* * *
“No!”Kristi jumped in front of Malik.
Gunshots. A blinding light. An explosion.
She screamed, the sound lost in the mayhem as Malik’s arm encircled her waist, dragging her to the floor beneath him, his body covering hers.
“Stay down!” he shouted.
Rat-at-at! Rat-at-at! Rat-at-at!
Shouts. Cries.
Then silence.
Smoke filled the air. A burst of static.
“Isaksen to Cobra Actual, targets eliminated.”
Relief washed through Kristi, bringing tears to her eyes.
Cobra was here at last.
She and Malik were safe. They were going home.
Thor continued to speak into his radio. “We’ve found the package. I say again, we found the package. The place is about to go up. We’re moving out.”
“Cobra Actual to Isaksen, strong copy. Get the hell out of there.”
“It’s about damned time.” Malik groaned as he rolled off Kristi, probably unable to push himself up.
Kristi got to her feet, her heart constricting at the pain on his face. She helped him to stand, Thor joining her. “God, am I glad to see you! He needs medical treatment. They dislocated both of his shoulders. Whatever you do, don’t pull him by his arms. I think he’s a little shocky.”
“Copy that. We’ve got a doctor on the plane.” Thor’s gaze moved over Malik, probably checking for injuries. “Can you make it, brother?”
“I’m good. Let’s get out of here.”
Kristi put her arm around Malik’s waist, steadying him as they moved together toward the exit, smoke filling the air, stinging her eyes, making her cough harder.
Thor opened the door for them, then they were out in the clean, fresh air, a helicopter landing in a field maybe fifty yards away, other Cobra operatives walking on either side of them, clearly watching for trouble.
“Where’d Tower get the helo?” Malik asked.
“Shields’ buddy, David, lent it to us, along with the pilot,” Thor answered.
Malik raised an eyebrow. “For how much?”
Next time she saw him, Kristi would give David a big hug.
They crossed the field, Thor helping Malik to board, then reaching down for Kristi, the others piling in behind them. They settled into their seats, Kristi buckling Malik’s safety belt and putting the earphones on his head.
Malik watched her, his lips curving into a smile. “You’re a pro at this.”
“Thisismy third helicopter flight this week.” She broke into another fit of coughing, her eyes watering.
“Kristi set the fire with some kind of Molotov cocktail,” Malik told the others. “She freed herself, escaped through the ventilation system, and set the fire to create a distraction. Then she came after me. I think she inhaled a lot of smoke.”
It was hard to argue when she was still coughing.