the South Fork of Long Island. Find him online at
ericvanlustbader.com
.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

BELOVED ENEMY

Copyright © 2013 by Eric Van Lustbader

All rights reserved.

Cover photography by Getty Images

A Forge Book

Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC

175 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY 10010

www.tor-forge.com

Forge
®
is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.

The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.

ISBN 978-0-7653-3705-4 (hardcover)

ISBN 978-1-4668-2954-1 (e-book)

e-ISBN 9781466829541

First Edition: September 2013