Page 13 of Stand Fast

“No, it’s not.” And Maka was right. The daughter was the one who lost out when her mother tried to block Prentiss’s efforts at keeping in touch. Using Autumn as a weapon was wrong, but sadly, all too common in divorces. “Let’s hope things go smoothly for him this time.”

“Wouldn’t hold your breath on that one,” Maka muttered, sliding the last of the foam bullets into his uzi-style Nerf gun. Sucker must have at least twenty rounds in it, after Maka’s modifications. “Things have gotten worse for him since we got over here, in case you haven’t noticed. Man, I’d love to meet her so I could give her a piece of my mind.”

Zaid chuckled. “Are you kidding? One look from you and you’d have her in tears.” Maka had a heart of gold, but he was huge and could be an intimidating son of a bitch to those who didn’t know him.

Maka scowled. “I’m not that scary. Just don’t like seeing my buddy getting a raw deal. Or Autumn either, for that matter. She’s a sweetie pie.”

Zaid smiled at the show of loyalty and protectiveness. Now that he thought about it, Prentisshadbeen even more withdrawn than usual this deployment. Things had always been rocky with his ex, but something more had to be up with them right now, because Prentiss was the only one who hadn’t received a care package or parcel from home this week. Even Zaid had received a hand-written letter and a tin of cookies from his mom a few days ago, and they didn’t even celebrate Christmas.

In fact, the only guy on the team who seemed remotely cheerful over the past day or two was Maka, prior to this conversation, anyway. Zaid nodded at the plastic weapon in his teammate’s lap. “You better not try to shoot me with that thing.”

A sly grin spread across Maka’s face. “Oh, it’s happening. But don’t worry, you won’t see it coming.” He petted the plastic cylinder lovingly. “They never do.”

“Don’t forget, we shoot back,” Rodriguez told him.

Maka shrugged a broad shoulder. “Just wanted to make sure I was loaded and ready to rock. Never know when the right opportunity will present itself.”

Meaning, no one was safe, and they’d all be pelted with foam bullets at some point during this deployment. “Can’t you read a book or something like everyone else, play some video games and pass the time in a way that won’t wind up in a brawl?” Zaid asked.

“No.”

Hell, now that he thought about it, maybe a little brawl would be good for them and their morale. Let some steam off. It wouldn’t be long until they got another assignment, but the lag time in between was boring as hell.

The storage room door opened and Prentiss stepped out, looking ready to hit something. His gaze locked on Maka and the Nerf gun across the room, and his eyes narrowed in warning. “Don’t even think about it.”

Expression all innocence, Maka pointed the weapon at him and fired. A foam dart zinged across the room and pegged Prentiss center mass, dead in the middle of the star on his Captain America shirt.

“Asshole,” Prentiss snarled, and took a menacing step forward. Zaid guessed the attempt to set up a call with his daughter hadn’t gone so well. He almost hoped Prentiss and Maka did tussle. It would be good for both of them, and neither one of them would cross the line.

Hooting with laughter, Maka jumped up and ran out the door, whirling to fire another three rounds as he did. Prentiss ducked the first one, but the next two bounced off his shoulder. “Yeah, that’s right, you pussy, run!” he shouted after Maka.

Deep laughter echoed back at them from down the hall as Maka went in search of his next unsuspecting victim. Zaid shook his head. “He’s like a child.”

“Yeah.” A reluctant grin tugged at Prentiss’s hard mouth as he stared toward the hallway after their teammate.

Rodriguez clapped Prentiss on the shoulder. “You can get him back while he’s sleeping. When that guy’s out, he’s like a bear in hibernation.” With that helpful suggestion, he walked out of the room.

Zaid looked at Prentiss. At least Maka’s prank seemed to have lessened some of his teammate’s tension. “So, how’d it go? You get it set up?”

“Dunno. Have to wait to hear back from the ex. I tried texting her and she won’t respond.” His expression was as sour as his tone, but the sharp frustration was gone.

Zaid checked his watch. They still had over an hour until the team briefing. He was looking forward to it and bet the others were too. It would give them something to do, and it would also give him a chance to see Jaliya again. She’d been as frustrated and annoyed as the rest of them about the lack of results from the past two ops. She and her team were working overtime to uncover new leads and find them another target to check out.

He had seventy minutes to kill before he got to look at that pretty face and tried not to let his mind wander off into imagining her naked. Or naked and under him. It was damn hard not to fantasize about it, even if he knew it would never happen.

Zaid glanced around the team room, now empty except for him and Prentiss. One of the guys had pilfered an X-Box system and set it up in the far corner. He raised an eyebrow at Prentiss. “Call of Duty until the briefing?”

This time Prentiss’s smile was genuine, and full of appreciation. “Yeah, why not.”

****

Even without seeing him, Jaliya knew the moment Agent Khan stepped into the downtown Kabul office the next day.

She’d been expecting him, yet something tingled low in her belly and a subtle tension took hold of her muscles, making her heart rate kick up a notch. She braced herself before turning, but it wasn’t enough. His hazel gaze collided with hers from across the conference room, and the slight smile he gave her was so damn sexy her heart lurched.

Nuh-uh. You’re working. And he’s off limits.“Hello,” she murmured, striving to be courteous and nothing more.

“Hi.” Today he had on a tan tactical shirt that hugged his broad shoulders and chest, the short sleeves hugging the defined curves of his chest and biceps.

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