Page 52

“Are you all right?” Fleur asked.
“I am. The sessions are difficult.” She shrugged. “Tammara does miss some of the conversation, so it is best that I am there, but it is hard to hear even though I know things they talk about happen.”
“I can imagine.” Fleur put her hand on top of Rana’s. “Thank you so much for helping. It’ll only be for a few more months.”
Rana cocked her head. “So, the convoys will start again?”
“I believe so.” Fleur nodded. “When I think of how stupid I was.” She shook her head slowly. “Thank you for going to Shelly. I wasn’t thinking correctly.”
Rana smiled at her. “We have to take care of each other.”
“We do, indeed.” She stood up. “I need to go. If you need anything while I’m gone, let Miller know.”
“I will. I hope you don’t have any problems,” Rana said as they switched positions.
“I think Ronan will be able to handle anything that comes our way.” She waved at Rana then left the tent. She was looking forward to leaving the camp. It had been a long time since she’d driven a convoy vehicle and even longer since she’d left the camp for personal time in Turkey.
She wandered over to the Guardian tent and noticed the other drivers were gathered there, too. When she approached, Ronan emerged from the tent. “All seven drivers are here?”
Wolf nodded. “We were just waiting on Fleur.”
“Then let’s go,” Ronan said as he started walking. “Fleur, with me. Everyone else in the transport with Wolf.” Fleur got into the Jeep’s passenger seat and glanced over at him. “Only two of you?”
“Nope.” He pointed up. “We have an eye in the sky that will let us know if we have any problems.”
She glanced up and then back at him. “Will they help you shoot if someone attacks us?”
Ronan let out a bark of laughter and tapped a box in the back seat. “We have more than enough firepower should someone decide to be stupid.”
She glanced back at the hard green plastic box. The yellow print on the top read MK-153 SMAW. She grabbed theOh Shitbar on the Jeep when Ronan popped the clutch, and the Jeep jerked forward. “What is a SMAW?” she asked as they pulled out of the compound.
“Shoulder-launched multipurpose assault weapon,” Ronan said as he looked in the rearview mirror, waiting for Wolf to catch up to him.
“Assault weapon?” she asked as they increased speed.
“Think rocket.”
She craned her neck to look back at the box. “You have a rocket in there?”
“Six. Just in case.”
“Oh.” She threw her hands up in the air. “Like it’s totally natural to bring six rockets with you in a vehicle.”
He glanced over at her, his dark mirroredsunglasses reflecting her image as he smiled. “It is for us.”
She blinked at him and then laughed. “Of course, it is.”
“Where did you grow up?” Ronan asked after about five minutes of silence.
“Washington State.” She smiled. “It was a great childhood. Dad was the best. My mom died in childbirth with my little brother. He didn’t make it, either.” She shrugged. “So it was just my dad and me. We did all the outdoor things. We surfed, camped, went on hiking trips, and played about every sport you could think of. I went to college on a softball scholarship.”
“Softball? What position?”
“Designated player.” She glanced at him when she said it.
He did a double-take. “Is that an actual position?”
“It was for me. I can smack the hell out of a ball, but don’t ask me to catch anything. I’ll miss eleven times out of ten. I could have been used as a defensive player, but thankfully, my coach knew I was crap and only used me as a pinch hitter or runner.” She laughed. “What sport did you play?”