Page 105 of Deadly Betrayal

Mustafa looked over his shoulder beforeanswering. “They are planning to stone both of you tomorrow. If youare killed, your friends will want revenge.”

“My friends?”

Mustafa frowned. “I’ve met your kind before.You are military, but more.”

Azita sat up and squeezed Kaden’s hand.“Let’s gather what we need.”

Did she realize what Mustafa was saying? Hewas right of course. When Delta Force conducted an extraction, theyrarely left witnesses.

A few short minutes later, they’d collectedAzita’s medical bag, their canteen, and the blanket. Mustafa tosseddown a headscarf for Azita and a large shirt for Kaden. It was atight fit, but would draw far less attention than having him runaround half naked.

Kaden helped Azita out of the hole, thenquickly pulled himself up, ignoring the stabbing pain in his side,and the way it hurt to breathe. He kept his inhales short andshallow as they raced across the compound, moving when the guardtold them to and stopping when he held up his hand.

Was this a trap? Kaden didn’t think so. Whatdid the guy have to gain? They’d already been prisoners. Mustafatook them to a fence that encircled the camp. After brushing asidesome debris, he proudly showed Kaden where the ground had been dugup. With some effort, Kaden and Azita would be able to shimmy underthe fence and run to freedom.

“Do guards patrol this area?” Kadenasked.

“Every fifteen minutes. Next one should be inseven.”

Kaden thanked the man and in return for hishelp, offered him some advice. “Do your wife and children live inthe camp?”

“Yes. All the families live within thefence.”

He’d guessed as much; still, hearing it saidmade him feel sick. With any luck, he could at least save thisman’s family. “Make any excuse to leave. Get your wife and childrenas far away from here as you can.”

“When?”

“Immediately.”

“Khoda hafez.” The guard tipped hishead and took off at a run.

Azita turned bewildered eyes on Kaden. “Whyis he so scared? Even if we are caught, we will not tell who let usout.”

“Our rescue is coming,” he saidcryptically.

“Yes…?”

“There may be fighting.” He hoped he wasn’tstruck down for lying to her. The love of his life. Christ, he wassuch a sap. But now that he’d admitted his feelings to himself, heknew it was true. Nic and Jake had healed him, and now he was readyfor the woman who’d captivated his heart with her goodness twoyears before.

Her lips kicked up at the corner. “He worksfor a warlord. I am sure it would not be his first gun battle.”

Battle virgin or not, this would be Mustafa’slast if he didn’t make tracks while he still could. If only Hassanand a few of his men showed up, there wouldn’t be a bloodbath, butif Hassan had contacted their old buddies… Yeah. Azita would neverforgive him. Kaden had to get the rest of Azita’s family outbeforehelp arrived.

A quick scan of the area revealed a groupingof rocks and trees about a hundred yards from the fence. “Go underand hide behind the rocks,” he instructed her.

“And you?”

“I will go find Laila and the others.”

Her brow pinching, she crossed her arms.“Then I will go too.”

“I can get to Laila faster if I’m alone. Nowhurry. The patrol will be here in four minutes.”

“How do you know three minutes havepassed?”

“I’ll explain it to you later.”If wesurvive…

Once she’d squeezed under the fence andreached the relative safety of the rocks, Kaden took off in thedirection of the building where he’d been tortured. He’d heard achild’s voice with Tariq. It had to have been Laila’s.