HOUSE OF JAGUAR Read online

  HOUSE OF JAGUAR

  Mike Bond

  CRITICS’ PRAISE FOR MIKE BOND’S NOVELS

  House of Jaguar

  “A riveting thriller of murder, politics, and lies.” − London Broadcasting

  “Tough and tense thriller.” − Manchester Evening News

  “A riveting story where even the good guys are bad guys, set in the politically corrupt and drug infested world of present-day Central America.” − Middlesborough Evening Gazette

  “A thoroughly amazing book. . . Memorable, an extraordinary story that speaks from and to the heart. And a terrifying depiction of one man’s battle against the CIA and Latin American death squads.” − BBC

  “Vicious thriller of drugs and revolution in the wilds of Guatemala, with the adventurer hero, aided by a woman doctor, facing a crooked CIA agent. The climax is among the most horrifying I have ever read.” − Liverpool Daily Post

  “House of Jaguar is based upon Bond’s own experiences in Guatemala. With detailed descriptions of actual jungle battles and manhunts, vanishing rain forests and the ferocity of guerrilla war, House of Jaguar also reveals the CIA’s role in both death squads and drug running, twin scourges of Central America.” − Newton Chronicle

  “Not for the literary vegetarian – it’s red meat stuff from the off. All action... convincing.” − Oxford Times

  "Bond grips the reader from the very first page. An ideal thriller for the beach, but be prepared to be there when the sun goes down.” − Herald Express

  Saving Paradise

  “Bond is easily one of the 21st century’s most exciting authors... An action packed, must read novel... taking readers behind the alluring façade of Hawaii’s pristine beaches and tourist traps into a festering underworld of murder, intrigue and corruption... Spellbinding readers with a writing style that pits hard-boiled, force of nature-like characters against politically adept, staccato-paced plots, Saving Paradise is a powerful editorial against the cancerous trends of crony capitalism and corrupt governance.” – Washington Times

  “Bond’s lusciously convoluted story provides myriad suspects and motives... Bond skillfully adds new elements to the mystery, including several energy corporations and no less than three femmes fatales... In the end, readers may find it nearly impossible to guess the killer, but they’ll enjoy the trip. A complex, entertaining whodunit.” – Kirkus Reviews

  “Within the first page, I was hooked... From start to finish, I never put it down.” – Bucket List Publications

  “A wonderful book... quite powerful ... going to create a lot of discussion.” – KUSA TV, Denver

  “A fascinating book.” – KSFO, San Francisco

  “You’re going to love the plot of this book.” – KFVE TV

  “He’s a tough guy, a cynic who describes the problems of the world as a bottomless pit, but can’t stop trying to solve them. He’s Pono Hawkins, the hero of Mike Bond’s new Hawaii-based thriller, Saving Paradise... an intersection of fiction and real life.” – Hawaii Public Radio

  “A wonderful book that everyone should read.” – Clear Channel Radio

  “Mike Bond’s Saving Paradise is a complex murder mystery about political and corporate greed and corruption... Bond’s vivid descriptions of Hawaii bring Saving Paradise vibrantly to life. The plot is unique and the environmental aspect of the storyline is thought-provoking and informative. The story’s twists and turns will keep you guessing the killer’s identity right up until the very end.” – Book Reviews and More

  “A very well written, fast-paced and exciting thriller.” – Mystery Maven Reviews

  “Saving Paradise will change you... It will call into question what little you really know, what people want you to believe you know and then hit you with a deep wave of dangerous truths... Saving Paradise is a thrill ride to read and pulls you in and out of plots until you don’t know who to trust or what to do any more than the character. You trust no one, you keep going, hoping not to get caught before figuring out what is happening. Mike Bond is not only an acclaimed novelist, but an international energy expert and a war and human rights correspondent who has lived and worked in many war torn areas of our world. His intellect and creativity dance together on the pages, braiding fiction into deeper truths about ourselves, our nature, our government, our history and our future.” – Where Truth Meets Fiction

  Saving Paradise is a rousing crime thriller – but it is so much more. Pono Hawkins is a dedicated environmentalist, a native of Hawaii who very much loves the islands but regrets what they have become. Pono is a thinker, a man who sees a bigger picture than most, and Mike Bond deftly (and painlessly) uses the character to instruct the reader in Hawaiian history from an insider’s point-of-view. Saving Paradise is a highly atmospheric thriller focusing on a side of Hawaiian life that tourists seldom see. – Book Chase

  Tibetan Cross

  “A thriller that everyone should go out and buy right away. The writing is wonderful throughout, and Bond never loses the reader’s attention. This is less a thriller, at times, than essay, with Bond working that fatalistic margin where life and death are one and the existential reality leaves one caring only to survive.” − Sunday Oregonian

  “A tautly written study of one man’s descent into living hell... Strong and forceful, its sharply written prose, combined with a straightforward plot, builds a mood of near claustrophobic intensity.” − Spokane Chronicle

  “Grips the reader from the very first chapter until the climactic ending.” − United Press International

  “Bond’s deft thriller will reinforce your worst fears about the CIA and the Bomb... A taut, tense tale of pursuit through exotic and unsavory locales.” − Publishers Weekly

  “One of the most exciting in recent fiction... an astonishing thriller that speaks profoundly about the venality of governments and the nobility of man.” − San Francisco Examiner

  “It is a thriller... Incredible, but also believable.” − Associated Press

  “Murderous intensity... A tense and graphically written story.” − Richmond Times-Dispatch

  “The most jaundiced adventure fan will be held by Tibetan Cross ... It’s a superb volume with enough action for anyone, a well-told story that deserves the increasing attention it’s getting.” − Sacramento Bee

  “Intense and unforgettable from the opening chapter... thought-provoking and very well written.” − Fort Lauderdale News

  “Grips the reader from the opening chapter and never lets go.” – Miami Herald

  “Chilling story of escape and pursuit.” − Tacoma News-Tribune

  “This novel is touted as a thriller – and that is what it is... The settings are exotic, minutely described, filled with colorful characters.” − Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

  “Almost impossible to put down ... Relentless. As only reality can have a certain ring to it, so does this book. It is naked and brutal and mind boggling in its scope. It is a living example of not being able to hide, ever... The hardest-toned book I’ve ever read. And the most frightening glimpse of mankind I’ve seen. This is a 10 if ever there was one.” − I Love a Mystery

  The Last Savanna

  “A powerful love story set in the savage jungles and deserts of East Africa.” − Daily Examiner

  “A manhunt through crocodile-infested jungle, sun-scorched savanna, and impenetrable mountains as a former SAS man tries to save the life of the woman he loves but cannot have.” − Evening Telegraph

  “Pulsating with the sights, sounds, and dangers of wild Africa, its varied languages and peoples, the harsh warfare of the northern deserts and the hunger of denied love.” − Newton Chronicle

  “A gripping thriller from a highly distinctive writer.” −
Liverpool Daily Post

  “Exciting, action-packed... A nightmarish vision of Africa.” − Manchester Evening News

  “The imagery was so powerful and built emotions so intense that I had to stop reading a few times to regain my composure.” − African Publishers’ Network

  “An unforgettable odyssey into the wilderness, mysteries, and perils of Africa... A book to be cherished and remembered.” − Greater London Radio

  “The central figure is not human; it is the barren, terrifying landscape of Northern Kenya and the deadly creatures who inhabit it.” − Daily Telegraph

  “An entrancing, terrifying vision of Africa. A story that not only thrills but informs... Impossible to set aside or forget.” − BBC

  “The thrill of the chase when the prey is man – the only decent prey.” − The Times

  “Mike Bond’s The Last Savanna is shot through with images of the natural world at its most fearsome and most merciful. With his weapons, man is a conqueror – without them he is a fugitive in an alien land. Bond touches on the vast and eerie depths that lie under the thin crust of civilization and the base instinct within man to survive – instincts that surpass materialism. A thoroughly enjoyable read that comes highly recommended.” − Nottingham Observer

  Holy War

  “Mike Bond does it again – A gripping tale of passion, hostage-taking and war, set against a war-ravaged Beirut.” − Evening News

  “A supercharged thriller set in the hell hole that was Beirut…Evokes the human tragedy behind headlines of killing, maiming, terrorism and political chicanery. A story to chill and haunt you.” − Peterborough Evening Telegraph

  “A profound tale of war, written with grace and understanding by a novelist who thoroughly knows the subject…Literally impossible to stop reading...” − British Armed Forces Broadcasting

  “A pacy and convincing thriller with a deeper than usual understanding about his subject and a sure feel for his characters.” − Daily Examiner

  “A marvelous book – impossible to put down. A sense of being where few people have survived. The type of book that people really want to read, by a very successful and prolific writer.” − London Broadcasting

  “A tangled web and an entertaining one. Action-filled thriller.” − Manchester Evening News

  “Short sharp sentences that grip from the start…A tale of fear, hatred, revenge, and desire, flicking between bloody Beirut and the lesser battles of London and Paris.” − Evening Herald

  “A novel about the horrors of war…a very authentic look at the situation which was Beirut.” − South Wales Evening Post

  “A stunning novel of love and loss, good and evil, of real people who live in our hearts after the last page is done…Unusual and profound.” − Greater London Radio

  ALSO BY MIKE BOND

  Saving Paradise

  The Last Savanna

  Tibetan Cross

  Holy War

  HOUSE OF JAGUAR

  Mike Bond

  MANDEVILLA PRESS

  Weston, CT 06883

  House of Jaguar is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales, companies and/or organizations is entirely coincidental. Initially published in a slightly different form as Night of the Dead, by HEADLINE BOOK PUBLISHING PLC, London.

  Copyright © 2014 by Mike Bond

  All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form without the prior written permission of the publisher.

  Published in the United States by Mandevilla Press

  LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA

  Bond, Mike

  House of Jaguar: a novel/Mike Bond

  p. cm.

  ISBN 978-1-62704-010-5

  1. War Crimes – Fiction. 2. CIA – Fiction. 3. Revolution – Fiction. 4. Guatemala – Fiction. 5. Environment – Fiction. 6. Human Rights – Fiction. 7. Latin America – Fiction. I. Title

  10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

  Cover photo © Andrew Lam/Shutterstock

  Author photo © PF Bentley/PFPix.com

  Book design by Jude Bond @ Bond Multimedia

  Cover design: Asha Hossain Design, Inc.

  Printed in the United States of America

  www.MikeBondBooks.com

  For Peggy, compañera de mi vida.

  And to the memory of Dr. Jeanneth Mayra and the million martyrs of Latin America.

  Y que mis venas no terminan in mí

  sino en la sangre unánime

  de los que luchan por la vida

  ̶ Roque Dalton

  They break down your door at midnight and shoot you while your children scream. They snatch you from the street at noon and cut your throat in an unmarked van. They torture you for weeks, sending you piece at a time back to your family.

  You were hungry and wanted more for your children. Or you’d read the Sermon on the Mount and tried to do what it asks. Or you were young and like Roque Dalton knew your veins didn’t end in you but in the one blood of all who fight for life and bread.

  All we can do for you is speak the truth.

  I

  House of

  Jaguar

  1

  THE MOSQUITO hovered, settled on his cheek; the soldier raised a hand and squashed it, his rifle clinking on his cartridge belt. “Silencio!” hissed the captain. Another mosquito landed, another; the soldier let them bite.

  From far away, beyond the wail of mosquitoes and the incessant chirr of nighthawks, came the snarl of an engine. “Positions!” the captain whispered. One by one the soldiers squirmed forward through wet grass to the jungle’s edge where the road glistened before them under the rising half moon.

  The engine noise came closer, a truck grinding uphill round a curve. The curve coming out of Machaquilá, the soldier decided. Not long now. He fiddled with a scrap of electrical tape wrapping the magazine of his Galil. Wings swishing, an owl hunted over the road.

  They won’t be expecting us, he told himself. They won’t be ready and we can kill them quickly and there will be no danger. The truck neared; he tasted bile in the back of his throat; his hands were numb with cold. If you don’t shoot they won’t see your rifle flash and won’t shoot at you.

  A beacon steadied on the treetops, fell on the road before him. A single headlight, the truck’s, was coming up the road. He chewed his lip and blinked his eyes to chase away mosquitoes, rubbed his bitten wrist on the breech of his rifle. But if you fire fast and hard you’ll help make sure they die at once and then they can’t fire back.

  The truck clattered closer, its headlight jiggling. Everyone will be shooting for the cab, the soldier told himself, so you must shoot into the back. “Hold your fire,” the captain called. Transmission wailing, stockboards rattling, the truck rumbled past and disappeared into the night, just another cattle truck driven too many thousands of miles over bad roads on bad gas. “Silencio!” the captain said. From the jungle a howler monkey screamed like a dying child.

  THE AZTEC eased down through five hundred feet, the jungle sliding under the wing like the floor of an immense dark sea. “I hate it when you do this,” Johnny Dio said. “Reminds me of that joke about the secret to safe flying is to avoid the ground.”

  Murphy trimmed one aileron, watched the altimeter till it steadied at four hundred, the plane bouncing and banging on rising waves of jungle heat. “It’s so flat here there’s nothing to fear, just the House of Jaguar at Tikal.” He slapped Johnny’s knee. “And it’s probably east of us.”

  “Screw you, Murph. You know exactly where it is.”

  “Unless the Mayans’ve built another one since we were here last.”

  “There could be some kind of goddamn radio to
wer, TV antenna... Even a big tree.”

  “That’s why we watch out. You and me.”

  “It’s so dark I can’t see a goddamn thing.”

  “Just as well. You’ll never know what hit you.”

  “Will you cut it out!” Johnny Dio shifted in his seat, fingers drumming his knee, his face glistening in the yellow instrument lights.

  “The way you don’t like this, Johnny, you should let me do it alone.”

  “My gig,” Johnny sighed. “My money.”

  “Mine too,” Murphy said softly, and saw Johnny smile at himself, as if for worrying. That if you had to be doing this, Murph was the one to be doing it with.

  “You’re right,” Johnny said, “to be packing it in.”

  Murphy stretched, rubbing his back against the seat. “It’s just habit, now. Got all the creature comforts I want.”

  “You don’t do it for money, Murph. It’s because you don’t have anything else.”

  The glimmer of Chetumal began to bloom to the south; Orion was sinking into the west, Scorpio riding a half moon in the east, the Yucatán below darker than a midnight sea, the stars above like city lights. Murphy rubbed his face, liking the raspy stubble sound, closed his eyes and massaged them with his fingertips, still seeing the instrument panel as if he could watch it directly from his brain, thinking of the lobsters he and Johnny had eaten in Merida − he shouldn’t have harassed the man because they were small – “estan cubanas,” the man had explained. And Tecates. When this was over he was going to come back down to dive, sit on the veranda and drink Tecates, lime and Tecates. He notched the yoke forward, the engine’s pitch deepening in the soggy air, the altimeter sliding down to three hundred, two hundred fifty. Light widened in the southeast. “Corozal,” he said. “Going under the radar.”