She nodded. “As it is, I might catch hell when I get back for giving myself away. I couldn’t let thatmalparidostab you in the back of the knee.”
“Not if you wanted to get out of here. Nice scissor kick, by the way. Yes, I saw it. I looked just in time to see.”
“Thanks. I’m out of practice. I haven’t been able to work out.”
“No, I suppose not.” He drew out his smartphone. “I need to check in, see if I can reach Cobra.”
He disappeared into the bathroom and closed the door, leaving Gabriela to surf news channels looking for anything about the hostage rescue or the fight.
God, what a mess.
If that bastard Pitón hadn’t dragged her away, she’d have been on that helicopter, and she and Dylan would be eating bad food on a US Navy ship somewhere in the middle of the Caribbean. Instead, she was stuck in a hotel room in San Antonio de Los Altos with a surly former SEAL a risky day’s journey from the Colombian border, her mission unfinished.
And then on the screen, she saw herself.
Damn.
“The National Police tonight are asking for the public’s help in locating a nun who was abducted from a Catholic mission in El Vigía early this week. Police believe she was abducted by a foreign national, possibly an agent of the United States. The suspect is believed to be armed and extremely dangerous. Anyone who has seen the young Sister is asked to call the National Police immediately.”
Gabriela was glad that they still believed she was a religious sister. She was also grateful that they didn’t have a photo or a description of Dylan. Unless they connected the Cobra operatives with the guys selling black market goods—and they might eventually—they would also have no idea that he spoke fluent Spanish or that he could fake a solid Cuban accent. They probably thought they were looking for a white guy.
She and Dylan could use that to their advantage.
As for Gabriela, sooner or later someone would recognize her. She needed sunglasses, a baseball cap, maybe some hair color. If she bleached her hair blond, she might be unrecognizable. Make-up, too, would help—anything to make her look less like the woman beneath that veil.
From the bathroom came the sound of Dylan’s voice.
She wished she could speak to her superiors, explain what had happened. She supposed she’d have plenty of time for that during the debriefing once she got back to Langley. In the meantime, her objectives were clear.
Work with Dylan to stay alive—and get out of Venezuela.
He stepped out of the bathroom, a troubled frown on his face. “I spoke with my boss. Venezuela closed its borders, even the maritime borders.”
“That’s not good.”
“Oh, and you can relax. The Agency shared the basics about you with Cobra. You were at the Mission to gather intel about Luis Sánchez and his ties to the Andes Cartel.”
She was surprised the Agency had shared that much. Dylan must have top-secret clearance after all. It was a relief. “Yeah, well, being abducted put a premature end to that operation. What’s the plan?”
“There is no plan—yet.” He lifted the backpack, set it down on the table, and opened it. “It’s a sensitive situation. We’ve been ordered to stay put for the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours while things cool down, and Cobra and the Pentagon pull something together.”
That wasn’t what Gabriela had expected, but it made sense. “Okay, but please don’t sleep on the floor. It’s a king-sized bed. I trust you to keep your hands to yourself—especially now that you know I can kick your butt.”
“You?” A dark brow arched, but he grinned. “Kickmybutt? Not a chance.”
As Gabriela brushed her teeth and got ready for bed, mind and body aching from fatigue, she had to admit to herself that there were worse scenarios than being stuck in a hotel room with a sexy operator.
11
Dylan stood looking out the window at the city lights and the street below. He couldn’t tell from here that the country was in dire economic straits or that there were people down there who were starving.
Behind him, the bathroom door opened.
He glanced over his shoulder, saw Gabriela kneel next to the bed. “That wasn’t an act, huh? You’re religious in real life?”
He immediately regretted his tone of voice.
You’re a dick.