Page 135 of Enemy of My Enemy

“Nothing. Just desert and Highway Five. Goes all the way to Haql and the Jordanian border.”

Adam turned to Ethan. “Shark-infested waters that fishermen avoid and rumors ofdjinnto scare people away even further? Sounds like a great place to hide.”

“Could a tanker park outside those reefs?”

“Madigan’s Yemeni tanker could.” Faisal leaned back on the couch, looking upside down at Adam. “Could this be where Noah was headed? Back to base?”

Adam’s eyebrows rose. “Possibly.”

“Noah Williams?” Ethan frowned. “He’s one of Madigan’s ghosts.” He kept his mouth shut about Leslie, and about how she’d been in hiding with Madigan for years.

“We lost him after Paris, but Faisal picked him up in Jordan. We, uh. We went and got him.” Adam looked away.

“Have you questioned him yet? What has he said?” Finally, a break in the search. Finally, someone he would get his hands into, question until he got answers.

Adam, Faisal, and Doc all looked at each other. “He’s here,” Doc finally said. “He’s chilling.”

“Doc.” Adam glared. “We went to get him and bring him back for questioning. But he blew his brains out when we closed in. Didn’t say anything either.”

“Fuck.” Ethan dropped his duffel to the white marble floor. Back to square one.

“I have a forensic pathologist coming tomorrow to autopsy the body. Maybe there’s something we can find.” Faisal shrugged. “It’s a long shot, but…”

“Then the only other lead we have is this.” Ethan nodded to the screen. “How long a drive is that?”

“Five hours.” Adam glowered at the floor. “I can’t go with you, Director. I’m staying with Faisal. I need to keep him safe, especially after Ma’an.”

“And I’m staying with him.” Doc jerked his chin toward Adam.

Ethan sighed. “You got a vehicle I can borrow?”

Faisal nodded.

“I’ll drive out first thing in the morning. Check it out. See if something is even there.” He scrubbed his hand over his face, pressing on his aching eyeballs. “Is there somewhere I can crash till then?”

* * *

Adam wasin nothing but his briefs, leaning against the cool marble of the kitchen counters and slowly batting a beer back and forth between his palms when he heard Ethan stir in the middle of the night. Moonlight flooded the villa, bathing the living room in a silver glow.

He waited, counting the steps as Ethan crept down the stairs.

“Hey.”

Ethan scrubbed his hand through his messy hair and headed his way. He wore sweatpants, new enough to still have creases, and no shirt. His muscular chest and stomach were covered with short hair, dark, save for one or two silver strands that caught the moonlight. Adam’s gaze lingered, comparing Ethan’s larger body to Faisal’s sleekness, Faisal’s smooth chest and golden skin, his lean muscles and angular features. Ethan’s jaw was square where Faisal’s was pointed, his lips pouted like a cupid’s bow. Faisal’s deep, dark eyes held gold in their depths, glittering whenever he gazed at Adam.

Faisal had captured his heart from day one. Ethan was attractive, for an older guy, but he was nothing compared to his love.

“Got another?” Ethan slumped against the counter.

Adam grabbed him a fresh bottle from the fridge and slid it down. “So.”

Ethan took a long drag from his beer and stared at Adam.

“You and the president…” He trailed off as Ethan looked away. “It seemed like you were really in love,” Adam mumbled.

“I was.” Ethan frowned. He exhaled, his shoulders sagging. “I still am. I always will love him. No matter what.”

“I, uh… I know the feeling.” The beer turned sour in his stomach, memories of sleepless nights and endless days where he forced himself to stay away from Faisal, from his voice on the phone, his words over text, and even the memory of him.