Dark vessel coil book 4, p.1
Dark Vessel (COIL Book 4), page 1
What Readers are Saying about Dark Vessel:
"Dark Vessel will not disappoint. The action begins immediately on page one. All the elements of the former books are included in this one—intrigue, suspense, action, covert operations, and strong Christian message. It will have you reading long into the night."--Allison I.
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"Dark Vessel was an absolutely outstanding read."—Susan L.
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DARK VESSEL
Book Four in The COIL Series
D.I. Telbat
https://ditelbat.com
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Copyright 2013~D.I. Telbat
All rights reserved
Updated 2017
Cover Design by Streetlight Graphics
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There is no redemption without sacrifice.
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FREE Map Downloads
Get your FREE Dark Vessel Maps at
~ ditelbat.com/dark-vessel-maps/ ~
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This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination, or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locals, organizations, ministries, or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of either the author or the publisher.
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Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)
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Dedication
To my brother
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Acknowledgements
Thanks to everyone who supported the efforts it took
to bring yet another COIL novel to completion,
particularly my editors Dee and Jamie.
Also, many thanks to my reader friends.
To God be the glory!
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Table of Contents
What Readers are Saying
FREE Downloads
Title and Copyright
Dedication
Prologue
PART I: Corban
Chapter 1
Chapter 5
Chapter 10
PART II: Luigi
Chapter 15
Chapter 20
PART III: Chloe
Chapter 25
Chapter 30
PART IV: Corban
Chapter 35
Chapter 40
Chapter 45
Endnotes: Gospel for Asia
Character Sketch
Glossary of Terms
Other Books by D.I. Telbat
About the Author
BONUS Chapter: Dark Zeal, Book Five in The COIL Series
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Psalm 72:4
"He will vindicate the afflicted of the people,
Save the children of the needy
And crush the oppressor."
(NASB®)
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Prologue
The man in the expensive suit faced the man dressed in casual jeans. The parking lot was empty except for their two cars. The affluent man had arrived in a limo, his driver remaining behind the tinted glass. The one in jeans had arrived alone in a sports car.
"This will be the last time we meet." The man in the suit turned up his collar against the evening breeze. "I need a mess taken care of, and you've been laying plans to remove Corban Dowler. In one little explosion, my problem disappears along with the CIA's biggest liability. We both win with this conclusion."
"The ordnance is ready for tomorrow, sir." The man in jeans checked his cell phone, dismissed a call, and then pocketed the device. "Don't forget, once Corban Dowler's out of the way, we'll still have to face his friends—some in that COIL agency, and others we can't yet foresee. A few in the government have hesitated to remove Dowler, but he's an easy target."
"You mean, because they use tranquilizers instead of bullets?" The suited man chuckled.
"No, because they're the best at what they do. I can cover my end. It's what I do. But the way you live—you're not exactly clandestine material, sir."
"Just take care of Dowler and his people, and I'll handle the rest. I don't need to graduate from Langley's spy school to squash a few gnats."
"Then we ride this to whatever finish we find."
"The only finish is my peace of mind and your mountain of cash."
"See you on the other side, then."
Both men parted and returned to their cars. As the suited man reached the door, his driver jumped out and opened it for him.
"Hey, Coleman," the affluent man called. The other man paused. "Those Christians—they're not better than the rest of us. Put as many in the grave as you have to. Not many will care, least of all me! Earn your money."
"I always do." The man in jeans smiled wickedly, then climbed into his sports car.
PART I: Corban
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Chapter 1
The explosion lifted me up and threw me backwards. I felt the searing heat against my skin as bits of shrapnel pierced my flesh in a dozen spots. When I landed on the lawn of a Bronx townhouse, it took me a few moments to recover from the jar to my skull.
Quickly, I lapsed into years of training: first, assess the situation. I was alive, though barely. If I'd been two steps closer to my four-door Lexus, I would've been a smoldering mass of flesh. Roy Turpin, however, hadn't been so blessed. Flames flickered from his charred corpse in the front seat. The bomb was surely not meant for him, but who would be trying to kill me?
The night was pierced by sirens. I rolled over and crawled into the hedges of the townhouse. Had anyone seen me survive the blast? Once again, God had kept me alive for another purpose. My heart leaped at the possibilities—at that which He intended for me!
With no more than a couple minutes before emergency personnel arrived, I had to decide whether I would run or stay on the scene.
Still on my mind was a set of identifications for Roy Turpin, one of COIL's most recent recruits. The townhouse on my left was one of my stateside safe houses—apparently not so safe. The veteran field operative inside was responsible for at least a hundred identification packages over the last ten years. It wasn't possible that he'd tried to kill me—not in front of his own residence.
And where was my own wallet and identification? It had been in the Lexus, in the pocket between the front seats. For now, Roy Turpin would assume my charred identity, until tests showed that he wasn't me at all. For now, Corban James Dowler was dead. Rest in peace, I thought to myself, then climbed out of the bushes. There was nowhere to go but underground—if I was to survive.
I'd been recruited by the CIA when I was only nineteen. Now, thirty-eight years later, I was familiar with personal attacks—and no stranger to death squads and assassins—though I'd officially left the Agency five years earlier. As any retired agent, I'd maintained ties with old contacts for security purposes.
But I had another level of concern on my mind as I limped into the back yard of the townhouse. I ran COIL, a private agency that assisted Christians under international threat. The Commission of International Laborers had survived many attacks in the five years since I'd founded it, but this was something different. This was a premeditated terrorist attack, blatant, and on American soil. Not only did I have a handful of potential agencies to suspect for the bombing, I also had to consider my own more recent dealings with anti-Christian militias and governments overseas. COIL protected Christians so the gospel of Christ could be shared. Many would do whatever it took to shut down COIL, or me.
After climbing two fences, skirting three houses and two barking dogs, I could go no further. Two blocks behind me, the dark sky was lit by flashing lights. I seemed to be safe at the moment. Next to a mailbox, I plopped down on the curb to rest. Blood matted my scalp above my left ear, and a piece of metal rubbed on the ribs in my right side. If I continued moving without medical attention, my injuries would become worse.
From my pocket, I palmed my phone, but I didn't dial. Whoever had blown up my car had close access to my life, maybe even my phone. If I called someone now, they'd know I was still alive. In a quick motion, I took the phone apart, disabled the power, and shoved it deep into the lawn against the curb.
My wife, Janice, would be in turmoil, along with our blind adopted daughter, Jenna, now ten. It wasn't likely that they'd been attacked as well, but my old contacts in the Agency, or friends from COIL, would see to my family's immediate safety. That was standard procedure. For the moment, I could focus on whoever had tried to kill me.
The death of Roy Turpin was a big loss for me. Not many had known I'd been in contact with the recently paroled ex-convict. After twenty-nine years in prison for murder, he'd been released. For two years, I'd corresponded with him. Since he'd received Christ twelve years earlier, he was open to service for God, once released. I'd been preparing him for a dangerous operation into Iran. That mission was now on hold.
A car drove up the residential street. Gritting my teeth through the pain, I used the nearby mailbox to pull myself to my feet. I didn't want to involve anyone else, but my options were limited. God was obviously watching over me, so holding onto that faith, I waved at the headlights.
The yellow color of the cab was apparent as the car stopped. I climbed into the empty back seat.
"Manhattan," I said. "Tenth Avenue. Chelsea."
I spied the driver's ID. Pakistani. My Urdu was fair, and on any other night, I might
With some effort, I pried off my right shoe where I carried a few folded bills. I offered the driver a fifty-dollar bill, then sat back. That would keep him quiet, I hoped. All I needed was a few hours head start, and whoever was after me would become the prey instead of the hunter.
As we crossed Harlem River, the events of the night perplexed me more and more. Someone had gone to the trouble of strapping a bomb to my car. But they hadn't made sure I was in it when it exploded. Perhaps it had been triggered by the radio or the window? Since picking up Roy Turpin at the train station, I hadn't turned on the radio or opened the windows. Perhaps Roy had done so while I was in the townhouse fetching his new papers.
It hadn't been a rocket or a missile. I'd remained conscious throughout the explosion, but I'd heard no zip or whoosh of a projectile. That meant it was a self-detonating device with a trigger mechanism. For certain, it wasn't the type of device a professional would use, which meant whoever had done this thing had underestimated me and overestimated their bomb. There was no room for estimating in our world, so I was looking for recent enemies, maybe, who wouldn't know better. A novice. A few came to mind.
By the time we reached Chelsea, all my wounds had clotted, but I wasn't anxious to move, which would begin the bleeding again. After thanking the driver, I got out near the High Line rail and walked a block east. It was now after midnight, and the sidewalk was quiet. However, I'd been a spy too long not to pause and search the street for danger. Parked cars crowded the curb. Two men stood in a doorway, smoking a cigarette. There seemed to be no danger. Even if someone knew I was alive, no one could guess I'd come here. No surveillance team would be set up yet.
Entering the front door of a red brick building, I studied the apartment labels. Doctor Mick Rhogtill. Yes, that was the new name I'd given him. I pressed his apartment button three times before he answered.
"Mick, it's Corban." I glanced over my shoulder. No one was in sight. "Buzz me in. It's an emergency."
"Corban who?"
"VES KDO SEM," I said in Slovenian. You know who I am.
The door buzzed and I tugged on the handle. My strength was fading fast, so I was happy to see Mick Rhogtill's shaggy head peek down at me over the third story banister. There was no way I'd be able to climb three flights unassisted.
"You have seen better days," he said in English. After descending the stairs, he carried half my weight over his shoulder. I was a few pounds heavier and past my prime, but Mick Rhogtill was an ex-mercenary, and in apparent excellent condition. "But you have also seen worse. How long has it been, brother?"
"Since you last stitched me up, or since we last talked?" I tried to chuckle, but gasped instead.
"Too long, my friend."
Once inside his apartment, he closed his door softly and braced the door with more security locks than I had on my own home in Queens.
"Let us see what you have done to yourself." Clearing his dining table, he helped me to climb up and lay on my back. With scissors, he removed my bloody clothes, then covered me with an army surplus blanket as he studied my wounds one by one. He prodded my ribs. "This one is the worst. Good thing you did not try to remove this yourself. You could have bled to death or suffocated on a punctured lung. But I will fix you."
He went to work sewing on me. I dozed between sharp pains as he stitched, and the plunking sounds as he dropped shrapnel into a container.
"Plastic and aluminum," he said. "That is all. What was it? Something blue and . . ."
"My car was blue."
"Enough said. Well, I will tell you to stay in bed for two days, no less, but is that really an option?"
I sat up with his help and checked his needlework on my skin.
"How's the couch till morning?" He supported me to a short couch in faded flowery upholstery. "I had to go to somebody, Mick."
"Stay as long as you want and return whenever you need to. I may have saved some blood from seeping out of your flesh, but you rescued me from a life of murder and bloodshed. If we were keeping score, I would say I owed you." He knelt next to the couch. "To keep up appearances, I will go to work as normal. That window opens to the roof, then the fire escape drops to the garage. A silver Buick under another name is parked there. The keys are under the front bumper."
"Thank you, Mick." My eyes began to droop. Had he given me a shot of something? "I'll sort this out in the next day or two."
"What of your wife and daughter?"
"Can you make sure they're safe, Mick? Please use discretion."
"I will make sure of this. No one will know you are here with me. Now I will pray for you, Corban. God knows what is happening, even if we do not . . ." As he prayed in his native tongue, I fell asleep.
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Chapter 2
I woke around noon the next day. Mick hadn't left me a note or message, which was best since neither of us wanted to leave any sign of my presence if an adversary were to prowl around. But he'd left me a suit of clothes at the table that looked like it would fit me well, and he also left me enough cash for a few days. Mick was a general practitioner who lived meagerly. He had spending money, which would be called on-the-run money in our trade.
In the bathroom, I found a new razor and fashioned a goatee from my two-day growth. Using a beard trimmer, I cut my hair into a longer crewcut, giving my short stature an extra inch in appearance. I needed a shower, but not with the stitches so fresh. Minutes later, I checked myself in the mirror—plaid trousers, blazer, tie, and a white shirt. A thick camel coat and patterned scarf for the fall weather completed my costume. I'd never worn this style of clothing before, as I was a slacks or suit man in the city, and a jeans and flannel man when in the field. The only thing I wore that was my own now were the shoes—used cap-toes that had never been shined. If my problem wasn't soon sorted out, I'd need boots for what lay ahead, but the shoes would do for now.
Mick Rhogtill's Bible was on the kitchen counter. As I munched on two bowls of cereal, I read from Psalm 69. It was a fitting passage for my situation with unknown enemies on every side. My faith remained in God's lovingkindness. The road ahead seemed very daunting at that moment, and though I was tempted to rush ahead to face my suspected foes, I was a Christian now. I'd received Christ nine years earlier, and later left the Agency. My wife and my conscience had urged me to leave behind my blood-shedding ways. Now, I relied on the Lord's counsel. How would I proceed? That, I didn't yet know.
In the sink, I washed the bowl and considered what I'd read. Coincidences are nonexistent for the believer. Thus, I didn't mentally approach my situation as one of loss, but one of gain. Living for Christ didn't end when contrary circumstances seemed to overwhelm. Rather, I had to be aware of what doors might open for God as He guided me ahead.
Of all the people I could call, Chloe Azmaveth was the one I was most tempted to contact. She ran COIL in my absence. Having been a Mossad agent for twelve years, the pretty Syrian-born Jewess handled stress and danger like a veteran warrior. By now, she would've received word that I was dead. No doubt, she'd been one of the first to offer help to my wife and daughter. Even if others like Mick Rhogtill had wanted that privilege, Chloe would insist on the responsibility. My wife Janice would prefer Chloe's safekeeping as well, rather than faceless government agents asking her questions she didn't know answers to. Chloe and her husband Zvi had become personal friends to us.
Dozens of other contacts in and out of the country came to mind. Only a nitwit would try to kill a veteran agent and not make sure he was dead. Fools! If I'd been the old Corban, I could've called in a couple of domestic strike teams and sorted all this out in hours!
