Thursday. Vara’s House, Damascus, Syria.

She was gone.

Alec had known that the moment he stirred from sleep. It was just a feeling. An awareness of her that was hard-coded into his system, and she was not in the house. He’d gone to check right as the call for morning prayer sounded over the city. Her cold sheets were a testament to her having been gone a while.

He hadn’t noticed her leaving.

Now here he was, almost two hours later, still watching the street.

Jules could hardly move. Yesterday had taken a toll on her body and she was currently curled up in bed hugging the hot water bottles he’d found in the kitchen. He didn’t think he could move her on his own. Not without a plan or backup or something.

He couldn’t believe Vara had left them without a note or any kind of warning especially since she knew the kind of danger they were in. Maybe she really was a cold-hearted smuggler. He’d thought she couldn’t have changed all that much, but he was beginning to accept that he was wrong. Could she be setting them up? Selling them off while he waited here? Would his Vara really do that to him?

But she wasn’t his anymore.

A noise from the front door captured his attention. Alec grabbed his rifle and sidled up to the entry, using the wall for cover.

“Sabah lkhayr,” a familiar voice called out.

Alec didn’t lower his gun.

Vara swept open the inner door then shut it. She glanced over her shoulder once, frowning at the gun.

“Put that down.” She secured the deadbolts.

“Where have you been?” Alec relaxed his stance.

“Move.” She nudged him out of the way and punched in her alarm code.

“Vara.” He needed answers. Something.

She pulled her scarf from around her head and turned toward the salon. A wrinkle marred her brow and the tension coming off her set his teeth on edge.

“What’s going on? What’s happened?” he asked.

He reached for her, touching her elbow before he could think better of it. She turned toward him that jaw of hers set in a determined thrust.

“We’ve got problems,” she said.

“Is that why you left in the middle of the night?”

“I had to talk to someone. Things are in motion that have nothing to do with you. I need tea and I need you to ease up on the questions for a minute.” She wheeled toward the kitchen and stalked away from him.

“Who?”

“Someone you don’t know.”

“Are you selling us out?”

Vara’s spine straightened, and she whirled around to face him, her mouth hanging open.

“Seriously?” she snapped after a moment.

“I wake up. You’re not here. What am I supposed to think?”

“That I have a very complicated life and things going on you don’t know about. Do you seriously think showing up in one of my trucks gives you the right to ask all the questions?” She was on a roll now, her eyes flashing and fists clenched.

“I need to trust you.” And he had until she’d vanished on him.

“I could have turned you in last night. Or while you were sleeping. Is that not enough?”

She had a point. He didn’t have to like it.

There were so many questions boiling in his head, but she was wound up. He couldn’t get answers right now. Maybe not ever.

She turned and stalked into the kitchen, going through the motions of making tea. He set the gun on the dining table then leaned against the wall, watching her.

“How is Jules?” she asked.

“Old and achy. She’s fine for now. How are you?”

Vara didn’t speak, which was probably for the best, and he was content to wait for her to come to terms with what she wanted to say.

The kettle began to whistle. She poured the hot water into the tea pot just as she’d done last night. Only this time there were two cups. She offered him one and cradled the other in her hands, leaning against the sink with the window looking out into the garden at her back. It made her face harder to see, something he was willing to bet was also intentional.

If she wanted to have a look at him, to watch him, then he’d let her.

“You aren’t in the Navy anymore,” she said.

“Was that a question? You still haven’t answered mine.” He lifted the cup and inhaled the minty aroma.

“I told you to ease up on the questions. And no, I wasn’t asking if you were a SEAL. It was an observation. You’re here as a private contractor. I’m guessing her brother paid you to bring her home?”

“I can’t discuss that with you,” he said slowly. Joe Neilson was taking a risk. His future was in jeopardy as it was.

“And I don’t need to know, if we’re being honest.” She sipped her tea then set the cup down.

They stood like that for several moments sizing each other up.

He needed her help, which meant trusting her. He should give up on asking his questions.

Yeah, he could do that when pigs flew.

“I’m going to tell you something because I am going to need back-up. I need to know that what I’m going to tell you stays between us. You won’t sell it or share it with anyone.”

“I won’t.”

“I’m serious, Alec.”

“And so am I.”

“I shouldn’t tell you.” Vara groaned and covered her face with her hands.

“Hey.” Alec took a chance and closed the distance between them. “You can trust me. I’m one of the good guys. Promise.”

“I have to pick up something today, and I’m worried that the moment I do that we will need to make a run for it. My people, they want me to stay here, but...I can’t.” Vara stared up at him. There was more, things she wouldn’t or couldn’t say. The stress was written plainly on her face.

“Your people?” His bet was CIA. Something on that front.

“Yes.” She tilted her head.

“Your employees, or...company people?”

“Company people,” she whispered.

Damn.

He was right.

Alec wanted to reach out and hold her. He was both so damn proud of her and terrified of what she’d gotten into. The young woman he’d known back in the day had a good heart. But she’d always been safe. This was as far from safe as she could get.

“Is this pickup dangerous?” he asked.

“No. Maybe. I don’t know.” She shook her head.

“How safe is Jules here?”

“As safe as she is anywhere. No one knows she’s here.”

“Here’s what I’m thinking, we’re better off together. At least you and I are. If I help you get this package, can we evac together? Or do you need us to leave so you can go about your business?”

“I don’t know.” Vara crossed her arms over her chest. “Last week I’d have said my chances alone were better. This week? I’d feel better with someone watching my back. And I can’t ask my employees. They don’t know, Alec.”

“Damn. Okay. What’s changed?”

“I don’t know.” She lifted her shoulders. “Nothing that I can see. I can’t point to something, but...everything feels different. Tense. Like a shoe is about to drop. I don’t want to be here when that happens. I need to make this drop, tell my other team to stay in Lebanon and get my guys here out of the country. It’s too much to do.”

“Okay, then what do we do? You know the ins and outs of this place better than I do.”

“This pickup...” She lifted her chin and looked him in the eye. “It’s probably going to end up in a fast, dirty exit. I’m not entirely sure how we’re going to get out of the country.”

“You know people?”

“Yeah, but I can’t exactly give them a heads up and not worry about being sold out. Not by the people who could get us out in the time we’d need to.”

“My extraction plan is bust. For all I know my team is dead—”

“No.” She shook her head.

“You heard something?” Please let it be good news.

“A bunch of dead Americans would have gotten around to me by now. They could have been captured or gotten out on their own, but they aren’t dead.” Vara picked up her tea cup and sipped the liquid.

“What I’m saying is we need help. If you need us, then we’ve got ourselves a team.” He liked the idea of working with Vara. Of finding out what kind of woman she’d become.

She stared up at him, and if it weren’t for the street noise reminding him of where they were, this moment could have been years ago. She was still every bit as beautiful as he remembered. What he was learning about her only made her sexier to him.

Vara licked her lips and glanced away, breaking the moment.

Yeah, he still carried a torch for her. That didn’t mean she felt the same about him.

“What’s our plan?” he asked and backed up a step.

“We leave Jules in the panic room.”

“You have a panic room?”

“It’s more like a closet. She won’t be comfortable, but unless someone knows the room is there, they won’t be able to find her. You and I will go make the pickup. We come back here, then we go.”

“What’s our best way out of the country?”

“There’s a guy who smuggles out refugees by way of a small plane. He does trips two times a day on good days. I haven’t used him, but I’ve sent people to him. That’s going to be our fastest route.”

“Why don’t you look happy about that?”

“Because intel indicates he’s got some ISIS connection. He flies out the northwestern route, right over their territory. He’s got to be in communication with them to not get shot down.”

“Where does he land?”

“In Lebanon at this tiny, regional airport. Its miles from anywhere, but there are trucks that arrive to deliver supplies and things. People then pay to go out on one of those and connect with a smuggler to get them to their destination. I’ve worked with some of those guys, so I try to point people at the good ones.”

“Okay. Then that’s what we do.”

“It’s not going to be that easy.”

“It never is, but we’ll have each other.” Alec hated the idea of Vara being in danger, but at least he’d be there to guard her back.

“You’ll have to follow my lead. You’ll have to listen to me. Just because you’re the SEAL doesn’t mean you know best.”

“I know that.”

“Do you, really?” Vara arched a brow at him. “You’re the guy who always has five questions about everything. I’m not going to have time to stop and justify my decisions to you. Can you handle that?”

Alec bit the inside of his mouth. His gut instinct was to keep both women safe, but to do that he’d have to take a backseat on this one. That wasn’t his nature, but he did trust Vara.

“I’ll handle it,” he finally said.

“But you won’t like it.”

“I can’t change who I am. I want to protect you.” He reached forward and ran his knuckles along her arm, the fabric of her shirt no barrier at all.

“I haven’t needed protecting in a very long time.” That brow of hers arched higher.

“You never did.” He let his hand drop. “When do we leave?”

“Soon. I want to be early, have a chance to watch the area. There are other intel operatives at play here and I’m worried they’re closing in on my contact.”

“You know them well?”

“Well enough. We’ve been working together for...a year and a half?”

“How’d you get into this stuff?”

“It was an accident, I promise.” She sighed.

“Your mom know?”

“Are you capable of not asking questions for five minutes?” She dropped her hands to her sides and glared at him.

“Sorry.” Alec chuckled.

“You’re like a toddler.”

“I missed you.” The words slipped out of his mouth.

Vara’s eyes widened and her body went stiff.

That was the wrong thing to say.

He grit his teeth and grinned.

“You didn’t want another question,” he said and took a step back.

THURSDAY. DAMASCUS, Syria.

I missed you.

Two hours later and those three words were still playing through Vara’s head.

They’d found a café not far from the spot where she was scheduled to meet with Djinn and were currently doing a great job of not looking at each other.

She found it hard to believe Alec had thought twice about her since their fling. She’d been a diversion, just like her mother had said. What kind of man thought about a kid he’d met years ago and only knew for a few months?

That was crazy.

Then why was he still the man by which she measured all others?

The few relationships she’d had were all failed from the start. Even her longest relationship. The only reason she’d dated the attaché guy working for the ambassador was because their schedules barely aligned. It was easy to string that out when they barely saw each other, but eventually she’d faced the facts. He didn’t make her feel the way Alec had. So she’d given up on men in general save for a pleasurable distraction here and there. Instead she’d focused on this. Her work. Getting the job done.

She darted a glance at the man across the table from her and found him watching the street. Just like he was supposed to. He wasn’t paying her any attention.

“What?” Alec said softly.

“Nothing,” she muttered.

Both his Arabic and English would give him away in an instant so they’d agreed to a quiet breakfast. It saved her right now from that narrowed gaze.

Alec always did like his questions.

What do you like?

Does this feel good?

Yeah, she’d fielded a number of them over the years.

Vara checked her watch.

Only a half hour now.

She pulled some cash out and left it on the table. Alec pushed out of his seat and stretched.

To the casual observer he was a relaxed man strolling along. She knew he was anything but. Alec was ready to act.

They turned toward the intersection and flowed along at the speed of the foot traffic. A hand slid along her arm before hooking into her elbow. Her skin tingled, and she knew without looking that was Alec’s hand on her.

He didn’t speak, and she was glad for that. Her head needed to focus on this meet with Djinn. They rarely met in person, not since the very beginning. It was too dangerous for everyone. The last time they’d spoken Djinn hadn’t mentioned the project being near completion. It was all a surprise.

She slowed as they reached the intersection.

The area wasn’t familiar. She knew nothing about it. They’d never met here before.

“Anywhere in particular we’re supposed to be?” Alec asked in a low whisper.

“No idea. Djinn didn’t say.”

“Djinn? That’s their name?”

Vara scanned the people on their morning walk. Djinn wasn’t likely to be here yet, but Vara wanted to understand why this place? What made it special?

“Here.” Vara pulled Alec into the shade of a bus stop and sat on the bench while he remained standing.

“Anything?” he asked.

Vara shrugged.

There were just shops here. This part of the city hadn’t experienced much fighting, so there was no damage. Life proceeded normally. People were on their way to work. Cars zipped past. The busses still ran. A few of the shops were vacant, their windows covered in brown paper with signs advertising the leasing company or other amenities.

Except one.

The façade was a dark blue. The windows were tinted and covered with bars. No sign designated the business.

“Look.” Alec’s every fiber focused on a dark colored sedan that had just parked at the curb.

A man with pale skin got out, his arms covered in distinctive black tattoos.

Shit.

Vara stood and faced Alec, watching the man out of the corner of her eye. “That’s a Russian mob enforcer.”

“You know him?”

“Not much, but I know who he works for. This isn’t a coincidence.” She stared up at Alec. What did she tell him? “Djinn is a hacker working for some kind of joint Russian-Syrian task force. The mob presence here is basically the underhanded arm of the Russian government. They have to know this is how we’ve been getting our intel. This must be why we were supposed to meet.”

“Yeah, well, any idea what our next move is?”

“I don’t know.” Vara bit her lip and turned her head.

The two enforcers weren’t even trying the front door of the shop Vara had noticed. They went down the side street, probably headed for a back exit away from all the pedestrian activity.

“How important is this intel?” Alec asked.

“Djinn said it was huge.”

“Come on.” He brushed her hand before turning and striking off toward the left. “Any idea which building we’re looking at?”

“I’m guessing the one with the blue front.”

“There are a lot of apartments over those shops.”

“With the kind of equipment Djinn has, it’ll be a first floor operation. Why bring us to your doorstep though?”

“Now you sound like me.”

“Something isn’t right.”

The muted sound of gunfire echoed off buildings.

Vara broke into a run, Alec keeping stride with her. They darted across traffic heading for the alley where the two enforcers had disappeared. She didn’t dare draw her weapon yet. This wasn’t her smuggling territory and this could get complicated fast.

They reached the end of the building. The street behind it was narrow and served several industrial looking buildings.

The door to the building directly behind the shop was kicked in.

Vara had been wrong.

“Come on,” she muttered and jogged toward the open door.

Djinn’s intel had saved lives. They’d stopped atrocities from happening here. The work they did mattered. Vara had to return the favor. She couldn’t leave Djinn high and dry like this.

“Let me go first.” Alec stepped in front of her as they drew even with the door.

Vara tilted her head.

Something crashed, and a man cursed.

Alec stepped into the building, lifting his weapon. Vara followed him into a reception area for an office covered with dust. The chairs hadn’t been sat in for ages.

The door leading into the back of the building stood open, light stretching toward them.

A man barked out words Vara couldn’t understand. She’d never learned Russian. Alec shook his head. He didn’t understand it either.

He nodded at the door then gestured at her to wait. She jerked her head. It wouldn’t do for them to both get stuck in the narrow, long hall. She took up position behind an arm chair on one knee as Alec proceeded slowly toward the belly of the building. Once he disappeared from sight Vara slinked after him.

The fluttering of papers proceeded the metal snap of a drawer being shut.

They were looking for something.

She hadn’t heard Djinn yet, but that first shot could have been the one to kill Vara’s contact.

This wasn’t typical of Vara’s work. She’d become accustomed to dangerous times. Smuggling wasn’t exactly a safe line of work. She knew how to handle a weapon and bluff her way out of things. It didn’t mean this was normal for her.

The hall let out into what would have at one time been an office area. It wasn’t as dusty here. A dozen desks or so with terminals sat at the ready. Papers littered the floor. Alec was clear across the room crouched behind a desk. He waved her toward him so she kept low and crossed to the shadows shrouding him from view.

“This place is empty,” he said.

Vara held up her hand and breathed deeply.

The metallic odor was faint, but there.

“Blood.” She tapped her nose and peered around, paying special attention to the floor. “Djinn is here.”

“What do you want to do?”

“We have to draw them out of here. Get them away from this place so I can find Djinn.”

“Fuck,” Alec muttered then sighed. “You think they know what Djinn looks like?”

“No.” At least Vara hoped they didn’t.

“I’ll draw them away. Meet back at your place in an hour. If I’m not back, get Jules and go, understand?” Alec pulled the kerchief around his neck up over his head.

“Alec—no,” she whispered and snatched for his hand.

He gripped it tight and stared at her.

“Nice to know you’re worried about me.” He flashed her a grin then pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “Hide.”

“Shit.” She holstered her gun and scrambled deeper into the building.

Not far away she found an office with a glass window that gave her a partial view of the open floor. From the safety of the shadows she could watch Alec’s bid at distraction.

He straightened, staring intently at the east wing of the office where the voices were coming from.

What was he going to do?

Alec crept out of her line of sight.

She held her breath.

A gunshot ripped through the quiet.

Vara hit the ground and clapped her hands over her ears.

What the hell, Alec?

Two more shots rang out. The answering gunfire was muted.

Feet pounded on the tile and the side door to the building clanged open.

Men yelled. She pushed up in time to see the two enforcers dart out after Alec.

“Holy shit. Holy shit,” Vara muttered.

She waited for a count of five. They could always shoot Alec or grab him. He could be captured, and then what?

No.

Vara gave herself a shake then pushed to her feet.

Alec was a SEAL. He could handle himself and so could she. Just because this wasn’t what she did every day of her life didn’t mean she couldn’t keep it together.

She secured the side door then barred the front entrance. This way she could at least have a heads up that she needed to hide before it was too late.

“Djinn?”

She moved through the front rooms at a quick pace. The enforcers had been here, looking around, and if there was anything to find they’d have found it.

“Djinn, there’s not much time.” Vara crept down the long, main hall bisecting the building and drew her weapon.

The building couldn’t have been vacant long. Everything still appeared operational. Was this where the task force worked? Or was this something else?

She eased a heavy door open and stepped inside a dark room. The windows were covered and most of the light came from computer screens.

“Don’t move,” a woman said.

“Djinn.” Vara breathed a sigh of relief. She held up her hands, but she didn’t fear the woman standing in the dark with a rifle aimed at her.

“You brought them with you?” Djinn’s accent flavored each of her words, making her English difficult to understand.

“The Russians?” Vara switched to Arabic. “No, I didn’t bring them. I was early to our meet. I saw them come this way. I thought you were in trouble.”

“You didn’t come alone.” Djinn’s voice was smooth and angry.

“You didn’t tell me to.”

“I didn’t think I had to.”

“Things are going sideways, Djinn. That’s why you brought me here. That’s why those enforcers were looking for you. That’s why I’m not here alone.” Vara holstered her Glock and stared at the woman who’d helped save lives. Would she really take one now? “Either trust me or don’t. We need to get out of here. Your choice.”

THURSDAY. DAMASCUS, Syria.

Alec had hoped for more of a head start. The enforcers were faster than their size had led him to believe. His arms pumped at his sides. He cut across another street, barreling past onlookers. The police or military were going to be on them soon. Vara had told him response times were getting shorter.

There wasn’t anywhere to lose these guys and Alec wasn’t willing to endanger civilians. He couldn’t allow himself to get captured by the authorities. His documents wouldn’t hold up and there was no way he could explain his weapon. He had to lose these guys or fight them, and he didn’t like the two-to-one odds.

“Move,” he snapped at two boys rounding the corner ahead of him

Alec grabbed the light pole and used it to keep his momentum going, launching him left then darting across the street in a break between cars. His feet hit the sidewalk, and he glanced over his shoulder at the two men still in pursuit.

Did they think he was the hacker? Had they fooled them?

One of the enforcers went left, continuing down the sidewalk while the other braved the angry drivers and took the most direct route.

This might be his only chance.

Alec darted down an alley and slowed his pace. He’d have to make quick work of the first one before his buddy found them. The Russian mob was a mix of criminals who’d been destined for this life and KGB who had nowhere else to go when they were disbanded. It made for a deadly, well-run organization.

The alley ended in a ninety degree corner. Alec darted around, out of sight and stopped, his hand on his gun.

Was killing this guy his only option?

Firing a weapon would bring soldiers down on them and Alec already didn’t want that. It could take a long, drawn out fight to disable the man. But Alec wasn’t a soldier anymore. He didn’t have to kill.

The man rounded the corner. He didn’t even see Alec.

Alec was ready and struck out, hitting the enforcer in the head. Alec’s hand ached. The beefy guy stumbled sideways. Alec punched again with his right, nailing the man in the head then delivered a punch to the jaw with his left.

The man staggered to the wall then went down.

Shit.

It’d worked.

Alec glanced behind him then to the other end of the alley. He didn’t like either option.

The fire escape.

He shoved a metal garbage can sideways, braced his hand on the wall and climbed up onto the lid. He didn’t want to grab the part of the ladder that extended. That would just be a trail.

Here went nothing.

He jumped and grabbed the ladder that didn’t slide down. His shoulder screamed and his hand protested the abuse, but this was his way out. He pulled himself up, almost to the landing, then twisted around to the other side of the ladder before shimmying up to the platform. He took the stairs two and three at a time, eager to reach the top of the building. Alec threw himself over the ledge and lay gasping for air on the roof.

And here he’d said he didn’t want a boring job. He really had to remember moments like this better.

He pushed to his feet and crossed the roof to the other side.

Vara had said to meet back at her place, but his gut wanted to return to where they’d split.

If this was the girl he used to know, he’d go back for her. Vara had always been smart, but she lived behind walls. She’d always been protected. This Vara, the woman she’d become, clearly knew what she was doing. It didn’t stop Alec from wanting to protect her.

He couldn’t forget that she’d been doing this since before he got here. If he weren’t here today, she’d have gone to this meet on her own. She could have died or been captured.

They’d both chosen to live dangerous lives.

“Fuck it. Fine. Stick to the plan,” he muttered.

Alec traversed three rooftops before he dared go to the street level, and then he was only on the sidewalk for as long as it took him to hop a bus. The trek back to Vara’s neighborhood took longer than he’d like, all the while every possible scenario playing through his mind.

And she’d told him they didn’t need burner phones.

What was with this advisory against phones?

First Zain said they couldn’t use them, now Vara.

What weren’t they sharing?

Alec got off one bus and walked a block to the next bus stop. A familiar green scarf caught his eye in the group waiting for the bus. He picked up his pace just as a bus eased to the curb. Alec jumped on the rear entrance and slid to the middle. He dropped into the open seat next to Vara before anyone else could.

She jumped and stared at him with wide eyes.

“Hey,” he murmured and reached over to take her hand in his.

“You’re okay?” Her voice was tight, her hand clenched his and her eyes searched his face.

He breathed his first easy breath since they’d headed toward danger. And he’d left her to face the unknown alone. God, he never wanted to do that again. He reached up and brushed his thumb over a smudge on her face.

Vara leaned into the touch, her lips parted.

She thought he was going to kiss her.

He wanted to, damn it.

Alec closed the distance between them and tasted her mouth. It wasn’t the best angle, and he’d prefer to do this in private, or better yet lying down. He pulled her closer, sliding his tongue along the seam of her lips. Vara jerked then pulled away from him and pressed her fingers to her lips.

“Not in public.” Vara’s voice was breathy. Was that from arousal or adrenaline?

The elderly woman behind them clicked her tongue. She said something Alec only partially understood.

Vara blushed and said something over her shoulder then both women chuckled.

“What did she say?” Alec twined his fingers around Vara’s.

“She thinks we’re married.”

“Oh.” Alec grinned.

“Stop that.” Vara glanced out the window. “Our stop.”

He gave the woman behind them a smile then helped Vara stand. She had a super sized padded envelope tucked into a canvas bag held tight against her side.

“Did you get everything?” he asked.

“Everything I was going to get. Come on.” She led him off the bus.

“How soon until we can leave?” He scanned the quiet streets as they wove toward her home.

“Grab a bag, pack a few things, then we should be good. Getting there early won’t be a bad thing.”

“Think Jules is okay?” He was concerned about the woman after so long in captivity.

“She made it this long, she can hold on a little bit longer. She’s strong.” Vara squeezed his hand then pulled away from him.

Alec tightened his grip.

“I need my keys,” she said.

He wished the sight of Vara’s home inspired more peace in him. Truth was, he wanted to get out of here. Having his focus split between two women wasn’t an ideal way to operate.

A van parked a little ways from Vara’s house caught his eye. Two men sat in the front seat, not looking at their phones or talking, just watching them.

“Vara.” Alec grabbed her hand and pulled her back.

“What?” She glanced at him.

Three men with guns stepped out from the alley running along the house. Three men with spiky, shell shaped logos stitched onto their Kevlar vests and guns aimed at them.