her, annoyed because if he were on his own, like he wanted to be, he wouldn't be standing here smelling her hair and explaining himself. He sifted through the warm, wet, rose-scented strands to find the wound.
"Raazaq is slippery as hell and has, thus far, managed to elude every effort to capture him. This needs antiseptic."
"Done."
Strands of her long hair clung to his hands and wrists like licks of a flame as he inspected the lump on the back of her head. The jagged cut was already healing but he'd keep an eye on it. His fingers sifted through the fiery strands for a brief moment. He was almost surprised to find her hair cool to the touch, not blazing hot.
Kane removed his fingers from her hair with a silent curse. "You'll live."
"Good to know," AJ said wryly. She pushed her empty plate out of the way and reached for her coffee cup as he resumed his seat opposite her. She didn't do what any other woman would've done: mess with her hair. "Why did he target the school?"
"The daughters of high-profile heads of state from all over the world attended San Souci. He demanded the U.S. free the hundred members of the Freedom Fighter cell we're holding. The U.S. refused. Three of the girls were daughters of members of the British Parliament, another a minor princess. Thirty-two of the kids were from the States. Everyone wants swift retaliation. The United Nations just passed a resolution—get him, but keep it by the books."
She gave him a short smile and a nod of admiration. "You said on the flight over that's what they'd say."
Kane nodded. "They're predictable, I'll give them that." Security forces all over the world were aware Kane was heading up a team to go in after Raazaq. While the world champed at the bit for news reports of official inquiries, T-FLAC was doing its job. Covertly.
"Sure. Easy for them to say. Chaos reigns and we all get wet," AJ said, helping herself to another cup of fragrant coffee. "Do we know where he is now?"
"Just received confirmation. Moving south. Slowly."
"Looking over his left shoulder for us?"
"Enough clues were left that he'll think we were just one of a multitude of enemies. He'll be watching his back, but not for us. Luckily for the good guys, everybody wants a piece of Raazaq's ass and he knows it. The son of a bitch has more enemies than Satan."
"I hate to point this out, now that I'm back in the game, but his people will certainly recognize me when we come face-to-face. How will I pull that off?"
"I seriously doubt you'll be made. There was too much action, too far away. Your most recognizable features are your eyes and your hair. Your head was covered, your face and hair were masked by the sand and dust. The guys chasing us were low on the food chain, not hired for their observation skills."
She relaxed. Good. This could still be salvaged. "Did intel fill you in on why he's going to Fayoum in the first place? It's just a small oasis, a green smudge in the desert, isn't it?"
"He has a sister he raised himself when their parents were killed in a bus accident. Apparently they're very close, yet this is the first time anyone knew he had family. For obvious reasons he wouldn't want anyone to know of her existence. She's about to have her first baby and he's planned to visit her in the next couple of days."
"Unless we get to him first."
"Unless we get to him first," he agreed. "We're registered at the Auberge du Lac Hotel in Fayoum, where we'll arrive early this evening. I've arranged for a local to scout out scenic backdrops for our fashion-photo shoot for the next couple of days. The man's known as a talker. By the time we get there, everyone will be aware that a beautiful redheaded American model is in town."
"You're still not telling me what the—"
He cut her off and reached for the coffee. "Raazaq's sister lives in a village not far from there. He'll be one of the first people to find out about you. The temptation to meet you will draw him to one of our outdoor shoots. Or
"Raazaq is slippery as hell and has, thus far, managed to elude every effort to capture him. This needs antiseptic."
"Done."
Strands of her long hair clung to his hands and wrists like licks of a flame as he inspected the lump on the back of her head. The jagged cut was already healing but he'd keep an eye on it. His fingers sifted through the fiery strands for a brief moment. He was almost surprised to find her hair cool to the touch, not blazing hot.
Kane removed his fingers from her hair with a silent curse. "You'll live."
"Good to know," AJ said wryly. She pushed her empty plate out of the way and reached for her coffee cup as he resumed his seat opposite her. She didn't do what any other woman would've done: mess with her hair. "Why did he target the school?"
"The daughters of high-profile heads of state from all over the world attended San Souci. He demanded the U.S. free the hundred members of the Freedom Fighter cell we're holding. The U.S. refused. Three of the girls were daughters of members of the British Parliament, another a minor princess. Thirty-two of the kids were from the States. Everyone wants swift retaliation. The United Nations just passed a resolution—get him, but keep it by the books."
She gave him a short smile and a nod of admiration. "You said on the flight over that's what they'd say."
Kane nodded. "They're predictable, I'll give them that." Security forces all over the world were aware Kane was heading up a team to go in after Raazaq. While the world champed at the bit for news reports of official inquiries, T-FLAC was doing its job. Covertly.
"Sure. Easy for them to say. Chaos reigns and we all get wet," AJ said, helping herself to another cup of fragrant coffee. "Do we know where he is now?"
"Just received confirmation. Moving south. Slowly."
"Looking over his left shoulder for us?"
"Enough clues were left that he'll think we were just one of a multitude of enemies. He'll be watching his back, but not for us. Luckily for the good guys, everybody wants a piece of Raazaq's ass and he knows it. The son of a bitch has more enemies than Satan."
"I hate to point this out, now that I'm back in the game, but his people will certainly recognize me when we come face-to-face. How will I pull that off?"
"I seriously doubt you'll be made. There was too much action, too far away. Your most recognizable features are your eyes and your hair. Your head was covered, your face and hair were masked by the sand and dust. The guys chasing us were low on the food chain, not hired for their observation skills."
She relaxed. Good. This could still be salvaged. "Did intel fill you in on why he's going to Fayoum in the first place? It's just a small oasis, a green smudge in the desert, isn't it?"
"He has a sister he raised himself when their parents were killed in a bus accident. Apparently they're very close, yet this is the first time anyone knew he had family. For obvious reasons he wouldn't want anyone to know of her existence. She's about to have her first baby and he's planned to visit her in the next couple of days."
"Unless we get to him first."
"Unless we get to him first," he agreed. "We're registered at the Auberge du Lac Hotel in Fayoum, where we'll arrive early this evening. I've arranged for a local to scout out scenic backdrops for our fashion-photo shoot for the next couple of days. The man's known as a talker. By the time we get there, everyone will be aware that a beautiful redheaded American model is in town."
"You're still not telling me what the—"
He cut her off and reached for the coffee. "Raazaq's sister lives in a village not far from there. He'll be one of the first people to find out about you. The temptation to meet you will draw him to one of our outdoor shoots. Or
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