Page 22 of All I Want For Christmas

No. Fuck no.“What happened?”

“They weren’t looking for Dr. Badih Kahn.”

“I thought the intel was clear on Kahn.”

“Yeah. They were looking for Dr.AsadiKahn. Badih’s brother.”

Matt closed his eyes. “And?”

“And they found him. Our mission is now a rescue.”

Matt felt his gut tighten. “Because he knows as much as Badih or because they think this will flush Badih out?”

“Not sure yet. We’re working on that part. He’s also a scientist.”

“A chemist?”

“Engineer.”

“What do they want with an engineer?” Matt asked.

Badih was a renowned chemist who had been pressured by the government to consult on the development of chemical weapons. Which he’d done. Just prior to destroying all the plans and blowing up the lab. He’d escaped and come to the Americans for protection, but he hadn’t necessarily intended to survive the explosion. He’d been willing to die to keep the plans for the weapons from being utilized. And while the plans had not survived, they lived on in his mind. Which was why he was now being hunted.

Asadi, however, was an unknown. Matt didn’t like unknowns.

“Best we can gather is that Asadi is being used as bait, but it’s not impossible to believe that he might be someone who could be useful in weapon design,” Simon said. “We’re just beginning to get the intel.”

“Fuck,” Matt breathed. A man had been kidnapped, their scientist was still under threat, a foreign government was hell-bent on developing chemical and biological weapons—okay, unfortunately more than one foreign government—and…his kids needed waffles.

In some ways, it would be easier to disappear now. Before the boys saw him. Before he got all caught up in everything about being home and the holidays and then had to leave. The leaving was the hard part. Should he just spare them all?

“So we’re leaving…”

“Monday morning.”

His two-week leave had just turned into two days. Matt blew out a breath and shoved a hand through his hair. “Okay.”

“Okay.”

There wasn’t anything more to say. “Keep me posted on any intel that comes in,” Matt said.

They had to go in after Asadi, but it would really help if they knew why the government had him. Was it just to try to draw Badih out or was he working for them? And was he working for them willingly or not? It could be a true kidnapping. Or bait. And the bait could be for the man’s brother, or for the American troops that the government forces knew were protecting Badih.

“Will do.”

They disconnected as Jay came through the kitchen door. “You ready?”

No. “Sure. Of course.” He forced a smile. He was home for another thirty-six hours give or take. That was better than nothing and he was going to see the boys.

He and Jay worked to get the waffles plated and the whipped cream and strawberries arranged in the Tic-Tac-Toe pattern he always did for the boys. Then Matt took a deep breath, picked up the tray, and forced his mind back into the moment. There would be plenty of time to wonder about what was happening across the ocean. Plenty of time. Too much time. He’d be in the midst of it far too soon.

And yet, not soon enough. Asadi could be in real trouble. And if he cooperated with his captors, they couldallbe in real trouble. And if Badih found out…

“Matt?”

He looked over at Jay. “Yeah?”

“You okay?”

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