need a direction to point this thing.”
“Understood commander,” she teased to keep the situation light. “You going to fire that inside this room?”
“That’s the second time you’ve discouraged me from launching this thing. What would you have me do?”
“These are not regular army. Militia maybe, but not professionals.” Batya said.
“And?”
He hit the floor at the explosion of rifle fire inside the room. His eyes buzzed, blurred his vision. The concussion against the back of his skull caused his neck to burn. Justice hesitated to look up, but the aroma of the battle wafted in the already stagnant air.
“And, no need to kill a mosquito with an elephant gun,” she countered, the sniper rifle held just below her waist. “You can thank me later for taking your alleged sniper out of the equation. It looked more like a kid.”
“Oh, momma. You are one bad ass baby,” Fury howled.
She crouched and crawled closer to their side of the room, “What is with this calling everybody baby?”
“Just good ole southern hospitality.” Justice smiled, easing the strain of concentration that had distorted his expression.
“It is most confusing.” She low crawled closer to the door and peeked at the three bodies in the hall. “Now where do we go?”
Fury pressed his back into the rough surface and began to visibly shake. Batya crunched her lips and cheeks as she glanced at Justice. He wasn’t sure about Fury’s odd reaction either. Justice knew his brother had been in sticky situations with the different SEAL teams, so this skirmish shouldn’t have bothered him.
“Baby,” Batya said low, “what is the cause of this reaction?”
“They don’t know I’m gone. How am I going to explain McDuff?” He slapped his palm into his forehead. “I’m fucked. Spend my life in prison after they court-martial me.”
“Shit, Bro. I had no idea you been AWOL all this time.”
“You called. I came. It’s what brothers do.”
Batya said, “That is the ultimate loyalty. We will fix this, baby.”
Fury mashed moisture away from his eyelids as his lips curled with a smile.
“Thank you, but you don’t have to call me baby. It’s just creepy.”
“Are you homosexual?” Batya blurted out.
“Why would you ask him that?” Justice snapped.
Batya shrugged. “Is it a bad topic?”
“It’s just out of character and seems to be none of your business.” Justice’s defensive tone probably told her what she already knew.
“Maybe not, but I’ve been unconscious the last four days. This man saved my life, while risking his and costing McDuff his life. I think I have a right to know him better.”
Fury held up his hand. “But what’s my sex life have to do with anything?”
“I know your military’s policy and their attitudes toward homosexuals. If you are working with a SEAL team and having to conceal your preferences, then you must be a much more brave man than any one of us could imagine.”
“Thank you.”
“I still don’t know where that’s appropriate to ask.” Justice, bothered by the revelation, tried to quash the topic.
“People, seriously what’s the fucking difference? We’re trapped in the middle of hell and you are arguing whether I suck cock or not? Lets focus on getting out of here alive.”
“I do apologize. I assume I’m not quite back to normal yet.” She rubbed her palms over her exposed arms. Both were a deep purple and still swollen from the blows she’d suffered.
Fury gently patted her arms. “You need another week of recovery, Batya. You were bashed up pretty good on the inside.”
“I don’t think we have the luxury of a week. Where are we anyway?” she asked.
“We’re off Khyber Pass, forty kilometers west of Peshawar and leading to Kabul,” Justice said.
“Are we back in Pakistan?” Batya’s voice rose. She bent over—face contorting in pain.
Justice ran his scarred knuckles across his brow. “Hard to tell. The summit at Landi Kotal is about
“Understood commander,” she teased to keep the situation light. “You going to fire that inside this room?”
“That’s the second time you’ve discouraged me from launching this thing. What would you have me do?”
“These are not regular army. Militia maybe, but not professionals.” Batya said.
“And?”
He hit the floor at the explosion of rifle fire inside the room. His eyes buzzed, blurred his vision. The concussion against the back of his skull caused his neck to burn. Justice hesitated to look up, but the aroma of the battle wafted in the already stagnant air.
“And, no need to kill a mosquito with an elephant gun,” she countered, the sniper rifle held just below her waist. “You can thank me later for taking your alleged sniper out of the equation. It looked more like a kid.”
“Oh, momma. You are one bad ass baby,” Fury howled.
She crouched and crawled closer to their side of the room, “What is with this calling everybody baby?”
“Just good ole southern hospitality.” Justice smiled, easing the strain of concentration that had distorted his expression.
“It is most confusing.” She low crawled closer to the door and peeked at the three bodies in the hall. “Now where do we go?”
Fury pressed his back into the rough surface and began to visibly shake. Batya crunched her lips and cheeks as she glanced at Justice. He wasn’t sure about Fury’s odd reaction either. Justice knew his brother had been in sticky situations with the different SEAL teams, so this skirmish shouldn’t have bothered him.
“Baby,” Batya said low, “what is the cause of this reaction?”
“They don’t know I’m gone. How am I going to explain McDuff?” He slapped his palm into his forehead. “I’m fucked. Spend my life in prison after they court-martial me.”
“Shit, Bro. I had no idea you been AWOL all this time.”
“You called. I came. It’s what brothers do.”
Batya said, “That is the ultimate loyalty. We will fix this, baby.”
Fury mashed moisture away from his eyelids as his lips curled with a smile.
“Thank you, but you don’t have to call me baby. It’s just creepy.”
“Are you homosexual?” Batya blurted out.
“Why would you ask him that?” Justice snapped.
Batya shrugged. “Is it a bad topic?”
“It’s just out of character and seems to be none of your business.” Justice’s defensive tone probably told her what she already knew.
“Maybe not, but I’ve been unconscious the last four days. This man saved my life, while risking his and costing McDuff his life. I think I have a right to know him better.”
Fury held up his hand. “But what’s my sex life have to do with anything?”
“I know your military’s policy and their attitudes toward homosexuals. If you are working with a SEAL team and having to conceal your preferences, then you must be a much more brave man than any one of us could imagine.”
“Thank you.”
“I still don’t know where that’s appropriate to ask.” Justice, bothered by the revelation, tried to quash the topic.
“People, seriously what’s the fucking difference? We’re trapped in the middle of hell and you are arguing whether I suck cock or not? Lets focus on getting out of here alive.”
“I do apologize. I assume I’m not quite back to normal yet.” She rubbed her palms over her exposed arms. Both were a deep purple and still swollen from the blows she’d suffered.
Fury gently patted her arms. “You need another week of recovery, Batya. You were bashed up pretty good on the inside.”
“I don’t think we have the luxury of a week. Where are we anyway?” she asked.
“We’re off Khyber Pass, forty kilometers west of Peshawar and leading to Kabul,” Justice said.
“Are we back in Pakistan?” Batya’s voice rose. She bent over—face contorting in pain.
Justice ran his scarred knuckles across his brow. “Hard to tell. The summit at Landi Kotal is about
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