He looked back at her, nodded. “I picked them up yesterday afternoon. I installed cameras at the intersections of the roads to the east and west to give Farzad and his men warning if any militia troops or Talibs head this way. There are also cameras on the wall looking to the north and south, on the front gate, and in the waiting area. I still have to set up the monitors and teach Farzad and his crew how to use the system, but I should be done by this evening.”
Jenna had to admit, at least to herself, that this made her feel safer. “Thank you.”
He turned in his seat so they could speak face to face. “Are you having a better day?”
“Four babies so far, all healthy. Thanks.” The concern in his blue eyes made her pulse quicken.
God, you are pathetic!
She’d known being here would mean two years of celibacy, so why did she explode into hormones every time she was around him? First his scent. Then the sight of his butt. Then his touch. Now his eyes.
“I need you to do me a favor. Can you organize emergency drills for the women? Farzad is afraid that running drills will scare everyone, but I think you’re all tougher than that. He’s willing to wait till bullets fly and trust that you’ll manage. I’d rather see you get organized and practice, even in small groups. Keep it low-key, but drill.”
“Okay.” She wasn’t sure how the others would feel about this.
“You’ll want to make sure you’ve got food, water, blankets, whatever medical supplies you might need, and some kind of toilet. The siege at the midwifery school in Ghazni lasted most of a day.”
A midwife had been shot in the head during that raid.
“I don’t think we have blankets to spare.”
“I’ll get some. I can get water pouches and halal MREs, too, if that helps.”
“The army makes halal MREs?”
Halalwas the Islamic equivalent of the Jewish concept of kosher.
Derek grinned, making Jenna’s heart skip a beat. “Hey, Uncle Sam thinks of everything.”
“I’ll do what I can.”
“Good. I’ll set the MREs and the water outside the back door and text you to let you know it’s there.”
Then Jenna remembered. “Are you married?”
Derek’s expression shifted to amusement. “Why do you ask?”
Heat rushed into her cheeks. “It’s not personal. One of the students asked me, and I wanted to make sure we’re not telling different stories.”
“Smart. No, I’m not married.”
Why this should please Jenna, she couldn’t say. “Do you have a girlfriend?”
He shook his head. “I’m not really good at the relationship thing. I’m gone all the time, and I can’t talk about my work. That doesn’t fly with most women.”
Not wanting to pry, Jenna changed the subject. “James told me some things—how grenades work, how helicopters stay in the air, how to load a magazine. He told me stories about the things you two did.”
“Did he?” Derek didn’t sound altogether pleased.
“Does that mean you have to kill me now?” The moment she said it, she regretted it. He almost certainlyhadkilled people, and joking about it was insensitive at best.
His brow furrowed. “God, no.”
“Well, that’s a relief.”
It was his turn to change the subject. “How about you? Why aren’t you married?”
“I guess I haven’t met the right guy. I had a serious boyfriend, but we broke up when he couldn’t change my mind about coming here.”