Lev gaped at her. “Youdid that? Badass.”
“I couldn’t let them kill him.”
“Nick Andris. Thanks for saving Isaksen’s life in Antarctica and for freeing Jones. That took courage.”
She felt awkward accepting thanks from men who had just saved her life. “Thanks for coming after us.”
Nick gave her a nod. “That’s what we do.”
“I’m Dylan Cruz. We’ve heard a lot about you these past few days. You are one tough chick.”
Kristi didn’t feel tough.
A big man introduced himself next, his accent unmistakably Scottish. “Quinn McManus, ma’am.”
“Shields is his much better half,” Malik said.
Quinn didn’t seem insulted. “Aye, that she is. We’re glad you’re safe now.”
“Is Elizabeth on the plane, too? I really want to meet her.”
“Aye, and she’ll be chuffed to meet you, too.”
The helicopter lifted off and carried them over the city of Lagos to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, black smoke from the fire rising into the blue sky, a reminder of the hell they had just escaped.
She found Malik watching her, a smile tugging at his lips. “What?”
“You look like a living, human dust bunny.”
She laughed, but her laugh became a cough. “The ventilation shaft was filthy.”
Malik frowned. “Our medic should check you out, too.”
She wouldn’t disagree with that. “Good idea.”
It wasn’t a long flight, but Malik quickly lapsed into unconsciousness.
Kristi checked his pulse at his wrists, where dark bruises had begun to form. She found the others watching her. Between coughing fits, she explained. “I’m just checking the circulation to his arms. They tied his elbows and … wrists together behind his back and hung him up that way for hours. When I found him, he was hanging … from dislocated shoulders, and they were getting ready to burn him.”
Thor’s expression hardened. “Jesus.”
“Fuck. That must have hurt.” Lev shook his head. “I wish we could have gotten here sooner, but we moved as quickly as we could. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this team scramble faster than they did this morning.”
Quinn removed his helmet, revealing a head of red hair. “We boarded the jet an hour after Elizabeth got your message.”
Nick held up a canvas bag. “We got cell phones and a laptop. With any luck, the Nigerian government will be able to bring down the entire Sky King network.”
God, Kristi hoped so.
Dylan looked angry. “If they do, I hope we can be a part of it. I’d enjoy taking these bastards out.Hijoeputas.”
“Thank you. Thank you all.”
Fifteen minutes later, the helicopter landed on a tarmac not far from a small jet.
Malik woke with a start, looked around.
Kristi took his hand. “We’re at the airport.”