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Dec punched a button. The response, though marred by static, was immediate.

“Recovery One, what is your situation? Over.”

“Recovery Base, we are five minutes out. Over.”

“Recovery One, pickup coming in early. ETA four minutes.”

Dec grunted. Assuming Olivieri was right and they were walking into a welcoming party, the sooner the better.

“We can be there in four, Recovery Base.”

“Do so. We want to make this a quickie.”

The Black Hawk would kiss the grass, they’d all scramble onboard, and the helicopter would take off.

“Understood, Recovery Base. Okay. Ove—”

An elbow dug into his ribs. The princess. They were moving fast, damn near running. She looked exhausted, and, despite the poncho, soaked from head to toe, but she hadn’t forgotten what she’d asked him to find out.

Dec rolled his eyes. “Recovery Base. What is the drop-off location for our packages? I have been asked for an answer. Over.”

There was a squawk of static. A pause. Then the COM guy was back.

“Recovery One. Mr. and Mrs. Dapper Dan will take a sea voyage.”

Dec nodded. The ambassador and his wife would be landed on the Harry S. Truman, a super-carrier in the Persian Gulf.

“And the third package? Over.”

“Drop off point is in the Q. Home Sweet Home. Any more questions? Over.”

The Q. Meaning Qaram. Dec nodded. That would make the princess happy.

“No,” he said, “no more questions, Recovery Base. Over.”

“Recovery One? Good luck.”

Dec disconnected. Annie tugged on his sleeve.

“Where?” she gasped.

“Wait a second.” He narrowed his eyes, peered through the rain. Yes. There it was, dead ahead. An open stretch of meadow. And the whomp-whomp of a Black Hawk coming in, visible now against the rainy sky.

Five hundred yards.

Four hundred.

r /> The Black Hawk was coming in fast.

“Okay,” Dec yelled. “Move. Move. Move.”

“Declan. Please. Tell me. Where will they take me?”

The woman was certifiable. They were running at top speed, darkly ominous woods all around them, and she was still worried about her destination?

“Qaram,” he said, “Safe and sound.”

She stumbled to a stop. “No!”