Doug Solter - Thunderdog: A Young Adult Spy Thriller

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THUNDERDOG

Book 3 in the GEMS Young Adult Spy Thriller Series

by

Doug Solter

Thunderdog

Copyright 2019 Doug Solter

All rights reserved.

Cover Art Design by Travis Miles

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the authors imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from the author.

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment. Keep in mind that as an indie publisher, the author pays out of his own pocket for the publishing and marketing of this book. So if you did receive this eBook for free, please consider either buying another copy or buying one of the authors other works. This simple act goes a long way in supporting your favorite authors so they can keep giving you books that you love to read.

Digital Edition: 1.0

To Ellen, the best grandmother ever.

Chapter 1

Miyuki looked too cute to die. Her long black hair was dyed cotton-candy pink, and her face was powdered white with pink lipstick and pink hearts added to her cheeks. She wore pink pants with white polka dots and pink high-top sneakers. Her white T-shirt had the cutest puppy dog with the words LOVE ME printed above.

She stood in a narrow street filled with pedestrians as far as the eye could see. Covered with reds and pinks, each store along this street advertised cakes, candies, and sweets of all types. It projected cuteness to the tenth power.

Miyuki adjusted her pink-rimmed glasses and observed. Some of the pedestrians were normal while others wore similar clothing to hers. The Harajuku Province was the absolute center of Japans youth and fashion culture, inspiring fashion designers from around the world with its eclectic style. A cute and childish style called Kawaii in Japanese. And here on Takeshita Street was the center of it all.

Miyuki finally spotted her target, a young woman with a Sailor Moon canvas handbag. The woman dressed normal and plain, fitting in with all the other normal and plain people. When the young woman walked by, Miyuki waited until she was farther down the street before tailing her.

Takeshita Street was crowded, but manageable. As Miyuki weaved back and forth among the people, she always presented a pleasant Kawaii smile on her face. When people held up their phones to snap a pic of her outfit, Miyuki waved and blew them each a kiss. But she didnt stop walking.

When the young woman with the Sailor Moon bag ducked inside a nearby business, Miyuki followed her inside.

It was a small local boutique which had a section of bright Kawaii-style clothes on a row of metal racks, but there was another section full of Western-inspired fashion as well. Glancing at the tags on the clothes, Miyuki could tell they were all done by local Japanese designers. She liked this boutique and would love to hang out and shop, but she was here on business.

Sailor Moon acted nervous. She pretended to shop, but wasnt doing a good job of selling it. Fidgeting, looking around the store, barely glancing at the clothes her hands were separating. Miyuki could tell she wasnt a professional.

Sailor Moon then slipped something in the back pocket of a pair of white jeans before hanging up the garment on a different rack to make it stand out. Sailor Moon didnt linger. She raced out of the business like a scared rabbit.

Miyuki resisted the urge to shake her head in dismay. She stayed in the Kawaii section of the store for a couple of minutes, just to make sure Sailor Moon wasnt coming back. Then she moved over to the other section. Miyuki picked through some of the jeans, making a face as if they were too boring for a fun Kawaii girl like herself. Then she clapped her hands together as if she discovered the white jeans. Miyuki took them off the rack and put them over her own waist, pretending to see how they looked. When she did this, Miyuki slipped her fingers inside the pocket and felt the thumb drive inside. She palmed the drive before making another face, as if she didnt like the jeans after all. She placed the white jeans back on the rack.

It was all a big production in case anyone was watching.

As Miyuki searched through another rack of clothes, her eyes scanned the business. Since she saw no one paying attention to her, Miyuki took her time moving towards the exit. She was almost through it when a Chinese woman blocked the doorway. On instinct, Miyuki backed away and bowed, letting the older woman come inside.

The Chinese woman sighed like a disgusted horse before moving around Miyuki to enter the boutique.

And that was when it hit her. Miyuki knew that woman.

Her heart pounded. Miyuki knew she should head down the street immediately and not look back. But she couldnt help herself.

Miyuki turned.

The Chinese woman had reached the white jeans and checked the back pocket. Confused, she checked all the pockets.

Now she was certain. The woman was one of the three Chinese intelligence agents who kidnapped Robert and Nadia on that train in Utah. The woman was always angry and serial-killer crazy.

After she finished searching the white jeans, her eyes went straight to Miyuki, as if the woman could smell another operative in the room. The always angry woman tilted her head, and her stoic facade switched to pure hatred.

Her cover now blown, Miyuki sprinted out of the boutique and weaved through the thick crowd on Takeshita Street. Not hiding the fact that she was running for her life.

Miyuki glanced over her shoulder.

The always angry woman was on her like a police dog, weaving just as fast through the crowd and keeping an excellent pace. The woman concealed something in her right hand.

Miyuki convinced herself it was a weapon.

She had to circle around a group of kids holding hands before Miyuki could look over her shoulder again. Now she could see the knife the woman was holding.

Miyuki gripped her woven handbag tight. It contained the only weapons she had on her. But the always angry woman was only keeping pace with her, not gaining. If Miyuki was lucky, she could lure the woman inside the Harajuku train station bathroom and knock her out. Then Miyuki could jump on the next train to escape.

But that plan fell through the moment a large Polynesian man in a blue suit impeded her path. His name was Kawiki.

He has also been on the train in Utah.

Miyuki swallowed. This made things complicated. Now two Chinese intelligence operatives were closing in on her from opposite ends of the street. Each operative quite capable of killing her. Ducking into one of the local shops could be an option. But Miyuki didnt like the idea of getting trapped in a corner. She always preferred the freedom to maneuver.

Then what should she do?

Miyuki spotted the white rubber tire of a pink bicycle, its rear end poking out from behind one of the businesses. Most likely it was a little girls bike. Hope filled Miyukis chest. She headed straight to the business. It was an outdoor candy shop. There was a man behind the counter.

A little girl asked the man something in Japanese. It convinced Miyuki that the man was her father.

Miyuki went up to the counter and gave the man all the money she had.