Page 18 of Stand Fast

“That had to be one big-ass bomb,” Hamilton said. “Looks like it might have been a five-ton truck.”

The location and timing of it worried Zaid. Impatient, he relayed his information to the men standing guard and waited to be let through. If the vehicle Jaliya was riding in was anywhere near here when the blast went off…

He scanned the crowds around him in all directions, searching for a glimpse of her.

“Taggart said Rabani and the others were okay,” Hamilton said, correctly guessing the cause of Zaid’s concern. “I’m sure she’s fine.”

Zaid didn’t answer. He’d only relax once he saw her himself, and then make sure she was moved to somewhere secure.

This had the style of The Jackal all over it, and if Jaliya was in his sights, then Zaid wanted to get her to safety. He’d already lost one woman he cared about deeply, and he’d be damned if he would watch it happen to Jaliya without doing everything in his power to shield her. If that made him come across as an overprotective control freak, so be it.

He glanced to his left, then his right. On the east side of the street across from the hotel, the crowd shifted to let paramedics by with a stretcher and Zaid’s gaze landed on a familiar female figure standing with her back to him, dressed in beige cargo pants and combat boots.

Relief swept over him in a warm wave. “There she is.”

Without pause he jogged toward her, knowing Hamilton would follow. He didn’t call out her name, not wanting to draw attention to her identity in case she’d been targeted and some of The Jackal’s spies were among the crowd, watching. There was a slim chance this was unrelated to either The Jackal or Jaliya’s team, but his gut said otherwise.

She still had her back to him as she spoke on her phone, her free hand covering her left ear to help her hear better. The smell of smoke and scorched metal hung thick in the cold air.

Zaid slowed as he approached, angling toward her so that she could see him in her peripheral vision. Her chocolate-brown gaze darted to him, and even though she didn’t say anything, the relief on her face told him he’d been right to come.

Jaliya quickly finished her conversation and lowered her phone as she turned to him and Hamilton. “News travels fast.”

“We heard a few minutes after it happened.” Zaid scanned her quickly and didn’t see any sign of injury. Or fear, even though she had to be shaken. He relaxed a fraction. “You all right?”

“Yes. We’re all fine.” She sighed and faced the burning building. “Security’s locked everything down and won’t let us in. The agency’s working on finding a secure location to move us to. But I’ve got material related to a current investigation I need to retrieve from the safe in my room, and I’m not leaving until I get it. And after this, I won’t let anyone from the hotel or their security touch it. Until I know what’s going on and who detonated that bomb, I’m not trusting anyone here, not even the guards hired by the agency. I’ve tried to argue my way in, and called my boss to see what he can do to get me in there.”

The sooner they got her away from here, the better. “Let me take a shot. Wait here.” He motioned for Hamilton to accompany him to the side entrance, where more armed guards were stationed.

In Dari Zaid argued his case for gaining access to the building, and fed them a lie about being government security contractors guarding a state VIP. It was imperative that they clean out their client’s room before either the police or military reached it, and if they weren’t granted access before then, there’d be hell to pay.

After some arguing between themselves and their superior, Zaid pressed harder, promising severe consequences for them if they didn’t let him and his team upstairs that instant. The guards weren’t happy, but they grudgingly agreed. Zaid waved Jaliya over, who shot him a surprised look and followed him into the building.

“We’ve got fifteen minutes,” Zaid told her, pulling his Glock from its holster on his hip as he reached the door to the stairwell. Hamilton and Jaliya both had pistols in hand, and kept watch while Zaid opened the stairwell and checked it. “Clear.” He started up the concrete steps, maintaining his vigilance just in case anyone or anything was waiting to surprise them. “Where are we headed?”

“Fourth floor, number 416. End of the hall, near the far exit,” Jaliya answered behind him, Hamilton watching their six as they ascended the stairs.

The stairwell was deserted, and when Zaid checked it, so was the fourth floor hallway. He strode for the door she’d mentioned, then held his hand out for her key card. “Stay put out here with Hamilton,” he told her, then eased the door open. He swept the room, and, seeing no threats, swung the door wide open. “You’ll stand watch?” he asked his teammate.

“You know it,” Hamilton answered.

Jaliya quickly moved inside and Zaid shut the door behind her. She headed straight for the small closet opposite the bathroom and eased the folding door open, her weapon in her free hand.

With fast, economical motions she accessed the small safe and turned the knob back and forth to enter the combination. She let out a relieved breath when it opened. “It’s still here.” When she straightened and turned back to him, she held a flash drive and a file folder in her left hand.

“Need anything else? We’ve only got a few more minutes before our time’s up.” If they weren’t out of here by the specified time, they’d have pissed off security agents coming in after them and Zaid would rather not be subjected to any more questions right now. His priority was moving Jaliya away from here as quickly as possible.

She was already hurrying to the dresser set against the wall opposite the double bed. “Just a few of my clothes and personal things.”

In the midst of shoving a handful of what looked like lacy underwear into her backpack, a low rumble sounded below them. Both she and Zaid froze.

A moment later the rumble increased to a dull roar, and the floor shook.

Jaliya gasped and took a step back. Zaid immediately rushed to wrap a protective arm around her shoulders, ready to push her under the desk and cover her with his body. Another bomb? Debris falling from the hotel? But the floor stopped trembling a moment later and the noise ceased.

“God,” Jaliya whispered, pressing a hand to her stomach in relief.

Hamilton pounded on the door. “You guys okay?”

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