Behind her, Christine whimpered slightly, so Sophie gave her new friend’s hand a gentle squeeze and forced herself to try again.
“I’m the doctor in charge, here. What is it you want from us?”
“Right now, I want you to remember your place.”
Her place?
Oh, right. Because I’m a woman.
With her back teeth ground together, Sophie drew in a breath and relaxed her jaw. “Do you or your men need medical attention?” She already knew the answer. None were visibly injured in any way. “We can help with whatever it is you nee—”
Pain exploded across Sophie’s cheek as the asshole backhanded her. The small shelf to her left toppled over as she tried to grab onto its metal frame.
“Sophie!” Christine cried out her name.
Though she tried to avoid it, Sophie lost her grip on Christine’s hand. She landed with a thud on the cold, tiled floor next to the fallen shelf and scattered supplies.
“Iam the one in charge here,” the jerk who’d struck her hissed angrily. “Not you.”
“Was that really necessary, Abdul?” one of the other two men asked.
“You want to join her on the ground?”
While the two men continued bickering back and forth, Sophie breathed through the throbbing pain and pushed herself back up to her feet.
A tear slid free, falling down over her tender cheek. Not because she was crying, but because the forceful blow had caused her eye to water.
She held a hand to the side of her face, the skin there stinging and hot to the touch.Damn, that hurt.
“I-I meant no disrespect,” she told the man softly.
“You speaking to me without permission is disrespect.”
Though it may very well earn her another bruise, Sophie said, “Just tell me what it is you want.”
“The journalist. Where is he?”
Wait. What?
Sophie frowned. Why would these men be after Colton?
“Tell me where he is, and you and your friend will live.”
Something about the way he said it—something in his angry, dark eyes—told Sophie he was lying. He had no intentions of letting her or the others go.
I’m not ready to die.
She also didn’t want to see these men hurt Colton. They were clearly after him for a reason, and whatever that was, it couldn’t be good.
This part of the world was notorious for kidnapping and torturing journalists. Especially ones like Colton Moore, who’d written several investigative stories exposing the various Middle East terrorist groups.
While Sophie didn’t know him very well, Colton had been friendly and pleasant to be around during the short time they’d all spent together.
“He’s not here,” she told the man.
Colton had been with her when the Chief informed them the Navy was sending a team to escort them out of the building. He’d gone with her and Christine to the staff area to get their things, but instead of following them to the room where they’d been waiting previously, he’d said he had something he had to take care of, first.
Before Sophie could stop him, he left. She hadn’t seen him since.