Righteous Hell, page 1
RIGHTEOUS HELL
A DELTA FORCE UNLEASHED THRILLER
J. ROBERT KENNEDY
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BOOKS BY J. ROBERT KENNEDY
Please click here for the intended reading order.
* Also available in audio
The Templar Detective Thrillers
The Templar Detective
The Templar Detective and the Parisian Adulteress
The Templar Detective and the Sergeant's Secret
The Templar Detective and the Unholy Exorcist
The Templar Detective and the Code Breaker
The Templar Detective and the Black Scourge
The Templar Detective and the Lost Children
The Templar Detective and the Satanic Whisper
The Just Jack Thrillers
You Don't Know Jack
Jack Be Nimble
The James Acton Thrillers
The Protocol *
Brass Monkey *
Broken Dove
The Templar’s Relic
Flags of Sin
The Arab Fall
The Circle of Eight
The Venice Code
Pompeii’s Ghosts
Amazon Burning
The Riddle
Blood Relics
Sins of the Titanic
Saint Peter’s Soldiers
The Thirteenth Legion
Raging Sun
Wages of Sin
Wrath of the Gods
The Templar’s Revenge
The Nazi’s Engineer
Atlantis Lost
The Cylon Curse
The Viking Deception
Keepers of the Lost Ark
The Tomb of Genghis Khan
The Manila Deception
The Fourth Bible
Embassy of the Empire
Armageddon
No Good Deed
The Last Soviet
Lake of Bones
Fatal Reunion
The Resurrection Tablet
The Antarctica Incident
The Ghosts of Paris
No More Secrets
The Curse of Imhotep
The Sword of Doom
The Heretics Bible
The Dylan Kane Thrillers
Rogue Operator *
Containment Failure *
Cold Warriors *
Death to America
Black Widow
The Agenda
Retribution
State Sanctioned
Extraordinary Rendition
Red Eagle
The Messenger
The Defector
The Mole
The Arsenal
The Delta Force Unleashed Thrillers
Payback
Infidels
The Lazarus Moment
Kill Chain
Forgotten
The Cuban Incident
Rampage
Inside the Wire
Charlie Foxtrot
A Price Too High
Righteous Hell
The Detective Shakespeare Mysteries
Depraved Difference
Tick Tock
The Redeemer
The Kriminalinspektor Wolfgang Vogel Mysteries
The Colonel’s Wife
Sins of the Child
Zander Varga, Vampire Detective Series
The Turned
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents
The Novel
Preface
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Acknowledgments
Don't Miss Out!
Thank You!
About the Author
Also by the Author
For seven-year-old Amina al-Hassouni, the only victim of Iran’s attack on Israel, April 13, 2024.
“By God, I am broken from the inside. It’s not normal, I don’t feel like a human being. I can’t breathe properly like other human beings. We suffer from the forced niqab, child marriage, divorce shame, domestic violence and honor killings. I don’t know…as if we are aliens. They [male family members] have to oppress us and we have to stay oppressed–like a puppet controlled by strings.”
From “Yemen: One of the Worst Places in the World to be a Woman” by Amnesty International, quoting a Yemini interviewee.
“God Is Great, Death to America, Death to Israel, Curse on the Jews, Victory to Islam.”
Yemeni Houthi Terrorist Motto
PREFACE
On October 7, 2023, the democratically elected government of the Gaza Strip, Hamas, executed an unprecedented attack on Israel, launching thousands of rockets and sending an estimated 3,000 troops across the border. They attacked military and civilian targets, ultimately killing 1,139 men, women, children, and babies, and took hostage 253 Israeli and foreign citizens, using them as human shields.
The subsequent war has killed thousands and drawn in proxies such as Lebanon’s Hezbollah, and countries like Iran. Another significant player is the Houthi rebel group in Yemen, who have launched rocket attacks against Israel and ships in the Red Sea, disrupting commercial shipping and forcing companies to transport goods around the continent of Africa, adding to inflation around the world.
In response, the international community has deployed their navies to the area to protect commercial vessels, and stop the Houthis from continuing to disrupt the worldwide economy.
And while ships now avoid the area and the warships of democratic nations patrol the seas around Yemen, the waters are vast, and the terrorist group’s capabilities, funded by Iran, continue to grow.
It’s just a matter of time before they accomplish something truly horrific.
1 |
Yemen One day from now
Master Sergeant Mike “Red” Belme advanced down the narrow corridor, the lights taken out by their initial assault. His night vision goggles gave him a hazy view of what lay ahead. Movement had him adjusting his M4’s aim slightly as he continued to advance, Sergeant Danny “Casey” Martin at his side, the other four members of his team behind them. They had already cleared two rooms, eliminating three hostiles, but had so far found none of the hostages.
The team lead, Command Sergeant Major Burt “Big Dog” Dawson, reported through the comms. “Two hostages recovered. Still no eyes on Jenny Larsen, over.”
He continued forward. An open metal door lay ahead, and the figures he was seeing were rushing through it and away from him and his men. The door swung shut, and he cursed as a heavy lock falling into place echoed along the cinderblock walls.
He rushed forward and grabbed the handle, attempting to open the door, but as he suspected, it was locked from the other side. He motioned for their breacher, Casey, to come forward. “We’re going to have to blow it.”
“Yes, Sergeant.”
Casey pulled out several pieces of detasheet explosive from his pack, applying generous portions to the hinges and where he estimated the locking mechanism would be, but not enough to injure his teammates in the confined space. He inserted the shock tube into each before running the rig back down the corridor.
Red gave a thumbs-up and Casey yelled, “Fire in the hole!”
Everyone took cover, and he twisted the ignitor, setting off the controlled explosion. The door tore off the hinges and Red was about to rise when a second massive explosion erupted, blasting them all off their feet and skidding down the narrow corri
What had happened, what had gone wrong, Red didn’t know.
Nor could he.
His world had already gone black.
2 |
Pool Deck, MS Horizon Arabian Sea One day earlier
“I love my life!”
Jenny Larsen shoved both fists in the air and howled, the scores of onlookers ringing the pool joining in as she somersaulted off the diving board and into the water below. She bobbed to the surface, treading water for a moment before swimming to the side. Darnell Williams smiled down at her, a margarita in each hand. He was so hot. Scorching. And she couldn’t tear her eyes away from his six-pack abs. Before this booze cruise was over, she intended to explore every inch of him.
“Are you gonna help me out?”
He held up the drinks. “What would you have me do?”
She smirked. “If it were me, I’d drink one of them, help you out, then take you back to my room and ravish your body.”
“I like how you think.” He downed one drink, then the other, tossing the glasses onto his lounge chair. He hauled her out of the water and into his arms. They were face to face, barely an inch between their mouths. “Now, what were you saying you’d like to do to me?”
She tingled all over. “Oh, I think you heard me.”
A smile spread, lust in his eyes. “First move is yours.”
She licked her lips. “I thought I already took it. But just so there’s no doubt.” She planted her mouth on his and her fellow partiers cheered as he carried her away from the pool deck, their bodies intertwined.
This was why she was here. This was why she had begged her father to let her come. They were rich. Everyone here was. And while that was all well and good, in the real world, it meant somebody always wanted something from you. You always had to put on a show. You always had to be perfect. The rule here was, selfies were permitted, but no one could take a picture of anyone else without their permission. Candid shots posted on social media meant not only were you kicked off at the next port, you were permanently banned from ever attending again.
And this was the ultimate party. Everyone who was anyone wanted to be here. Two weeks of fun in the sun. Every year a different, exotic starting point. This year, it had started in India. Last year, it had been Greece, but she had been too young and her father had refused to let her go. “Not until you’re twenty-one.”
“But the legal drinking age is eighteen on the cruise.”
“I don’t care. Twenty-one.”
She was finally twenty-one, surrounded by her people. It was a nonstop party. She had barely slept since she came on board, and most of that was from passing out drunk. But she didn’t care. She was young, her recovery time was fast, and she had to let loose. She was heading into her final year of college, then she had a decision to make. Strike out on her own or get her law degree and join the firm.
She grunted as her back hit the wall of the elevator, Darnell continuing his assault on her face, his excitement pressed against her sending waves of pleasure through her, all her stresses, all her worries, all her insecurities washing away. She grabbed him by the hair and repositioned his head so she could whisper in his ear. “You better be ready to go all day and all night.”
He pulled back and grinned. “Baby, I don’t intend to come up for air until we hit Cape Town.”
She stared into his eyes. “I knew I chose the right guy.”
The elevator dinged and Darnell slung her over his shoulder, carrying her to his room as she squealed in delight. He smacked her bare ass, her thong providing no protection, and a wave of exquisite pain rushed through her as he opened his cabin door. He tossed her on the bed of his suite that matched hers, then pulled off his swim trunks, and she gasped at what waved at her.
“My God, are we gonna have a good time!”
He grinned and struck a superhero pose. “Brace yourself!”
She stripped out of her bikini and thong, and he leaped on the bed atop her. She wrapped herself around him, kissing him hard, ready for the time of her life. She couldn’t recall ever being this turned on. She had been with a few guys before, but she was normally one to take it slow. This wasn’t her, but she had sworn that on this trip she would shed her inhibitions and go wild, be irresponsible.
Once she finished college, even if she went to law school, adulthood was upon her. The fun would soon be over, especially if she worked for her father. The man was no nonsense, always serious, always professional, always in control. “There can’t be even a hint of impropriety with the clients I represent. These are the biggest names in politics and they count on me to deal with their own scandals. They certainly don’t want to be hearing about mine or my daughter’s.” His words had kept her in a cage throughout her teenage and college years, which was why she needed this. She needed a place like this where she could be safe from the prying eyes of the paparazzi.
Darnell abruptly stopped what he was doing and she groaned. “Oh God, don’t stop!”
“Did you hear that?”
She shook her head and grabbed him by his, pulling him back. “I didn’t hear anything.”
He returned to the only thing she wanted him concentrating on when someone shouted in the hallway. She ignored it, squeezing her eyes shut, focusing on the indescribable feelings coursing through her body when the ship’s horn blared. He stopped as it pulsed again. More shouts followed by a rapid alarm had Darnell bolting upright, rushing to the balcony.
She pushed up on her elbows, frustrated. “What’s going on?” she asked, unable to disguise her annoyance.
“I don’t know.”
The entire room tilted as the ship banked hard to port. Something was definitely wrong. This was a luxury cruise, the experience always smooth, so smooth you could be forgiven for forgetting you weren’t on land.
“There are boats approaching.”
She eyed him. “What? What do you mean, boats? What kind of boats? Whose boats?”
Darnell grabbed his trunks and pulled them on. “Get dressed!” he ordered as he returned to the window, the alarms still blaring. She sighed and leaned over the side of the bed, retrieving her skimpy outfit when Darnell gasped. “Oh, my God!”
Her chest tightened like a vise at the horror in his voice. “What’s wrong?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
“They’ve got guns!”
3 |
Bridge, MS Horizon Arabian Sea
“Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! This is the MS Horizon. We are under attack by unknown hostile forces. I count five vessels approaching, all with armed gunmen. We require immediate assistance! Our GPS coordinates are—”
Bullets crackled, muzzles flashing from a small boat that had pulled ahead of them, and everyone on the bridge ducked, including Captain Ali Shakur, interrupting his broadcast.
“What the hell do we do?” asked the navigator, panic in his eyes.
“Keep turning us. Head deeper to sea. The rougher the waters, the harder it’ll be for them to pursue. Full speed! I want full speed!”
“Full speed, aye, Captain!”
The engine surged, and they tilted more to starboard as gunfire continued to rattle from the port side. The ship leveled out, now heading directly south and away from the Arabian Peninsula. They were supposed to be far enough from the danger. The original plan made last year was to take the ship through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal and finish in the Mediterranean. But with all the trouble coming from the Houthi rebels in Yemen, that plan had been quashed, a new route filed that had them ringing the Arabian Sea’s northern ports of call, then cutting southwest to South Africa where his passengers would disembark and go on a one-week optional safari, most of them having opted in.
Corporate had assured him they were hundreds of nautical miles outside the range of any missiles, and even farther beyond any naval activity. Yet here they were, under attack by terrorist scum.
“This is the USS Roosevelt calling the MS Horizon. Do you copy, over?”
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