Page 83 of Duty Bound

“You didn’t have any problems on your way home?”

She shook her head.

“Can we have your passport?”

Lily took it from her jacket pocket then slid it across the table.

The woman nodded.

Agent Thompson spoke. “Lily, the software codes…” He let the sentence hang, an implicit invitation for her to fill in the blanks.

She glanced at them. They were practically drooling over the table. This was a chance to track not just the Taliban, but any enemy, anywhere. The software she’d helped develop would provide data they could use to strengthen America's borders, assist their allies, and understand their adversaries better. It was all about the information.

“Can I have a piece of paper?”

He had one ready.

Slowly, and with precision, she wrote down the strings of code that would get them access to Hawkeye.

“Just to be clear,” another agent added, “this is everything?”

She gave another nod. “That’s everything. Can I go now?”

The fourth man grimaced. “I’m afraid not. I’m with the Department of Defense, and we’d like you to talk us through everything that happened over there, beginning with your abduction.”

She sighed. Really? They were doing this now.

Someone knocked.

“Excuse me one second.” The man stood then opened the door a crack.

Pat’s voice flowed into the room, terse, demanding, abrupt. The debrief could wait. She’d been through enough. He was taking her home.

“I suppose it can wait a day or two,” the DOD man said reluctantly.

Lily threw herself into his arms. “Pat, thank goodness. It’s so good to see you!”

He hugged her, a great big bear of a hug. Keeping a protective arm around her, he turned to the other agents, towering above them. “She’s coming with me.”

Lily couldn’t have been more eager to leave.

As they left the airport building, Pat said, “I was thinking you should come and stay with at my place for a while. If you want to, that is.”

Her eyes welled up. Damnit, she hated crying in front of him, but she was so relieved to not have to go home. “That would be great.”

He gave a happy nod. “Let’s go then. Let’s get you home.”

CHAPTER 30

“Where am I?”

Blade tried to lift his head, but it felt like a ton of bricks was pushing down on him.

“Don’t worry, you’re safe.”

Stitch.

Slowly the events of the last few days came rushing back. The checkpoint, the capture, the beating… He took in an experimental breath and was surprised to find it hurt less.

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