“I’m sure there must be something out there. Let me see what I can find.”
“I want to avoid any roadblocks or border checkpoints. I can’t be sure these bastards don’t have people watching for us.”
“Good call.” For a moment, there was nothing but the sound of her fingers clicking on her keyboard. “Tower says you’ve got an infrared mini-drone.”
“Ihada drone.” Malik might as well come clean now. “David demanded it as payment in exchange for helping me rescue Kristi.”
“Tower isn’t going to like that, but then he can’t fire you because you already quit, right?” There was a teasing note in Shields’ voice.
Malik grinned. “Right.”
“Okay, I’ve pulled up a recent Agency report. Good news and bad news. You shouldn’t have any problem crossing if you avoid highways. It looks like the only checkpoints are on the major thoroughfares. There are lots of bush roads out there, and the terrain is fairly level with no major obstacles.”
“That’s the good news. What’s the bad news?”
“Because the border is so easy to cross, there’s a lot of smuggling—mostly drugs and consumer goods. Both Nigeria and Benin have border patrols, but that’s a lot of area to cover. If you had the drone, you’d be able to manage it easily.”
“Go ahead. Rub it in.” He sent Kristi’s cell number to Shields. “I’m sending you Kristi’s phone number just in case.”
“I’ve already got that. I got her cell info from the State Department when she was abducted. It didn’t help us because her phone was left behind.”
He ought to have known. “You’re always one step ahead.”
“That is literally my job description.”
Malik went over his plan with her. “We’ll take back roads through the bush, heading toward Parakou. I’ll let you know when we arrive. Then we’ll get some sleep at a hotel near the airport and catch a flight out tomorrow.”
“Don’t buy your tickets until you reach the airport, and get the first flight out of the country that you can,” Shields cautioned. “We can’t be sure the Sky Kings don’t have a presence in Benin. In fact, it’s likely that they do. The moment your names show up in the system, they might get word. Better safe than sorry.”
“Copy that.”
“Also, I’m sending you an alternate credit card to use so that you don’t use the same one you used to buy the tickets and pay for the rental in Abuja. They might have that information.”
As usual, Shields had thought of everything.
“How are things there?”
“We’re wrapping up early. The deal has gone through, and our well-heeled businessmen are ready to head back to the US.”
“That’s good news.”
“Stay safe, Malik. Watch your six.”
“You, too.” Malik ended the call, started the engine, telling Kristi what Shields had said as he drove back to the dusty dirt road that had led them here.
“She’s on top of everything, isn’t she?” Kristi’s phone buzzed. She tapped it and held it up for Malik to see. On her screen was a selfie of Shields, waving, with text that said only, “Hi!”
Kristi took a selfie and sent it back to Shields. “I expected her to be a lot older. She’s so smart and good at her job.”
“Our intel team is mostly women, and they’re top-notch. I think Corbray and Tower see us ex-military dudes as interchangeable, but Elizabeth, Holly, and Gabriela—they’re the brains.”
Kristi slid a hand up his arm, squeezed his bicep. “They might be the brains, but you’re the brawn. I like brawn.”
“Hold that thought for a few more hours, angel. When we get to the Parakou Hilton, I’m going to show you what brawn is for.”
* * *
Kristi sat in silence,grateful they were safe in the vehicle, while Malik narrated what he saw through his NVGs on the road below.