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she reached a door on a side street, she took out her key and slipped it into the lock. It looked like a simple key lock, but she knew it was actually wired to a security system. Someone could steal her key, and they could use it to enter, but they wouldn’t get very far with the cameras trained on the entry. She looked up into the camera, making sure it captured her face, before she passed into a shaded inner courtyard and leaned back against the wall. She searched beneath her abaya for the tube of her waterskin, sucking on it gratefully when she located it.
    The water was warm, but still welcome.  
    “You okay, Emily?”
    She looked up to find Rascal staring down at her. Rascal was a big man, bald, and about as gentle as a kitten. Or at least he was with people he liked. She suspected he was quite scary when he didn’t like someone. He was, like many of the men here, a former soldier of some sort. She just wasn’t sure for whom. Sometimes he had the trace of a foreign accent, but just when she thought she had a handle on it, it disappeared again and she was left wondering if she’d imagined it.
    “Yes, fine, thanks.”
    He shook his head. “You look green.”
    She felt green, but she wasn’t going to say it. “Not used to the heat, I guess.”
    He snorted. “You used to live out here.”
    “Been away too long.”
    He sniffed. “Looks like we’ve got company coming. Boss man says we’re working with someone on this thing with the archaeologists.”
    Her stomach twisted. “Did he say who?”
    “Nope.” Rascal picked up the case he’d been carrying—guns, most likely—and slung it over his shoulder. “Got to get this stuff sorted. You go on inside and get some cold water, Em. Lie down a while and you’ll feel better.”
    “Thanks.”
    Rascal tipped his head and kept on going. Emily made her way deeper into the inner courtyard and entered the main dwelling. She’d quickly learned once she got out here that Ian Black had quite the network of spies, soldiers, and equipment. He was set up as well as anything she’d seen when the Hostile Operations Team had rescued her last year. Except his guys were a little on the rawer side. A little less polished and a lot more… mercenary.
    Or maybe that was just her imagination. But they weren’t quite like the HOT guys. A picture of Ryan flashed into her head, and she had to bite back a whimper. That last night with him… God, what a beautiful night that had been.
    He didn’t know it, but he’d fixed something for her. He’d made her less afraid. She didn’t know why, but since she’d left his side early that morning, she hadn’t been as scared of anything as she had been before. The only thing she’d been afraid of was leaving him. Having him hate her.
    Her heart flipped and she swallowed. She’d wondered how he reacted when he got the news. She’d made Ian promise to send a message to Colonel Mendez. She didn’t want Victoria and Ryan wondering if she’d been kidnapped or snatched by a serial killer or something. She needed them to know she was alive and had gone of her own free will.
    But how had they reacted? Victoria would have been furious, of course. But what of Ryan? Was he angry, or disgusted?
    She hated the idea that he might despise her, but there was no going back now. She only hoped that when this was all over, he might forgive her.
    “Emily.”  
    She stopped at the sound of Ian’s voice. He came out of the shadows of his office door, his eyes raking over her. Dark eyes. Eyes filled with things she couldn’t begin to fathom.  
    She liked Ian. She felt like he was a kindred soul somehow.
    “Mustafa didn’t show,” she said, getting down to business. “He said the last time he might not be able to get away.”
    Ian blew out a breath. “Dammit. We need to figure out where they’re holding those hostages.”
    “I know.” She gritted her teeth. “Why haven’t you sent me yet? I should be inside the cell, getting the information