Kazi must have given them a photo of Jenna.
Elizabeth’s false passport had been created with her photo, not Jenna’s.
Her fear for Jenna’s safety escalated. This could bring their entire mission crashing down and end with Kazi taking Jenna.
The man barked at her in poor English. “Where is Jenna Hamilton?”
She had to buy time. “Iam Jenna Hamilton.”
He called someone, spoke in Dari, which, fortunately, was one of Elizabeth’s languages. “She’s not on this plane. Ground all flights.”
Shit.
Elizabeth hoped that Derek and Jenna were already in the air.
If not, she had failed them.
“Come with me.” The man took hold of Elizabeth’s arm, dragged her out of her seat. “Where is Jenna Hamilton?”
“I am Jenna. Are you blind? Look at my passport.”
He ripped off her burka, pain exploding on her cheek as he backhanded her. “American bitch. You are a Cobra spy.”
* * *
Quinn McManus heardthe command to ground all flights. “They’ve figured it out. We’ve got to get Shields out of there.”
Javier Corbray, one of the co-owners of Cobra, held up a hand to silence him, as Tower’s voice came over the radio, bringing worse news.
A group of hostiles was approaching Cobra’s private jet.
Fuck.
Quinn listened as Tower evacuated Jenna to a vehicle and headed with her and the rest of Team Two toward Cobra’s hangar.
“Cobra, this is Team Two. Four vics and at least twenty fighters with small arms and an RPG are coming our way, over.”
“Son of a bitch!” Corbray called Team One, the group of armored vehicles that had accompanied Elizabeth. “Team One, this is Cobra. Leave current position, head north down the highway to the end of the runway. Punch a hole in that perimeter fence to make an escape route and cover Team Two, how copy, over?”
That was it.
McManus stood, headed for the door.
“Where the fuck are you going?” Corbray asked.
“Shields is alone. Team One is no longer in a position to keep her safe. I’m getting her out of there.”
Corbray motioned toward the door. “Watch your six.”
Quinn dashed to the lift, made his way to the weapons locker, threw on body armor, and grabbed an M4 rifle and several loaded magazines. Then he ran to the garage, climbed into an armored vehicle, and set out, passing through the warped and damaged front gate.
It was a five-kilometer drive to the airport, McManus listening as the situation went from bad to worse. Cruz was down. O’Neal was down. Jones was down.
Corbray sent in Helo One with reinforcements and to evacuate the wounded, but it would take them a while to reach the tarmac. When they did, there was no guarantee they’d arrive in time to save lives. Then came word that Tower was down, too.
Jesus sufferin’ fuck!
Cobra had never lost men on a mission, but this was becoming a blood bath. Three operatives and one of the owners down.