Amusement flickered in Connors eyes before he chuckled. “You look like he just took away your candy. With any luck if you hurry, you might be able to catch them.” Connors patted him on the back. “Game on, Romeo. May the best man win.”
Rick hoped that he’d find out everything about Lydia quickly. The more he was around Connors, the more his temper flared. The man was trying to push his buttons, and seemed to be doing a fine job. Rick was a trained professional for god sake. He’d questioned criminals for a living. He could deal with this jerk. “You don’t stand a chance.”
Rick took a step toward the doors before he glanced over his shoulder and regarded the soldier. His own gut instincts warned him that this man would be nothing but trouble, but he couldn’t help himself. Rick shook his head. “By the time she gets finished training with you, you’ll be lucky to still be standing.” Rick grinned. “Do you even know what she’s capable of?” Rick’s grin grew into a full-fledged smile.
Connors lips pulled into a thin line and Rick gave his own version of a chuckle as he hurried to catch up with Briggs. As much fun as it was dealing with Connors, Rick really did have an agenda to keep. He needed to keep his eye on his little Auburn beauty while trying to get the answers he needed.
Rick walked over to the waiting Humvee. The doors sat ajar and he could see Lydia sitting up wide awake glancing curiously at her surroundings. He stopped with his hand on the roof of the vehicle. The hairs on his neck stood on end. His gut was screaming at him that trouble was nearby. He was missing something, something that wasn’t good.
He glanced around the airfield. Off in the distance there were several buildings. People milled around outside but everyone looked like they belonged. The military green camo reminded him of the bases he’d been stationed at before joining the FBI. He turned toward the perimeter of the barbed wire fence. Thickets of green forest surrounded the compound. Nothing and yet everything seemed wrong. What the hell had he got himself into?
Rick hopped in the Humvee and glanced at Lydia. “Welcome back to the land of the living.”
“Some protector you are. You let them stick a needle in my arm.” Her voice was heavy with disdain and she let out a shiver.
It was clear she didn’t trust him and to be honest, she shouldn’t. However her body betrayed her, he’d figured out one bit of information from their short exchange of words. It seemed the little princess didn’t like the thought of needles. He silently wondered what else scared the strong woman.
Rick didn’t even grace her with a comment. Really what could he say? She spoke the truth. He hadn’t prevented the doctor’s advance. He had thought that she was relatively safe on a plane full of military personnel; now he was questioning everything.
Chapter 4
Jimmy Summers let the binoculars drop from his hand and fall against his chest. His legs ached from the still position he’d been in all damn afternoon. He reached up and swatted another annoying mosquito as it tried to drain some of his precious blood. He was tired, he was hungry and he didn’t see the purpose why his boss sent him to sit in this damn tree. Beads of sweat ran down his face. The heat from the glaring sun all day felt suffocating. At least the sun had retreated several hours ago, but it was still too damn hot for his taste.
He reached up and swiped at the sweat with the back of his hand, hoping for some relief of his situation, as if that was possible. Had he known he’d be up this tree this late into the night, he’d have brought a towel and a damn snack; if he’d came at all. His stomach growled and he lifted a hand to his stomach trying to smother the sound. He’d hiding so well and just far enough away that security from the compound hadn’t found him, and it seemed that his luck was about to run out the louder his stomach had gotten.
“This sucks.” He whispered to himself.
Jimmy heard the plane before he saw it and felt a sudden elation and apprehension fill him.
“About fucking time.” He spat out. If what his informant had told him had been the truth, then the plane he was watching taxi up the runway held precious cargo his boss was salivating to get his hands on. The bitch onboard was supposed to be their salvation, although the old man wouldn’t elaborate why. As far as Jimmy was concerned the old man was losing his mind if their survival depended on a damn woman on that plane. All of the drugs the asshole was taking were starting to affect his better judgment.
Jimmy shook his head and lifted the binoculars back to his eyes, thankful that his time in the trees were coming to an end. A snarl formed on his lips as he watched a hulk of a man carrying a petite redheaded snuggled in his arms from the plane to the awaiting vehicle. “Who the hell is she suppose to be?”