Read Dangerously Hot (A Hostile Operations Team Novel)(#4) for Free Online

moving closer every day. There was rebellion out in the desert, pockets of unrest near the city. She might be out of the military now, but she could watch CNN International and Al Jazeera like anyone.
    Mendez looked grave. “Yes. But Baq is still safe at the moment. The airport is held by troops loyal to the king, and the king is secretly working with the U.S. on security. We’ve been sending arms for months now.”
    Lucky clenched her hands into fists in her lap. “This is beginning to sound completely insane.”
    “I’ll grant you that. But Qu’rim is important. More important than many people realize.”  
    He brought up another screen, and her heart nearly stopped. “Uranium,” she breathed. “They have uranium.”
    Around the table, the guys looked grim. “Yeah,” Mendez said. “They have a mine. And it’s in our best interests to protect that. Should the rebels succeed—well, the balance of power could shift in the region. And that would not be a good thing for us.”
    She felt numb. “I thought this conflict was about fair treatment. The poor taking from the rich and all that.”
    “That’s what they want you to think. But it’s far more than that. The Qu’rimis have an enrichment program. So far, they claim it’s for peaceful means, but in the wrong hands…” He shrugged.
    “You think Al Ahmad has something to do with this.”
    His eyes flashed with approval. “Yes. The rebellion started a little over a year ago, and things have steadily gotten worse. He’s there. And he knows that if the balance shifts, he’ll be in a prime position. Qu’rim has chemical weapons. Al Ahmad wants them.”
    “Holy shit.”
    “Precisely.”
    She drew in a deep breath. If Al Ahmad had anything to do with this, if he got his hands on chemical weapons, if he got control of the uranium… it was a terrifying scenario with disastrous consequences.
    “What do you need from me?”
    Mendez leaned forward, his eyes sparking with intensity. “We need to know who Al Ahmad is, and we need to get him so we can put an end to the Freedom Force. For that, we need you. If it could be done any other way—” He slapped a hand on the table and she jumped. “But it can’t. We need boots on the ground, ready to take him. We need you.”
    He turned back to the screen and pulled up another slide before she could say anything. “This is the scenario. Baq is still doing business as usual, and there’s a demand for English teachers. You speak several dialects of Arabic, and you would be able to fit in as an instructor. Naturally, you will be accompanied by your new husband.”
    She started, but she didn’t think Mendez noticed. If any of the guys were uncomfortable, they didn’t show it. Except Kev. He seemed… stiff, angry.
    And then Billy shot Kev a look, and Lucky revised her estimate. That was at least two guys uncomfortable with the idea. Three if you counted her.
    “The rest of the team will be there in various capacities. You won’t be alone. And Sergeant MacDonald will be with you twenty-four seven, no matter what.”
    Her heart squeezed tight. Kev didn’t say a word, but she sensed this was news to him the way his shoulders drew back even tighter than before. If she did this, she was going into Baq with Kev as her husband. Kev.
    My God .  
    Lucky concentrated on what Mendez was saying. “And how am I supposed to find Al Ahmad in the midst of all this chaos? Baq is huge, and if he’s busy fomenting rebellion in some of the more remote quarters of Qu’rim…”
    “He has a daughter. She goes to school in Baq.”
    Lucky’s heart nearly stopped. That monster had a child? Oh dear God. A chill washed over her from the top of her head to the soles of her feet. “If you know all this, how can you not know who he is?”
    Irritation flashed across his features then, but she knew instinctively that it wasn’t directed at her. Mendez was very proud of his brainchild and very protective of their accomplishments. The