Page 69 of Duty Bound

“Huh?”

“Don’t think about the what ifs. Stay focused on the plan.”

He nodded. Stitch was right. Letting his mind wander wouldn’t do any good.

Except he suddenly had so much more to hang on to.

He had Lily.

“I’m focused,” he muttered, scowling at Stitch. “Listen, if it all goes to hell and I get shot, you have to make sure she gets away.”

Stitch knew better than to argue. They’d made their peace with death a long time ago, all of them. Doing what they had done for a living, you couldn’t not.

Still, none of them wanted to go.

“I’ll do my best,” he promised.

Blade gave a satisfied nod. “Thanks, Stitch.”

“No problem.”

“Nobody will recognize me in that,” Lily said as Soraya held up a traditional Afghani burqa. It was a two-piece ensemble made from a high quality synthetic black material and included a meshed veil that covered her face.

“That’s the plan.” Soraya smiled and placed it on the bed, which was little more than a double mattress on the floor. There was a thick rug beneath it to keep out the cold, and colorful scatter cushions over the top.

Lily tried it on. “It’s perfect.” She thanked her and took the burqa downstairs.

Soraya gave them some blankets, and Stitch left the coals to burn down in the fireplace, so the room was toasty warm.

“See you at oh-five-hundred,” he said before heading to bed with his wife.

The house grew quiet. Without electricity, they could see the stars shining brightly through the windows. Once they were certain their hosts had gone to bed, Lily scampered over to Blade and curled up against him. There was no urgency now, no rush. They were both spent from earlier in the day, and they didn’t want to make noise and disturb their hosts, not after they’d been so kind and hospitable.

Lily lay in Blade’s arms, savoring his strength, feeling safe for what might be the last time. He stroked her hair, his arm wrapped around her.

“I’m scared,” she whispered.

He kissed her and held her tight. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

But it was the words he didn’t say that had her worried.

Blade woke her up before dawn, whispering in her ear.

“It’s time to get ready.”

She yawned, stretched, then kissed him lazily on the mouth. He lingered, closing his eyes briefly as if trying to commit the moment to memory, then got up.

A few moments later, Stitch walked into the room, followed by Soraya. She made coffee, rich and black, and they sipped it while they got ready.

Lily put on the burqa, and with Soraya’s help, attached the veil over her face. Now she was invisible.

Blade said very little as they loaded the Land Rover. His expression was grim, his shoulders tense, and he walked around with his hands coiled in fists.

This was a high-risk strategy, she knew that.

---