PRIMAL Renegade (A PRIMAL Action Thriller Book 8) (The PRIMAL Series) by Jack Silkstone

clients who will be less than impressed if we don't deliver.”
    “Don't threaten me, Zhou. I can find new buyers for the ivory and the horn.”
    “I've already paid a deposit.”
    “And like I said, it will all be there.” Mamba slammed the phone back on the cradle. “Send that whining chink a photo of the horn.” He stormed across to a battered SUV that was parked facing the warehouse doors and flung his vest on the back seat. Then he grabbed a compact chainsaw from the bench and placed it in with his equipment. “I'm heading up to Mbale for a couple of days to get more ivory. I want you to find new men and poach elephant at Tsavo.”
    “By myself?”
    “No, you idiot. I said find new men. Take the recruits and use it as a test.” He climbed in the driver’s seat. “Now, open the fucking doors before I miss my flight.”
    Kogo slid the warehouse doors open and watched as the vehicle disappeared down the street. When the doors were shut he chained them and walked through to the office. The room was as run-down as the rest of the building. A single bare light bulb hung over a metal desk. Behind it sat an old bank safe. He unlocked it with a brass key and swung the heavy door open. Inside were two shelves, the bottom stacked with wads of US dollars. It was a mere morsel of the fortune Mamba had made poaching. On the top shelf lay the rhino horn wrapped in plastic. As he grabbed it the stench of rotting flesh made him gag.
    He locked the safe and took the horn back into the warehouse. It was hard to believe someone was willing to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for such an ugly object, he thought. Opening a drawer in the bench he took out a wire brush, scalpel, and a box knife. He’d become quite adept at removing flesh from elephant tusks and rhino horns. Not a pleasant job but it had its perks. Mamba gave him an extra hundred dollars per item. Once he’d prepared the horn he would take photos and email them to Zhou. Then he needed to find a new team and plan their mission to Tsavo.
     
    ***
     
    SHANGHAI, CHINA
     
    Fan Wei was overseeing the preparation of her master’s dinner when the phone in her pocket vibrated. Rinsing her hands she left the chef to continue as she checked the message. Zhou had sent her photos of the horn. Walking into a tiny office she opened her email account and hit print on the photos. As the printer hummed she opened her favorite luxury goods website and checked the price on a bag she had her eye on. If the horn turned out to be exactly what Wang Hejun wanted her bonus would be significant. She might even be able to afford some new earrings as well. She collected the images from the printer, slipped them in a folder, and carried them through the penthouse apartment. At the door of Hejun’s study she knocked and waited.
    “Enter.”
    She pushed the door open and spotted the billionaire at his desk reading. “Sir, I have photos of the black rhino horn.” She stepped forward and held them out.
    Hejun raised his eyes from the book. “Only photos? Where is the horn?” He snatched the folder and emptied it on his desk.
    “It is still in Africa. It will leave by ship on Friday and should arrive early next week.”
    He grunted as he adjusted his glasses and stared intently at the images. “It is a fine horn. What are we paying for it?”
    “A little under 6 million yuan.”
    He nodded. “A fair price. When it arrives I will collect it in person.”
    “Very good, sir.”
    He pushed the photos to one side and refocused his attention on the book. “That is all.” He dismissed her with a wave of his hand.
    On her way back to the kitchen Fan smiled as she visualized the outfit that would match her new bag and earrings. Working for Hejun may be a chore but at least it paid well.
     

 
    CHAPTER 6
     
    KENYA
     
    Bishop gazed out the window of the Mazda as Kruger drove them along the highway south from Mombasa. The road was lined with ramshackle tin-roofed stalls selling everything