Howling in pain and rage, he punched the man in the face, the feel of liquid sliding over his hip. As Dex clutched his side, the man swung the gun up and slammed it into his temple.
Dex struggled to stay on top as his consciousness dimmed, but the world dipped and tilted beneath him. Then suddenly they were rolling, pain throbbing, muscles burning, hearts pumping.
He managed to get a hand on the man’s throat and started to squeeze, but the insurgent was on top of him and pulling back, pulling away. Bringing the gun up, his attacker pulled the trigger and the sharp thunk of a bullet splintered the floor millimeters from Dex’s head. Dex let go of the man’s windpipe and knocked the gun hand to the side.
Dex surged up, twisting to reverse their positions. Pain sliced through his side, pounded in his head. He blocked it out and fought on adrenaline, groping, pushing, turning. The insurgent’s back slammed into the nurses’ counter and the gun came out of his hand and skidded across the floor, toward the wall.
He punched Dex in the ribs and the pain doubled him over; the insurgent shoved him away. Dex stumbled backward and fell to his back. The man set his foot into his side and grinded down on his wound, reaching for the assault rifle. Blinded by excruciating pain, Dex was barely aware when the man straightened and pointed the muzzle at his head.
His dazed brain sent a frantic message to his muscles to move! But before he could sluggishly do so, there was a muffled pop and the man stiffened. His eyes rolled up into the back of his head and he fell to the floor, blood spread out in an ever-expanding pool beneath him.
Piper stood there, her chest heaving, her eyes wild, blood on her lip, rolling off her chin. Her hands wrapped around the pistol’s barrel in a white-knuckled grip.
She ran over to him and asked, “Can you get up?”
“Yes,” he said as she helped him to stand. He clutched his side, feeling the wetness of his blood. He took the gun out of her grip and put two into the guy’s head. Then he went to turn away, but turned back, his eyes snapping to the hem of the guy’s robe and the telltale view of the black trouser pant leg that was peeking out. His blood froze and he slowly bent down, supporting his side, and removed the headscarf referred to as a keffiyeh to expose his face. He reared back and Piper gasped as she looked over his shoulder. There was a reason the guy knew exactly where his wound was and how to hurt him.
“Omigod! That’s Agent Hatch!”
He turned to look at her, her face stiff in horrible shock as if her world were crashing down around her. “One of the agents from your detail just tried to kill you? How is that possible? Aren’t these guys vetted?”
She backed up, her eyes going to him, her breath hitching, rushing in and out. Oh, damn, she was hyperventilating. He rose and grabbed her by the back of the neck, pushing her head down. “Breathe, Piper. Breathe. Match me.” He took deep breaths and then she was mimicking him. As soon as she was calm, she raised her head.
“I shot him. He was going to…kill you.”
“I know. You did the right thing. You did good.”
“Ty taught me to shoot. He said I should know how.”
“Hooyah, Ty. You had no choice, Piper. It was him or us.”
“I don’t know why he was trying to kill me. I haven’t a clue. He’s supposed to protect me. It’s his job.”
“Diplomatic Security?”
“Yes. He was just assigned to me. I was told he was former military and would be more qualified to protect me on this trip to Afghanistan. I don’t know him.”
“Where is the other one…?”
“Markam. I don’t know. When I woke up, they were both gone.”
He went back and searched the body. He came up with the agent’s badge, passport and wallet. Tucking everything away in his own pockets, he pushed up from the floor.
“We’ve got to get out of here. It’s clear they were targeting you.” He went to a small closet and pulled open the door.
He snagged a blue burka, a full-body garment worn by many Muslim women, off a hook. There were spare ones for nurses who needed to go off base.
“Put this on and make sure to cover up your hair completely.”
She pulled the robe over her head, donning the one-piece covering.
She reached out, her voice filled with concern. “Dexter, you’re bleeding.”
“Can’t be helped. We need to move, double time. I’m getting my combat itch.”
He took her arm and handed her Agent Hatch’s gun. “Since you seem to know what you’re doing with this, you take it. I want you to stay behind me at all times.”
“Yes, sir,” she said shakily. “Do I have to salute you, too?”
He chuckled and said, “No, ma’am. That’s just for us military types.”
“Oh, good. I’m not really good at taking orders, but I’ll defer to you in this.”
“Everything good with Ty?”
She looked at him blankly. “Yes, he was flown out over an hour ago. Do you think he’s in danger, too?”
“I can’t be certain about it. Do you have a cell phone on you?” he asked, the wheels going in his head. The American merc, the ambush. He wasn’t taking any chances.
She looked around and ran to the desk and snagged her purse. She reached inside. “Here. It’s secure.”
“Your brother’s name…the DS agent?”
“Edward Prescott.”
“Right.” He dialed and the phone rang and rang, then went to voicemail. “Dammit…” He waited for the beep. Grabbing her arm and dragging her down the hall, he said, “Rock, it’s Dex. I need you to get word anonymously to Edward Prescott that his brother, Ty, might be in danger. His sister Piper has been attacked, but she’s safe with me.” He moved down the hall until they got to the kitchen. “I’m okay. Don’t tell anyone else I called. I’ll be in touch.” He found a backpack and went to the fridge and loaded up on water, taking whatever was portable and edible. Too bad he didn’t have his pack with his MREs, or ready-to-eat meals,
He dropped the phone and stamped on it with his boot heel. She looked up at him like he’d gone crazy. “I told you it was secure.”
“It still has GPS. I’m not taking any chances.” Ransacking the medical supplies, he grabbed some painkiller and downed a couple tablets. He shrugged into the backpack and frowned at her feet in the very nice heels. They made her legs look long and sexy. Slipping into a makeshift locker room, he spied a pair of sneakers near a locker. They looked a bit too big, but it was better than those heels. In those shoes, she’d for sure break an ankle. “Take those off and put these on.”
They were going to have to hoof it and the terrain would not be easy to traverse.
She eyed the sneakers and said, “You can’t be suggesting that we make a break for it?”
“I’m all that stands between you and death, ma’am. Now move your shapely ass before I forget I’m an officer and a gentleman.”
She jumped, gave him a shaky but cheeky glance as she put on the sneakers and headed for the door into the hall. It was dark outside, which was to their advantage. In the distance, he could still hear automatic weapons’ fire. Their best bet was to get off base and find a place to recon.