Page 87

“Don’t lie to me,” he said, his eyes probing her.
“I’m not. I don’t know what you mean.”
“The document. We know you took it. We found it in the souk. That was a stupid thing to do.” He shook his head. “Tell me, what were you planning on doing with it?”
“I don’t know,” she sobbed.
“Did you tell your embassy friend?”
“No, I didn’t write anything down. I don’t remember the details.”
He studied her, darkly suspicious. “I think you’re lying.”
“I’m not. I swear, I don’t remember a thing.”
Pain exploded in her cheek as he backhanded her. She began to cry again.
“Ah, you are not so brave without Prince Hakeem here to support you.” He leaned in. “You had no place in the royal compound. Westerner and infidel.”
She felt the hatred dripping off him.
He hit her again and she swung into the wall, the ties shredding the skin around her wrists. Lights flickered at the corners of her vision and for a moment, she thought she was going to black out.
“I knew you couldn’t be trusted. I told Hakeem as much, but he refused to listen.”
She could barely understand what he was saying. Her head pounded and there was ringing in her ears. He sounded muted, even though he was speaking loudly.
“Please–” she begged.
He laughed. “I like it when you beg.” He grabbed her hair and made her look at him. “This is only the beginning. You, my friend, will be on the international news. CNN. The BBC.” He smirked. “The west will know how we deal with traitors.”
CHAPTER 35
Forty-five minutes later, Tom met the special forces operators on the beach.
“Phoenix Morgan,” said the team leader with a curt nod and a brief handshake. “Good to meet you.”
“Tom Wilde. Thanks for your assistance.”
“U.S. Marine?” he asked.
They’d been briefed, but only with what the captain knew, and that wasn’t much.
Tom filled him in.
“Yeah. The hostage is Hannah Evans. She worked at the royal compound for Prince Hakeem. As you can guess, she knows things that could be useful to us.”
Phoenix nodded. “Gotcha.”
“Where is she being held?” asked a guy called Viper, who Tom recognized from an op in Afghanistan several years back.
“Viper? That you?”
“Yeah, buddy.” They pumped hands. “Good to see you.”
Tom described the warehouse, including the cameras, the gates and fence, and the armed guards.
“How many?” Phoenix asked.