Freefall by Traci Hunter Abramson Page B

Washington?” Brent asked.
    â€œWe have computers being delivered any time, and we’re going to set up a secure link with the closed-circuit security cameras for the metro,” Kel explained. “The transit authority is already working with our computer guys in DC to set it up for us.”
    â€œWhere do you want me to start?”
    â€œFor now, why don’t you go down and pay a visit to Amy Whitmore?” Kel suggested. “You can check on how she’s doing while you ask if she can remember anything else the ambassador said.”
    Brent stood, ignoring the flutter of anticipation that shot through him. He told himself he was just anxious to see for himself that Amy was all right. He took two steps before he thought to ask, “Why don’t we just talk to the ambassador directly?”
    â€œWe would if we could.”
    â€œWasn’t he at the hotel in Cairo?”
    Kel nodded. “Oh, he was there. Apparently all of the excitement of being evacuated last week and the assassination attempt today resulted in some kind of nervous breakdown. He is currently under sedation.”
    Tristan rolled his eyes. “How in the world did he get posted to this part of the world?”
    Kel ended the speculation with a look. “It doesn’t matter. Either way, most of the intel we have is from what Brent and Amy have pieced together. We can’t afford to turn away whatever sources we still have.”
    â€œThis is so not fair,” Quinn complained. “We get to sit around and stare at computers for the next who knows how long, and you’re sending him on a date.”
    â€œDon’t wait up, Mommy.” Brent grinned and headed for the door.
    â€œAt least send us some pizza!” Quinn called after him as laughter echoed out into the hallway.

CHAPTER 11
    â€œCan you please take this needle out of my arm?” Amy asked for the third time in less than an hour.
    â€œI’ll have to ask the doctor, miss,” the nurse said as she breezed out of the room.
    Amy sighed, frustrated that she had been confined to this hospital bed for the past eight hours. Within an hour of getting into dry clothes, her shivering had finally ceased, but the doctor had insisted on hooking her up to an IV as a precaution. She had refused the flimsy hospital gown the nurse offered her and was now dressed in a pair of army fatigues that someone had managed to scrounge up.
    After she had finally warmed up, exhaustion had overtaken her and she had spent her first several hours in blissful slumber. She had then realized that someone needed to let her family know she was okay, which thankfully had already been taken care of. Now it seemed that every time she started to doze off, a nurse would come in and start poking and prodding again. Then she would remember the needle in her arm, something she could hardly stand to look at, and her mind would start racing.
    Memories of her struggles escaping Abolstan just served to remind her that she already missed Brent’s company even though they had only been apart for eight hours. She supposed that was normal after spending so much time together, but it depressed her to think that she might not see him again. Repeatedly she told herself that the connection she felt to him was probably intensified because of their circumstances, but that didn’t stop her from thinking about him.
    She had not seen or heard from Brent since they had landed and she had been loaded into an ambulance. Though she knew it had only been the night before, she felt like she had been in the hospital for days rather than hours. The possibility that Brent had already rejoined his team and was headed for the threat in Cairo was too real to dismiss, but she preferred that to the thought of him flying to Washington, where he might be dealing with something even more deadly and elusive than an assassin.
    Imagining the chaos that would occur if these terrorists were successful