Hartley patted her hand in a way that felt patronizing. “Don’t let them get to you.”
She gave him her sweetest smile. “I just spent four days in a camp with murderers and sex traffickers and watched them die in a hail of bullets. I don’t think the press is going to scare me.”
He laughed awkwardly. “Yes, well…”
But then Commissioner Busari took the microphone.
Busari described her rescue for the press and was accurate in every detail—except for who’d actually done the rescuing. He went on at length about the bandits and assured the public that the NPF wouldn’t rest until all bandits were in prison.
Then Hartley took the microphone. He thanked the NPF for rescuing Kristi and talked about the warm relationship between the United States and Nigeria. “Ms. Chang, would you like to say a few words?”
That hadn’t been part of the plan. They’d told her she wouldn’t have to speak.
Nevertheless, Kristi stood, walked to the podium. “I want to thank the NPF for their bravery in rescuing me. Without their intervention, I might not be alive right now. I also want to thank the Nigerian people for their kindness and warmth. I’ve worked as a nurse here for nine months, and I’ve come to love this country and its people so much.”
At least that last part was true.
When she stepped away from the microphone, the room exploded with questions.
“Ms. Chang, can you tell us what happened?”
“Do you know who was behind this group of bandits?”
“Ms. Chang, were you tortured or abused in any way?”
She smiled, waved, and followed Hartley out of the room.
Hartley gave her a patronizing smile. “Well done.”
As they walked down the hallway toward the room where Malik waited, she saw a notice on one wall. It was a warning of some kind, a wanted poster with several faces. On it were two words that were somehow familiar: Sky Kings.
* * *
Malik wasglad to get away from the bureaucrats and reporters. Now, he could focus on getting Kristi home—unless she wasn’t planning on leaving yet. “When we get back to the hotel, we can look at flights back to the US.”
The consulate was bringing her belongings to the hotel, including her passport.
She didn’t seem to hear him, her mind elsewhere.
“Kristi?” He squeezed her hand.
She looked up, startled. “I’m sorry. What did you say?”
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” She smiled. “I’m fine. I was just thinking.”
He repeated what he’d said. “That’s assuming you aren’t going to be stubborn and insist on fulfilling all twelve months of your contract.”
She got a look of feigned innocence on her face. “Moi? Stubborn?”
“Hell, yes, you.” Oh, how he wanted to kiss that smile off her lips.
“I feel bad leaving the other nurses and volunteers in a lurch, but I also have an obligation to my parents. They’ve been through hell worrying about me. My mother just wants me to come home. It would be selfish to make them worry more by staying.”
Malik wouldn’t argue with that. “I think your coworkers would understand. Besides, it might not be safe for you to stay. The men David and I took out had families, buddies. Everyone in Nigeria knows who you are now.”
Her brow bent in a worried frown. “I hadn’t thought about that. Do you think I could be a target?”