“What do your parents think of you flying off to Nigeria by yourself to risk your life rescuing some woman they haven’t met?”
That was a question he hadn’t expected.
“My parents don’t know about my missions. They don’t ask, and I don’t tell. Operational security. I couldn’t share information when I was with the Rangers, and I don’t share it now.”
“Don’t they worry?”
“I’m sure they do, but they’ve learned to live with it. They didn’t want me to enlist. They wanted me to go to law school.”
“Law school?”
“My mom is a district court judge. My old man teaches law at Emory University. My older sisters both studied law, but only one practices. The other runs a restaurant in Marietta, outside Atlanta, with her husband, Dustin.”
“God, that sounds like my family, only lawyers instead of doctors. They’re proud of you, though, right? I mean… how could they not be?”
Malik was touched by her pride in him. “I think they’ve come around, but they did everything they could to talk me out of it. My dad told me he hadn’t put eighteen years into me only to have me die in some godforsaken desert somewhere. He just didn’t understand.”
“Why did you choose the army over college and law school?”
“I couldn’t stand the thought of spending more time in school or working behind a desk for the rest of my life. I didn’t want to spend my days in an office—being cooped up indoors, talking on the phone, wearing a suit and tie. Hell, no. I wanted to do something physical. I wanted to be out in the world and a part of something bigger.”
“Why not sports? Or becoming a firefighter? Or a park ranger?”
“I was sixteen when the Twin Towers fell. They turned on the TV in our classroom just after the second plane hit. I saw the first tower fall. It hit me that someone had to be willing to go after the bad guys so that everyone else could live in peace.”
Kristi’s heart melted to think of Malik as a boy, just four years older than Obi, deciding to put his life at risk for his country. “That’s more noble than my response. I was twelve. I worried that terrorists were going to attack San Francisco next.”
“It was a hell of a time to be a kid.”
“So, you joined the army and said, ‘Hey, I want to be a Ranger.’”
He laughed. “If only it were that easy. I enlisted, sailed through basic and airborne training, and then volunteered for RASP—the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program. After that, I had to complete Ranger School.”
“Is it as grueling as they say?”
“It’s pretty tough, but I was ready for it—physically fit, mentally prepared for the challenge, and hungry to prove myself.” He’d made it through and had worn his beret and gold Ranger tab with pride. “I won’t lie. Graduation was the proudest day of my life.”
“I would love to see you in your uniform. I bet you lookhot.”
He liked where her mind was going. “Yeah? I’ve got it all at home.”
“How about you put it on—and I’ll take it off?”
“Angel, it’s a deal.”
His phone buzzed, made Kristi jump.
Shields.
Malik pushed a button on the console. “You’re on speaker.”
“I just wanted to let you know that one of David’s contacts came across men who were showing your picture to businesses and cab drivers around Abuja. They weren’t wearing uniforms, but they were armed. He guesses—and I concur—that they’re associated with the Sky Kings.”
Fuck.
That wasn’t the news Malik wanted to hear, but it wasn’t surprising. “Where’d they get my photo?”
“David says it was a clear shot of you at police headquarters.”