SIX
Jade
After Cooper warned me about Max, I had an even bigger desire to see and talk with him. I went to where I usually saw him, the makeshift outdoor gym on the south wall of the camp.
I saw him on the weight bench lifting some ridiculous amount into the air while a slightly smaller man stood behind him. Neither of them had shirts on. Their bodies glistened with sweat.
“Hey, boys,” I said as I strolled up.
Max grunted then placed the barbell on the hooks. He sat up and stared at me with a disgusting lusty look on his face. While not afraid to apply my female charms when needed, I never took it too far. Most of the time, I got the information I needed. Max might help me break the story wide open.
“What’s going on, foxy reporter?” he said, standing up.
The other man wandered away, leaving Max and I alone.
“Your CO is making me go home early.”
I pouted briefly.
“Get out of here. We were just getting to know each other.”
“I had an idea. Do you want to be in the story I’m writing? It would be a profile piece online. You’d get a lot of fan mail from women all over the world.”
“Who says I don’t get that already?” he asked, stepping toward me.
“Well, it would be even more with a nice story online.” He stopped in front of me. “Maybe some photos.”
“You want to take photos of me?”
“Maybe later. I need information first.”
I glanced to the left and right then back to his face, that ugly, stupid mug.
“Information?” he asked, a puzzled expression on his face.
He was a grunt, not too smart.
“Yeah, about what goes on here at the base.”
“What have you heard?”
Does he actually know something?
“Nothing specific, but you’re the real big man on base.”
A smile spread over his face as he lifted an arm and flexed his muscles.
“Impressive,” I cooed. “You have time to talk?”
“Not now,” he said. “Give me an hour.”
“Um, sure. At the mess hall?”
“No, I’ll come to your quarters.”
“I don’t think…”
Before I finished, he turned and walked away.
“Dammit,” I muttered.
Oh well. I can handle him.
* * *
Well over an hour later, someone knocked on my door.
“Hold on,” I said, standing up.
I crossed the room and stopped.
Be strong, I told myself as I took a deep breath.
After opening the door, I saw Max dressed in camo pants and a tight green tee-shirt, all standard issue. He grinned and stepped forward. I had no other choice but to step back and allow him in.
“You made it,” I said.
“I keep my word.”
As he shut the door behind him, a sense of dread rushed through my body.
“Have a seat, and I’ll pull up my list of questions,” I said, walking to the desk.
He stepped over and closed the laptop lid while looking into my eyes.
“What are you doing?”
“We can do the interview after.”
“After what?”
I narrowly avoided his kiss as he lurched forward.
“Whoa. Hold on a minute,” I said, stepping back toward my bed.
“The hard-to-get act is getting old,” he said, his voice thick.
“Are you drunk?”
He laughed.
“Alcohol isn’t allowed on the base. How would I get some?”
“Smuggling,” I said, staring into his eyes, wishing I could read his thoughts.
“What do you know about smuggling?” he asked as he stepped toward me.
I took a step sideways, toward the door.
“It’s happened during wars throughout history.”
“Yeah? Well, Afghanistan ain’t no war. It’s a hell-hole all the time.”
As he spoke, I continued sliding toward the door.
“Where are you going?” he asked. “You afraid of me or something?”
Or something, I thought but said nothing. What have I gotten myself into now?
“Come on,” he begged. “You want this hot body.”
He lifted his shirt off, showing the ridiculously huge muscles.
“You’re not my type. No hard feelings, though.”
Two more steps to the door…
“Oh, I’ve got hard feelings,” he said with a nasty grin.
I reached out to put my hand on the doorknob, ready to run away. He stumbled forward, pressing his palm against the door, holding it shut.
“Where you running off to, beautiful?”
“You need to leave,” I said firmly.
Do not show fear. Do not show fear. Do not…
“Look, you fucking cock-tease. You’ve been playing Cooper and me both, and that’s not right. If you want information for your damn story, it’ll cost you. He’s not the man you think he is.”
“What do you mean? Is he involved in the smuggling?”
He sighed.
“There you go with the damn smuggling again. All you do is ask questions. Time for you to give some up.”
“What the hell are you talking about? You’re not making any sense.”
The moment he reached out to grab my arm with his hand, I screamed, hoping someone noticed.