“True.” Coop looked over the seat in front of him to join in on the conversation. “But there was only one volunteer you went batshit over.”
“Fuck you, Coop. I didn’t go batshit over anyone.”
“Uh, yeah.” The former Ranger smirked. “You kinda did.”
With an exaggerated sigh, Jason shut the computer once more. Jesus, these guys were worse than a bunch of junior high pricks at the fucking lunch table.
“The woman was half a second away from having a bullet in her brain.” A thought that still made him sick to his stomach. “Of course, I wanted to make sure she was okay.”
“Come on, Ryker.” Jake shot him a look that said he was full of shit. “It’s okay to admit you like her.”
Coop nodded. “Yeah, man. Lord knows we’ve all been there.”
“I don’t fucking like her, okay?”Liar, liar, ass on fire.
Shit. Had he spoken as loudly as it sounded? With a quick glance over his shoulder, Jason was relieved to see Sophie still asleep in her seat located at the back of the aircraft.
Just in case, he lowered his voice before turning back to the two annoying assholes. “She’s a woman who works at my agency’s hospital. Of course, I felt responsible for her. But on a purely professional level.”
Those flames are getting bigger with every bullshit word you utter.
“A woman you hand-picked to work there, if memory serves me correctly.”
Fuck me.
Of course Jake would remember that bit of information. Jason had only told the man that back when he was trying to convince Olivia to come work at Homeland’s hospital, too.
Now McQueen was using it as ammunition for his adolescent antics.
“Fine,” he conceded. “Yes, I hand-picked Sophie. She’s a brilliant doctor who aced the interviews, and she came highly recommended. No, there isn’t anything going on between us. And in case I’ve never made it clear to you in the past, my personal life is none of your goddamn business. Now, if the two of you will excuse me, I need to use the restroom.”
“The restroom, huh?” Coop glanced down the aisle toward the back. “Would that be the same restroom that’s close to where our lovely doctor is currently sitting?”
“It’s the only restroom on the damn plane, dickwad.” Jason stood. Setting his computer in his seat, he nudged Jake’s leg. “You gonna move, or you want me to piss all over your lap.”
“Gross.” Jake scowled as he stood to get out of the way. “Damn, you’re cranky when you’re wrong.”
“I’m not... “ He sighed. “Forget it.” With a shake of his head, he turned and started down the plane’s narrow aisle.
Passing by the other AMOVA volunteers, Jason noticed that some of them were sleeping like babies while others seemed amped up from the day’s events.
Everyone reacted to stress and danger differently. They’d no doubt have a few nightmares after this, but at least they were safe and heading back home.
All except one.
He thought about Colton Moore, the journalist who was officially listed as missing. Before leaving the hospital in Djibouti, Alpha Team had tried and failed to locate him.
Even the second group of SEALs that had arrived shortly after they’d saved Sophie and Christine had found no signs of the missing man.
Others were out looking for Moore, covering the streets of Djibouti and the surrounding area. But given the state of unrest the city was in, the man had probably gone underground to keep himself out of harm’s way.
It would most likely take days, or even weeks to find him. But they’d keep looking. No way would they knowingly leave a United States citizen on his own in a situation like that.
Once inside the miniscule bathroom, Jason locked the door and turned on the faucet. He didn’t actually need to go, he’d just used it as an excuse to get away from Jake and Coop’s Spanish Inquisition.
All because he didn’t want to see Sophie hurt.
So the fuck what? There wasn’t a man on this jet that would stand by while some chicken shit bastard assaulted an innocent woman.