more awkward conversation because the others returned and filled the void. Luke and Davis acknowledged Sam with polite nods and gathered around the computer. Ben started up the video clip from the hostage takers’ website. An image of Neveah came on screen. Sam gave a tiny gasp.
Since he'd seen it a few times now, Ben kept his attention on Sam's face. Her eyes were wide, and her tightly laced fingers pressed against her mouth as she stared at the video. Traitor or not, watching the footage was not going to be easy for her.
“My name is Neveah Adams. I am a surgeon with a Doctors Without Borders team in Afghanistan... ”
Ben watched Sam's expression. Her gaze never wavered from the image on the screen. She didn't move, seemed almost frozen as she stood there, studying every nuance of the clip. He could almost hear her brain hum as she analyzed the thing. Sam thrived on data.
“You have twenty-four hours from the time this message is posted to meet the captors’ demands.” On screen, Neveah swallowed hard, her Adam's apple moving visibly. “If you do not comply, one hostage... ” Her voice shredded, and she took a moment to compose herself.
Ben glanced at his brother and saw the lethal rage burning in that deep blue gaze, the tension in that square jaw. Rhys knew Neveah understood what the men holding her were capable of. No wonder his stoic twin looked ready to commit murder.
She regained her composure and continued. “One hostage will be executed every twenty-four hours.”
Ben watched the color drain out of Sam's face as she did the math. If they didn't get her out before the deadline, Neveah had somewhere between one and four days to live.
Fighting the urge to go comfort Sam, Ben forced his attention back to the monitor.
Nev's sapphire gaze moved to something or someone off screen, then back to the camera. “Sam, if you see this, please do whatever they tell you. I love you.”
The fear and plea for help embedded in those eyes would have softened the hardest of hearts, and must have torn Sam to pieces inside. Ben stopped the video, his chest like concrete.
“It was scripted,” Sam blurted. She had both arms wrapped around her waist. Her face was pale as snow.
“Of course it was,” Luke said. “It's all a front. Through them, Tehrazzi demanded money and the release of prisoners in Kabul, Guantanamo and Baghdad.” He folded his arms across his chest, leaned back in a deceptively casual pose to assess her reaction.
“Then why Nev? What's she got to do with— ”
“Because they know your background with her, and that getting her guarantees your cooperation.”
“My cooperation for what? What does Tehrazzi want with me?”
“We think he targeted you and your cousin in Cairo after I hired you.”
Sam gave him a confused look. “What do you mean?”
“He knew I'd hired you. He happened to be in Cairo for a meeting the same time you were, and saw you as a way to get to me. You know our history. This is about him and me, but he saw an opportunity to play on what he considered to be the team's weakest link.”
“Me.”
“You,” Luke agreed. “The timing of Neveah being in Afghanistan played right into his hands. He's using her life as a bargaining chip, knowing you'll do whatever he asks of you to get her out, and he's betting on me stepping in to help. He knows I'd never let you go on your own, just like he knows how bad I want him.”
A hopeful expression came over her face. “So you believe that I'm innocent?”
Ben secretly winced at her naivete.
Luke gave a cold half-smile. “Bottom line, Sam, Tehrazzi is using you to get to me. Beauty of that is, it also means I can use you to get to him.”
Even as Luke said it, Ben's insides clenched in angry denial. Sam was not equipped to deal with an op like this. Hadn't they already dragged Bryn through a similar disaster? He for one was sick to death of putting innocents in danger to try and trap Tehrazzi. The hell of it was, the
Since he'd seen it a few times now, Ben kept his attention on Sam's face. Her eyes were wide, and her tightly laced fingers pressed against her mouth as she stared at the video. Traitor or not, watching the footage was not going to be easy for her.
“My name is Neveah Adams. I am a surgeon with a Doctors Without Borders team in Afghanistan... ”
Ben watched Sam's expression. Her gaze never wavered from the image on the screen. She didn't move, seemed almost frozen as she stood there, studying every nuance of the clip. He could almost hear her brain hum as she analyzed the thing. Sam thrived on data.
“You have twenty-four hours from the time this message is posted to meet the captors’ demands.” On screen, Neveah swallowed hard, her Adam's apple moving visibly. “If you do not comply, one hostage... ” Her voice shredded, and she took a moment to compose herself.
Ben glanced at his brother and saw the lethal rage burning in that deep blue gaze, the tension in that square jaw. Rhys knew Neveah understood what the men holding her were capable of. No wonder his stoic twin looked ready to commit murder.
She regained her composure and continued. “One hostage will be executed every twenty-four hours.”
Ben watched the color drain out of Sam's face as she did the math. If they didn't get her out before the deadline, Neveah had somewhere between one and four days to live.
Fighting the urge to go comfort Sam, Ben forced his attention back to the monitor.
Nev's sapphire gaze moved to something or someone off screen, then back to the camera. “Sam, if you see this, please do whatever they tell you. I love you.”
The fear and plea for help embedded in those eyes would have softened the hardest of hearts, and must have torn Sam to pieces inside. Ben stopped the video, his chest like concrete.
“It was scripted,” Sam blurted. She had both arms wrapped around her waist. Her face was pale as snow.
“Of course it was,” Luke said. “It's all a front. Through them, Tehrazzi demanded money and the release of prisoners in Kabul, Guantanamo and Baghdad.” He folded his arms across his chest, leaned back in a deceptively casual pose to assess her reaction.
“Then why Nev? What's she got to do with— ”
“Because they know your background with her, and that getting her guarantees your cooperation.”
“My cooperation for what? What does Tehrazzi want with me?”
“We think he targeted you and your cousin in Cairo after I hired you.”
Sam gave him a confused look. “What do you mean?”
“He knew I'd hired you. He happened to be in Cairo for a meeting the same time you were, and saw you as a way to get to me. You know our history. This is about him and me, but he saw an opportunity to play on what he considered to be the team's weakest link.”
“Me.”
“You,” Luke agreed. “The timing of Neveah being in Afghanistan played right into his hands. He's using her life as a bargaining chip, knowing you'll do whatever he asks of you to get her out, and he's betting on me stepping in to help. He knows I'd never let you go on your own, just like he knows how bad I want him.”
A hopeful expression came over her face. “So you believe that I'm innocent?”
Ben secretly winced at her naivete.
Luke gave a cold half-smile. “Bottom line, Sam, Tehrazzi is using you to get to me. Beauty of that is, it also means I can use you to get to him.”
Even as Luke said it, Ben's insides clenched in angry denial. Sam was not equipped to deal with an op like this. Hadn't they already dragged Bryn through a similar disaster? He for one was sick to death of putting innocents in danger to try and trap Tehrazzi. The hell of it was, the
Similar Books
