Page 16 of Lucky Charm

“An hour or so. Unless I find something I’m not expecting.”

“Let’s hope not.”

Instead of answering, she made the incision to get to the shattered bone.

∞∞∞∞∞

Hunt blasted out the front door, sent K-Rock Doc’s direction to cover Carter, and went to Quaid like a heat-seeking missile. Forcing a tad bit of control, he grabbed the man’s arm and yanked him to a private spot by the vehicles.

“I have decent spidey senses, and you better tell my why the hell Haquiri is in that room ranting and has no idea why there is a doctor here.”

Quaid jerked away from his hold. “What? He requested us.”

“Did he?” Hunt ground his teeth and stepped out of the man’s space. A blast of cold air swept over his neck, chilling his temper, and leaving behind an ice-cold resolve.

Quaid pointed a finger. “Why would I lie about that? How the hell would we have gotten in here without permission?”

All logical questions, but their greeting party still nagged.

“I know enough Pashto to understand his rant was about letting the infidel into his home.”

“If this is his main home, I’ll let you shoot me,” Quaid bit out. “The Qala should be way more elaborate given what we know about his activities and his status. Either he’s lying, he has another home, or something else is at play. Obviously, our intel has holes.”

“Still doesn’t answer my question. That man in there had no idea, and he’s lashing out like a trapped badger.”

Quaid shrugged in answer and checked his gear. “First go round netted nothing. I’m going to start from the outer edges and work in.”

“No. Not alone.”

“This is what I came here to do.”

“Not alone,” he ordered. “We are all in this together now.” He clicked his mic. “Alpha Six, come front.”

While the men always tried to act like they weren’t listening, gossip was the only entertainment they had. Baxter, his chief communicator, came to his side.

“What do you know?”

Baxter’s eyes were still dull with illness, but he held his own. “Haquiri settled, but he’s still not happy. Two men in there with him are switching between local dialect and English. Woman still on her knees on the floor. Seems Haquiri’s been gone. Didn’t even know the kid was hurt, let alone authorize our medical intervention. He’s spitting mad, but letting things proceed after hardcore influence by what I’m calling his first advisor. The second advisor seems like he’s in the doghouse. May have been him that called the doctor.”

Hunt stared at Baxter. “How long did you listen?”

“Five minutes or so.” Baxter shrugged, grinning. “It’s a hobby.”

“Go. To the door. Stay there. Front and vehicle security. If anything goes wrong in that house, your job is to get Doc to the vehicle. Carry her if you have to.”

“Yes sir, LT.” Baxter took off.

Satisfied, but nowhere near happy, Hunt turned on Quaid. “I’m with you.”

“Uh, no. You’re conspicuous.”

Hunt snorted. “No one has ever thought so before. Stay.” He trudged up the driveway to the entry way of the compound and turned back, studying every sand mound and pile of rocks. No women. No children. No food. No fires. What was the first thing you protected when the shit was about to hit the fan?

“Incoming,” Doogie whispered in his earpiece.

Walking back, he went to the front porch to Baxter and signaled Quaid to join him. Doogie and Tommy rolled around the corner in a practiced move.

K-Rock and Baxter had swept the north side of the compound before the altercation with Haquiri, netting zilch.